Baking cookies usually leaves behind a joyous mess and comfortable recollections. It’s additionally why classic cookie presses, with their nostalgic appeal, are at present in demand amongst collectors and culinary lovers decided to deliver out a tray of treats virtually too fairly to eat.
Through the COVID-19 pandemic, households in lockdown sought solace up to now, sparking a gentle surge in demand for classic cookie presses. A short evaluation of the Worthpoint Worth Information reveals how the costs of those once-affordable items elevated, with some—particularly Sveico cookie presses—promoting for over $100. Whereas costs have stabilized, curiosity in these handbook and electrical kitchen devices stays sturdy as we enter one other vacation season, celebrating household, buddies, and meals.
What Is a Cookie Press?
A cookie press, usually known as a cookie gun or pastry press, is a kitchen gadget for making cookies and appetizers. Classic fashions are possible aluminum or stainless-steel and have a hole tube and a plunger that forces the cookie dough by means of an ornamental disc inserted into the opposite finish.
Most presses stand independently, making it straightforward to “spritz” (the German phrase for “squirt”) the treats uniformly onto the baking sheet utilizing a twist, crank, or ratchet mechanism to drive the dough by means of the tube. Later fashions are sometimes electrical and made primarily of plastic. These gadgets are all separate from stoneware cookie molds and stamps that make an intricate imprint on the dough.
Accumulating Cookie Presses
Whereas at present’s classic market options many brands, Mirro, Sveico, Nordic Ware, Sears, Montgomery Ward, and WearEver are in all probability probably the most recognizable. These corporations grew to become early gross sales leaders in cooking and baking gear, together with bundt pans, cookie stamps, and cookie cutters.
Many presses from the Sixties and 70s had been made with higher supplies, so, as a reseller, discovering one in respectable situation is a private bonus. The priciest classic weapons are typically the stainless-steel fashions, particularly Sveico. I observed that within the Worthpoint Pleasure Information, these Swedish-made presses offered for as much as $800 in 2018, however nearer to 2021, the costs fell between $140-$150. In the meantime, electrical presses from Mirro to Nordic Ware and WearEver have remained regular over the previous few years. They’re priced round $20 for used units with minor put on to $60 for a whole set with the unique field.
Contemplating most of those devices appeared primarily in the course of the holidays, yow will discover fairly a number of in good situation with their authentic packaging, equipment, and consumer manuals.
Listed below are a number of to maintain in your radar:
Vintage Cookie Gun
The precursor to at present’s cookie press was the vintage cookie gun, fabricated from a tin tube and a picket piston or plunger. I’ve additionally heard sellers of primitive antiques name them “wooden spritzers.” If you happen to use one in every of these, guarantee your dough is barely agency and totally clear the tube and piston once you’re accomplished.
Nordic Ware Cookie King
Nordic Ware’s Cookie King press was manufactured within the Sixties to faucet into Minnesota’s sizeable Scandinavian inhabitants. With a heat copper end and coloured hand crank, this aluminum device was a champ at making spritzgebäck, a standard Scandinavian Christmas cookie.
Mirro Cooky & Pastry Press
The Mirro Aluminum Firm of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, manufactured the sturdy and compact “cooky and pastry press” that grew to become common within the Sixties. Some presses have a aspect deal with, whereas others don’t. All of them often include a hopefully full set of aluminum stencil discs. The “Dial A Cookie” mannequin options bigger stencils, every with 4 designs that flip like a dial. Whereas the Mirro model nonetheless exists, the corporate stopped making the presses by the early Nineteen Seventies.
WearEver Cookie Press
WearEver is likely one of the hottest manufacturers, because the handbook aluminum cookie press is simply as nifty as its packaging. As Jessica of the Penn Polly Classic weblog wrote, ” I really like a great WearEver Cookie press in a fairly pink classic field.”
Moreover, classic electrical cookie weapons, just like the WearEver Tremendous Shooter, Montgomery Ward’s Celebration Pistol, and the Sears Enjoyable Gun, are all nonetheless regular sellers.
Reselling Classic Cookie Presses
As a reseller, do not forget that even when a cookie press doesn’t work, the components, just like the plungers, {hardware}, manuals, and stencil discs, are nonetheless sellable on the secondary market. Authentic consumer manuals can promote for between $8 and $10. It might not sound like a lot, however these items ultimately add up.
Additionally, non-working electrical cookie weapons can usually be rewired you probably have the know-how. I left that activity as much as my associate Dave, who handily repaired the wiring on a classic WearEver Tremendous Shooter cookie gun, and we offered it inside hours in our eBay store. Nonetheless, should you can’t discover somebody to repair your electrical gun, examine should you reside close to a neighborhood Restore Cafe the place skilled volunteers restore on a regular basis gadgets freed from cost, though a small monetary donation is at all times appreciated. It’s also possible to examine their on-line restore guides.
Whether or not you’re a vendor or collector, trying out classic cookie presses in your subsequent thrifting tour is worth it as a result of the early items are now not made and can ultimately grow to be extra scarce.
Take it from the anonymous culinary blogger at Modern Sugarworks, who gushed over the longevity of classic presses. “Fashionable presses use a little bit completely different design and all those I’ve seen have at the very least some element of plastic to them,” she wrote. “Possibly I’m only a stodgy outdated curmudgeon, however I simply can’t think about the brand new presses I’ve seen lasting 40-plus years.”
Between excursions to hunt for antiques and classic décor, Lynda Houston is busy restoring her Nineteen Fifties cottage in Cincinnati, Ohio. She and her associate, Dave Beck, function TheRustInPeaceShop on Etsy.
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