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Thread Number: 81012
/ Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
Question - does anyone like newer smalls? |
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Post# 1050122 , Reply# 1 11/6/2019 at 21:27 (1,629 days old) by JustJunque  (Western MA) |
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We had a Little Mac back in the 70s!
I have no idea what ever happened to it. Probably got sold at a yard sale, or donated to a thrift store. As for newer smalls; I've liked the looks of some here and there, although I can't name an example off hand. And I usually avoid buying them, because of the quality issues that you mention. I'll have to look around and see what we have for newer stuff. I can't even think of anything right now. Our newest small appliances might be from around the time of our wedding, which would be 2002. Those would include a Krups coffee maker, a KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer, a corresponding hand mixer, etc. Maybe I'll start paying more attention to modern smalls when I'm at the store. Although, that doesn't even happen very often any more. I'm way overdue for a trip to the local thrift stores though! Barry | ||
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Post# 1050140 , Reply# 2 11/7/2019 at 05:17 (1,628 days old) by Sudsomatic (Indiana) |
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I'm fond of smalls 
I have a few vintage small appliances. I have two early/mid 1960's Sunbeam electric can opener's one in pink and one in yellow with the 'Atomic' grill styling. I also have a Harvest Gold Seal-A-Meal from the 70's. Neither might be considered officially small appliances but I've always thought of anything that does a specific (kitchen) job and plugs in as an appliance.
For more recent gadgets I love my Ninja Blender. It's part blender, part food processor and is so handy. from quick burst chopping for making usable chunks of sliced onions and peppers, medium chopping to 'rice' cauliflower, fine grinding for turning ice cubes into "snow" or pureeing the crap out of something you want to liquefy.
And... I'd be lost without my Air Fryer. I know some manufacturers include air frying in their ovens now, but I love my countertop version. Perfect size for one to three people and I have to imagine it uses less power to cook something than firing up your main oven.
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Post# 1050148 , Reply# 4 11/7/2019 at 08:33 (1,628 days old) by Paulg (My sweet home... Chicago) |
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I really had to think about this one.
Generally, I look at newer smalls with a jaundiced eye. The quality out of China can be good but can be really bad too. ( I used to monitor quality of Chinese appliances that were outsourced. I try to keep a balanced view but am super suspicious of quality shortcuts ). But then again, some vintage appliances were crap too.
That being said, I love my vintage appliances and generally only keep and use the good quality ones. As for newer smalls, I love my new microprocessor-controlled pressure cooker. Quality seems adequate and it has already paid for itself. Our Zojirushi bread maker is a champ. Overall, I like the quality of their appliances and I do tend to favor Japanese brands. Our Cuisinart food processor, electric chopper and buffet skillet are great. We’ve had a few new duds. One brand (who shall remain nameless) markets “high quality” smalls. I have their super-duper coffee grinder which refuses to work reliably and I have their panini maker which is dreadful to clean. NEVER buy a panini maker without removable grids. I think both will go to the recycler as I don’t want to frustrate another soul with those badly designed products. | ||
| Post# 1050149 , Reply# 5 11/7/2019 at 09:12 (1,628 days old) by Kate1 (PNW) | ||
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I think if someone is extraordinarily picky, there are excellent new small appliances to be had. Brands that I think still make quality small appliances are zojirushi, Kitchenaid, Panasonic, Braun, Bosch, and maybe a few others. | ||
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Post# 1050151 , Reply# 6 11/7/2019 at 09:54 (1,628 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands) |
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| Post# 1050159 , Reply# 7 11/7/2019 at 10:51 (1,628 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c ) | ||
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I have A few 1980s smalls But never use them Everything I use is 1960s or before with the exception of a 80s Kitchen Aid food processor and a 70s Burst of Power Mixmaster portable. | ||
| Post# 1050247 , Reply# 9 11/7/2019 at 22:28 (1,628 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room) | ||
Depends on the kind of "like." Generally, the only kind of "like" I have for a modern appliance is if it functions properly. I can't think of much that interests me with newer appliances I've seen, past mere function. Modern styling leaves me cold, and there is no feeling of history. I have the top of a living room bookcase partly lined with old percolators, and there is no way I'd replace those with modern drip pots.
BUT I do get and use newer small appliances when they are cheap enough used. And they seem to function more or less OK for me. Two caveats: I don't do much that's ambitious with any appliance. I'm not cooking gourmet treats with my toaster oven (99 cents on clearance day at Goodwill). My modern iron (also a Goodwill clearance item) is only used to iron clothes sometimes--it seems to be OK, but it might not work as well if I were, say, sewing/quilting/doing crafts. Other caveat: I don't think I'd count on a lifetime investment with a modern appliance. Then, again, some older appliances weren't that great, either. I can think of several small kitchen appliances that didn't last when I was growing up. | ||
| Post# 1050248 , Reply# 10 11/7/2019 at 22:48 (1,628 days old) by IowaBear (Cedar Rapids, IA) | ||
 I always enjoy looking at them whenever I go to the stores or thrift shops. I never buy any of them though as I've learned through the years that only smalls I ever use on regular basis are coffee pots and slow cookers. Nothing else I've owned got used often enough to justify keeping it.
I don't even have an electric can opener although we always had one in our house when I was growing up. | ||
| Post# 1050287 , Reply# 11 11/8/2019 at 11:38 (1,627 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama) | ||
Does the 80s count?
The new KitchenAid siphon coffee brewer really caught my eye. The looks aren't bad, and it seemed to be the first modern vacuum pot that might rival my daily driver, the Sunbeam C30. At almost $200, it is incredibly expensive. Still, I was considering taking the plunge until I read a CNet review that described the result as "lightly filtered." One of my favorite things about the C30 is the exceptionally clean brew.
I've been told that the older electric Bodum Santos brewers make excellent coffee, but they have some design issues that result in early failure. I sold one on eBay, and the buyer mentioned that he was collecting as many as he could because he loved the coffee but knew that they had a limited life span. My two semi modern standbys are the Black & Decker Toast-r-Ovens from the eighties and the made in France version of Sunbeam Oskar food processor. It's small, but powerful and easy to use. Perhaps because the bowl is small, it does a great job of chopping evenly. The need to chop multiple batches is offset by the ease of use and cleaning. I have both of these items, and they tend to resell well on eBay. The Oskar seems virtually indestructible. My grandmother received one as a gift in the early 80s. She passed it on to me around 1986, and my husband and I used it until around 2000 when we upgraded to a Cuisinart because we wanted a larger model. Almost 20 years later, we finally went back to the Oskar and love it. Sarah | ||
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Post# 1052201 , Reply# 14 11/24/2019 at 19:16 (1,611 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.) |
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As long as they are white and NOT designed to look like: fake "1950s" b.s. or "heavy duty commercial" b.s.
They also need to be cheap as in inexpensive because I've found the cheap stuff lasts longer and when it does break there's no disappointment because .....it was cheap. So you end grateful and you buy another.
Found the toaster used for $3 works perfect and didn't even look used much. The stove top I use like everyday, have had for 3 years and bought for $14 on ebay.
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Post# 1052219 , Reply# 15 11/24/2019 at 21:24 (1,611 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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Chinese crap.
Most of my smalls have been replaced with vintage versions. However, I did purchase a Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer last year. POS! Do not buy! The timer is off by about 5 minutes, the "Bake" option engages the fan. None of the accessories are dishwasher safe and are very hard, along with the interior, to keep clean. Boy am I sorry I didn't buy the Breville instead.
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Post# 1052221 , Reply# 16 11/24/2019 at 21:35 (1,611 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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Love it!
I replaced the trusty Sharp microwave early this year with a "Panasonic NN-SD664W Countertop Microwave with Inverter Technology, 1.2 Cu. Ft, 1200W". Very fast and spacious. Many cooking options. Because of it's speed, you always have to lessen the cooking time that was originally suggested. So far, it's been flawless.
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Post# 1052222 , Reply# 17 11/24/2019 at 21:40 (1,611 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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Meh, OK.
Purchased last year, LEVOIT Cool Mist Humidifier. I like the design, whisper quiet and works well enough. However the plastic sure feels flimsy, so the jury is still out on durability.
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Post# 1052225 , Reply# 18 11/24/2019 at 21:56 (1,611 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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Well made, sturdy.
Purchased about 5 years ago. Air-O-Swiss humidifier. Model 7135. Works very well, superior construction. Pricey. It goes by the brand name of Boneco currently.
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Post# 1052247 , Reply# 19 11/25/2019 at 07:49 (1,610 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI) |
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The AMKrayoGuy Gallery of Smalls:
Yes, cheap lasts longer and to me even works better... Take that coffee grinder: It’s a $25 job bought at a discount/bargain store that would have been a “Guys, help me—what should I do?”, when I was contemplating grinding my own coffee, since my own Starlight store brand of where I work at only comes in whole bean... It would have turned into that even more had I gone the more expensive route, as I can still easily transfer my coffee to the pot without spilling, and it’s easier to clean... The criteria for the ideal toaster was finding one with a knob that didn’t easily turn, as in solidly sits where you set it... Yes, most over a decade old, and still work like new... — Dave | ||
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Post# 1052262 , Reply# 20 11/25/2019 at 10:11 (1,610 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City) |
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I purchased this Hamilton Beach back in 2017 and have been happy with it. The only issue is food sometimes lodges itself into a part of the bowl lid and can only be cleaned using a very narrow bottle brush.
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