Your grandmother’s kitchen was apparently full of future collectibles.
The vintage kitchen appliance market has developed a passionate collector following driven by a combination of genuine nostalgia, superior build quality compared to current production, and the mid-century modern design aesthetic that is everywhere in interior design right now. If any of these appliances survived in your family, they are worth significantly more than you probably think.
Sunbeam Mixmaster Stand Mixers
From the 1930s through 1950s in working condition are selling for $80 to $400 depending on model and color. The early chrome models with the original glass bowls are the most sought after. The Mixmaster was the stand mixer of its era and the engineering quality was exceptional for consumer appliances.
Vintage Waring Blenders
From the 1940s and 1950s — the original Waring Blendor in chrome and glass — sell for $100 to $400 in working condition. The original Waring Blendor was invented in 1937 and the early models have a design aesthetic that interior decorators and vintage kitchen collectors prize highly.
Early KitchenAid Stand Mixers
From the 1950s and 1960s in working condition command significant premiums over current production prices in certain collector circles. The older machines were made with heavier metal components and are considered more durable than current models by many bakers. A working 1950s KitchenAid in original color sells for $200 to $600.
Vintage Toasters
From the 1930s through 1950s in chrome with Art Deco styling are among the most visually striking vintage kitchen appliances and sell for $80 to $400 depending on brand and condition. The Sunbeam T-20 — the flip-door toaster — is the most iconic and commands the highest prices.
Old Waffle Irons
With chrome bodies and Bakelite handles from the 1930s through 1950s are highly collectible for both use and display. A working vintage General Electric or Manning Bowman waffle iron in excellent condition sells for $60 to $200.
Vintage Juice Extractors and Citrus Juicers
In chrome from the 1940s and 1950s — particularly the streamlined designs from companies like Sunkist and Juice King — sell for $80 to $300 as both functional kitchen tools and decorative objects.
Early Rival Crock-Pots
From the first years of production in the 1970s — the original slow cooker that revolutionized home cooking — are collectible in their original harvest gold and avocado green colors. An original first-generation Rival Crock-Pot in working condition sells for $40 to $150.
Vintage Electric Percolators
In chrome from the 1950s and 1960s — particularly the Sunbeam Coffeemaster — are selling for $80 to $300 to collectors who love both the design aesthetic and the argument that percolated coffee is superior to drip. The Coffeemaster is considered a design icon of mid-century American product design.
Old Popcorn Poppers
From the 1950s through 1970s — particularly the glass-dome popcorn poppers that let you watch the corn pop — sell for $40 to $150 in working condition. They are charming, functional, and visually distinctive objects that photograph beautifully for social media, which has driven demand significantly.
The mid-century kitchen is back. And people are paying to furnish it authentically.
