Golly be — it’s not a “GE Patio Cart”, it’s a “GE Partio Cart.” Just as 52PostnBeam pointed out this amazing combination barbeque-rotisserie-oven-stovetop-prep surface-umbrella-on-wheels (shown again, above) for sale on our Forum a while back, she also recently pointed to another one of these wonderful oddities — woddities — for sale out west and realized and pointed out that it’s not “Patio”, it’s “Partio.” Well, of course it is. Roll one of these into your backyard, and a party will be sure to roll on in, too.
According to this flickr source, the GE Partio Cart was originally introduced in 1960 on The Price Is Right (no primary source identified, though). Interestingly, the original NOS Partio Cart we spotted for sale in Minnesota for $1750, looks to be the same one now listed on 1st Dibs, with a California location, for $5,800. I’m just guessin’.
And since we’re counting: We also saw one on the Forum a few years ago for $495. Needed a little work. But $495 is a far cry from $5,800, that’s for sure. Goodness, would I lovadubdub to get my greedy retro paws on one of these.
Atomic Livin' Home says
I saw one of these babies at the Denver Modernism Show last year!
( I don’t know if they had it there this year as I didn’t do the show)
It’s an amazing like-brand-new cart and it really WOWed the crowd! 🙂
Just Sayin' says
If you’re interested in one, check out the Rochester, NY Craigslist. One went up today for $625 (umbrella included).
TappanTrailerTami says
Yay, I clicked on contact seller and the scale is sold, now I don’t have to worry about spending money on it, LOL!
TappanTrailerTami says
I wish I had room for a Partio Cart! Those are sooo cool, and would seem to be pretty practical too provided you have a covered area to keep it.
I’ve always been afraid to register for 1st Dibs, thinking things would be oh-so-expensive, and now I think you have confirmed that.
Sadly, they have the upright bathroom scale I want in the worst way, but I can hardly imagine what the cost would be. I now present to you: The Fairbanks Valet Scale, complete with trouser hanger and jacket rack. Oooh La La!
http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_item_detail.php?id=425906
Nancy Burton says
Heidi- So, this really works? I want one of these so bad & my husband says he doesn’t think there is any way they would work? Does is grill as well as a gas grill?
Heidi Swank says
Nancy- It works amazingly well. We love it. The grill is the old fashioned charcoal kind, but with a charcoal chimney it takes no time to get it up and going. I bake cakes in it, make pancakes on the griddle, cook dinners on the burners. It even has a little light on the range end, so if you are cooking in the dark you can still see the knobs. Plus, it really cuts down on our gas bills not to mention that since the oven starts at about 100 degrees it probably costs less to get it up to 350 than my oven inside.
The biggest downside was that we had to have 220 run to the back porch. The other problem is that there is no cover for the grill, so the temps don’t get as high as with covered grills. We’re looking for a large pan lid that we can just put over burgers as we grill them. That should do the trick.
Dan O. says
Where’s the built in bar? How else are you going to end up with a situation where the umbrella ignites into a giant built in tiki torch?
MCM is Grand says
I just figured out the name….it is supposed to remind you of a party! PARTY-O. This took me awhile 😉
Moe Moe says
We had one of these for sale at SWANK here in Minneapolis, it was closing and of course it was on sale and I don’t think anyone bought it. Kicker was, it had only been used TWICE! 🙁 I feel like starting a shelter for vintage finds that need a good home…..
Heidi Swank says
My husband and I are the third owners of our mint condition Partio Cart. We bought it for $700 from a friend about 3 years ago. Our friend had never used it, and he thought the original owners rarely did either.
Moving it, though, was an adventure. The wheels are set too wide to get it on a moving truck, so we pushed it up one hill and just over a mile down the street to get it to our backyard. It came with the same owners’ manual as well as all the original accessories. Sadly, it didn’t come with the umbrella. But then I always wonder about the prudence of putting an umbrella in such close proximity to a grill.
It runs on 220, so we had our electrician run a new outlet to the back patio for it. Summers in Las Vegas are quite hot, so it becomes our summer kitchen when it gets warm. We love it.
I’ve been thinking about setting up a Partio Cart Facebook page in hopes of identifying as many owners and carts as possible. There is one, I believe, in the Portland area as well as one owner in Texas. One of these two was in an issue of Atomic Ranch a few years ago.
Among all of our mid-century appliances, I believe our Partio Cart to be my favorite.
pam kueber says
TOTALLY ENVIOUS!!!!
Heidi Swank says
Stop on by if you’re in our neck of the woods. We’ll cook you up something!
Susan Clements says
love to
Tadeo says
My in-laws just got one at an auction yesterday. We didn’t wait a day before using it (we used it last night). Only sad thing is that its missing the user manual and it’s tough to find online. Do you know how to start the rotisserie? We could not figure it out last night
Heidi Swank says
If you want to email me at heidiswank@yahoo.com, I’d be happy to make a pdf of our user’s manual and send it to you.
Congrats! How did you get to use it so fast? We had to wait until our electrician ran 220 to the back patio.
Pam Weinrieb says
I live in Buffalo, Ny and I also have a Partio Cart! It was in the garage, covered up, when we purchased our house. We never used it. It is in perfect condition although the umbrella is missing. We are looking to sell it.. I’m not sure what price I should ask? Any idea? Thanks for your advice.
pam kueber says
we don’t do pricing valuations here, pam…
Just another Pam says
Pretty darned sweet, Miss Pam! Wonderful to look at and practical with it as it originated in a time when summer kitchens were becoming a faint memory and not everyone could afford air conditioning. Well, and it’s turquoise….I mean, come on, turquoise!