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Vintage 1920's Appliances with Prices, Descriptions and Images

Twenties Appliances and electrical goods including Frigidaire Electric Fridge, RCA Electric Radiola, Hoover Electric Cleaner, Electric Sewing Machine, Popcorn Maker, Waffle Iron and Electric Toaster and more with prices and descriptions

1920's Radio Setup

When we think of a radio today we just plug in a couple of batteries or plug it into the mains and that is all need to do, back in the 20s it was very different below are all the components needed to provide a radio in the Twenties

Total cost about $120.00 in 1926 In todays money that is about $1,500 to own a Radio

Your Radio Itself

Price: From $75,00

Radios were priced about $60.00 upwards depending on the number of valves etc.

Parts To Make your Radio Antenna

Price: $2.75

To gain any kind of good reception you would need to build an antenna on your roof the kit required is shown below

Your Radio Also Needed A Speaker or You Could Use a Pair of Headphones

Price: $8.95

The Nightingale Loudspeaker offers the best in tone and sound for your radio, or you could use a pair of headphones costing about $3.00

Battery Charger and Battery

Price: $20.00

Radios Used a battery for power and a charger to charge the battery, Or you could buy a battery eliminator that allowed you connect directly to the Main Electricity for $33.00

  • Gyrator Electric Washing Machine 1920s

    Late Decade Electric Washing Machine

    Price: $81.50

    For the latest and best in washing machine design, this easy to move washing machine features the latest gyrator technology with no center post where clothes can be damaged, the attached wringer is made from the finest semi soft rubber.


  • 20s Motor Driven Brush Cleaner ( Hoover )

    Motor Driven Brush and Suction Cleaner

    Price: $28.95

    This cleaner not only uses suction to lift the dirt and dust it also includes a motor driven brush to help remove dust and dirt from the carpet before the suction lifts the dirt into the bag


  • Hoover Electric Cleaner

    1926 Hoover Electric Cleaner

    Price: $38.95

    What I loved about this is that it is a Real Hoover ( the generic name often used for a vacuum cleaner ) and the tag line , I can remember as a kid back in the late 50's over 30 years later the Hoover Tag Line for selling was "It Beats as it Sweeps as it Cleans"



  • General Electric Light Bulb Advert From the Late 20's explaining how a modern Light Bulb Worked

    Electric Light Bulb

    Price: Unknown

    Electricity although used by more and more left many of it's mysteries unexplained, one of those was how a light bulb produced so much light, this advert by General Electric explained that a useless gas named Argon ( Coming from two Greek words meaning doesn't work ) discovered in 1894 was now pumped into the modern light bulb and provided a first class light.




  • 1928 RCA Electric Radiola

    RCA Electric Radiola

    Price: $495

    Further up the page I detailed what was required to make a Radio work ( 1926 ) But RCA had an answer with the Hand Built Super Heterodyne All Electric Radio which included speakers with better reception, more power The price is quite staggering for me costing in todays money in excess of $5,000


  • 1925 Frigidaire Electric Refrigerator

    1925 Frigidaire

    Price: $285.00

    I included this Frigidaire Electric as the final Electric Item from the Twenties as it was significant in many ways 1. It was made by General Motors not General Electric. 2. The cost was pretty high and I suspect out of most people's reach and 3. It was sold by a dedicated salesman who visited your home rather than through a shop etc.



  • Popcorn Maker, Waffle Iron and Electric Toaster

    Popcorn Maker, Waffle Iron and Electric Toaster



    Price: Popcorn Maker $1.49
    Price: 2 Slice Bread Toaster $1.69
    Price: Waffle Maker $8.75

    These small electric kitchen appliances are from 1929, as each year progressed through the decade more and more electric appliances appeared these are just an example of those available in the late 20's



  • Electric Light Fittings For Your Home

    Twenties Home Electric Light Fittings

    Price: From $1,50

    Below are a range of light fittings you could put into your twenties home if you lived in a city and were lucky enough to have electricity



  • Electric Sewing Machine With Electric Motor

    Electric Sewing Machine

    Price: $78.95

    The electric sewing machine shown here is identical to a pedal machine sold the same year except the electric motor is included at a cost of about $35.00, the better Sewing machines were well made of mahogany.




The range of electrical items for sale is limited because only the wealthier home owners who lived in the cities had electricity up to the late Twenties, and the prices for electric home appliances were quite expensive, to get a rough idea multiply the prices shown by 14 to find out how much things would cost in todays money.

Some further examples of electric home appliances and music player prices in the 1920's and how much they cost

1920-2 ¼ Qt. Double Boiler$1.19 seen in Green Bay Press Gazette, WI

9 Cup Colonial Percolator Coffee Pot$1.19 seen in Green Bay Press Gazette, WI 1921<

Western Electric Clothes Washer $125.00 seen in Green Bay Press Gazette, WI 1921

Electric Toaster Green $6.75 seen in Green Bay Press Gazette, WI 1924

Aluminum Coffee Percolators 98¢ seen in Green Bay Press Gazette, WI 1924

Electric Table Stoves $1.95 to $12.50 seen in Green Bay Press Gazette, WI 1924

Columbia Grafanola Wind up Gramophone $85 Ohio 1921

Victor Victrola For Best in Music and Furniture $150 Massachusetts 1924

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