- Wind up alarm clocks — Way better than the electric version. The alarms are generally metallic sounding and irritating. Best of all when the power goes out your alarm will still go off. This type of alarm clock does not tend to be expensive and has a nice ticking sound.
- Dover Beater, also called a Hand Beater— You can find these at antique shops, thrift shops, and flea markets as well as new. This was the cutting edge kitchen tool for decades. It mixes up cake batters, whips cream, creates mayonnaise, and anything else your hand mixer can do. These things last forever. The one I am using was a gift to my mother in 1936 or so.
- Hand Cranked Ice Cream Maker — Truly this is the crème de la crème of ice cream makers. I am not sure why but for some reason hand cranked ice cream has a better texture than its electronically created cousin.
- Food Mill —This is similar to a food processor. Depending on the exact model that you get a food mill is more easily controlled to get exactly the results you want. The top of the line food mills will do everything from grinding wheat berries to pureeing peas.
- Clothesline — I know, right? Everyone knows this. There is nothing like clothes that have been dried outside. They smell fresh, feel cleaner, and it really doesn't take much longer once you get the "hang? of it. This is a significant savings, too.
Prep On!
From a 50 Something, soon to be rural homesteading, Prepper ;-}
My mom used to have a food grinder that attached to the tabletop with a screw clamp. it had four different plates and could be used to chop or grind just about anything. If I could find one like it (NOT plastic! And not with the sort of plate that has holes) I'd surely buy it.
ReplyDeleteMechanical typewriters. You can still get them some places. The problem is ribbons and repairs.
Treadle sewing machines. As a child I lived in a house with antiques in the attic, a treadle machine among them. I made my doll's clothes on it.