Forgotten '70s Kitchen Appliances That Were So Convenient

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There was a lot to love about an American kitchen in the 1970s — in part because there was a lot going on in there. In a decade where even your kitchen could get a little groovy, the patterns were popping, the colors were unforgettable, and the space wasn't complete without a macrame plant holder. The maximalist approach applied to appliances, too. Unlike today's kitchens, where homeowners hope to declutter a crowded kitchen with space-saving, multifunctional appliances, 70s home chefs loved specialized tools that made all kinds of cooking tasks quick and convenient.

No matter the kitchen task to tackle, there was probably a gadget to do just that, from scooping out melon balls to heating up hot dog buns. And just because the appliances were workhorses didn't mean they had to skimp on style. Fondue sets, crock pots, and refrigerators were decked out in eclectic patterns or in the decade's signature shades of avocado green or harvest gold. While they did offer convenience at the time, many are now long forgotten, replaced by sleeker devices that can play many more kitchen roles. Of course, that doesn't mean we can't take a walk down memory lane for a glimpse into a 1970s kitchen, decked out to prepare dinner (with a side of disco) at a moment's notice.

An electric skillet was one of the must-have appliances of the 1970s. It was large enough to cook an entire casserole, but small enough to sit on the countertop. Plus, it was faster and more energy-efficient than heating up the oven, and a breeze to clean. Families used it to make everything from fried chicken to a full English breakfast, and since it used a coil to heat the appliance from underneath, it could also double as a serving tray for parties. In the following decades, more advanced ovens and stovetops made these pretty obsolete. But for a long time, the electric skillet was the most convenient way to make nearly any meal.

Were you really a bacon lover in the 1970s if you didn't have The Baconer? Shaped like a toaster but designed for one job — cooking bacon — this electric cooker used a Teflon surface to heat it up to your desired crispiness. It was a natural fit in a 1970s kitchen, where people loved an appliance that could make cooking more convenient (and where they were hopefully properly discarding that bacon fat to save their pipes).

Whether it was a weekly cocktail gathering or a family get-together, homes in the 1970s often had a warming tray to keep their spread piping hot even if the party went into the wee hours. These trays may have played a practical role; they also looked ready for the party. Many featured mesmerizing geometric patterns, floral embellishments, or wooden finishes that complemented the wood paneling that defined home design in that era.

If you were alive in the 1970s, there's a good chance you got invited to a fondue night (or hosted one of your own). The sets were ubiquitous in a 70s kitchen, making it easy to create a restaurant-worthy spread in the comfort of the home. People melted chocolate or cheese in fondue burners, paired it with all kinds of dipping fixings and a big-batch cocktail, and settled in for a surprisingly convenient and cozy meal with friends.

Microwave popcorn was starting to be a thing in the 1970s, but hadn't quite taken off. So what was a more convenient solution for a delicious bowl of freshly popped popcorn? The popcorn maker! The appliances sat on the countertop or were built into cabinetry and often had a transparent lid that let you see all the action. You could just plug it in, add your kernels, and watch them turn into your tasty snack. The coolest houses took it one step further, getting models like the West Bend Buttermatic or the Joe Namath-endorsed Hamilton Beach Popcorn Popper, which melted hot butter right over top.

The electric handheld mixer made cooking and baking much more convenient than before. Rather than spend tons on a stand mixer or get a shoulder workout with a manual egg beater, you just had to plug in an electric hand mixer, push a button, and let it go to work. It could instantly whip up a batch of homemade frosting or whisk a whole carton of eggs. Today, more affordable stand mixers, food processors, and personal-size blenders are the more convenient options, though thanks to their ease, hand mixers haven't disappeared entirely from many home bakers' kitchens.

Before microwaves were in nearly every American kitchen, 1970s home chefs could use a warmer to get their butter nice and melty. Some were simple enamel pots with candles underneath, keeping the butter melted so you could always dip seafood or warm bread into it. But for ultimate convenience, other models were electric and even included a little dispenser, making it easy to spritz melted butter over freshly popped popcorn, baked potatoes, or any other dish that's better with butter.

Before the days of fancy-shaped ice trays and crushed-ice machines built into refrigerators, people in the 1970s used handy-dandy ice crushers to get their cubes cocktail-ready. Machines like the Rival Ice-O-Mat required more elbow grease than today's automatic machines — you often had to manually turn a crank to shave or crush bigger hunks of ice — but they got the job done. The retro designs of these machines may be stuck in the past, but countertop ice machines are one appliance that more homeowners are making space for in the kitchen in 2026. We fully endorse embracing a modern version of the '70s stalwart, since the decade knew how to keep things cool.

What's more convenient than opening a can with a plain old can opener? Opening one with an electric can opener. At least, that was the prevailing idea in the 1970s, when advertisements from makers like Sunbeam touted the ease of dinner prep thanks to can opening without any elbow grease. They often sat on countertops or were affixed under cabinets. Today, well-designed manual can openers usually make opening cans pretty easy, but they're well-made enough that you can still find working models on eBay or Etsy if you want to give one a try.

When all that disco dancing worked up the appetite, what could be more convenient than cooking up six hot dogs in two minutes? That was the promise of appliances like the Presto Hot Dogger, which quite literally electrocuted the hot dogs till they were golden brown. Sure, you had to watch out for some sparks, but it was easier — and way tastier — than having to boil the savory snacks. The tool went to the wayside as microwaves rose in popularity, but we bet there are still tons of people who remember the delicious smell (and the sparks!) this gadget brought to their kitchen.