Vintage Home Appliances Money Out The Window?

[ThesFlishThngs]

The uninhabitable garage apartment behind my house has an efficiency-sized gas cooker and a classic, round-top fridge (Maybe Frigidaire, but I'm not certain.) They both work, sort of, and I'd presume the stove is fuel thrifty as the oven knob seems stuck, and you have to light the burners individually. The refrigerator probably isn't, but since we had to disconnect the electric wires that ran from the house to the apartment (with a spliced-in light bulb in the middle to illuminate the back garden), it's not wasting any resources. When it was operating though, the inside freezer compartment wasn't very good; my secret stash of ice cream went all runny.

In the house, my electric stove is Frigidaire from the early 60s; when we moved in I found the original owner's manual, picturing a delighted housewife in poufy dress and pearl necklace.
Our natural gas furnace is probably an 80's model, and as long as it keeps us from freezing to death, it'll stay. It hasn't used any energy for months, but one of these weeks soon I'll have to venture down there and risk losing my eyebrows and blowing the house off its foundation with the pilot lighting operation.
Otherwise we have one small television from over 10 years ago, a couple of laptops, a very basic washing machine, natural gas water heater, not much else. The a/c does hike up the summer electric bill, but only for three or four months.

fftopic: I take a bit of issue with how carbon footprints are calculated; from what I've seen of my global pals' results, it's pretty clear that simply by residing in the US, I have extra strikes against me, no matter how basically I live. While the size of my house and how many people share it are part of the calculation, the test I took didn't take into account where my house is. Living in a home that's been tucked away in the inner city for close to 100 years would, in my eyes anyway, have less of an environmental impact than buying a new one in the midst of a sprawling roof farm built on freshly bull-dozed land.

For us, it comes down to efficiency and common sense; we are not in a position to rush out and buy all brand new, trendy, retro-inspired gadgets and appliances, nor would we do that if we were rolling in $. As things wear out and break down, we replace when we can't repair.

 

[Paisley]

It's not exactly an appliance, but I like my pressure cooker, which cuts cooking time in half or more. Someday I'll get around to making a solar oven, which doesn't require any energy at all to use.

Long, long ago, I had a small refrigerator that had to be defrosted now and then. I used the hair dryer to do so.

As for actual vintage appliances, I'd consider a stove but nothing else, as long as it didn't have a pilot light.

I like being able to take the shelves out of the refrigerator and wash them; I don't like defrosting. Automatic ice makers don't matter to me--it takes me 15 seconds to fill a tray with water and put it in the freezer.

Basic automatic washing machines look pretty much as they did 50 years ago.

My water heater will probably need to be replaced in the next few years, and I'm open to various options.

 

[Paisley]

While the size of my house and how many people share it are part of the calculation, the test I took didn't take into account where my house is. Living in a home that's been tucked away in the inner city for close to 100 years would, in my eyes anyway, have less of an environmental impact than buying a new one in the midst of a sprawling roof farm built on freshly bull-dozed land.

A few years ago, a magazine featured a vacation house built to be energy efficient. Wouldn't it be more efficient to stay at a hotel or rent a house that's already there?

When I buy appliances, up-front cost is another factor--much more so than a vintage look. If I needed one tomorrow, I'd go to the used appliance store a few blocks away, where I bought my dishwasher.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Clearly you are once agian attempting to start a fight...........do it with someone else...........shakeshead

Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

 

[dhermann1]

The problem with that old non frost free fridge is the freezer compartment. If you don't use your freezer much it's no big deal. But I've always hated defrosting, it's a miserable. messy, time consuming process. And if you live in a place like New York that gets hot and muggy in the summer, you'll get quick frost build up. Some of the neat looking old refrigerators I've seen have only those dinky little freezer compartments that don't even work well. The only alternative is a separate freezer. These are great for big families, but ridiculous if you live alone.
As far as clothes washers are concerned, every time I put stuff in the dryer I visualize how much carbon is going into the atmosphere and sort of cringe. if the laundry room in my apartment building had washers with rollers, I'd use them. But I'm pretty much stuck with what I have.
As far as stoves are concerned, aren't those futuristic looking radiant stove top the most efficient? Gas, even when you keep the flame down, sends lots of heat needlessly into the air.
So I guess I'm sticking with my modern appliances. And as tempting as it is, I'm sticking with my big cumbersome CRT TV, too, instead of a flat panel, which also uses much more power.

 

[NY_Confidential]

Yes.....and no.

But why would I replace something that is -working- and have it go to the landfill....That also uses resources, as does the manufacturing, transport, etc of a new appliance does.

This is very wise of you. I've seen the same argument before, and I agree with it. The argument was relating to Classic Cars, surrounding the whole "Cash for clunkers" ordeal.

Without getting political about it, I believe that if more people recycled USED cars, the impact to the environment would be far less from vehicular emissions than those emissions from factories building newer cars and hybrid cars. They say that '65 Cadillac pollutes like CRAZY! - Maybe so. But how many pollutants are let into the atmosphere while producing a new Cadillac??


And, now.. I suppose the same goes for everything else.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

With facts not ad hominem attacks, Lizzie. Besides from ,my perspective a good healthy argument backed by a factual analysis is quite different than a fight.


My electrician advised me that using my current refrigerator would cost me hundreds more per year to run than a new one. I was quite surprised at the bit of information. As I usually do I researched the situation. I could actually save approximately one thousand dollars per year as I replace my home appliances which balances out the little extra money I will spend on having a retro look.

 

[Paisley]

As far as clothes washers are concerned, every time I put stuff in the dryer I visualize how much carbon is going into the atmosphere and sort of cringe. if the laundry room in my apartment building had washers with rollers, I'd use them. But I'm pretty much stuck with what I have.

You could spin the clothes twice. I don't know if that's more efficient than a longer drying time.

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

A few years ago, a magazine featured a vacation house built to be energy efficient. Wouldn't it be more efficient to stay at a hotel or rent a house that's already there?

When I buy appliances, up-front cost is another factor--much more so than a vintage look. If I needed one tomorrow, I'd go to the used appliance store a few blocks away, where I bought my dishwasher.

Yep, and yep. Not to mention my property does not feature a sprawling, pristine lawn of green that requires watering, fertilizing, cutting, blowing, edging, etc. The mature trees have shaded out most of the grass & I've planted lots of animal- and insect-friendly things that are mostly low maintenance. No doubt it looks scruffy and imperfect to some, but to me it's a cottage garden. What bits of grass I do have to mow are cut with an electric weedeater - less noise & no two-cycle pollution.

The appliances we've had to purchase have either been second-hand, or the most basic, no-frills model off the showroom floor.
We're lucky to never really need a clothes dryer; in winter when the weather isn't conducive to hanging laundry on the line, the floor vents do a nice job of blowing warm air onto a clothes horse. Now and then, the Mr. will take a load to the laundromat and spend a few quarters on an industrial dryer, but not often.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The problem with that old non frost free fridge is the freezer compartment. If you don't use your freezer much it's no big deal. But I've always hated defrosting, it's a miserable. messy, time consuming process.

After twenty years, I've gotten it down to a science, actually -- it's quite easy the way I do it. What I do is take a small hand-held hair dryer and direct it right at the very edge of the freezer compartment, along the front, where the frost is thinnest. It won't take long to expose the bare metal. Then, I take a small, thin screwdriver and insert it between the inside of the freezer compartment and the inner layer of frost, and gently wriggle it around. (DO NOT CHIP!) Usually the entire inner piece will come out in one chunk, and I toss it out into the back dooryard to melt in the sun (or to melt in the spring, if it's wintertime). Then I blow the warm air along the inside of the freezer until it loosens the outer layer of frost. This will separate and fall off, but will be kept from falling on the floor by the loop of ice around the capillary tube at the top of the freezer compartment -- a quick blast from the heat gun makes short work of that, and out the back door the rest of the ice goes.

Total time spent, approximately fifteen minutes. It usually takes longer to empty and refill the fridge than it does to actually do the defrost, and there's very little mess. (I don't know what the energy expense of the hair dryer is, but since I seldom use a hair dryer otherwise, I think I can afford it.)

I do this twice a year, and it's no big deal.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

With facts not ad hominem attacks, Lizzie. Besides from ,my perspective a good healthy argument backed by a factual analysis is quite different than a fight.


My electrician advised me that using my current refrigerator would cost me hundreds more per year to run than a new one. I was quite surprised at the bit of information. As I usually do I researched the situation. I could actually save approximately one thousand dollars per year as I replace my home appliances which balances out the little extra money I will spend on having a retro look.

You seem to be missing the fact that she has tested her fridge. That is a fact. The fact is that it came in within Energy Star standards.....when she ran the test.

So why should she switch it out, at a higher cost, for it to still basically be energy star compliant?

Oh wait...she doesn't have that cool sticker.

 

[dhermann1]

Defrosting

One more question: Lizzie, would you do this if you did not already possess a perfectly fine running vintage fridge in the first place?
And how big is the freezer compartment? Does it hold much?
(I'm suddenly recalling images of those old fashioned compartments with a couple of packages of SnowCrop peas, and maybe green beans, and a container of MinuteMaid OJ jammed in.)

 

[Carlisle Blues]

After twenty years, I've gotten it down to a science, actually -- it's quite easy the way I do it. What I do is take a small hand-held hair dryer and direct it right at the very edge of the freezer compartment, along the front, where the frost is thinnest. It won't take long to expose the bare metal. Then, I take a small, thin screwdriver and insert it between the inside of the freezer compartment and the inner layer of frost, and gently wriggle it around. (DO NOT CHIP!) Usually the entire inner piece will come out in one chunk, and I toss it out into the back dooryard to melt in the sun (or to melt in the spring, if it's wintertime). Then I blow the warm air along the inside of the freezer until it loosens the outer layer of frost. This will separate and fall off, but will be kept from falling on the floor by the loop of ice around the capillary tube at the top of the freezer compartment -- a quick blast from the heat gun makes short work of that, and out the back door the rest of the ice goes.

Total time spent, approximately fifteen minutes. It usually takes longer to empty and refill the fridge than it does to actually do the defrost, and there's very little mess. (I don't know what the energy expense of the hair dryer is, but since I seldom use a hair dryer otherwise, I think I can afford it.)

I do this twice a year, and it's no big deal.

Thank you Lizzie!! This is exactly what I was looking for......

A means to test and justify using older appliances.....

While I do not hug trees yet I am very conscious of what I use and how it effects the environment.

When faced with the new versus old argument studies are sometimes obsolete when compared to the current standards. If that is all I have to go by then naturally I will have to use that data.

But empirical analysis will always win out.

 

[LizzieMaine]

One more question: Lizzie, would you do this if you did not already possess a perfectly fine running vintage fridge in the first place?
And how big is the freezer compartment? Does it hold much?
(I'm suddenly recalling images of those old fashioned compartments with a couple of packages of SnowCrop peas, and maybe green beans, and a container of MinuteMaid OJ jammed in.)

I've never not had to defrost, so I don't really have any basis for comparison. I grew up helping my grandmother defrost her old Gibson, so it's always been something that's just *there,* like taking your car in for an oil change. When I got my first place, the thought of buying a modern 1988 fridge never occured to me -- not when you could get a perfectly good used (we didn't say
"vintage" around here then) one for $50.

The freezer is like you describe, a small box suspended up in the corner. I don't really eat much frozen food, so it's not really important to me -- right now what's in there is a half a bag of ice cubes, a packet containing a couple of venison steaks someone gave me last winter, and an Aero bar I brought back from Canada in 2004. Sometimes in the summer I might throw a few Hoodsie cups in there, but otherwise I don't use it much.

 

[Paisley]

Yep, and yep. Not to mention my property does not feature a sprawling, pristine lawn of green that requires watering, fertilizing, cutting, blowing, edging, etc. The mature trees have shaded out most of the grass & I've planted lots of animal- and insect-friendly things that are mostly low maintenance. No doubt it looks scruffy and imperfect to some, but to me it's a cottage garden. What bits of grass I do have to mow are cut with an electric weedeater - less noise & no two-cycle pollution.

Me, too! My yard is mostly flowers and bushes; there's a little buffalo grass in the back yard. It's a hybridized native prairie grass that doesn't depend on the sprinkler much, and doesn't need to be mowed, fertilized or aerated. The plants in the front yard get an annual haircut with an electric trimmer--that's it for yard appliances. The catalpa tree I planted helps keep the house cool enough (about 78 degrees) that I seldom run the AC. As for environmental impact, I grow plants that don't require constant watering, fertlizing, spraying, and winter banking--plants that IME have to be dug up and replaced every few years, or turn brown and crunchy in the summer after a week's neglect. I like plants that flourish with a little care and live a long time or self-sow.

The yard isn't vintage looking at all, but it's better suited to the high desert climate than a golf course style lawn would be. And I get a lot of compliments on it.

 

[Viola]

Another thing to consider with appliances is the modern push for "commercial grade" for higher-end appliances - when so many of the people who can afford the nicest appliances don't cook at home for every meal, and their families are generally fairly small.

A small vintage stove with four burners on the range-top and one oven that is NOT a hulking commercial grade 6 burner with all the fixin's is perfectly capable of serving a family and it doesn't get as hot and it doesn't take as much fuel to run.

Commercial grade stoves also require more heat-proofing to avoid fire and many are over-scaled requiring bigger kitchens, which have dubious ecological merit.

 

[Cigarband]

This is a quote from energystar.gov.. "Protect the environment. Nearly 70% of U.S. electricity is generated with coal and natural gas, which release greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators use less energy and help us reduce our impact on the environment."

Does this matter to the vintage dedicated crowd?

Since "Global Warming" is a crock, it doesn't matter to me.
I await your attacks, ad hominem or otherwise.

 

[Professor]

I'm all for efficiency (especially in the case of refrigerators), but I'll never give up my '36 Mixmaster or '37 O'Keefe and Merritt stove! Modern stoves just don't cook the way they used to.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Luckily, manufacturers are beginning to understand that while we want new-style efficiency, we want old style...

For us, it comes down to efficiency and common sense; we are not in a position to rush out and buy all brand new, trendy, retro-inspired gadgets and appliances, nor would we do that if we were rolling in $. As things wear out and break down, we replace when we can't repair.

A small vintage stove with four burners on the range-top and one oven that is NOT a hulking commercial grade 6 burner with all the fixin's is perfectly capable of serving a family and it doesn't get as hot and it doesn't take as much fuel to run.

I'm all for efficiency (especially in the case of refrigerators), but I'll never give up my '36 Mixmaster or '37 O'Keefe and Merritt stove! Modern stoves just don't cook the way they used to.

I would like to thank those who chose to answer responsively and responsibly.


These are all important issues when deciding which appliances to use. My head is swimming with options and choices. I am very reluctant to give up some of my older appliances and when they fail sometimes their fate is predetermined as it would be too expensive and not cost efficient to repair.

There is no easy answer. As time passes and technology evolves; more information becomes available. There are more choices today than there has ever been.

My place in Florida was totally vintage; the craftsmanship and materials that went into building the house were beyond compare. The attention to detail impeccable. I could not replicate that where I am currently. I did not replace a thing in Florida, there was no need to. I went to sell it and my vintage house was considered a liability.

Currently, I look around and my place is more of a 1950's and 1940's motif regarding appliances. I will keep that theme there is something comforting and pleasing about that look for me.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"I love the look of old heaters, the type that look like a metal log basket, but have an electrical flame effect with red pieces of glass to look like glowing coals"

This one on the right of frame has been working well at chez Binkie since the mid 1980's, but please, please please get a safety switch installed!, with any vintage electrical appliance"