The 50s Are in Again
Whether it’s fashion, films, or design, there has been a recent shift toward 50s trends in our culture of late. This same shift has also appeared in our kitchens, with mid-century modern design quickly replacing the cold steeliness of 2010s millennial gray homes. Here are a few vintage kitchen appliances that are coming back in style.
Refrigerators
At this point, we’ve all seen the video of a 50s housewife giving a tour of her utilitarian fridge, and we’ve wondered where all that convenience went. Yes, today’s smart refrigerators can tell you how many eggs you have left and what new recipe you can try making with them, but do they have a built-in butter dish and a lazy susan for your condiments? Probably not. Aside from the aesthetics, vintage fridges are having a comeback thanks to their versatility and compactness, making them friendlier for smaller homes.
Dishwashers
Some people want to cover their dishwasher with cabinet panels and pretend they aren’t there. People with taste prefer vintage-inspired dishwashers that add a pop of colour to your kitchen. Dishwashers may not have been common in the 50s, but that’s no reason for them to miss out on the mid-century makeover.
Espresso Machines
As Gen Z is entering the workforce, not only is work culture changing, but also are the morning coffee orders. Gone are the days of $5 lattes every morning before work. Now, we prefer to pull our espresso shots at home on vintage (or more accurately, vintage-inspired) machines.
Juicers
It seems like people nowadays are cold-pressing almost everything. It’s no surprise, then, that hand-cranked juicers are becoming more mainstream in homes all over the US. You don’t need to get your morning OJ from a cardboard carton if you can freshly squeeze it right at home.
Retro-Styled Stove Ranges
They might be big, a little bulky, and not very energy efficient, but a retro oven and stove range (like the vintage fridge) came with a whole lot of bells and whistles. Gridle tops, broilers, and deep-set burners are a few features that many of the conventional stove ranges today lack.
Toasters
At a time when smart toasters have a screen full of photos to help you decide how burnt you want your toast, vintage toasters might seem like an Easy-Bake oven; primitive, and almost analogue, but their charm lies in their affordability and simplicity.
Slow Cookers
You’ve known it as the Instant Pot or the Crock-Pot all your life, but with Gen-Z starting to cook more at home, these appliances are seeking a new spike in sales. Their much-deserved comeback is thanks to how much they make cooking easier. You can have a whole scrumptious meal in forty-five minutes while you lounge about.
Mid-Century Microwaves
Invented in the 1940s, microwave ovens had become a kitchen staple by the 70s. They were so common that entire cookbooks were made with microwave-friendly recipes. And while the microwave never really went away, it has gained a new fandom in Gen-Z thanks to its convenience and ease of use.
Electric Kettles
No home in Europe is complete without a kettle, and that’s increasingly becoming the case stateside. For the millions of Americans making the switch to tea, brewing it every morning is almost like a ritual, and their electric kettle is like their holy grail.
Blenders
Yes, we know… blenders never really went away. Since the 50s, they have been one of the most consistently used appliances in kitchens all over. However, now, the NutriBullet is slowly but surely being replaced by blenders that more closely resemble the tall, slender, sleek blenders of yore (and we’re here for it).
Milk Frothers
The 2010s were the era of the IKEA hand-held milk frothers, but the 2020s belong to these iconic old-school electric frothers. If you’ve been on the lookout for a way to elevate your early morning cuppa joe, this might be the perfect appliance for you.
Countertop Ovens
The more versatile cousin of the toaster, the countertop oven (or more famously, the toaster oven) is making a comeback unlike any other. The biggest reason for this is the appliance’s versatility. It can whip up almost anything from butter-on-toast to butter cookies without breaking a sweat (metaphorically, of course).
Breakfast Stations
Remember those all-in-one stoves from the 1950s? Imagine that, but for breakfast. Breakfast stations are a one-stop shop for you and your family’s morning nutritional needs, with a griddle, a toaster oven, and a coffee pot all rolled into one.
Hand Mixers
Hand mixers were everywhere until the KitchenAid stand mixer became the go-to in the 80s and 90s. Now, like all other trends, hand mixers are coming back in style. The trend has become so popular now, in fact, that KitchenAid has started selling hand mixers as well.
