Iconic household goods everyone wanted

'Life changing' consumer goods from way back when

These days, a chef's kitchen and spa bathroom is the height of home décor. State-of-the-art features and gadgets (think smart fridges, Peloton bikes, and robot vacuum cleaners) are on many of our home wish lists.

But previous generations longed for simpler things that we now probably take for granted. Not to mention, many of these items were almost life-changing in the home.

Looking back to the middle part of the 20th century, click or scroll to reveal the aspirational home features that changed the game...

Fitted kitchens

The first modern fitted kitchen, the so-called Frankfurt Kitchen, was designed in 1926 by Austrian architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky.

The preserve of the rich during the 1930s and 1940s, the space-saving marvel was widely adopted by the middle classes in the 1950s, particularly in the US, which, when it came to consumer goods, was light years ahead of the rest of the Western world.

This example is a reconstructed version of the Frankfurt Kitchen, held in the V&A Museum in London.

Refrigerators

Refrigerators were commonplace in US homes during the 1950s and ’60s, but a relative rarity in other countries.

Hands-down the dream model, the Kelvinator Foodarama was considered the Rolls-Royce of refrigerators when it was released in the mid-1950s.

The supersized, frost-free fridge-freezer rocked everything from an 'Ice Cream Keeper' to a 'Humidiplate' for keeping foods moist.

Color TVs

America was far ahead of the rest of the Western world in adopting color television.

The first color TVs were available in the US during the early 1950s, while other countries had to wait until the late 1960s to obtain theirs, which were ridiculously pricey in the early days.

They only became affordable to most families during the 1970s.

Washer/dryers

In 1960, around 64% of US households had a washing machine, while only roughly 18% owned a dryer. The UK, and no doubt other Western countries, were behind the US by around a decade in this respect.

This RCA Whirlpool washer/dryer combo from the late 1950s was therefore a product only the richest could afford, but many longed for.

Electric irons

Before the Second World War, many women (as men rarely did any housework in those days) had to make do with flat irons heated on a range cooker.

Thankfully, the electric iron went mainstream during the late 1940s. By the end of the 1950s, a decent model could be bought for the equivalent of $80 in today's money.

Vacuum cleaners

The first portable vacuum cleaner intended for domestic use was invented by British manufacturer Walter Griffiths in 1905 after much development and testing by various designers over the previous few decades. 

A pre-war luxury, it was widely adopted by the middle classes throughout the West during the late 1940s and 1950s, though they were more prevalent in American households.

Across the pond, UK customers benefited from hire purchase, which pretty much fuelled the post-war consumer boom in the country.

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Handheld vacuum cleaners

The American company Hoover introduced the world's first handheld vacuum cleaner in 1930. The Dustette cost around the same price as a full-sized model and remained a luxury item until the 1960s.

Remarkably durable, the Dustette is renowned for its robustness, and many models still work perfectly today.

Central heating

Back in 1950, barely half of all US homes had central heating. In England, unlike other parts of Europe, the technology was non-existent in homes before the late 1950s and was seen as a luxury even during the early 1970s, when only 30% of households owned a central heating system.

Brands like Dimplex in the UK developed radiators in the 1960s that would have been out of reach for most families. Meanwhile, Italy was ahead with central heating, as seen by this Roncati & Cotti advert they ran in the 1920s.

Patterned Lino

Linoleum, often called just 'Lino', which is seen as a budget option these days, was de rigueur when it burst into homes in the 1950s and 60s ...and not just for kitchens and bathrooms.

This Danish living room from the 1960s shows that Lino was popular in almost every room of the house.

Manufacturers produced vinyl floor coverings in all sorts of brightly hued patterns, and colorful Lino was popular even with the wealthiest consumers.

Food mixers

A food mixer was a desirable piece of kit for cooks during the 1950s and 1960s and featured in many well-equipped kitchens.

In North America, Australia, and New Zealand, the slick Sunbeam Mixmaster was the best-selling food mixer of the era, while the Kenwood Chef was the number one in UK kitchens.

Electric kettles

The electric kettle was fairly commonplace in tea-drinking Britain around the 1950s, despite its hefty price tag, changing the game at teatime.

But the USA’s relatively low mains voltage makes boiling water painfully slow, so kettles of this kind were virtually unheard of in American homes and are still rarely seen today, with many people opting for stove-top models instead.

Electric toasters

Although the electric timed pop-up toaster was invented by Charles Strite back in 1919, the gadget was super-expensive for decades and was regarded as a luxury item until the 1960s, when prices began to fall.

Before that, people of more modest means resorted to toasting their bread under the grill.

Console record player and radios

Taking pride of place in many living rooms back in the mid-20th century, the console record player and radio, which was typically finished in highly polished wood, was no budget buy.

Top brands like AWA could cost thousands, so it's no wonder the consoles were designed to be a focal point in the living room.

The Formica Vanitory

A wonder material for the 1950s householder, Formica laminate is effortlessly easy to clean and retains its glossy finish for years.

Then, Formica introduced the 'Vanitory' in 1951. With its curved design and slick surfaces, it made for the ultimate modern bathroom and is likely to have featured on numerous wish lists at the time.

Coffee makers

Coffee makers were a rarity in British homes during the middle part of the 20th century and reserved for only the wealthiest consumers.

Less affluent coffee lovers relied on instant or liquid Camp Coffee made in a simple pot.

In America, however, percolators and siphon devices were typical in kitchens up and down the country until the 1970s, when the Mr Coffee drip maker took the nation by storm.

It was even advertized by former New York Yankees player Joe DiMaggio in 1978, as seen here.

Electric cookers

Electric cookers were widely adopted during the middle of the 20th century, particularly by middle-class households. They became increasingly advanced and feature-packed during this time.

This 1960s Tappan model, for example, wowed with an electric warming shelf, super-fast heating technology, and Teflon-coated oven liners.

Electric fires

The use of coal fires plummeted in much of the Western world during the 1950s and 1960s as electricity and gas became cheaper and legislation outlawed the burning of the polluting fuels in some areas.

Affluent households led the way by swapping coal for electric fires, which became increasingly affordable.

Fitted bedrooms

Although many people regard built-in bedroom cabinets as unfashionable these days, the fitted bedroom was the height of good taste during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. 

Many householders couldn't wait to swap their freestanding chests of drawers, dressing table, and wardrobe for a compact fitted creation.

It saved on space and made bedroom decorating much more cohesive too.

Extension phones

In 1950, around 60% of US households owned a phone, but in other Western countries, a home telephone was thought of as a frivolous luxury until the 1960s.

If you owned more than one landline handset during the 1950s and 1960s, you had arrived, especially if you had an extension phone in the kitchen and one in the master bedroom.

Modern fireplaces

While a fireplace had long been the heart and hearth of the home by necessity, the birth of central heating meant that they could be installed for aesthetic reasons rather than functional ones.

Mid-century design saw the removal of fancy carvings, wood, and tiling in favour of sleek, streamlined marble or stone that fitted with the rest of the modern home.

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