Houselopnik, vintage appliance edition.

"Pixel" (Improbcat) 11/17/2015 at 10:31 • Filed to: None

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I may be turning into !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . I just picked up this mid-50s Hotpoint for my kitchen.

My current fridge is a battered beige one that used to be my mom’s garage fridge before being gifted to me 3 years ago when I bought the house and needed a cheap fridge so I could move in. The compressor mount bushings are shot, so it clunks loudly when the compressor turns on or off, and the drip tray is missing, so it piddles on the floor.

My kitchen still has its 40s era cabinets, and I’ve been wanting to renovate it in a postwar style. So getting vintage appliances was always gong to be part of that. I’ve been surfing craigslist for them, and lucked into this fridge cheap. I paid all of $200, though I did need to make a 4 hour round trip yesterday to pick it up.

This was quite the fridge in its day, with a brushed stainless panel on the front, and stainless and aluminum detailing throughout. The three shelves slide out to make it easier to get things off them, and there are separate cheese and butter compartments in the door.

Also it has Butter Control. Does your fridge have Butter Control? I don’t think so.

Right now it needs a deep cleaning, some !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! from wear, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , and I need to fiddle with the thermostat to get both the fridge & freezer portions to the right temp(it does cool, but getting the balance right will require some adjusting).

I’m super excited about this, and looking forward to getting it properly installed.

Tripper > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:34

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That thing looks awesome!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:34

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Awesome! Old stuff always has such a unique look to it....

CalzoneGolem > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:34

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Without a trace of irony or sarcasm I declare that to be one sexy fridge.

Agrajag > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:35

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Cool post.

$kaycog > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:35

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Butter needed controlling back in those days.

#CoolFridge!

TheHondaBro > $kaycog 11/17/2015 at 10:37

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My butter was always out of control.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:39

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That is just darned cool!

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:42

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That's pretty awesome. Is there any way to update it with a more modern compressor to use less power? I gotta imagine that thing uses power like whoa.

$kaycog > TheHondaBro 11/17/2015 at 10:42

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Lucky you..........................I think.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > $kaycog 11/17/2015 at 10:42

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Well, back in those days you could only get wild butter. Now that butter is domesticated and farm raised, it's a lot more docile.

Mattbob > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:44

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That thing is awesome! $200 is a steal for that if it cools well.

$kaycog > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 11/17/2015 at 10:45

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We are so lucky nowadays.

Opposite Locksmith > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:45

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My moms modern fridge has BC! But no stability control

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:48

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Brickman > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:48

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Butter control? Now that’s fancy. Take that Samsung!

Urambo Tauro > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 10:51

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Refrigerators are massively more efficient than they used to be. I wouldn’t recommend actually using that old Hotpoint.

But that thing is just too cool (no pun intended) to throw out! Restomodding it would probably be too much work... Maybe use it a novelty cabinet/pantry?

Pixel > Urambo Tauro 11/17/2015 at 11:07

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Not true. The old once like this don’t have a defrost function, so the energy use tends to be about the same even if the motors are less efficient because they aren’t constantly heating the inside up only to cool it off again.

Pixel > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 11/17/2015 at 11:08

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They tend to use about the same power as a modern fridge. The motors are less efficient, but the insulation is really good and they don’t have a defrost function, which uses a lot of the power on a modern unit.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 11:35

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Neat, learning things I didn't know about vintage fridges. It looks like something you'd see in Fallout. Great pickup!

crowmolly > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 11:37

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That’s really cool!

Be careful if you have to remove any paint though...

CaptDale - is secretly British > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 13:38

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I am so envious

smobgirl > Pixel 11/17/2015 at 13:48

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I desperately want a vintage stove/oven and passed one up at the Habitat Restore I've regretted ever since. Your fridge is perfect!