Maybe it's a toaster that bronzes bread to just the right crispness. Or the frying pan your mother used to make pancakes every Saturday morning. Or the cast-iron skillet that has defied rust through several generations of cooks.
Some of our favorite kitchen utensils grow old without outliving their usefulness. But longevity may not be their only saving grace. Sometimes it's not about a gadget's practicality but the memories it evokes.
Readers' responses to a recent query about their oldest kitchen devices proves that what's on our counters often can find a place in our hearts as well.
* Added perks: Frances Newton bought a coffeemaker 36 years ago. Made by the Enterprise Aluminum Co. in 1954, the Drip-O-Lator was the latest in kitchen fashion. Not only did it make a good cup of coffee, the dainty flowers painted in its ceramic outer shell made it a must-have for the hostess of the day. Some pots even came with a bonus set of Wearever cookware.
Now, though the handles show signs of age and her bonus cookware is long gone, Mrs. Newton still uses her Drip-O-Lator.
"It's getting worn out, though," she said. "I wish I could get another one. Some people wonder why I insist on using it, but it makes the best coffee - even better than new coffeemakers I've bought since then."
* Still in the mix: Cathy Lewis' 40-year-old Hamilton Beach model 97 Mixette Portable Mixer can still stir things up.
"I use it all the time," she said, adding that it's much better than her larger stand mixer that collects dust.
And she loves the harvest gold and white colors. "It's been responsible for more than 500 birthday cakes," she said.
* Put a lid on it: Lids to pots can be easily lost, whether through moves, kitchen remodels or simply making them available for the kids to make music. So Marcia Kling is amazed that she hasn't lost the lids to two 100-year-old pots that belonged to her grandmother. "They're more accurately called kettles," she said. "And they're still in regular use."
* Under pressure: Marlene Chapman of Flintstone, Ga., has used her Presto pressure cooker for 55 years and counting, since she inherited it from her mother-in-law. "And she used it for 10 years before that," Mrs. Chapman said.
"I've had to change the rubber gasket around the lid twice and replaced the pop-out valve once, but that's it. I use it at least once a week and love it. I bought a new one several years ago but found her old one to be so much better."
* Caveats: Mary Kelly, communications assistant for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, said it's definitely true that a lot of older appliances are workhorses and will work very well for a long time.
"But it's important to carefully inspect them because a lot of cords and other parts could dry out or crack and become a safety issue," she said.
She added that new appliances have an advantage over older ones by having better energy-efficiency.