# Vintage Home Oven Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 21, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662 "2003-08-21T14:02:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/1 "2003-08-21T14:02:59Z")
My husband and I are looking at buying a old house (100+ years), with a kitchen that was redone sometime in the 1950’s or 1960’s. The oven looks something like this: [“Mystery” Oven Picture](http://www.wayhome.com/gar/images/forsale/wwd2.jpg) (Of course, the oven in this particular house is a little more “modern” than the one in the picture, but it has the same general design. Only in brown. But that is not important.) Does anyone know that the section on the right-hand side of the oven is for? The door opens from the side like a refrigerator, not from the top like a “regular” oven. We can’t tell if there are heating elements in there, or if that section is just used for storage. Any help is appreciated. It will not influence our decision in any way, we are just curious. Thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![godzillatemple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@godzillatemple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godzillatemple)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/2 "2003-08-21T15:35:48Z")
If you mean the door on the _left_ side of the fridge, it’s a bread warmer. If you’re referring to the door on the bottom right, I believe it’s just to access the heating elements (or gas jets) in case maintenance is needed. Barry ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/3 "2003-08-21T15:51:42Z")
It’s not just for bread, it’ll keep your hot dishes warm too. The lower drawer is likely a broiler. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/4 "2003-08-21T15:55:32Z")
I’d say the bottom door on the right will also allow you to broil food. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/5 "2003-08-21T16:03:40Z")
It’s a warm place to rest meat after roasting. Sitting in there for 20 minutes after cooking greatly improves a roast. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/6 "2003-08-21T17:52:38Z")
Yeah, duh, I meant the _left_ door. Sheesh. Kollidge grad and I don’t know right from left. For the love of Pete … Anyway … so I could, say, keep the cooked stuffing in there to keep it warm while the turkey is still cooking? Cool! So I don’t need a Showtime rotisserie BBQ then. ---
**Author:** ![MaryEFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MaryEFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaryEFoo)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/7 "2003-08-21T19:11:40Z")
It might have gas jets at the top, so it can also be used as a broiler. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/8 "2003-08-21T20:19:50Z")
My folks had one similar to that in their apartment in the 40s-50s. I seem to remember that the area was used for storage. It might have gotten warm when the oven or broiler were in use, but we never put food in there. Maybe we were missing out on a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/9 "2003-08-22T05:51:53Z")
You poor thing. That stove looks like a horrible old wreck. Tell you what, I’ll help you out. Just send it to me - reverse the shipping charges. Your welcome. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/10 "2003-08-22T11:34:51Z")
**j.c.** , thanks for the offer, but now I am even more intrigued than ever. Not only do I want to keep the oven, but we are definitely going to get the _whole house_. It really sounds like I will have my very own warm space for proofing breads and other doughs - I’ll be sure to invite you all over once we move in. Thanks so much for all the help. ---
**Author:** ![godzillatemple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@godzillatemple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godzillatemple)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/11 "2003-08-22T13:44:48Z")
The apartment I lived in for the last 9 years (until I moved out in May) had an old-fashioned oven exactly like the one pictured. As I mentioned before, the area on the left is commonly referred to as a bread warmer. When cooking the Sunday roast (for example) you could stick the rolls on the shelves and they would gradually warm up (as opposed to being burnt if you put them in the actual oven). Of course, nowadays we have microwave ovens to do the trick, but back in the 40s and 50s this was a very common thing. I suppose you could warm things other than bread in the bread warmer, but I never heard of anybody doing so before. Barry ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/12 "2003-08-22T13:51:50Z")
It looks in wonderfully good condition. Check it and the connection for leaks, though. Same for the water heater and any wall or floor heaters/furnaces. The soap test is a good way to check. Call a plumber or the gas company if you don’t want to do it yourself. Of course, any home inspection should have included that… Congrats on getting the house. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/13 "2003-08-22T16:50:02Z")
Well, we didn’t get the house YET, but we want it bad and are prepare to Jell-O wrestle if we need to to get it. This is like my Malibu Barbie Dream house, and I won’t let it get away. BTW: Does it matter if the oven turns out to be electric and not gas? We did another walkthrough today at lunch and double checked on that. Will that make a difference how I use it? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/14 "2003-08-22T17:06:57Z")
Those are gas elements up top, or I’m an elephant shrew. Could it be a hybrid? ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/15 "2003-08-22T17:11:18Z")
The oven “looks” something like the picture. With electric heating elements up top. Sorry. I didn’t notice that at first. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/16 "2003-08-22T17:41:06Z")
The electric version probably will work the same as the gas one. Maybe with some design changes from the factory. I wouldn`t worry about it though. **Rockle** If you really want the house, e-mail me and I`ll help you ammend the offer in your favor. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-home-oven-question/196662/17 "2003-08-23T19:05:14Z")
**whuckfistle** , we are working on it. Our offer is in and now we are waiting to hear. As long as the stove _works_, I don’t care if it’s gas or electric or dung-powered. I just want this _house_! Hopefully we hear soon, and then we can start sprucing her up.