EXHIBIT 5.1 
  
  
           [LETTERHEAD OF JANET G. KELLEY -- SUNBEAM CORPORATION] 
  
  
 
                Re:  Sunbeam Corporation    
                     Registration Statement on Form S-4 
  
  
 Ladies and Gentlemen: 
  
           I am the Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary
 of Sunbeam Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Sunbeam"), and am
 rendering this opinion in connection with the preparation of a Registration
 Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") filed by Sunbeam with
 the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the
 Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").  The
 Registration Statement relates to the issuance of shares of Common Stock,
 par value $.01 per share, of Sunbeam ("Sunbeam Common Stock") in exchange
 for shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share ("Coleman Common
 Stock"), of The Coleman Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Coleman"),
 in the merger (the "Coleman Merger") of Camper Acquisition Corp., a
 Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Sunbeam ("CAC"), with
 and into Coleman pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of
 February 27, 1998, among Sunbeam, CAC and Coleman (the "Coleman Merger
 Agreement").  The shares of Sunbeam Common Stock to be issued in the
 Coleman Merger and registered pursuant to the Registration Statement are
 hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Shares." 
  
           This opinion is being rendered in accordance with the
 requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act. 
 Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein have the respective
 meanings ascribed to such terms in the Coleman Merger Agreement. 
  
            In connection with this opinion, I have examined originals or
 copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of (a) the
 Registration Statement; (b) the Coleman Merger Agreement; (c) a specimen
 certificate representing the Shares; (d) the Restated Certificate of
 Incorporation and By-laws of Sunbeam, each as presently in effect; and (e)
 certain resolutions of the Board of Directors of Sunbeam relating to the
 approval of the Coleman Merger, the issuance of the Shares in connection
 therewith and related matters.  I have also examined originals or copies,
 certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of such other
 documents, certificates and records as I have deemed necessary or
 appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth herein. 
  
           In my examination, I have assumed the legal capacity of all
 natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all
 documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original
 documents of all documents submitted to me as certified, facsimile,
 conformed or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of
 such copies.  In making my examination of documents executed by parties
 other than Sunbeam or CAC, I have assumed that all such parties had the
 power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform their obligations
 thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite
 action, corporate or other, and execution and delivery by such parties of
 such documents and the validity and binding effect of such documents on
 such parties.  As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein
 which I did not independently establish or verify, I have relied upon the
 oral or written statements and representations of officers and other
 representatives of Sunbeam and others. 
  
           I am admitted to the bar of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and
 express no opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction except the
 General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. 
  
           Based upon and subject to the foregoing, I am of the opinion that
 the issuance of the Shares has been duly authorized and, when (i) the
 Coleman Merger becomes effective and (ii) certificates representing the
 Shares in the form of the specimen certificates examined by me have been
 duly executed and delivered in exchange for shares of Coleman Common Stock
 as provided in the Coleman Merger Agreement, the Shares will be validly
 issued, fully paid and nonassessable. 
  
           This opinion is solely for your benefit in connection with the
 transactions contemplated by the Coleman Merger Agreement and, except as
 set forth in the following sentence, may not be used, circulated, quoted or
 otherwise referred to by any other person or entity or for any other
 purpose without my express written permission.  I hereby consent to the
 filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the
 Registration Statement.  I also hereby consent to the references to me
 contained in the Registration Statement under the caption "LEGAL OPINIONS." 
 In giving this consent, I do not thereby admit that I am included in the
 category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
 Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission. 
  
  
                               Very truly yours, 
  
                               /s/ Janet G. Kelley 
  
                               Janet G. Kelley 
                               Vice President, General Counsel 
                                 and Assistant Secretary