SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                                    FORM 8-K

                                 Current Report
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934


       Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): December 30, 1998



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                                  NORTEK, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

            DELAWARE                    1-6112                    05-0314991
     (State or other jurisdiction  (commission File Number)   (I.R.S.Employer
      of Incorporation)                                         I.D. Number)


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              50 Kennedy Plaza, Providence. Rhode Island 02903-2360
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)


                                 (401) 751-1600
                Registrant's Telephone Number including area code








Item 5.     Other Events

       On December 30, 1998, Nortek, Inc. (the "Company") completed the sale
of the businesses of two wholly owned subsidiaries, M&S Systems LP ("M&S")
and Moore-O-Matic, Inc. ("Moore-O-Matic") to a subsidiary of The Chamberlain
Group, Inc.

      For the year ended December 31, 1997, the two companies had combined sales
of $40.4 million. M&S sells intercoms, built-in music and audio systems, central
vacuum systems and related products.  Moore-O-Matic  sells automatic garage door
openers, gate operators and electronic transmitters.

      The sale of M&S is pursuant  to a consent  agreement  entered  into by the
Company and the Federal Trade  Commission  ("FTC") as part of the FTC's approval
of the Company's acquisition of NuTone, Inc. in July, 1998.







                                   SIGNATURES


      Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,  the  registrant  has duly caused this Current Report on Form 8-K to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                             NORTEK, INC.




                                            By: /s/ Almon C. Hall          
                                                Name:Almon C. Hall
                                                Title: Chief Accounting Officer