I bought this Easy Washing Machine at an auction. It was patented in 1912, but could've been made for several years after that. Everything works as it should. It even has a gas water heater to keep the water warm.
Geez. This thing's over a hundred years old and is still working just fine after a little maintenance! Why can't America keep making quality products? I love getting the vintage and antique stuff from thrift stores and estate sales just because everything made back then was so durable.
kell490 I believe Speed Queen made wringer washers until 2001, or there about. There washers are very expensive. Built to last, sure, but I bought a Roper from Lowes 12 years ago for $150 (it was a return) and still using it. When it dies, I'll get another, if Whirlpool still makes Roper by then. Gets my clothes cleaner than anything I ever had before. Prior to the Roper I had an Amana. Lasted about 6 years and the bearings were shot. Filter plugged up in 3 loads, then we had linty clothes. Love the Roper.
studdogg11 I don't mind spending the extra money on something we use everyday. I paid about $799 I think can't remember exactly. We had a Whirlpool up until the 90's, but a friend who was selling everything she had due to a divorce we bought her kenmore front loader HE. That is when we started having trouble getting things clean, and getting the soap out of the cloths. I gave the older 90's Whirlpool to my mother she used it until the drum rusted last year. Since we bought the new SQ we have had no problems getting cloths clean. The funny thing is the kenmore front loader has been up for sale on Craigslist for months for $100 1 person offered me $75. That tells me people are not buying these.
Man, I just invented this machine......guess I'm about 101 years too late huh? story of my life!!! I've been studying "hand" washing, and am liking the plastic, plunger-like things that have a handle on them, and you just push them up and down in a bucket or whatever. I had decided to connect at least three of them together for more efficient washing, and heck, here you already have one!!! love it!!
I own one except its got a lot more corrosion especially since its copper and when i got it i didnt even thought it would work but after putting some oil to all the parts that i could see that had movement it worked great and with a saturday of work on it its a great piece to start a conversation after all it is almost 110 years old.
The up and down action makes lots of turbulence, so the clothes do get clean. The height of the cups is adjustable so you don't crush the clothes. For large loads you can raise the cups, small loads, lower them. It doesn't rotate clothes like a normal agitator, but the turbulence does the job.
I seriously think we should go back to this way of making Washing Machines, these Crap they make today just can NOT do Crap to clean your clothes. I am on the hunt for one and when I do I will treasure it for as long as I have it. Nice video Cheers !
I've heard about the LG's with problems. Also, my sister in-law isn't thrilled with her HE Kenmore top loader. Currently, I use a 2000 Kenmore that's knocking now, but still working great. Also have about a 2005 Roper, same machine as the Kenmore without the frills. We use it for the bad stuff. I've been using it for muddy clothes, and I mean muddy, and they come out clean, really clean. No mud to be found in the machine either. I love the regular agitated Whirlpool built machines.
I guess those that could afford a machine did laundry this way. This was the city version. The farm model would have a gasoline engine in place of the motor. Poor people still used a rock at the river's edge. Or, perhaps they just went into the river and washed themselves with the clothes.
Great video! I sell appliances for a living & I always like looking back at yesteryear. This was no doubt big bucks when introduced. I'm surprised nobody tried to steal it for its copper scrap value in the insane world!
It couldn't be in a better place. It now resides in a glass case (with some other washing machines) at the Charles Hall Museum in Tellico Plains, TN. The museum is a great place to visit. It consists of 2 buildings with a multitude of different things. If you're ever in the area, it's well going out of your way for. In fact, it could be a destination in itself.
@craigferris1 If you leave them washing long enough. A week usually does it. It actually does quite well, but splashes a lot of water on the floor. This machine is now on display at the Charles Hall Museum in Tellico Plains, TN
Funny you should mention that. I bought a front loader about 3 years ago. After one load, I brought the dam thing back and got a cheap top loading Roper. Got my clothes cleaner and I don't care if it uses a little more water. A friend of mine has a front loader. He washed something for me once that I had to wash again at home to get it clean. I'd rather have normal agitation. In fact, the faster short stroke of the Whirlpool/Roper/Kenmore washers seem to do the best job of all.
LOL you had to rewash. Laughing even harder thinking that if some thing is really soiled you may end up rewashing up to 10 times. Oh thanks for sharing this because you just answered something that has been plaguing my mind. Why in the hell do some people smell like dirty laundry water?
Looks like that machine cleaned clothes quite well, most likely way better than these new fangled HEs. Interesting to see the up/down agitator...much like the Frigidaire 1-18s.
No buzz when starting. The motor just comes on, then I turn the lever to engage the cup shaft. The cups are adjustable for height. Maybe I should raise them. But, it's not in use anymore. It just sits on display in the museum.
i got some new washing machines (3 of them) and i had a loose screw fall out the bottom of one. I've had knobs that come off and need to be clicked back on, and one of them doesn't drain when you switch it to drain. if you turn it off then back on a few seconds later, it works. and this is from something a few months old. i know what you mean about crap quality of washing machines.
I was advised to leave mine as it is, so I did. However, I did see one once that had been shined up and it looked quite nice. If it had been outdoors, you'd need sun glasses to look at it. So, depending on how bad your's is, you may want to leave it alone or do a little cleaning. Sorry, I can't be more specific.
I didn't date mine. Nieco272 dated one in a message below. I don't know what year mine was made. All I know is, it works all the way. I used it to wash rags, etc. at my store until I got a newer wringer washer. Then I put this one in the museum, so it's retired from duty now.
+Gregory Freeman I know I don't even remember wearing a seat belt in a car until the later 90's when seat belt laws started up. 1970s when I was a teen I used to ride in the back of a pickup truck for hours at night when we crossed the desert at 70 mph on our way to camping trips it seemed to be the best place to ride lay on a sleeping bag and not crammed into a single cab with 2 others.
blastman8888 The hard rubber wringers would occasionally break a finger but never actually pinch them off. They did break shank buttons very efficiently also. I used to use my grandmother's "new-fangled" electric washer. They use water more efficiently than the automated washers b/c U wash whites first, then medium coloreds, then darks in the same wash water. Except for shank buttons they were less wear on the clothes & seemed to get them cleaner.
mines are haier, and are still pretty crap. does the job but because i live off the grid they are the only twin tub washing machines i can buy (except REAL crap camping ones).
