There’s no simpler manner so as to add mid-century trendy vibes to your kitchen than the classic blender—a classy machine that mixes your smoothies with retro panache. While you buy one, you’re investing in a sturdy kitchen time capsule that always continues to work higher than its up to date counterparts.
And who can resist their futuristic seems, replete with shiny chrome, straight strains, and colours like avocado inexperienced, heat gold, pink, mint inexperienced, and robin egg blue? Not solely that, these classic blenders function intelligent advertising and marketing names reminiscent of “Cyclomatic,” “Galaxie,” and “Osterizer” to enrich an period marked by a rising fascination with house exploration. This era noticed tv reveals like The Jetsons and Misplaced in House changing traditional packages reminiscent of Howdy Doody and The Lone Ranger.
Blender Champions
Two rival equipment corporations—Oster and Sunbeam—dominated the market among the many early blender producers like Waring, Sears-Kenmore, Montgomery Ward, and Hamilton-Seaside. Not solely that, the Sunbeam–Oster story may be very a lot intertwined.
John Oster Sr. based his firm in 1924 in Racine, Wisconsin, promoting guide and, ultimately, electrical clippers to hair salons and barber outlets. Throughout World Struggle II, the corporate made electrical motors for army airplanes. The sport modified in 1946 when Oster acquired Stevens Electrical Firm, whose proprietor had invented a drink mixer used broadly in drug retailer soda fountains and a motorized electrical blender that liquified meals. With assist from industrial designer Alfonso Iannelli (1888–1965), the cutting-edge “Osterizer” blender debuted with a classy beehive-shaped chrome base and a rounded glass jar that pressured meals into the blades.
In 1960, the Chicago-based Sunbeam Company, already recognized for sprinklers, irons, and the Sunbeam Mixmaster and Mixmaster Junior fashions, purchased out the Oster Firm, buying its “Oster” and “Osterizer” model names. The transfer made Sunbeam a formidable house equipment market contender. The corporate even emphasised its identify as “Solar-BEAM—Greatest Electrical Home equipment Made.”
Nonetheless, in 2004, after years of sell-outs, monetary scandals, and infighting, the Oster and Sunbeam names grew to become a part of Newell Manufacturers, which manufactures most of its merchandise in China.
Emphasis on Design
I watched a Cavalcade of Meals episode on YouTube dedicated to classic blenders. Not solely did host Kevin reward these hefty machines, however he additionally supplied some obscure historical past. For instance, the Forties Waring “Blendor” was invented by outstanding band chief Fred Waring to make combined drinks, particularly the daiquiri, which required finely crushed ice. His patented blender options embrace the clover-leaf glass jar and a middle cap with measurement markings to present a drink the right quantity of pictures.
Whereas early blenders had maybe one to a few speeds, Kevin stated, later fashions took velocity to a brand new degree. The Nineteen Sixties Montgomery Ward blender dial allowed speeds from “Whip” to “Tremendous Excessive,” he stated. “Like if excessive wasn’t sufficient, you may have tremendous excessive, you click on it yet one more that’s like eleven on the amp, proper? You already know what I imply.” By the way in which, Kevin, thanks for that 1984 Spinal Faucet reference!
And I have to notice that for those who’re a baby of the Nineteen Sixties like me, you’d instantly lengthy to push each lovely button on the Oster blenders that started with “stir” and escalated in sound and fury to “liquify”—if you realize, you realize!
Lastly, Kevin famous that Oster made its blender base (the half that holds the blades in place) the identical measurement as any Mason canning jar. So, for instance, you possibly can flip over a glass jar of entire espresso beans, connect the opening to the blade, and grind your espresso multi functional step.
Gathering and Reselling Classic Blenders
I not too long ago noticed a Nineteen Seventies Osterizer Pulse Matic blender in Harvest Gold at a Goodwill retailer in Indiana. Positive, its heat tones hid beneath historical batter and dirt, nevertheless it nonetheless had all its authentic attachments and powered up with fortitude, its array of buttons in working situation. For $3, I took it house with me. After some cleansing, I offered it for $35 in my Etsy store, a testomony to the potential revenue within the classic blender market.
Older kitchen devices are certainly constructed to be repaired, not changed. That’s the distinction between them and right now’s merchandise, primarily designed to have a restricted lifespan, forcing the buyer to buy a brand new one. It’s known as “deliberate obsolescence,” and producers use it to earn more money. This follow additionally ensures our landfills proceed increasing with pointless junk, which actually grinds my gears. It’s one of many causes classic blenders and different devices are all the time on my checklist for reselling—I do know others like me love giving previous devices a second life and preventing again in opposition to shopper waste.
In the event you’re a reseller and need to take a look at classic blenders, listed below are a couple of ideas:
• Contemplate non-working blenders. Do not forget that shoppers are nonetheless on the lookout for bases, jars, gaskets, blades, and different items to restore or add to their present mannequin.
• Embrace the mannequin quantity within the itemizing title and outline for those who intend to resell blender elements. Add a photograph of the mannequin quantity, and notice any flaws you discover within the product.
• Search for classic blender attachments, like ice crushers and juicers, which you’ll be able to promote individually. I’ve already discovered a brand new classic ice crusher attachment nonetheless new within the field.
• Search for distinctive blenders, like these made by the La Belle Silver Firm of New York. These blenders have been inexpensive and lined the cabinets of native drugstores. You’ll be able to spot them immediately with their metallic lids and spherical glass carafes. Additionally they are available in a number of colours, like shiny copper, cream, and turquoise, and have that distinct mid-century trendy look.
Work Companion for Life
Early blenders are devices that, when you get one, make you marvel why you waited so lengthy. Shoppers even share their sturdy kitchen companions on social media, like Reddit’s group thread BuyItForLife.
“Did everybody’s dad and mom have one in all these?” famous Redditor @Captain Bignose of a Nineteen Sixties Oster blender. “Pushing these little rectangle buttons is a deep childhood reminiscence.”
Between excursions to hunt for antiques and classic décor, Lynda Houston is busy restoring her Fifties cottage in Cincinnati, Ohio. She and her accomplice, Dave Beck, function TheRustInPeaceShop on Etsy.
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