Tappan "Fabulous 400" Range
The Tappan 400 had everything you’d want in your kitchen: bold colors, chrome accents, and a design that looked like it came out of the Jetsons. The unique lift-up burner unit, eye-level oven, and shimmering chrome accents almost made you want to cook!
Enamel-Coated Gas Range With Chrome Trim
These gas ranges combined heavy enamel coating with a stunning chrome trim, creating appliances that were durable, attractive, and easy to clean (goodbye, fingerprints!). Couple that with the serious cooking power it provided, and you’ve got yourself a genuine contender for a modern revival.
Wait until you see the space-saving genius hidden in the walls...
Wait until you see the space-saving genius hidden in the walls...
Curved Refrigerator
Why settle for a stainless steel monolith when you can have a mid-century beauty that has curves in all the right places? Some brands like Big Chill and SMEG are bringing this aesthetic back, and honestly, it's about time.
Fold-Down In-Wall Ironing Board
Why would anyone want to get rid of a full-sized board that could disappear into the wall when not needed? Instead, we decided to swap this clever solution in favor of… well, ironing boards with wobbly legs and an ugly presence you just can’t hide.
Electric Boot & Glove Dryer
This humble appliance was a lifesaver, especially during winter. You’d come back home after spending the day in the snow and slide off your soggy boots and stiff gloves onto its warm, metal coils. By the time you woke up, you had perfectly dry boots and gloves ready to go!
The next appliance was a true space-saving marvel bolted to the wall!
The next appliance was a true space-saving marvel bolted to the wall!
Wall Can Opener
Opening cans with a countertop electric opener or a manual handheld opener feels primitive when you know that wall-mounted can openers existed. It never got lost in a drawer, and its aggressive pop-hiss was the perfect signal for informing people that dinner was on its way.
Retro Dishwasher
Are dishwashers with a personality too much to ask for? These retro dishwashers had more colors than a rainbow, featured solid construction, and had a satisfyingly chunky control panel you wanted to mess around with all day!
Canister Vacuum
The chrome-and-steel bullet on wheels that made us believe in the space-age promise of a cleaner future. It had a sleek, aerodynamic canister that glided behind you like a loyal pet robot, and its array of specialized attachments promised to conquer every surface from shag carpet to delicate drapes.
If you’re looking to make your breakfast look brilliantly atomic…
If you’re looking to make your breakfast look brilliantly atomic…
Retro Style Toaster
Nothing in life has quite been the same since we lost that satisfying "ding" when the toast popped out, has it? Brands have realized that now, though, and are coming out with retro-styled toasters that’re selling like hotcakes, or rather, hot toast…
Milkshake Maker
There was something almost therapeutic about watching those chrome milkshake makers whir at old diners. They had solid metal construction, a satisfying hum, and motors that could pulverize almost everything. Now we have mixers with dozens of buttons that still leave chunks floating in your smoothie…
Heavy-Duty Countertop Juicer
Today's juicers are made of plastic that cracks if you look at it in the wrong way. These metal-bodied countertop juicers, on the other hand, were powerful, sturdy, and capable of extracting every drop of juice!
Even brewing used to be a whole show back in the day…
Even brewing used to be a whole show back in the day…
Percolator Coffee Maker
Waking up to that rhythmic percolating sound and the smell of actual coffee brewing was when life peaked. These chrome (of course) percolators made the process of making coffee an entire experience. Now we’ve got sad plastic pod machines that taste like regret.
Lever-Action Espresso Machine
The tactile feedback, the visual drama, the durability; everything about these machines elevated the experience. They were solid, reliable machines that transformed coffee-making into an art. Today’s espresso makers beep angrily at you and require software updates. For coffee…
Electric Popcorn Popper
Remember when making popcorn was more than just throwing a bag in the microwave? You could watch the kernels explode into fluffy popcorn while butter melted in a little tray on top. The smell, the sound, the anticipation… microwave popcorn just can't compete.
And if you’ve ever wanted to create sparkling drinks on demand…
And if you’ve ever wanted to create sparkling drinks on demand…
Countertop Soda Siphon / Seltzer Dispenser
The vintage soda siphon was not merely a dispenser; it was a stunning piece of mid-century barware art that brought an element of sophistication to the party. The tactile joy of squeezing the lever and hearing that perfect hiss of pressure was an irresistible ritual that needs to be revived!
Stovetop Ice Cream Maker
The stovetop ice cream maker is a forgotten treasure, a simple, clever machine that allows you to slow down and savor the process. It provided an absolutely delightful, hands-on dessert-making experience that just can’t be replicated by today’s ice cream machines.
Electric Warming Tray
Effortlessly chic, the electric warming tray featured a sleek geometric glass or wood-look trim that added sophisticated character to any buffet. All you had to do was plug it in, and it would happily serve as a silent, stylish sentinel, guaranteeing casseroles and second helpings remained piping hot.
Even laundry looked a bit more fun in the old days…
Even laundry looked a bit more fun in the old days…
Retro Washing Machine
With their cheerful pastel finishes and porthole windows, these machines transformed a boring laundry day into something meaningful. The satisfying thunk of the latch and the gentle hum promised clean clothes along with a small piece of domestic serenity and style.
AGA-Style Range Cooker
These cast-iron behemoths from Britain combined oven, stovetop, and constant warmth into one stunning appliance. They came in gorgeous colors and lasted literally generations. Plus, there's something deeply comforting about a range that's always, always warm.
Console Record Player Cabinet
This was a colossal piece of living room furniture that demanded reverence. You’d lift the heavy lid like a sacred piece of furniture, carefully place the album with the utmost care, and lower the needle with precision that’d make a surgeon proud.
You’ll especially appreciate the next piece of vintage tech…
You’ll especially appreciate the next piece of vintage tech…
Tube Radio or Tube Amp Revival
Before streaming, music was warm. Literally! A tube radio or amp had to "warm up" before it could fill the room with a rich, soulful sound that modern digital gear can't replicate. It was an intentional and anticipatory process that made the music feel earned rather than being instantly available.
Analog Clock Radio
A brutalist box that was the original, less-polished version of a smart alarm. It had glowing numbers that served as a permanent nightlight, and its alarm was a jarring, analog shriek; either static or a relentless BEEP-BEEP-BEEP that seemed to go on forever.
Rotary Telephone / Desk Phone
This was a device that demanded your full, undivided attention. Its sheer weight and coiled cord meant you were anchored to the spot for the entire conversation, which could last for hours. And if you missed, you’d have to start all over again.
The next gadget was every desk dweller’s dream!
The next gadget was every desk dweller’s dream!
Gooseneck Desk Lamp
The gooseneck desk lamp was long and had a flexible neck that could be bent and twisted into a perfectly focused light. Its incandescent bulb made you feel like you were in a little island of concentration; something we could all use in these attention-span-riddled times.
Transistor Radio
This was your personal, portable portal to the outside world, and tuning into a distant, crackling station felt like you had caught a secret. The satisfying click of the physical buttons, the slight static, the tiny speaker; everything about it felt alive in a way our sleek touchscreens never will.
Portable Film Projector / Slide Viewer
Screening a home movie was twice the fun back then since the stakes were twice as high. You had to thread the film perfectly through a maze of sprockets, pray the bulb didn't burn out, and then manually focus the shaky image on the wall.
Wait until you see the colossal living room centerpiece next!
Wait until you see the colossal living room centerpiece next!
Console Hi-Fi Stereo
A monolithic piece of living room furniture that declared your family had culture. It combined a record player, an AM/FM radio, and sometimes even a bar into a single, sprawling unit made of real wood.
Vintage-Style Metal Fan
Retro home appliances were rarely inconspicuous, and the oscillating metal fan was no different. It announced its presence with a satisfying, mechanical whir and a gentle, rhythmic click as its cage slowly moved from side to side.
Ceramic Humidifier
The low-tech, high-charm solution to winter's dry air. You simply filled its elegantly painted ceramic pot with water and placed it on a radiator. The heat did all the work, silently releasing a gentle steam into the room. There were no cords, no buttons, and certainly no overpriced humidifier filters to replace.
Analog Bathroom Scale
Facing this thing was no less than facing an adversary. You’d step onto the cold platform and watch the large, single dial whip around before settling on your fate with a final, undeniable thud. Maybe it’s time we brought back scales with that kind of brutal honesty.
If you’re looking for a polished experience, look no further than the next item!
If you’re looking for a polished experience, look no further than the next item!
Electric Shoe Polisher / Buffer
Having a dedicated countertop machine for polishing shoes sounds absurdly specific until you consider how good properly polished shoes look; the ultimate in gentlemanly gadgetry. It was like a brief, luxurious taste of a full-service valet experience, right in your own hallway.
Retro Heated Mug / Cup Warmer
Before smart mugs with apps, this was the go-to solution for people who were perpetually distracted. Its thick, ceramic base hid a simple coil that plugged directly into a wall outlet, keeping your coffee warm throughout the entire Sunday crossword.
Electric Carving Knife
Even though they are mocked now, electric carving knives were the '60s solution to a problem that didn't exist: manually slicing a turkey. Its twin blades shuddered to life with an unnerving buzz, transforming the dignified host into a power-tool-wielding surgeon.
Cast Iron / Chrome Waffle Iron
These old-school waffle makers had everything you’d expect. Indestructibility? Check. Crispy exteriors and fluffy interiors? No problem. Uniform heating? Child’s play. Now we have modern, plastic lightweights that stick, burn unevenly, and stop working after two years.
