Tips on buying a vintage stand mixer … and retro house blogger link love

What a super fun week on the blog. We had a time capsule house, Eva Zeisel, ceiling fans, Mom’s bathroom makeover, my trip to a Kentucky antique mall — and lots of great dialog — at last count, 334 comments this week! You guys are so fun — and have so much knowledge. Today, I want to share advice from Kate about buying vintage mixers like the Sunbeam I saw at the mall. Also, click on down for links to four great stories from retro house bloggers about their latest exploits. Go, Tribe!

Tips on buying vintage stand mixers? Kate writes:

I have several older mixers: a Sunbeam Mixmaster 10A and a Dormeyer Meal Maker (both 50s); and two 70s Sunbeams. Here is my advice when purchasing something like this:

1. Buy from an estate sale. Make sure it has all the parts (beaters, bowls, juicer) and that they ALL FIT that particular mixer. And that it runs on all speeds. Spend some time hunting through the kitchen gadgets because estate sale people often don’t realize mixers come with different attachments — meat grinders, shredders, mayo oil drippers, coffee grinders, ice cream makers, etc. — and just dump misc kitchen gadgets together. So look through the mess and see if anything else goes with your mixer. Do not expect that if a beater is missing you will be able to find one on ebay or at your local hardware store. (Although you will likely be able to find the instructions and cookbook on ebay.)

2. To research mixers, search WACEM (a chat group for those who are addicted to mixers). You can find people to restore your mixer on WACEM also, and at least one guy sells restored mixers.

3. If you fall for something that maybe has a little something wrong with it that could likely be repaired by someone, be cautious: unless you are that someone, you will pay a lot (as much as for a new mixer in many cases) to get it repaired. Also: death by electrocution is not something you ought to flirt with.

I am not a Kitchen Aid person, so don’t know about prices for them, but for a Sunbeam, you would expect to pay between $20 and $50, depending on model and condition. The colored 11s (esp pink, blue or chrome) are pricier. They made a million 11s, so it’s a good model to buy — you can still get (new) beaters and bowls that fit it.

Kate

Thank you, Kate. Now, I neeeeeed one of these!

More great reading from the retro house bloggers I follow on my blogroll:

• Betty Crafter (of fabulous knotty pine kitchen fame) knits herself a Cowichan sweater jacket. So 70s! So 2012! You are supa-cute, Betty, however, you need to learn how to make pretty permalinks, so that the google discovers your talent. Email me, dear, and I will explain.
• Cara over at Our Arts and Crafts House won herself a Shaw HGTV Home rug via the Shaw contest, which she read about on my blog. Doesn’t her new midcentury modern style area rug look great in her dining room?
• Retro Ruth and her blogging team at No Pattern Required are avid, hard-working bloggers.  Sara is helping her mom renovate a time capsule condo. They recently got rid of an ancient 1959 heating system and replaced it with a new heat pump. Now, how sexy is that! You go, girls!
• Susan and Eric of Our Modern Mess found an original metal wall divider stored in the basement — and reinstalled it next to the front door. Now they need to repaint it. What color should they choose?

Do you have a house blog that’s not on my list? Let me know so’s I can spotlight your fab projects, too.