13 vintage kitchen appliances we'd love to have again
Come the holidays, we start to spend even more time in the kitchen, whipping up banquets for our family and treats to share with friends. It always makes us think back to being a kid, lending mom and dad a hand in the kitchen on Thanksgiving, whether it was holding the electric mixer in a bowl or learning how to carve a turkey.
While the traditions and recipes remain, the appliances we use to whip them up are rather different.
We've gathered some vintage kitchen gear that we would love to still have, whether it be for aesthetics or convenience. Did you have any of these — or did you perhaps keep them?
The Naxon Beanery
Grandmothers everywhere swear by their Beanery, the original name for the Crock-Pot. Developed by Irving Naxon as a means of recreating his Lithuanian grandmother's bean soup, the Beanery revolutionized slow-cooking in the midcentury. In 1971, the Chicago-based manufacturer was bought out Rival, who renamed the plug-in pot the Crock-Pot.
Image: Reddit
Plastic Salad Spinner
Salad spinners are still around, certainy, but lacking in style. The plastic centrifuges came in pastel greens and creamsicle oranges. As kids, it was our favorite kitchen duty — sitting on the floor and cranking the thing like mad to dry lettuce. It was smart color design, as it felt like a toy. It's a brilliant way to get children to work in the kitchen.
Image: ThumbBuddyWithLove / Etsy
Salad Chopper
While we're on the topic of salads, let's discuss this forgotten convenience, seen in the upper right, billed here as a "Gourmet Salad Set." Looking like some kind of medieval barber's tool, this was essentially just a wooden block with a depression to hold a head of lettuce. Then you would hack at it with the half-moon blade. It's a pestle with sharpened mortar. Seems good for taking out your aggressions on some Iceberg.
Image: Wish Book Web
Ice Crusher
It's no secret that cocktail culture was at its peak in the 1950s. Here we have a handy device from late in the decade that could pulverize your ice cubes to make a chunky slush. You don't have to be sipping alcohol to enjoy the pleasures of a slushy drink.
Image: Wish Book Web
Combination Electric Can Opener and Knife Sharpener
Fewer people have electric can openers these days. Perhaps because they do not also sharpen your knives with a satisfying grinding noise.
Image: Wish Book Web
Electric Sock Warmer
We know what you are saying — socks in the kitchen? Look, we're just going off where these babies were advertised in the catalogs, next to the coffee pots. The idea of toasty toes on a cold morning is heaven, and what better place to get it done then next to the toaster?
Image: Wish Book Web
Elevated Cabinet Refrigerator
A hanging refrigerator? Well, it certainly makes cleaning underneath the fridge a far easier task, and keeps the Cool Whip tubs away from the little kids. We just hope you have some strong screws in the wall.
Image: Rikki Nyman / Flickr
Retractable stove
An electric range in a drawer? That's pretty brilliant.
Image: americanvintagehome / Flickr
Portable countertop dishwasher
Take it from people in Chicago who have lived in old apartments without dishwashers — we would have loved to have these suckers on the counter to make cleaning easier.
Image: BBC
These decorative patterned refrigerators
White refrigerators are so boring. Stainless steel, you say? Well, that's not quite paisley and plaid, is it?
Image: americanvintagehome / Flickr
Countertop breakfast griddle
It's like having your very own Waffle House on the counter. It cooks the sausage in a little drawer! You can knock out vittles for a big family quick.
Image: Wish Book Web
All-in-one kitchen
Wait, everything you need in a kitchen in one box? Why aren't these things on all those "Tiny House" shows?
Image: Bored Panda
Cutting board–covered range
Older kitchens were far better at hiding away their work areas. We like the idea of the room being a little more streamlined and multipurpose in that way. This Tappen put the cutting board right in front of the simmering pots. So much easier to toss in fresh veggies.
Image: Oddee