Wow

How wide were standard size stoves before 1968 if these are ’compact’?

Actually 30" width was pretty standard by this point, width-wise. But this is also a range that is completely counter depth, so a little shallower--it might be a drop-in, which they only make a few to replace the existing, or it's a slide in.

A lot of ranges in the 1950s and early 60s were about 40" wide and a bit deeper. As you can see in the picture above, the burners were still often set at about 24" with the rest being blank like a counter top. I lived in an apartment with a range like that and it was the only counterspace in the kitchen, that and a drainboard on the sink, which I think was a little lower than 36"

https://www.rvinyl.com/Unleash-Potential-with-Oven-Wraps

Bunny, what a perfectly fabulous kitchen! It’s really puzzling how much LESS functional appliances are now than they were. Having two side by side ovens is genius— as is the drop in for a tall pot. Why arent these features available today??? Love the colors and materials and just everything about your kitchen from the 1960’s!

Kswl, thanks. I loved the house I grew up in and this kitchen was its heart. To the left was a peninsula, with rounded shelves at the end. Behind that was the formica-topped (natch) kitchen table alcove. Lots of counters and cabinets behind the photographer. I learned to cook in this kitchen and rolled out many pie crusts at the table. Over the dishwasher was an integrated drain top thingie. As a little kid my mom would have me lie down on top of it with my head hanging over the sink to wash my hair.

That’s how my hair was washed too, Bunny!

Kswl, too funny.

We also had a GE stove with drop-in for a stew pot. IIRC the burner was detachable, revealing the hole. Maybe like Bunny described, it dropped down. My dear mother made many a delicious meal on that stove. And we also had a huge sink with the integrated drain. I recall all of us lying down and having our hair washed in that sink. My younger brothers probably had a few baths. No one minded that back in those days.

Bunny that is a cool photo.

Cabbage soup with beef short ribs would simmer all day in that sunken pot.

The floor was dark blue linoleum tile.

I've perused many old ads for ranges and it seems the sunken burner was pretty much meant to be used as a slow cooker. When Crockpots came on the market, did demand for the stovetop ones die out?

Carol, hmmm, interesting. I have a slow cooker that I never use, so I don't know how high or low they go, but I wonder if they have the range or control of an electric stove burner. My mom used to use the timed start all the time. I never would have my stove on if I weren't in the house.

The deep well in a Chambers range was meant to be used with the gas turned off. If was heavily insulated. They came with a recipe book with recipes how to cook in the oven with the gas turned off as well. Generally you fired it up really high and then turned if off. It was heavily insulated and the door was ground metal to ground metal and the door clamped shut.

I have never seen that before. SO cool.