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Posted by Duff at 2:47 pm (PDT) on Tue April 1, 2025
Back when we were kids, refrigerators had doors that latched shut, with a handle that would release the latch. These were outlawed because people would discard old ones without removing the door, and kids would play around them and get locked inside. We had a Crosley fridge with such a latching door and a big square handle. In 1965, when my sister and I were 11 and 15, respectively, my parents went on a Mediterranean cruise, leaving us at home with our grandmother (who didn't speak much English) and a fully-stocked fridge. Well, the fridge handle broke and we needed to call an appliance repairman. Luckily, he was able to find a replacement handle before we starved.
Posted by dtdavis2012 at 9:38 am (PST) on Mon February 20, 2012
Laura, when I was a kid in Florida in the 1960's, we rented a furnished house with the wierdest refrigerator. It was a Philco and the handle was "V" shaped. The door was operational from the opposite side, depending on which side of the handle you pulled on. Have never seen another refrigerator like that.
Posted by dtdavis2012 at 7:23 pm (PST) on Sun February 19, 2012
A great aunt of mine bought a Sears Microwave oven in 1972 (or 1973--been awhile :) and paid right at $900.00 for it. She invited me over one morning for a cinnamon bun. Best I remember, the microwave only had 2 control knobs on it--very bare bones!! She heated the bun for 30 seconds and I was duly impressed at how hot the bun got. Like most members of my family, I waited awhile for the price to go down so I could afford one of my own. How did we manage without a microwave oven?
Posted by Laura at 6:29 pm (PDT) on Sun September 27, 2009
I think I too remember hearing about a gas refrigerator, thanks for bringing back the memory. I do too remember the latch handles on the refrigerators. Remember too how originally you had to open the main refrigerator door to get to the freezer door? And those metal ice cube trays with the handles you had to left up to get the cubes out. I believe they are mentioned somewhere else on this website.
Posted by Max at 1:11 am (PDT) on Sun September 27, 2009
Laura, I rented a place once that had a gas refrigerator. It was very quiet. It appeared to be a mid 50's model. The brand was Servel. The company is no more but the name is now owned by a Swedish(?) company that makes the Dometic refrigerators for mobile units. They also have some home refrigerators for people who live off the grid. Maybe some Amish people use them, I dunno...
Posted by Laura at 11:49 pm (PDT) on Sat September 26, 2009
I actually remember back to when the only major kitchen appliances you needed were a stove with an oven and a refrigerator. The stove was electric or gas and the oven did not clean itself. You had to defrost the freezer portion of the refrigerator. If you were really fancy, you had an electric can opener and a percolator that was electric so you did not have to use a stove burner to make your coffee. Maybe you even had a hand held electric mixer.

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