Chambers Double Wall Oven from 1980s

12 years ago

Hello! Going to sell my house and in the kitchen is the oven I like a lot. It is a 1980s Chambers "Custom Imperial" double oven. It is such a good oven and has served me well for 24 years. My husband is of the opinion that it looks outdated and needs to be replaced for resale of our home(upscale California neighborhood). I have replaced my cooktop, hood, dishwasher, and refrigerator over the past few years. It does not look as updated as the other appliances. I am interested in knowing if YOU would or would not want to buy a house with an old(er) Chambers oven. BTW the oven has black glass on the doors and no digital panels. I am wondering how many people would value this oven and how many would want a bright shiny new double oven or oven/microwave combo. If you favor a new appliance, please let me know if you like double ovens or would prefer an oven/ microwave. Thank you for your opinion!

Featured Answer

ChambersFan

11 years ago

Twinmom, don't know if you're still looking, but I've got a Chambers Double Wall Oven from the 1980s (or possibly 1970s?) with accompanying manual that I need to sell (upcoming total kitchen remodel commencing in about 3 weeks!). Fully functional except for self-cleaning/latch. More photos available (inside, control panel).

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (13)

palimpsest
12 years ago
Any chance you like it enough to take it with you?

Something like an oven wouldn't be a deal maker or breaker to me, but I think many people would not recognize this oven for what it is, just that it is old. I would hate to see it in a landfill just because it isn't new.
plllog
12 years ago
I would LOVE to have an old Chambers oven, but then I know what it is. It's actually a fancy new Chambers oven if it has glass in the doors. :) Most current ovens are awful! You really might want to think about taking it with you...

Definitely prefer double ovens to the microwave combo unless the microwave is a speed oven (which is something expensive you don't need to buy for the new owners).

You won't lose a sale on the house because you have obviously older ovens, but it would be a shame to have a Chambers fall into the hands of someone who doesn't appreciate it. Unfortunately, outside of certain, "special" communities, having an option isn't really a good idea, as in leave it there and offer to replace it if they don't value the Chambers. That just confuses the buyers.
Related Discussions
Two single wall ovens instead of a double wall oven
Q
Comments (22)
HU, I don’t know if what I have to say will help. I discovered that oven makers are making 24” ovens in Stainless Steel. I have ordered two 24” Frigidaire ovens that are nearly the same size as the old Thermador. The appliance dealer’s installer came and said he would figure out how to make a divider, and a mason contractor I had for another job said he could resize the brick wall, but I guess it’s up to the appliance installer to put in the divider board. So check with your appliance dealer to see if his installer can figure out how to support the upper oven.
...See More
3 ovens stacked together: microwave, double wall convection ovens
Q
Comments (4)
It's pulling hot food out of the microwave on top that will be unsafe, unless you & your family are really tall. You should be apprehensive; it's not a good idea. Microwave ovens should be positioned near the R/F, since that's the source of most food that goes into a MW. Positioning either a countertop or built-in MW on or under the countertop is far preferable for safety & ease of use, especially since you use a MW a lot. Another option is to get a range, which will provide you with one oven, and stack the MW over a single electric convection oven. Our 36" DCS range oven is huge & can handle full size baking sheets. If you have kids, they can learn at an early age to safely use the MW & start being independent, but only if they can reach it without climbing on something. Otherwise you will be doing what they could be doing far longer than any of you will like.
...See More
double wall ovens vs. large double oven/stove combination- preference?
Q
Comments (17)
I use my steam oven for almost everything. It is much better at reheating food than a microwave or regular oven. For example, I had some leftover chinese food yesterday - microwaved rice is usually kind of hard. I put everything in the convection steam oven in the plastic and waxed paper takeout containers, set the oven to 220 degrees at 50% steam for 15 minutes - when it comes out, everything tastes great like it is fresh. If you keep the oven temperature below 220 or so, you can use plastic containers or your regular dining plates because they won’t melt - it’s the same temperature as putting them in the dishwasher. I could reheat the same food more quickly (in about 10 min) if I put it in an oven-safe container and turned up the heat. The food stays moist because of the steam. They’re really good for roasting chicken or broiling fish because the outside gets crispy, but the inside doesn’t dry out. Anything that you’d cook in boiling water on the stove can also be cooked in it - pasta, rice, quinoa, oatmeal, etc. You can stick an egg in there and make a hard boiled egg in 6-7 min. You can steam veggies, fish, lobster. and lots of people use it to get a chewy crust on bread. many people get rid of their microwaves when they have a steam oven, but I still like having a microwave for my kids’ food or some frozen meals. My oven has preprogrammed recipes - for example, you can tell it that you want to cook salmon, broccoli, and rice, and have everything ready by 6pm. It will then tell you what time to put everything in so that it is all ready at the same time - the flavors don’t mix in a steam oven so you can cook fish and broccoli in the same oven without a problem. You can also use it for sous vide cooking because it has very low precise temperatures. So basically it can be used as a regular oven without stream, a pure steamer, a sous vide cooker, or a combination for anything that you want to bake/heat but keep moist. The Miele oven that I have has a plumbed water line so I don’t have to refill the tank. I’ve also used it as an extra warming spot when my warming drawer gets full because you can turn the temperature on very low.
...See More
Gourmet Kitchen Double Oven on wall or Single oven w/ microwave
Q
Comments (15)
We did option 1 and I don't regret it at all. We have a small countertop microwave that is in a regular upper cabinet with a smaller door - picture below which is much easier than explaining! (Just avert your eyes from any unfinished trim bits you see!) This is the first time I've ever had double ovens and I am still surprised at how often I use them - it's so much easier to plan meals that have two different oven temp needs. It feels positively luxurious to be able to have several different things going in the oven at once! Also--before we renovated, our kitchen had a fancy Kitchenaid combination convection microwave/oven like in your option 4. We had so much trouble out of that thing. The microwave had to be repaired a couple times, and the oven electrics would freak out and stop working every single holiday we hosted! We kept them both limping along, but since they were attached, we would have had to replace both appliances if one of them totally broke.
...See More
kathec
12 years ago
99.9% of the population is going to want new. Most people haven't heard of Chambers since it's been defunct for several decades. "New" or "updated" appliances are the buzzwords that realtors love to use to sell homes.

There is a small market for Chambers. I know because I searched for weeks to find my 1950's model 90C range. Check out chamberstoves.net and vintagechambers.com and antiquestoves.net.

These usually have places where you can place an ad or check for any wanted listings. You never know, there might be someone out there looking for your EXACT oven. It's worth a shot.

Or, as those have already posted - take it with you!
liriodendron
12 years ago
If you do decide to take it with you (or sell to a Chambers afficianado) make sure it's noted to "not convey". I would combine that with an upfront offer to credit buyers with the purchase price and installation cost of a double oven of the buyers' choice up to a certain figure (that figure would be whatever it would cost to purchase an oven similar to the other updated appliances.) That way the buyer can be sure of having a say in what they get and if they are planning a reno right away they can deal with the whole thing.

I did something similar with a non-functioning range in a house I sold a few years ago. Actually the buyers were very pleased to have the credit - as they then bought a more expensive model than I would have installed just for resale. Everybody was happy: I didn't have to deal with hassle of purchasing and installation and they could upgrade on "free money".

L
twinmom45
12 years ago
Your oven sounds like my old one. The hinges on the door broke and I tried for 1 1/2 yrs to get it fixed. I let a repair store take the oven to repair it. They assured me they could. Unfortunately. they could not and they disposed of my working oven. I have been looking in vain for a replacement for 9 months. Everyone tells me I am crazy. But I just liked my oven. If you decide to sell it, would you please let me know? Most people have told me they would rather get a new oven with bells and whistles. I have been without an oven for 9 months just hoping someone would have the more modern Chambers Oven. Even the Chambers afficianados don't believe me that Chambers had a modern built in that worked great.

Do what you feel most comfortable with. It will be the right decision for you.
I think I am just unusual in that I have faith that eventually I will be able to replace my beloved oven.

SM
purplecats17
12 years ago
We're replacing our Chambers double wall oven with a stove next month. I'm happy to turn over the oven to someone who will appreciate it. It says Chambers Self Cleaning Retained Heat in gold letters at the top. The doors are black glass. I'm in the San Diego area.
dianalo
12 years ago
Can you post pix?
If you can sell it to someone who will love it, you can then use the money to put in a new one (or better yet, one from CL). As long as it is from the same era as your current appliances, then you don't need to buy brand new. Some people renovate and get rid of perfectly good stuff that is now the wrong size or wrong color for them.
I'd be tickled pink to get a Chambers anything (we have a 1940s era Chambers stove), but I know I am in the minority.
Circus Peanut
12 years ago
Twinmom, where are you located? There's a place in New York that sells vintage Chambers ranges and ovens, link below.
If you can share your approximate location, there are a lot of us on this forum who regularly scour Craigslist, etc, for deals on vintage appliances, and I bet someone might be able to help you find your oven. I had a similar experience once with a beloved vintage piece and it's an awful loss.

Seatraveler, take it with you! In my experience nobody appreciates a vintage appliance like the person who is familiar with its every wrinkle. You really can't get that quality new any more, but I'd wager that 95% of the home buyers out there get the heebie jeebies from someone else's "old" oven. We're definitely taking our 1949 range with us when we go ... :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Belgrave Appliance in Yonkers NY
Circus Peanut
11 years ago
It's odd, isn't it? We left a vintage Chambers range in excellent working condition in our house when we sold it this month, and it got raves from a number of people who made bids. But as it turns out, the actual buyer wants us to take it with us instead of keeping it. So it's a gamble; a lot depends on how old your house is and whether it draws a vintage-soapstone-crowd or a shiny-new-granite crowd.

We are now trying to sell our Chambers (white Model C) and hoping there will be a Chambers lover in the Portland ME area who can take it in the next week or so --
MizLizzie
11 years ago
ChambersFan, that is a gorgeous oven! Seatraveler, I guess I'm one of the foolish ones. I had never heard of Chambers. But the old ovens are the best ovens. I haven't had a good one since 1989 when I lost my antique Kenmore in a divorce. Talk about a broken heart . . .
deedles
11 years ago
Love my Chambers and as you can see just on this thread you have several more that do and one wanting to buy it from you!
In the case of a Chambers, 'dated' is a good thing.
HU-585836532
3 years ago
I have a 1980's CHAMBERS electric microwave single oven. The microwave konked out. Any suggestions? rosenn@me.com

Chambers Double Wall Oven from 1980s

ChambersFan

Comments (13)

palimpsest

plllog

Related Discussions

kathec

liriodendron

twinmom45

purplecats17

dianalo

Circus Peanut

Circus Peanut

MizLizzie

deedles

HU-585836532

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US