15 Retro Appliances from the ’70s That Would Baffle Modern Shoppers
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The 1970s were a time of bell bottoms and disco music and shag carpets — but it was also the time of some quirky home appliances that were the height of fashion and function. These household gadgets that fascinated shoppers with their futuristic designs and surprising versatility have since faded into obscurity, leaving only nostalgia and a few puzzled looks from today’s tech savvy generation.
Bizarre contraptions filled 1970s homes, and today’s shoppers, spoiled by sleek designs and smart features, might be mystified. While these items might look clunky, their very existence, retro style or not, were all part of a period of bold form and function experimentation. Let’s go back in time to look at these strange gadgets that would have today’s shoppers scratching their heads.
Fondue Pot
In the 1970s, fondue pot was an absolute must have. Imagine a bright orange or avocado green pot, made just for melting cheese or chocolate so you and your friends could dip bread, marshmallows, and even veggies until your heart’s content. Today’s shoppers used to restaurant fondue or microwave convenience will wonder why anyone would go to the effort to have a whole appliance to melt cheese.
Floral Patterns Crock-Pot
Crock-Pots are still a thing, but the floral printed ones from the ’70s were a whole other world. Abounding with intricate patterns in shades of burnt orange and mustard yellow, these slow cookers were pretty much the kitchen’s equivalent to a fashion statement. Today’s slow cookers are sleeker with more neutral colors. A floral Crock-Pot is a millennial joke, but in the ’70s, it was a rite of passage.
Butter Warmer
An entire appliance for warming butter, yes. These little gadgets, often ceramic or stoneware, were designed for butter to be kept in a perfect melted state for dipping seafood, or drizzling over popcorn. Today, you can melt butter in the microwave and there’s no longer a need for a specific butter warmer.
Electric Jiffy Pop Popcorn Popper
Microwave wasn’t common so popcorn was made on the stove or with Jiffy Pop. The next level novelty was the electric version, where you could watch the metal foil balloon and see the popcorn popping inside. The contraption might look silly to modern shoppers compared to microwave popcorn, but watching that foil expand was almost as much fun as eating the popcorn was.
Electric Crepe Maker
The ’70s were the crepe’s moment, and the electric crepe maker allowed anyone to make the delicate French pancakes at home. The little rounded pan and heated surface that came with this gadget helped users make crepes merely be swirling batter around. This single purpose device could be confusing to today’s shoppers, who might pick crepes up pre-made or use a frying pan.
Green or Harvest Gold Avocado Green Refrigerator
An avocado green or harvest gold refrigerator is about as 1970s as it gets. A refrigerator in these colors was a status symbol, and these colors were everywhere — on appliances, in shag carpets. Fast forward to today, people who are looking for a stainless steel or matte black finishes would be absolutely bewildered by the loud, unabashed colors of these vintage fridges. They certainly made a statement!
Ice Crusher
A dedicated ice crusher sat on many a kitchen counter back before ice machines became standard in refrigerators. These machines, powered by a hand crank or a loud electric motor, would crush ice for cocktails, smoothies or any cold drink. An ice crusher is an appliance that would be unnecessary to today’s generation, but back then, it was the perfect party appliance.
Burnt-Orange Coffee Maker
Another signature piece for the ’70s kitchen was the burnt-orange coffee maker. Certainly coffee makers have come a long way, in terms of design and function, but these brightly colored brewers were just as much about making a statement as they were about making coffee. The idea of a burnt orange appliance helping to brighten the morning routine is one that a modern shopper might balk at, but it was a pop of color then.
Electric Hot Dog Cooker
Sure, a device dedicated to cooking hot dogs. These machines were usually a quirky affair, with either a roller or steamer to cook a bunch of hot dogs at once, and sometimes even a bun warmer. It probably seems like overkill to modern shoppers, but back in the ’70s, it was a means to bring ballpark frank taste to your kitchen.
Popcorn Maker With a See Through Lid
The ’70s popcorn maker was around because microwave popcorn wasn’t always around. At home, these were the life of a movie night: these machines often had a clear plastic lid so you could watch the kernels pop. But today’s shoppers might look at these machines and think, ‘Why can’t I just buy a bag of microwave popcorn?’
Electric Knife
In the ’70s, the electric knife was a wonder of convenience, particularly around the holidays when slicing turkey and roast beef was a big thing. This little motorised knife could slice through meat with ease, but the noise was another matter. The electric knife seems like a clunky relic these days, when most cooks prefer high quality manual knives. In those days, it was carving sophistication.
Digital Clock Radio
Bedside accessory digital clock radio was a must have. It was a bright red or green digits time and sometimes had an alarm with a buzzer loud enough to wake the whole house. If you’re a modern shopper, who is used to silent smartphone alarms or gentle music, the harsh, buzzing alarm clock might seem a little extreme.
Portable Cassette Player
Until iPods and Spotify, there was the portable cassette player, which revolutionized listening to personal music. The first time people could listen to music on the go, these clunky devices, with big foam headphones, were the first. For younger shoppers are used to endless digital playlists, they will probably laugh at the idea of rewinding tapes with a pencil to save the batteries, but this was new freedom for people in the ’70s.
Electric Can Opener
Back in the ’70s, having an electric can opener on the kitchen counter was a sign that you were moving up in the world. It was a bit bulky and sometimes messy, but this appliance took hands out of cranking. But now, with smaller manual can openers that don’t require electricity, the electric version seems over the top. In the ’70s it was a proud part of the modern kitchen.
Countertop Deep Fryer
There weren’t as sophisticated countertop deep fryers as there are today, but they were popular for making everything from French fries to doughnuts at home. These were small fryers that were known to be a little dangerous because the oil would splatter easily and the temperature control wouldn’t always be precise. The retro deep fryer might actually look more like a hazard than a help today with today’s air fryers being far safer and cleaner.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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