r/DoesAnybodyElse • u/2hounddogsmom • 17h ago

DAE have a deep appreciation for old appliances that are just made to last or is it just me lol ? And if so what is your MVP of the kitchen ?

My mother has had this one potato peeler for over 45 years and it’s literally the best peeler I’ve ever used . The new ones are just awful imo . She also has a kitchen aide mixer that is still going strong despite being a solid 50+ years old .

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21 comments sorted by

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u/Youjustlost_the_game 17h ago

Wooden spoons are a big one for me.

My dad has wooden spoons that are older than me (early 30s) and they're still going strong

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u/2hounddogsmom 17h ago

We are also a wooden spoon family. My dad is gonna be 87 in two days and if I showed up with a spoon that wasn’t wooden spoon he’d absolutely judge me lol

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u/Downtown_Cup_6216 16h ago

Wooden spoons have such a timeless quality. It's impressive how well they can hold up with proper care.

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u/Georginallyyy 3m ago

Old wooden spoons really are built different

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u/NoProgress8533 17h ago

IMHO virtually everything sucks and is really hard to repair now.

I am clinging to my ancient Breville toaster oven, and prehistoric Toshiba made in Japan rice cooker.

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u/Youjustlost_the_game 15h ago

Get a small toolkit, learn how to solder and it's incredible how much stuff you can fix.

Appliances seem harder to repair but that's because many household items are electrical instead of mechanical now.

One example: I want to play GTA 6 when it launches so I kept and eye on eBay and bought a faulty PS5 for £164 that had a fault I reckoned I could fix. The parts to fix it cost me a grand total of £8 and I cleaned it all up while I had it stripped apart. Now I have a well sorted PS5 for substantially less than the £300+ they currently sell for used on eBay.

Same goes for our vacuum cleaner: Dyson V8 that used to sell for £200 or more at the time I bought it - £48 including the vacuum and the parts.

Genuinely mate have a gander on youtube for some tips and tricks and have at it fixing something, it's amazing how repairable things are these days. Most of the electrical components for things come from exactly the same chinese factories so cross-reference part numbers and bosh you'll find a replacement online no probelmo!

Edit: ChatGPT, Grok and all the other chatbots can be mega for helping diagnose faults as well if you're in a pinch

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u/NoProgress8533 13h ago

You have inspired me! I am already far more handy than most - now I have a shopping list!

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u/Youjustlost_the_game 7h ago

All the best with it! 😎

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u/manidekanymore 17h ago

My cast iron skillet is probably 60 years old. Belonged to my grandmother. Nothing sticks to it and it cleans up in a snap. They just don't make things like they used to

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u/neutrino4 17h ago

I bought my apartment size Maytag dryer used around 1980. it still works. Just had to change fan and drum belts and oil the motor bushings.

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u/doctored_up 17h ago

We bought a home years ago that had a custom kitchen with a kitchenaid dishwasher. It was 25 years old when we took it over. It got to the point where I was just getting food off the plate and throwing it in there. Some magical scrubbing took place and removed every particle of food on anything.

One day it died after 5 years and my wife and I spent hours trying to get a motherboard before giving up and replacing it.

That thing worked for 30 years on the dot

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u/OnlyWeekend6936 16h ago

I love my knives, food processor, and wooden spoons. I find sewing machines very reliable too

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u/thefoxandmoon 17h ago

Portable/rolling dishwashers from about 2005. Cleans literally anything to sparkling if you're reasonable about packing it. I've lost a few over the years to moves and exes, and never ever have had one stop working. $250 well spent.

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u/ReticentGuru 16h ago

We’re an older couple. Virtually certain our potato peeler is at least that old. Also have an electric hand mixer that my wife brought to our marriage. It’s maybe 55 years old.

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u/2hounddogsmom 16h ago

My mom is 80 and dad is about to be 87 so it’s definitely prob the same potato peeler . If I could I’d post a pic of the beloved MVP lol

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u/boatoke 16h ago

I have a waffle iron that was a wedding gidt to my parents over 60 years ago. Still works like a dream and makes the best waffles and flap jacks.

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u/That_Molasses_507 14h ago

I moved from my folks place when I was 21. They never once replaced appliances. They sold that home and moved to another place and the refrigerator went with them. My appliances rarely make it 10 years.

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u/davethompson413 13h ago

Around 1980, I was involved in a remodel of a 1907 house. It still had the original natural gas water heater, in good working condition.

It looked like a pot belly woodstove. When the door was open, you could see gas burner jets in the bottom, and coiled copper pipes wrapping the flame/plenum.

The owner decided to keep it.

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u/roscoe_e_roscoe 5h ago

Our spatula is from the 1960s. My wife's Vita Mix is serial number 234