Restoring Old-School Appliances? These 10 Picks Are Worth The Effort

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There is an entire subreddit dedicated to appliances that last a lifetime. The description on r/BuyItForLife states, "For practical, durable, and quality-made products that are made to last." Although there has never been a time in history when we have so many options for low-cost items, there is a price to pay for buying cheap. Many people feel today's modern appliances are not made to last. They break often, requiring us to go out and buy more. Whether it's planned obsolescence or some other reason, today's items don't last as long as they used to. 

Perhaps you're looking to break the cycle. It would be nice to buy an appliance that never needs replacing — something that's lasted for decades, and will continue doing its intended purpose for decades to come. From searching blogs to forums to news stories, we uncovered 10 appliances that prove newer isn't always better. Read on for the best old school appliances that are worth the effort to restore.

Although microwave popcorn is a convenient and tasty snack, freshly popped popcorn, either made on the stovetop or in an air popper, is infinitely better. It's also superior to a bag of pre-popped popcorn, which, again, is decent for an easy snack, but just doesn't compare to freshly popped. There haven't been any critical upgrades in the technology of either countertop or stovetop popcorn poppers. Many people find that their grandparents' old popcorn makers can still get the job done today.

A quick search on eBay turns up many at least 25-year-old Proctor Silex popcorn makers that appear to still be in good working condition. There are also reports of West Bend Popcorn Makers from the '70s still making a great popcorn. As for stovetop popcorn makers, although you can buy a brand new Whirley Pop Popcorn Maker today, there is no reason you couldn't find a used one and simply clean it up. Many popcorn lovers on Reddit are happily using Whirley Pops that are decades old.

Espresso machines are pricey investments, with some models costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars. However, there are coffee connoisseurs online with great advice on saving money by finding and restoring vintage espresso machines. If you drink espresso every day, in the long run, you will eventually save money by making espresso drinks at home rather than buying expensive coffee from Starbucks. After all, if you spend around $5 per day at Starbucks, even if it's just Monday through Friday, by the end of the year, you will have spent around $1,300. And you can save even more if you start off with a refurbished, rather than brand-new, espresso machine.

For example, the Olympia Express Cremina has glowing reviews and hasn't changed since its 1967 debut. You would be lucky to find a vintage one of these, as even the models from 1967 are still often in good working order. But you don't have to wait to find an Olympia Express Cremina; other brands can be restored as well. A coffee connoisseur from Quora explained that older model espresso machines don't have the more complex controls of today's newer models, making repairs easier. He said, "Most good espresso machines, even a cheap Rancilio Silvia, can be endlessly repaired for trivial amounts of money and can last decades without problems, making coffee every single day. Each part is cheaply and readily available, and any half-skilled DIY can work on it and even do complete rebuilds."

Two trusted names in stand mixer appliances are Sunbeam and KitchenAid. While Sunbeam no longer produces its iconic Mixmaster or any other type of mixer, Kitchen Aid still sells stand mixers today. While the new Kitchen Aid models have high reviews, a used version might be just as good, but could cost you less. Both brands have plenty of love on the internet for their vintage models. If you're in the market for a stand mixer, you might do well to consider buying an older model. 

One Redditor found a '50s vintage Sunbeam Mixmaster at an estate sale. Many others chimed in with stories of their own vintage Mixmasters, with one person saying, "They don't make 'em like they used to." Another Redditor shared that their Sunbeam Mixmaster from the '70s still works today. Vintage Kitchen Aid mixers seem to last just as long. One Redditor said their Kitchen Aid was an engagement gift from the 1970s, and is "still going strong" today. Another Redditor said their old Kitchen Aid from the '80s is far superior to their newer model. But perhaps the best authority of all, Julia Child, donated her beloved 1978 Kitchen Aid to the Smithsonian in 2001, saying, "This machine will last you the rest of your life."

Although coffee percolators have been around since the 1800s, they are not nearly as popular today as they once were. Most people make coffee at home using drip coffee machines or a Keurig. But percolated coffee still has its fans. While you can buy a brand-new coffee percolator, this is another kitchen appliance that hasn't changed much over the years, and many older models are still working great.

When shopping for a percolator, you have two main choices: electric and stove top. Electric percolators have heating elements built in and will need a power outlet. Stovetop models need a heat source, like a stovetop or campfire, making them the ultimate way to brew coffee on a camping trip. If you're looking for a vintage percolator, you will find both stovetop and electric models available. While it's easy to imagine the stovetop models would stand the test of time, you might be surprised to find that many people are using decades old electric percolators. Some brands people are still using today from the '60s and '70s include GE, Pyrex, Farberware, and West Bend. Percolator users warn that you need to be careful not to overheat the coffee when you're brewing on older models.

If you've considered investing in a retro gas kitchen range, you can find information online about the pros and cons. For starters, Retro Stove & Gas Works, a business that repairs and services old stoves, recommends ensuring your appliance is in good mechanical repair. This means getting it serviced or tuned up every five years. You also need an up-to-date flexible gas supply line, which should be installed by the experts. Another thing to consider is adequate ventilation. 

One blogger described her experience with a vintage O'Keefe & Merritt range from the '50s. As she explained, "They're [old ranges] made of materials that can be refinished, and the parts are modifiable or replaceable. These puppies aren't designed with planned obsolescence the way our modern appliances are today." Another person on Reddit has been enjoying their '50s O'Keefe & Merritt range when they bought a new home. "It came with the house, but I will definitely try to take it when I leave," they said. Another popular model that is still in use today is the Chambers stove. 

It's harder to find a good toaster these days than it should be. For one thing, when you search reviews on sites like Amazon, a consensus on what is highly-rated is debatable. There are always reviews complaining of poor quality soon after purchasing. The NY Times Wirecutter did an in-depth article comparing modern toasters to vintage models. They came to several conclusions. One is that vintage toasters have more reliable heating elements designed to last a lifetime. On the other hand, the heating elements in modern toasters are resistant to corrosion, but they're also more brittle, causing frequent breakage.

Finally, Wirecutter concluded that vintage toasters had one job to do and one job only: to toast bread. Today's modern toasters do many jobs, like defrosting bagels, toasting only one side, reheating pastries, and much more. Modern toasters have suffered from their many duties. You're toasted bread is better off with a vintage toaster that is meant for simply toasting bread. Some vintage brands that are still going strong today, according to Reddit, include Sunbeam, Toastmaster, and GE.

As someone who loves her hand-me-down Rival Crockpot from the 1990s, I can attest that you don't need to go out and buy a new, fancy slow cooker in order to make a great meal. Although newer models may have more features, you don't need all of that to slow-cook a meal. One person on Reddit still uses a 1997 Rival Crockpot, while another Redditor's mother still uses their working 1980 Rival Crockpot today. 

One thing to keep in mind when cooking with an old crockpot is that the newer models cook at a higher temperature than those of the past. This is why many people find that old recipes cook much faster in new Crockpots. You'll need to adjust your cooking times if you're using a newer recipe, as your vintage Crockpot will take longer. On the other hand, people using older recipes with their newer Crockpots often complain that their food gets dried out and overdone. 

Rice can be tricky to get just right. Although we tend to agree with Alton Brown that kitchen tools should be multitaskers, if you cook a lot of rice, you may find a rice cooker is the ultimate in convenience. But do you need to buy a brand new, shiny rice cooker, or could you pick up a used one from a vintage store? 

According to Reddit, there are plenty of rice cookers that have been successfully cooking rice to perfection for decades. One person is still using a Livart model from 1998. Another Redditor shared they still use a Panasonic rice cooker that was in their dorm room in the '80s. Another popular model you can still find at vintage stores and on eBay is the Toshiba rice cooker, originally from Japan. National is another brand of rice cooker that has been reported to be still working since the '80s. 

The first thing to consider if you are interested in a vintage vacuum cleaner is whether you can find replacement bags that will still fit the model. If you can't change the bag, you can't use the unit, no matter how well it might still work. If bags are still available, you may find an older model that operates better than today's cheaper options. According to experts from the NY Times Wirecutter, there haven't been many recent improvements in vacuums. Newer features don't always mean it cleans better. Vacuums from the past were built to last a lifetime, while today's plastic models last only a few years. However, newer vacuums generally offer better filtration and are lighter than older models.

If you're considering a vintage model, people online recommend Oreck and Hoover. A vacuum cleaner technician on Reddit explained, "... these older Hoover canisters are some of the most usable 'vintage' vacuum cleaners due to having modern genuine HEPA bags and power nozzle belts still being available, on top of them being fairly nice canisters to use that are of great quality." As for Oreck, this Redditor explained, "it's a great machine that is quite easy to service. You can get nice HEPA bags as well as a new brush roller if needed. These machines are great for low-pile commercial carpet and are extremely repairable."

Today's blenders range in price from around $30 to high-powered blenders that can cost hundreds of dollars. A cheap blender made today won't have much power for blending. You may be able to find a reasonably priced older model that works much better than a new, low-powered blender. For example, multiple people online report still using Oster blenders for decades. One Redditor has used their Oster blender from the '60s at least once a week, and it's still going strong. Another person has a nearly 50-year-old Oster blender that still works today.

While today's blenders have a multitude of speeds, vintage blenders often had only two. But do you really need more than two speeds when you're pureeing? Not everyone thinks so. As this Facebook post states, "I have two old blenders. There's no reason for more than 2 speeds, and my grandchildren will still be using them decades from now."