from canada to new york my mini hoover is here! much thanks to paul chaks and roger anderson!

Although we have posted it before this film will tell you all you need to know about the operation of this washing machine.

With gravity drain (I see the hose had been replaced) operation could hardly be simpler - just switch it on at the wall socket. The wash tub looks like the Hoovermatic although it is rather smaller - I believe the capacity of this machine to be 4.5lbs Vs 6lbs in the Hoovermatic

It is interesting to speculate on what motivated Hoover (or more particularly Charles Colston) to take Hoover in this new direction at the time. Did he perhaps see the opportunity in the millions of new houses being built in the late 1920s and 1930s for private ownership and seeing the arrival of a new "middle class" realise there was a huge potential for a new product.

The small size of the is machine was the very key to its success, there were other wringer washers around at the time but they were all significantly larger and would have been difficult to accommodate in these new homes which had almost always tiny kitchens. But this machine could be easily tucked away when not in use under the draining board by the sink (at this time, before the advent of fitted kitchens this was usually just free space) but ready to be called into use at a moments notice. The simplicity of this machine with no need for a gearbox to drive an agitator also allowed for a low build price, meaning that it could still be sold for a good profit but at a low price to the consumer - remember that at this time sales tax was 50% - a win win all round. And no need for particularly special electrics either - I am not saying it could have been run off a light fitting but much of the housing stock (even new houses, built at the lowest possible price too) would not necessarily have had a 15amp socket in the kitchen which a more sophisticated machine might have needed.

Clearly it was the right machine at the right time although it seems like its introduction in 1948 was delayed by some 10 years or so due to WW2 - it was originally planned that these machines would be built at the main factory in Perivale.

Al


Forum Topics & Rules Manuals & Literature	New users Click-here to sign-up

Post# 831972 7/12/2015 at 12:48 (3,207 days old) by dryclean1 (Walton, NY)
Checkrate/Likes 1 hello washer friends. after waiting for months I finally have my hoover mini wringer washer. after some cleaning and oiling I am happy to say its working like a champ!special thanks to paul chaks for selling it to me and also to roger Anderson for delivering it to endwell for us to pick up. I will post some pics on this thread. thanks so much. Bill Photos... < > Photo 1 of 5 View Full Size

Post# 831983 , Reply# 1 7/12/2015 at 14:12 (3,207 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )
Checkrate/Likes *very cool!* But where's the tub shot pics? Does it have a drain pump to empty the washtub? Have you washed any loads in it yet? Can't wait to hear back from you & hopefully see some tub shot pics too! ;o)

Post# 831987 , Reply# 2 7/12/2015 at 14:26 (3,207 days old) by kenmore58 (Rhode Island)
Checkrate/Likes Bill, So happy for you! I know just how excited you must be. Enjoy! Ron

Post# 831994 , Reply# 3 7/12/2015 at 16:21 (3,207 days old) by firedome (Binghamton NY & Lake Champlain VT)
Checkrate/Likes *Glad to be able to bring it down to you Bill!* It was nice to meet you & your wife! And it was fun to see Phil & Paul too, as usual, even if a very short visit to VT! Hope you have lots of fun with it... it's very unique, never saw a washer so small!

Post# 832055 , Reply# 4 7/13/2015 at 04:45 (3,206 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield, East Midlands, UK)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Hoover Single Tub* Although we have posted it before this film will tell you all you need to know about the operation of this washing machine. With gravity drain (I see the hose had been replaced) operation could hardly be simpler - just switch it on at the wall socket. The wash tub looks like the Hoovermatic although it is rather smaller - I believe the capacity of this machine to be 4.5lbs Vs 6lbs in the Hoovermatic It is interesting to speculate on what motivated Hoover (or more particularly Charles Colston) to take Hoover in this new direction at the time. Did he perhaps see the opportunity in the millions of new houses being built in the late 1920s and 1930s for private ownership and seeing the arrival of a new "middle class" realise there was a huge potential for a new product. The small size of the is machine was the very key to its success, there were other wringer washers around at the time but they were all significantly larger and would have been difficult to accommodate in these new homes which had almost always tiny kitchens. But this machine could be easily tucked away when not in use under the draining board by the sink (at this time, before the advent of fitted kitchens this was usually just free space) but ready to be called into use at a moments notice. The simplicity of this machine with no need for a gearbox to drive an agitator also allowed for a low build price, meaning that it could still be sold for a good profit but at a low price to the consumer - remember that at this time sales tax was 50% - a win win all round. And no need for particularly special electrics either - I am not saying it could have been run off a light fitting but much of the housing stock (even new houses, built at the lowest possible price too) would not necessarily have had a 15amp socket in the kitchen which a more sophisticated machine might have needed. Clearly it was the right machine at the right time although it seems like its introduction in 1948 was delayed by some 10 years or so due to WW2 - it was originally planned that these machines would be built at the main factory in Perivale. Al

Post# 832082 , Reply# 5 7/13/2015 at 10:49 (3,206 days old) by turquoisedude (.)
Checkrate/Likes Bill, I'm so glad to hear that you got it going and have used it! I had the washer since 1996 but I never did anything with it - when I think about it, this was THE first vintage washer I ever acquired. Hubby says it was all downhill from there... LOL I recognized this machine as being pretty much the same one as my late grandmother had; I remember seeing hers for the first time in the late 60s when we visited her at her home in Mansfield, England. I'm so pleased this washer has found a good home - I hope you have many years of enjoyment with it!!

Post# 832111 , Reply# 6 7/13/2015 at 13:31 (3,206 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )
Checkrate/Likes *hey vacbear58/Al...* Thank you for posting that cute short hoover washer film. I enjoyed watching it all the way through. It looks exactly like the hoover twin tub washer's washtub. But I guess it's even smaller than the twin tub's washtub? That's pretty small! Thanks again vacbear58/Al. :o)

Post# 850872 , Reply# 7 11/10/2015 at 15:37 (3,086 days old) by turquoisedude (.)
Checkrate/Likes *New 'Vintage' advertising artwork for the Hoover* As is often the case here on the board, I've struck up a friendship with Bill in Walton, NY; to say he's happy to have the Hoover compact washer is an understatement. Here's an ad he drew up but was unable to scan, so I'm posting it for him. And just for the record, here's the backstory on this washer: It was owned by the family of a good friend of mine, Linda, who I've unfortunately lost contact with. Her mother (Irma) purchased the washer new when she moved out on her own; I don't know if she bought the washer new or used, however. Well, Irma used the machine until she married around 1955 or 1956 and moved to a bungalow on Montreal's South Shore. No, she didn't get an automatic until the early 60s; her thrifty new bridegroom budgeted for a regular-sized wringer machine however! The machine was eventually moved to a trailer the family had on the Quebec side of Lake Champlain and remained there until Irma's passing in the early 1980s. My friend's father (also a Paul) moved the machine back to the South Shore bungalow and it stayed there until he passed away in 1995. Now he willed all his Christmas lights and decorations to me (he knew me well...) and when I went to the house as Linda was liquidating the contents, she suggested I take the washer since Hubby and I had just bought our first country house in Mountain Lakes. I did, Hubby was furious and we never did wind up using the washer! It moved with us down to Ogden in 2007 and sadly, just sat in the garage. When I saw Bill's post in Shopper's Square, I contacted him and after a long winter wait, I was able to finally get the machine to firedome's (Roger) place in Vermont this summer and Roger graciously transported the washer to Bill. Forgive the rambling... I just wanted to share this. View Full Size

Post# 850885 , Reply# 8 11/10/2015 at 16:21 (3,086 days old) by firedome (Binghamton NY & Lake Champlain VT)
Checkrate/Likes *Sounds like Bill's having fun!* ...that machine has quite a history behind it!