One possible way to get your old appliances fixed is to find local suppliers — old time repair shops — that could help you out. But, readers also chimed in with some great comments. Here’s another idea: a list of online resources suggested by reader Patrick Coffey. He seems to have pulled together a great list of both companies and community forums that can help you connect with parts, service and instructions to help get your vintage appliances and stoves back in tip-top shape if you are unable to find local repair shops that can do the work for you. Patrick writes:
The companies below may be able to help you — note, we do not do these services — click the bold blue text — those are hotlinks:
There are a host places to go on the net that can definitely help you with vintage appliances….both major AND small.
- Repairing vintage washers, dryers, dishwashers and other major appliances — For advice and help on repairing vintage major appliances…try asking for advice at my favorite website — Automatic Washer — believe it or not there are a A LOT of people (some of which frequent this site) who post on that site that have actually restored vintage major appliances from the likes fo early automatic washer and dryers to dishwasher, stoves and fridges. People at the site are always willing to give advice on where to find parts and even tell you how they fixed problems like ones you might be having. Also you can see pics and videos of some of the awesome restored appliances.
- Repairing vintage stoves — Also there are sources like The Old Appliance Club that can help you find parts.
- Repairing vintage stoves and refrigerators — There is a growing number of companies that specialize in restoring vintage stoves — see our list here.
- Repairing vintage toasters and waffle irons — Now for small appliances like toasters and waffle irons there is Micheal Sheaffe in New York who runs Toaster Central. He restores and sells old toasters, waffle irons, and Sunbeam Slow Cookers.
- Repairing Sunbeam toasters — If you have a Sunbeam Self lowering Radiant Control Toaster that needs a adjustment take a look at this web site Automatic Beyond Belief. This web site is dedicated to the self lowering toasters that Sunbeam made from 1949 to 1997.
- Repairing vintage electric mixers and coffee grinders — For vintage mixers and Kitchen Aid Coffee Grinders there is Deco Dan.
- Repairing vintage vacuum cleaners — For advice about vintage vacuums there is Vacuumland.org, which is the website for the Vacuum Cleaner Collectors Club. This is actually a sister site to Automaticwasher.org, and you will find as many knowledgeable vintage vacuum folk here as you will find anywhere.
- Repairing vintage ceiling fans — Last but not least if you have a vintage fan that needs a hand (sorry couldn’t resist getting cute) go to FanCollectors.org, home of the Antique Fan Collectors Association.
- As for me I am lucky I have a tv guy, a radio guy, and a small appliance repair shop all with in a half hour of my pad that will fix my vintage stuff……..
Last but not least some important reminders:
- I do not have personal experience with these resources, so I am not endorsing them.
- Please make sure that you do your own research to verify that you are working with safe, experienced, licensed professionals.
- While some of these sites may include information focused on Do It Yourself projects, Retro Renovation.com is not a DIY site. So please –>
- –> Do your own research — consult with licensed professionals — regarding the environmental and safety issues related to using or repairing vintage appliances — there can be vintage nastiness like lead and asbestos in vintage materials including appliances — and then of course there are the wiring issues and lord knows what else. For more info see our Be Safe / Renovate Safe page.
And, as Lara Jane commented in the original story:
To follow up on Pam’s post, I know a lot of people on other home improvement sites were scammed by a guy restoring vintage stoves (some they’d sent to him, some were advertised on his site). Be careful who you give your money to, and if possible, use a credit card with buyer protection!
Many thanks to Patrick for this great contribution to the blog, and to Julie, Lara Jane, and all the others who provided additional ideas on the original post. Keep ’em coming!
MCM is Grand says
Hi, this is not quite an appliance tip, but I found out today that a plumbing shop in Gardena, CA (Reback’s) carries new dishmasters! I tore out the ad for our kitchen wish list. Did I miss the dishmaster memo? I am so happy to find these, the only ones I have seen “in person” at time capsule open houses were all broken (or so the realtors said). This is worth a road trip to investigate in person. They opened in 1950 – a good sign! 🙂
pam kueber says
Yes, you missed it — I have done EXTENSIVE Dishmaster coverage. See Kitchens / Sinks & Faucets category ….
MCM is Grand says
Ah, I went back and searched this blog, and found the entries, sorry to repeat! Excitement got the best of me 🙂
pam kueber says
not to worry!
Jordon W says
Our 60’s ranch is still sporting it’s original avocado green GE drop-in stove – which clocks in at a teeny 27″ wide. The size worried me at first but the interior is almost the same as a 30″ oven. Heck, I just roasted a 16 lb. turkey in it yesterday! I love the push button burners too. Now I just need to find filters/covers for the matching hood. I don’t know how long it has gone without one but man, it is gross up there!
Patrick Coffey says
Thanks for posting my info Pam…I am glad that it will be a help to everyonhe and I also think that it is cool that other people are adding business’/clubs they know of that can help too. We Retro Hounds gotta stick together LOL. As for the introduction of the 30 inch range…Frigidaire introduced the 30 inch range in 1950 (the same year coincedentally that Westunghouse introduced the first totally Frost Free Refrigerator)…PAT COFFEY
Lauryn says
Thanks for the tip on the 30″ stove, Pat. I’m thinking this stove is from either the 50s or possibly the 60s, hard to tell. Here’s an interesting ad from a 1938 kitchen that shows what looks like an even smaller than 30″ stove: http://www.antiquehomestyle.com/inside/kitchen/1930s/gallery/page11.htm
Not quite MCM, but a good reference for us (our house was built in late 1939, but I still think the Roper would look appropriate).
pam kueber says
Thank you so much for this great list, Pat! And now: For the history on the intro of 30″ ranges. I get to do another post on this!!
Lauryn says
Here’s a good starting image. Damn good thing it says sold or I’d be driving to California right now.
http://www.antiquegasstoves.com/pages/30wedge.html
John Hedge says
I’ve got an old in gas gas heater I’d like to restore or re-chrome and repaint. Any Suggestions on Chroming the Grill? Would it be pricey … if so any DIY options? The brand is Custom-Aire with a cool retro font on a label inside (but the logo came off of the front where it looks like there use to be one). It still works great, I’ve got a carbon monoxide detector too in case it doesn’t.
pam kueber says
How about this: https://retrorenovation.com/2008/08/07/how-do-i-re-chrome-or-replate-my-metal-bath-hardware/
Lauryn says
Timely post. I just discovered a 30″ Roper gas range at our local habitat store. Would love a bigger vintage stove, but only have space for a 30″ unit, so this one is tempting, even though it’s in rough shape. Not sure what vintage, I’m guessing 1960s because of its size? Pam, any ideas when Roper started making 30″ ranges? I’m having a hard time finding anything online.
Also, anyone know if these older stoves can be retrofitted with electronic ignitions so we wouldn’t have to worry about those pesky old pilot lights going out? Would love to buy and fix up this stove, but also love the safety and ease of our current 5 year old gas range.
pam kueber says
Hi Lauryn, I don’t know when the 30″ stoves started … maybe someday I will get a timeline going. As per retrofits, I think it *can* be done. But it can be expensive, I think. You are right to be thinking: Safety.
Lauryn says
Yeah, safety is good. Our current stove really looks fine (and actually doesn’t look that much different than the $4000 Big Chill, except for its digital display). I really was okay with it until we brought some things to donate to our Restore and my husband made the mistake of saying, “Did you see that old gas stove back there?”
Andrea says
I bought a gorgeous 1950 Magic Chef gas range (I think it was 36 inches wide) at an auction about 18 years ago, for $5 bucks! I waited three hours for it to come up for bidding, and no one else wanted it. It was in near-mint condition, but—it ran on a propane tank.
I called a local gas utility provider and they retrofitted it to use regular “house gas,” and ALSO insisted on installing some sort of electronic safety ignition system, which did prevent the pilot light from going out except in very rare instances.
We used that stove for many years, it was perfect. I loved it but had to leave it when I sold the house. Total cost was about $350 for the complete retrofit and professional installation. I thought that was a bargain even way back then, considering the stove only set us back $5 bucks to begin with!
Herb Foerster says
Does anyone know where I can sell old appliance manuals and literature? I have manuals from the earl 1950’s – late 1980’s.
pam kueber says
ebay is the way to go
Tammy Hutchings says
I have a old vintage stove, and lookin for a manual, its a frigidaire and model number is RT-453, If you have any I would me very interested
pam kueber says
Tammy, contact the organizations listed in the story. Good luck.
chris says
Have you guys ever visited http://www.antiquegasstoves.com? It is a very cool, very fun site to check out. I can only imagine how much the restored stoves must cost — but they are gorgeous!
Pat D says
I’d like to repeat a recommendation from the earlier post on local shops by Maria. http://www.davesrepair.com has been my online store, and he has a lot of parts, so it’s great for people who like to do it themselves.
Ann V says
I have the exact toaster on the home page of the Sunbeam toaster website! I had no idea it had a following. I found it in my parents’ basement – it belonged to my great-grandmother.
My dad is an engineer who worked his way through college as a repair man at an electronics shop in the late 60s and early 70s. I keep telling him he should get back in the business because there’s such a demand for vintage electronics and appliances. For now, he’s my personal vintage repair guy.
KM says
Antique Stove Heaven in CA has kept my 1928 Magic Chef in top shape. They also did the original restoration on it. These are the kind of guys who won’t do a bad repaint and will urge you to keep original finish- they really love old stoves.
Tina says
These are great resources! Reading this made me think about the awesome Tappan range we had in our 1959 rambler while I was growing up. It had side-by-side ovens with French doors (one oven was larger than the other). The burners pulled out and were lined up side-by-side as well. And when the burners were pushed in, what remained was a cutting board surface, which came in handy when the burners were out and on, too.
http://uglyhousephotos.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/phx50skitchennational1959fabulous400tappan.jpg
I saw the same one in the kitchen in Graceland!
Ours was probably around 30 years old when it could no longer be repaired and my parents had to remodel the kitchen to fit a “normal” range into the configuration.
But if you notice the URL in that link, it led me to a site that included that picture in its section on “Ugly Kitchens.” You don’t want to see what the site owner considers an ugly kitchen. Sigh.
http://uglyhousephotos.com/wordpress/?p=4459