Comments on: Vintage Kenmore dryer

By: Lakon Williams

Lakon Williams — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 23:35:10 +0000

I just bought a house with a 1950′s Norge (borg-Warner)home double-chest farm freezer, mint condition and working! A 1950′s white Kenmore dryer in mint and working condition, and a 1954 Norge 41″ range, white in color. I cannot find any information on what my antique appliances are worth. Any information would be appreciated! -Lakon

By: Bruce

Bruce — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:15:59 +0000

My dryer looks exactly like the one in the picture (but not quite as clean). Mine is a 1950 Sears-Kenmore (not a “Lady Kenmore”) GAS dryer model 5817801. It seems the only outward difference is mine has a pop out panel on the front bottom edge where the gas petcock is located. I don’t know how much electric it uses but it’s a 110 volt AC 6 amp motor. The machine is quite heavy with VERY thick sheet metal. It was the first (I believe) gas dryer to use an electric pilot (heat coil) ignition. It usually needs a new V-belt every 10 or 12 years but the belts are easy to change. I don’t think it will ever wear out.

By: pam kueber

pam kueber — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:22:25 +0000

Jimmy, I tend to agree we should set this issue aside. Tip: If you are interested in finding out more about the energy efficiency of your old appliances, get a meter and test them individually. For example, contrary to what might be a knee-jerk belief, I have been told that old fridges can be pretty energy efficient – because they don’t have defrost motors. The defrosting in today’s models, I was told, takes a lot of energy. Bottom line: Test what you have … and I would say: Learn more about the energy used in your house in all ways and go for macro-solutions. I plan to blog more about this — home energy efficiency — in the future – it is a great interest of mine.