AIBU to ask what’s the oldest appliance / utensil you still use regularly?

[AlmondsAreGreat]

Another thread got me thinking - what’s the oldest appliance or utensil you use regularly? Something that has truly outlived its life expectancy but is still going strong? I mean things you actually use for their tended purpose.

I have a hot water bottle inherited from my Gran who died 27 years ago, although judging by the thread I should probably give it up!

I also have a gravy boat that I still use that was my Great Grandmothers, and must be at least 90 years old. I also have her rolling pin, and still use it.

The boiler in our last house was newly installed in 1973 and still going strong when we moved in 2013.

Any others?

I still use the little Kenwood mixer that my mum's friend bought her in the mid-70s.

Tbf, neither of us were massively into baking so it hasn't been overused but it's still whizzing around when it's needed.

My bread knife which was second hand when I got it in 1987 and some plates which my grandparents used, they had them in the 50s.

I have lots of old things!

I have china, cutlery, furniture, tablecloths etc. which have been handed down through the generations so I don't count those.

I also have a mechanical hand mixer/whisk thingy, one of those with two whisk bits and a handle you turn to make the whisk bits turn, similar to the picture, which is probably around 60-70 years old. We use it for Angel Delight mainly. It works and it's less hassle than getting the electric mixer out for such a small job.

My Granny’s teak bread board. She was born in 19th century but I’m not sure how old it is

DM has Aga branded saucepan that belonged to her grandmother. DM is nearly 82!! Those pans must be well over 100.

My grandmothers singer sewing machine. It’s from 1923 and great condition. She was teenage seamstress in 1920s London house of Elliott style. I have fairly basic level of skill so don’t need anything more fancy.

I’ve got that whisk! Also my Mum’s kitchen scales which were a wedding present in 1958. Christmas decorations that my great great Grandmother brought over from Germany in the late 1800s. Also some of her glasses that come out at Christmas (Champagne “bowls”).

Thanks all. This chat is a great advert for the durability of Kenwood chefs and mixers in general.

My husband's parents have a large, heavy solid silver spoon that they use for feeding their dog. They use it to scoop out the food from the tin.😱
It dates back to the late 1800's and is scratched and bent beyond redemption, but has provided excellent service for at least the last 50 years - they have had several dogs over this period and it has been used when feeding every single one of them, on a daily basis.

I have a tiny plastic travel washing line that I got from an outdoor shop for a couple of pounds in the early 90s.

It has travelled the globe with me and I have taken it on every holiday since, it's been great for hand washing a few items and hanging them to dry at a campsite, hotel balcony, hotel bathroom etc over the decades.

Now we hang it between the 2 pop top handles of our micro caravan to hang our shower towels.

I've never been able to find anything quite like this one and had looked as I wanted another.

A sainsburys basics knife I bought in 1997 when I moved in with my then boyfriend. The tip has come off and the plastic handle has partially melted but its a very reliable knife.

The true oldest item is a teaspoon in my desk drawer at work which is from a set we had growing up in the 70s. I also have xmas tree decs from this time as well but they were only given to me very recently.

I have a wooden rolling pin that Dad made for my Mum just before they got married in 1969. She passed it on to me because she inherited my GMs glass one that had been my GGM’s. It’s fab, it is hollow with a little bung in the end so you can fill it with ice to roll pastry. It must be 100+ years old. We keep our rolling pins a long time in our family!

I inherited a lot of kitchen stuff from my grandma including a moulinex stick blender from the late 80s. That's my oldest electrical.

I also have her old milk pan which I've kept as it's good and solid with an edge for pouring, and a little saucepan also with an edge for pouring which is the perfect size for heating portions of soup. I would guess 50s or earlier for the milk pan and 60s or 70s for the little sauce pan. I also inherited all of her lidded pyrex dishes and a big knock off le creuset casserole which is lovely and light- and is on permanent loan to my mum as it's kinder than her real le creuset on arthritic wrists.

I'd love to see a picture. It sounds lovely.

I have some Mason Cash mixing bowls that belonged to my late husband's mother. And she died in 1970.

My granny's best china dinner service - she was married in 1932 and received it for a wedding present - also my great granny's china vegetable and soup tureens - which she received as a wedding present she was married in 1914- we use them to serve Christmas dinner

Old electrical appliances aren't good.

They will not have been built to the latest safety standards and will be worn out from years of use.

Imagine the 20 year old washing machine that has been through literally thousands of spin cycles, shaking and vibrating the electrical contacts inside...

In a slightly different vein to many of these... I have a hand mixer that I bought in Sainsburys for about £5 20 years ago that is still going strong. It honestly amazes me that this ridiculous, super cheap, "throwaway" gadget is in such great shape still.

I 'inherited' a clothes horse from my grandparents that is at least as old as me and I'm 45.

Sturdy as heck, used at least two-three times a week and will probably outlive me.

I've got lots of my mum's kitchen utensils, which date back to the 1950s at least. Her potato masher is a particular favourite - I'd broken several crappy modern ones before I found hers in a box, and I fully expect it to still be going strong when it's eventually passed to my great-grandchildren!

In terms of things we've actually bought, our Dyson cylinder hoover is 20 years old and still as good as it was on the day we bought it.

A mug and set of pans that I had at Uni in 2002. Both in mint condition (touch wood, before I break them today!!!)

My grandmother’s Magimix which is 45 years old and still going strong. My GHDs are 25 years old.

Oh and my nan's Le Creuset casserole dish pot which is older than my mum.

Do sets of silver and china count? Mine are 80+. I think china, glassware, cooking utensils etc are disqualified by the stipulation Something that has truly outlived its life expectancy but is still going strong?.

I still use the heated food tray my mother gave me when I was 19. I’m now in my 70s. Until 5 years ago, DF was using a 1920s vacuum cleaner

This is a sensitive subject as I bought a vegetable peeler from a little shop in Umbria for one euro about 15 years ago and it just broke. It was the best peeler, years of heavy service.