Why Retailers Abandoned This Retro Cabinet After The 1980s

As the decades progress, so too do the innovations that families want in their homes. Some technological advances become household necessities, while others turn into outdated relics, like the dated kitchen appliance trend that could be hurting your resale value. The TV Dinner Warming Cabinet is the perfect example, being used primarily in the 1960s and 1970s before microwaves became commonplace. Never heard of it? That's because it's long been considered obsolete, as microwaves have become commonplace. But a look back in time shows how these eccentric cabinets were meant to meet the period's multiple needs, way back when.

Once television sets became a staple of the home, meals were sometimes relocated from the kitchen table so dinner could be enjoyed while watching TV. This led to the popularity of TV dinners, an early version of "fast food" consisting of a full meal (main course and side dishes) in an aluminum tray that could be quickly heated and consumed. No longer did hours need to be set aside to prepare a complete feast for the whole family. Since microwaves were not yet affordable household appliances, TV dinners had to be heated in the oven, which took quite a bit of time. The TV Dinner Warming Cabinet provided a speedier solution. These handy dinners could be heated and kept hot in the large cabinets that would not pose a safety hazard to the meal's aluminum tray. 

While seemingly convenient, TV Dinner Warming Cabinets had a few flaws. It wasn't uncommon for them to cook the TV dinners unevenly, with one section being hotter than another. They also lacked versatility, as they were meant only to heat flat TV dinners in typical aluminum trays, so any other type of meal or tray was incompatible. And their bulky nature made for an obvious eyesore. Ultimately, TV Dinner Warming Cabinets fell out of favor as microwaves became more common and affordable.  

Today, microwaves and conventional ovens are the standard, so much so that it would be strange for a household not to have one. Not only do microwaves heat food in mere minutes compared to a TV Dinner Warming Cabinet, but they are also easier to maneuver and relocate around the house. The vintage warming cabinets were quite heavy and difficult to move, while today's microwaves can be mounted at different heights for convenience and to save precious counter space. 

Heated cabinets are typically reserved for restaurants or entertainment venues. You may see a tall warming cabinet with multiple shelves in the snack bar area at a sports event or concert. A warming drawer is likely the modern-day equivalent of a TV Dinner Warming Cabinet, though the large appliance can be expensive and requires a sizable amount of space within kitchen cabinetry.