W. Hilditch
Active member
I spent many years of way too much time putting together my meager collection of 6 almost perfect Griswold waffle irons with matching bases and all came from eBay. Here is some of what I learned:
At least half of what is available on eBay is junk. Cracked, broken, missing handles, missing bases, wrong handles, pitted, mismatched irons, warped or the wrong base. Junk. Many sellers neglect to mention defects or show them in pics. Rust or coal pits are a no-no to me.
More sets of irons survived than bases, so finding the right base can be more than a challenge. Winning the lottery is more likely than finding a button hinge base all by itself. I had to have one of mine welded.
If you are going to cook with them on a non-wood stove, a high base is the only way to go if they were available for your model of irons. I have 3 high bases and 3 low (Two button and a claw). Low bases are a pain at best on a gas stove but high bases weren’t made until into the 20th century. Expect to pay 5 times more for a high base than you paid for your irons unless you buy the set. The high base only requires one hand without a pot holder. The low base requires at least two hands and a pot holder X 10 or more per batch if you are a pretty good cook.
You WILL pay dearly for a good set of Griswold hearts and stars.
Another set of clean irons with the right base will come along.
If a set of irons are too rusted or crusted to evaluate the finish, don’t buy them at any price. Mother nature is recycling a set down in the woods here. One was cracked so the other had to go. It’s called logical inventory control so don’t fight it. Most of all, check the numbers to see if all match. You make a lamp.
No other brand cooks as well as Griswold.
Hilditch
At least half of what is available on eBay is junk. Cracked, broken, missing handles, missing bases, wrong handles, pitted, mismatched irons, warped or the wrong base. Junk. Many sellers neglect to mention defects or show them in pics. Rust or coal pits are a no-no to me.
More sets of irons survived than bases, so finding the right base can be more than a challenge. Winning the lottery is more likely than finding a button hinge base all by itself. I had to have one of mine welded.
If you are going to cook with them on a non-wood stove, a high base is the only way to go if they were available for your model of irons. I have 3 high bases and 3 low (Two button and a claw). Low bases are a pain at best on a gas stove but high bases weren’t made until into the 20th century. Expect to pay 5 times more for a high base than you paid for your irons unless you buy the set. The high base only requires one hand without a pot holder. The low base requires at least two hands and a pot holder X 10 or more per batch if you are a pretty good cook.
You WILL pay dearly for a good set of Griswold hearts and stars.
Another set of clean irons with the right base will come along.
If a set of irons are too rusted or crusted to evaluate the finish, don’t buy them at any price. Mother nature is recycling a set down in the woods here. One was cracked so the other had to go. It’s called logical inventory control so don’t fight it. Most of all, check the numbers to see if all match. You make a lamp.
No other brand cooks as well as Griswold.
Hilditch
