Home Home Decor Ideas Vintage Kitchen Finds You Need In Your Modern Kitchen By Patricia S York Patricia S York Assistant Food Editor Pat is an Assistant Editor at Southern Living and has been a part of the team since 2006. She works with the Senior Food Editor to plan monthly print food features and stories that will highlight Southerners making a difference through food, share delicious recipes that utilize seasonal produce, and offer exceptional reader service. Pat also writes digital content on a variety of topics including cooking, gardening, and pets.One of the reasons Pat enjoys living in Birmingham is because it is centrally located between the mountains and the Gulf coast. She spends her free time gardening, hiking with her dogs, and pursuing her goal of becoming a better horsewoman. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on April 12, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Jim Bathie If the expression "everything old is new again" actually holds true, then don't be in such a hurry to clean out your kitchen cupboards—you might want to hang on to a few of those vintage kitchen tools. What makes an item a classic is its ability to stand the test of time; if you can still use it 20 years after you bought it, it is a classic. The popularity of many kitchen items experience ebbs and flows throughout the years. New products come on the scene and shove the older ones to the back of the cupboard. But, over time, a good cook will always reach for the classics, such as the cast iron cookware and slow-cookers, knowing these quality products have stood the test of time and are still relevant, even with new cooking methods and recipes. You may not be able to afford cherry-red retro kitchen appliances, but there are smaller ways you can incorporate vintage appliances and retro items into your kitchen décor. We polled our Food Editors and Test Kitchen Professionals for their favorite vintage items they would take to a new kitchen. 01 of 12 Copper Molds Voisine/Getty Images Congealed salads are polarizing—people either love them or they hate them. Even if you hate them, you have to admit these copper molds are too pretty to toss. Use them instead to mold a delicious ham terrine or chicken salad. 02 of 12 Electric Knife Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images An electric knife makes easy work out of carving the Thanksgiving turkey, usually a daunting task for the holiday host. 03 of 12 Electric Skillet Grace Cary/Getty Images You probably quit using it because it took up too much room on the counter, or it was so cumbersome to wash. Give it another try—from scrambling eggs to frying chicken, this kitchen appliance might just make your stovetop obsolete. 04 of 12 Flour Sifter with Hand Crank provrb7/Getty Images Some things never go out of style, including this hand-crank sifter. Obviously perfect for sifting flour and other dry ingredients, it does a nice job of dusting cakes and other desserts with confectioner's sugar. 05 of 12 Fondue Pot Getty Images/Tom Kelley Archive Once a cocktail party staple, fondue pots, perfect for keeping dips and spreads warm, are now showing up at tailgating events, backyard cookouts and brunches. 06 of 12 Hand-Held Electric Mixer Getty Images Some jobs, like whipping meringues or beating egg yolks, don't require you to lug out the heavy-duty stand mixer. These lighter models still deserve a place in your pantry. 07 of 12 Hand-Written Recipes Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images The internet is convenient but impersonal when looking for a new recipe. And the beautiful pages of a new cookbook are much too nice to get smeared with cake batter. Nothing beats a hand-written recipe or hand-me-down cookbook, complete with food splatters and personal notes in your Mother's handwriting. 08 of 12 Pyrex Mixing Bowls jonathansloane/Getty Images You can buy a set of new bowls with a more contemporary color pattern, but you won't find another set more versatile or rugged than Pyrex Mixing Bowls. 09 of 12 Oyster Plates Frank Grtner / EyeEm / Getty Images According to one Southern Living editor, every china collection should include a vintage oyster plate. "Although I don't currently plan on serving oysters at any of my future dinner parties, you can bet that I ended up down the rabbit hole of antique oyster plates for sale, once I was aware of this highly fashionable and functional dish," she wrote. 10 of 12 Breadboxes OZ_Media/Getty Images Mama was onto something with that breadbox she kept on the counter! Breadboxes are not only adorable but also keep bread fresher than leaving it in the bag. 11 of 12 Punch Bowl Sets Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner It's not a Southern gathering without a punch bowl on the sideboard (bonus retro points if yours includes scoops of ice cream). Don't forget to whip up one of our favorite punch recipes for getting the party started. 12 of 12 Deviled Egg Platter Jim Bathie One Southern Living editor begged the question: "If you don't have this old-fashioned serving dish, are you even Southern?" We're going to go ahead and answer with a resounding, nope! Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit