diff --git a/SabreTools.Models/Internal/DatItem.cs b/SabreTools.Models/Internal/DatItem.cs
index ea6076ec..8fc6ca2b 100644
--- a/SabreTools.Models/Internal/DatItem.cs
+++ b/SabreTools.Models/Internal/DatItem.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Xml.Serialization;
 using Newtonsoft.Json;
 
@@ -7,7 +6,7 @@ namespace SabreTools.Models.Internal
     /// <summary>
     /// Format-agnostic representation of item data
     /// </summary>
-    public class DatItem : Dictionary<string, object?>
+    public class DatItem : DictionaryBase
     {
         #region Common Keys
 
@@ -24,57 +23,5 @@ namespace SabreTools.Models.Internal
             get => ContainsKey(TypeKey) ? this[TypeKey] as ItemType? : null;
             set => this[TypeKey] = value;
         }
-
-        #region Reading Helpers
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Read a key as a bool, returning null on error
-        /// </summary>
-        public bool? ReadBool(string key)
-        {
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(key))
-                return null;
-            if (!ContainsKey(key))
-                return null;
-            return this[key] as bool?;
-        }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Read a key as a double, returning null on error
-        /// </summary>
-        public double? ReadDouble(string key)
-        {
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(key))
-                return null;
-            if (!ContainsKey(key))
-                return null;
-            return this[key] as double?;
-        }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Read a key as a long, returning null on error
-        /// </summary>
-        public long? ReadLong(string key)
-        {
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(key))
-                return null;
-            if (!ContainsKey(key))
-                return null;
-            return this[key] as long?;
-        }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Read a key as a string, returning null on error
-        /// </summary>
-        public string? ReadString(string key)
-        {
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(key))
-                return null;
-            if (!ContainsKey(key))
-                return null;
-            return this[key] as string;
-        }
-    
-        #endregion
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/SabreTools.Models/Internal/DictionaryBase.cs b/SabreTools.Models/Internal/DictionaryBase.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f8a67e65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SabreTools.Models/Internal/DictionaryBase.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+
+namespace SabreTools.Models.Internal
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Specialized dictionary base for item types
+    /// </summary>
+    public abstract class DictionaryBase : Dictionary<string, object?>
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Read a key as the specified type, returning null on error
+        /// </summary>
+        public T? Read<T>(string key)
+        {
+            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(key))
+                return default;
+            if (!ContainsKey(key))
+                return default;
+            return (T?)this[key];
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Read a key as a bool, returning null on error
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool? ReadBool(string key) => Read<bool>(key);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Read a key as a double, returning null on error
+        /// </summary>
+        public double? ReadDouble(string key) => Read<double>(key);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Read a key as a long, returning null on error
+        /// </summary>
+        public long? ReadLong(string key) => Read<long>(key);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Read a key as a string, returning null on error
+        /// </summary>
+        public string? ReadString(string key) => Read<string>(key);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Read a key as a string[], returning null on error
+        /// </summary>
+        public string[]? ReadStringArray(string key) => Read<string[]>(key);
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/SabreTools.Models/Internal/Machine.cs b/SabreTools.Models/Internal/Machine.cs
index 6da26f2c..61d0a0cc 100644
--- a/SabreTools.Models/Internal/Machine.cs
+++ b/SabreTools.Models/Internal/Machine.cs
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
-using System.Collections.Generic;
-
 namespace SabreTools.Models.Internal
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// Format-agnostic representation of game, machine, and set data
     /// </summary>
-    public class Machine : Dictionary<string, object?>
+    public class Machine : DictionaryBase
     {
         #region Keys
 
@@ -239,69 +237,5 @@ namespace SabreTools.Models.Internal
         public const string YearKey = "year";
 
         #endregion
-
-        #region Reading Helpers
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Read a key as a bool, returning null on error
-        /// </summary>
-        public bool? ReadBool(string key)
-        {
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(key))
-                return null;
-            if (!ContainsKey(key))
-                return null;
-            return this[key] as bool?;
-        }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Read a key as a double, returning null on error
-        /// </summary>
-        public double? ReadDouble(string key)
-        {
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(key))
-                return null;
-            if (!ContainsKey(key))
-                return null;
-            return this[key] as double?;
-        }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Read a key as a long, returning null on error
-        /// </summary>
-        public long? ReadLong(string key)
-        {
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(key))
-                return null;
-            if (!ContainsKey(key))
-                return null;
-            return this[key] as long?;
-        }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Read a key as a string, returning null on error
-        /// </summary>
-        public string? ReadString(string key)
-        {
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(key))
-                return null;
-            if (!ContainsKey(key))
-                return null;
-            return this[key] as string;
-        }
-    
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Read a key as a string[], returning null on error
-        /// </summary>
-        public string[]? ReadStringArray(string key)
-        {
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(key))
-                return null;
-            if (!ContainsKey(key))
-                return null;
-            return this[key] as string[];
-        }
-    
-        #endregion
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file