Any one collects or uses old BIG electric apliances?

[Celt]

Friends of mine had a Hotpoint fridge and a Coldspot range/oven combo.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by Celt

Friends of mine had a Hotpoint fridge and a Coldspot range/oven combo.

Wasn't there a Daffy Duck cartoon where he had to deal with a Possessed lady and the stove was full of ice and the freezer was full of flame?...Your post sounds like a tamer version of that joke.

[ppppenguin]

There's a small shop near me that sells and repairs electrical appliances, something increasingly rare on the high street in the UK. In their shop they have a Hoover "Keymatic" washing machine. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...nes_museum.JPG

These machines were found in trendy homes in the 1970s and looked like no other washing machine before or since. The programme was selected by inserting a "keyplate" https://www.flickr.com/photos/cheste...7601120083935/ The keyplate mechanism was not reliable. A gimmick really.

[MadMan]

Originally Posted by ppppenguin

These machines were found in trendy homes in the 1970s and looked like no other washing machine before or since. The programme was selected by inserting a "keyplate" https://www.flickr.com/photos/cheste...7601120083935/ The keyplate mechanism was not reliable. A gimmick really.

Well that's COOL. It's like a punchcard system for your washing machine! I can see why it would be impractical. Definitely a gimmick (punchcards in the era of early computing), but I don't see why it would be inherently unreliable. Maybe just a poor design.

[ppppenguin]

I think the Keymatic was too complicated for its own good. Washing machine is also a fairly hostile environment with moist air and lots of vibration. Combine that with engineering down to a price and you've got problems.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by ppppenguin

I think the Keymatic was too complicated for its own good. Washing machine is also a fairly hostile environment with moist air and lots of vibration. Combine that with engineering down to a price and you've got problems.

Hoover was never a big name in large appliances in the US. Beside floor cleaning appliances, they made compact washers, dryers and small fridges.
They did sell small appliances, Irons, toasters, blenders and mixers for a short time.

[DavGoodlin]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

Hoover was never a big name in large appliances in the US. Beside floor cleaning appliances, they made compact washers, dryers and small fridges.
They did sell small appliances, Irons, toasters, blenders and mixers for a short time.

We had a Hoover frying pan, mid 70's

[DavGoodlin]

Originally Posted by ppppenguin

There's a small shop near me that sells and repairs electrical appliances, something increasingly rare on the high street in the UK. In their shop they have a Hoover "Keymatic" washing machine. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...nes_museum.JPG

These machines were found in trendy homes in the 1970s and looked like no other washing machine before or since. The programme was selected by inserting a "keyplate" https://www.flickr.com/photos/cheste...7601120083935/ The keyplate mechanism was not reliable. A gimmick really.

I understand that in the UK, you "hoover up" the floor, rather than vacuum

[ppppenguin]

Originally Posted by DavGoodlin

I understand that in the UK, you "hoover up" the floor, rather than vacuum

Yes, in the UK the brand name "Hoover" has come into general use, not only as a noun but also as a verb. And it's nothing to do with J Edgar

You see people referring to Dyson hoovers etc.

The Hoover company has effectively lost its brand name rights here.

It happens to other brands too. Scotch Tape (US) or Sellotape (UK); Kleenex (mainly US); Durex (different usages in US and UK but this is a family friendly forum) and probably many more.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generic_trademark