Grillevator, porthole or acres of chrome?
- Share via
O’Keefe & Merritt: At one time the largest producer of stoves on the West Coast, this hugely popular brand was known for its “scientific design” that included an adjustable Grillevator broiler, a Kool Kontrol Panel that tilted knobs up toward the user and a Vanishing Shelf for additional work space.
Wedgewood: Produced in the Bay Area, these stoves did not have as many showy features as some competitors, but they have proved to be highly durable and dependable. Advertisements touted Keep-Warm burners that were low enough to maintain food at an ideal serving temperature.
Western-Holly: The unmistakable signature feature of this brand was its round oven window that looked like a ship porthole. These stoves, made in Culver City, also had a unique removable rack system that allowed for more oven space when needed — like for a turkey on Thanksgiving Day.
Gaffers & Sattler: Futuristic 1950s design notes and an abundance of chrome made these stoves particularly eye-catching. Some models had trapezoid oven windows, fluorescent lighting on the backsplash, numerous control lights and a concealed extra burner (on Automatic models).
Sources: The Old Road Home journal, Antique Gas Stoves, Steve Sansone
More to Read
Eat your way across L.A.
Get our weekly Tasting Notes newsletter for reviews, news and more.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.