Oldstuffday! What's your oldest appliance that's still working?

Anne_Marie_2

A slow cooker bought in 1981, still working for another member of my family. Can't remember the make, other than it was German.

Kenwood food processor bought in 1987. Toyota sewing machine, can't remember exact year, but around 1984-1986. Tower pressure cooker bought 1983. Kenwood electric knife, bought around 1982/83. All still going strong, so hope that me posting is not the kiss of death!

Not an electrical item, but have my FIL's butcher's knife, think it's circa 1930. Best knife ever for cutting meat, but a little too large for most jobs in the kitchen, as the blade is over a foot long. Cuts through meat like cutting through butter, well almost.
Must have been quite expensive for an apprentice butcher way back, but, it's obviously stood the test of time. FIL used it up until the late 1980's at work.
My nephew has his eye on this, as he is quite a connoisseur in the kitchen knife department. He is welcome, but hoping that he has a long wait. :rotfl:
It has "The Granton Knife, Wm Grant & Son, Sheffield", inscribed on the blade. It does even tell you on the blade, to use a steel to sharpen it.


This is not my photograph, but it is the same make of knife, and looks the same as the one I have. Photo came from this website.
http://www.steptoesyard.com/product.php?id_product=131

RicardaRacoon

I have my Nans sewing machine, delivered in September 1954.
It is from a German brand, a table mounted model powered by a pedal, though it strangely has an electrical lamp attached. Never tried the light but only cause there is nowhere to plug it in in that part of my office.
The machine itself works just fine and I guess the small hickups are caused by my lack of sewing knowledge not by her age.

My parents oldest appliances are a toaster from the early 80ies (still in daily use while we saw many newer toasters in our holiday house packing up after some years) and a mixer which can also power a grater from the late 70ies, early 80ies.

GreyQueen

I have a Tef@l Ultraglide iron from about 1987 and a S0ny ghetto blaster type stereo (with twin tape decks and CD player) from 1998.

The steam iron has survived for two reasons; I don't use water in it and I don't do much ironing. The stereo is getting a bit iffy in respect that the CDs will sometimes play and sometimes not play, but it mostly suffices.

Not an appliance but I have a breadbaord from Grandma who died in 1970. Mum can remember it in the 1950s and it was already very old and worn with a dip in the middle then; I use it upside down to get a flattish surface. Can probably see me out.

Rather covetous of that round vacuum cleaner, it's a classic.

[Deleted User]

Huge ironing bord that I got with Green shield stamps in 1971,devil of a job to get a cover for as its so big, but great for iroing as I always sit down to iron and have at various times used it as a spare table (kids parties ) .Think its beldray and my eldest daughter wants me to leave it to her when I shuffle off !!!

grunnie

I don't have any old electrical items after an iron burst into flames while I was ironing. Dread to think what would have happened it I had left the room for a minute. Saving to replace my fridge freezer after a programme yesterday Monday on BBC1 about the packing at the back of the fridgefreezers being plastic and not fireproof.
My oldest item is a breadboard which my granny got for a wedding present in 1918. I also have an enamel jug she used ( days before plastic)I water my plants with it. I also have 2 very old large tins which held Smiths butter biscuits and Sharps super-kreen toffee which she used to hold flour in one and oatmeal in the other. These 4 items have pride of place in my kitchen.:rotfl: My first washing machine was a twin tub and kept breaking down - then I hand washed everything and used an old wringer which belonged to my mum's elderly neighbour.

culpepper

Our freezer is from 1986.
the Sewing machine I have passed on to my daughter was bought in 1980.

we have an ancient coffee making thing that goes on the hob that belonged to OH's parents.

Former_MSE_Megan

Perfect timing or what? France want companies to make appliances that last longer

France is ordering manufacturers to inform consumers how long they can expect their TV, cell phone or other appliance to last — before they buy it.

I think that's pretty good, should the UK introduce this and help stop the disposable culture we've got at the moment?

lisa110rry

I love Armyknife's post about the 50 year old cpu.

The oldest "appliance" in daily use in our home is the boiler, this month it is 28 years old. It is a Vailant combi boiler (not condensing), the first model of its type seen in Britain and when it was installed, we could not get cover for it by British Gas in 1987. It contains no microswitches and instead uses hydraulic micro-pipes.

Some items which are old and work, but not used daily include:

Brown Bakelite hair dryer, kindly given to me by a friend.
Radio of the type installed in Lancaster Bombers.
Pye radio of the early 40s.

Oh, and I still have the beautiful soup/casserole pans given to us as wedding gifts in 1977; a few years ago when we installed a new kitchen with tiles, etc. the whole look was modelled around those beautiful pans.

I have always seemed to be very heavy on vacuums...

Predaleko1984

My Nan's hand blender is about 20 years old - took it with me when I moved down to Weston-super-Mare:



Also my Grandparents' saucepans - they bought them mid 90s I think - still in good nick. Everything is either new or bought second hand.

Living_proof

Kenwood Chef and all attachments, bought second hand 30 years ago.