9 Kitchen Gadgets From The '60s That Deserve A Revival

A huge part of being successful in the kitchen is having the right tools. There are a number of gadgets that professional chefs swear by, and every home cook should also keep on hand, and there's no denying that in our funky, tech-heavy, 21st-century world, there are a ton of options out there. But we'd also like to point out that sometimes, it's worth looking to the past for some truly ingenious devices that have — for some reason — faded from popular use.

The '60s were a fascinating time. The Civil Rights movement was in full swing, the Vietnam War was on everyone's mind, and on the foodie front, Jackie Kennedy's Secret Service agent changed the way we made Negronis, famous foods like Goldfish Crackers, Pop Tarts, and Doritos made their debut, and Jack in the Box was selling burgers for 18 cents. Meanwhile, home cooks were using all kinds of neat gadgets.

While we'll be the first (or perhaps more accurately, the millionth) to say those old-school Jell-O salads should remain a not-so-fond memory, we're all about bringing some gadgets back. For some, it's a matter of convenience. Others are the sort of thing that would make throwing dinner parties and holiday gatherings just a little bit easier. We also dig the retro look, space-saving appliances, and the neat multitaskers, too.

Ask anyone who regularly drinks coffee, and they probably have some very strong opinions on their perfect brew. One old-school brewing method that you don't see many people using anymore is the coffee percolator, a system that was (perhaps) first invented in the early 19th century, officially patented decades later, and was a common sight in '60s kitchens. 

Percolators basically have a water chamber in the bottom, a chamber for the grounds in the top, and as the water boils, it flows up, over the grounds, and back down. It's far from precise in the way modern coffee machines are, and you'll see plenty of debate over whether or not coffee from a percolator is the best or worst thing ever. However, fans say there are some tips for making the perfect cup, like not letting it sit in the chamber once it's finished. Take the time to get to know the method and the machine, and you might agree with those who promise it's still an outstanding way to brew a pot. 

Head to Reddit, and you'll find percolator fans who swear by these neat contraptions for other reasons. Some appreciate the flavor and nostalgia that comes with using even the most standard of grocery store coffees, while others like the fact that percolators work on a gas stove, making them perfect for power outages. Interestingly, boiling points for perfect coffee change at high altitudes, and some mountain-dwelling coffee lovers say a percolator gets the job done perfectly.

Here's one some might consider a kitchen gadget you never knew you needed, and it's the 1950s and '60s-era combination hand mixer and knife sharpener. We're not entirely sure who first came up with the idea to put these two things together, but it's a pretty neat pairing — and according to some Reddit users, these were ultra-durable and meant to last. (In case you're wondering, the knife sharpener is across the top of the body of the mixer, opposite the end where the beaters are.) 

General Electric has long been known as a major player in the small appliance game, and the 1960s saw some major advancements. Plastic was replacing metal as the material of choice for gadgets like this, and vintage ads tout these handy-dandy things as being lightweight, easy to use, and placed greater emphasis on appearance. These were advertised as having a sleek design that spoke to the era's obsession with Space Race-style tech and came in popular colors. 

If you happen to find a vintage one of these, there's a way to tell — sort of — when it was made. Wood paneling was all the rage in the '60s, and in 1964, GE debuted its Coppertone line of appliances. Colors got darker and now included Coppertone (brown, 1964), Avocado (green, 1966), and Harvest (gold/yellow, 1968).

We can think of a number of reasons we'd love to see a tiny portable oven back on the market. Space-saving ovens called either Redi-Oven or Redi-Baker were made by Knapp-Monarch in the 1960s (and according to some, the late '50s). They were electric, portable, had a pull-out tray, and the top panel listed the cooking temperatures for things like potatoes, cupcakes, fish, rolls, and biscuits.

Seriously, how perfect would these be for small apartments, dorm rooms, RVs, or offices? The difference is that the Redi-Oven was a little larger. Frozen foods and TV dinners were huge in the 1960s, and advertisements for the Redi-Oven suggest they were the perfect size for a roast, pie, or reheating those frozen meals. Those who have taken to social media to say they've scored working models confirm they're ideal for things like baked potatoes and biscuits, and some even go as far as to call it their favorite, must-have appliance. 

We can absolutely see why, especially considering these were the good old days, when things were made to last. Some Reddit users report having Redi-Bakers that were handed down through the family for decades of use and also confirm that it's the perfect way to make some stellar chicken nuggets for the kids. 

Can a can opener be beautiful? The Missouri-based company Rival certainly thought so, as it advertised its Can-O-Mat openers as not just looking pretty neat, but being easy to operate, durable, and downright delightful in construction.

Can-O-Mat can openers were designed to be wall-mounted devices that would fold back flat against the wall when not in use. Models could include knife sharpeners and bottle openers as well, and the can opener was operated by a simple crank handle. These were advertised as leaving an edge that was so smooth you could fearlessly drink out of the can, which sold us right there. A simple yet wonderfully versatile design means that there are fewer ways for these to break, and Reddit users who swear by these confirm that they're just as long-lasting and durable as they look. We found videos demonstrating Can-O-Mats that have lost some of their parts along the way, but still work perfectly well.

Those of a certain age, fans of retro advertising, or fans of mid-century pop culture will undoubtedly be familiar with the Veg-O-Matic and the wildly impressive number of products that it spawned. This famously slicing-and-dicing kitchen gadget made its debut back in 1963, and it definitely falls into the category of things that are simple but brilliant. A variety of blades were slotted into a plastic frame, and then you could get out all your mid-century frustrations by slamming vegetables of all kinds through the blades.

The Veg-O-Matic was one of a number of products in the Ronco Inventions catalog, and we're kind of putting them all together for simplicity's sake. Ronco also released the Mince-O-Matic (for mincing meat, veg, and ice), the Chop-O-Matic (for chopping veg, candy, or nuts), the Dial-O-Matic (for sliced and julienned veg), the Whip-O-Matic (for mixing and whipping). Did a lot of those do kind of the same thing? Sure. Do we still want them all? Absolutely.

Part of that might have to do with the fact that the wonderfully retro, over-the-top advertising is still amazing. The Whip-O-Matic was advertised as having "super speed planetary action" (via Classic TV Commercials), while those fortunate enough to snag an in-the-box Mince-O-Matic appreciate the "Food Glamorizer," a little gadget that includes all the tools you need to cut things like citrus garnishes into fancy shapes. Can we fully explain why we need one so badly? No. Does that change the need? Absolutely not.

Check out the list of products that Salton sells today, and you'll find everything from kettles and ovens to stoves and deep fryers. Back in the 1960s, it was a name that was on one of the trendiest kitchen gadgets of the decade: the Salton Hotray.

Say you're having a dinner party, and you're making some things that you'd like to set out on the table for guests to graze from throughout the evening. Questions about how to keep everything perfectly warm were answered with the Salton Hotray. It was essentially a warming tray that could be used to keep everything from main courses and sides to hot drinks at just the right temperature, and had a very neat, vintage pattern on the heating surface.

There were a few different versions of the tray, including one that came with a wheeled cart for more mobile service. Browsing Reddit turns up photos of Hotrays that have a slide-out tray for warming bread, and others that are smaller, square, and ideal for a teapot or kettle. Some Reddit users report that the retro design is functional, too, as the floral pattern indicates an area that gets extra-hot. You can absolutely still find these floating around thrift stores and for sale online, and we won't promise they'll change the way you host parties, but they might just change the way you host parties.

One of the themes we definitely noticed about kitchen gadgets in the 1960s was that it was all about convenience. That's definitely the case with the electric carving knife, which was patented in 1964 and immediately advertised as the knife that was going to make dinner infinitely easier. Adverts promised chef-quality results whether you were carving a ham for dinner or slicing a loaf of that undoubtedly fresh-baked bread and often leaned into the spectacle of the thing. 

As far as whether or not everyone needs one, that's a maybe — and yes, we realize this one is a bit of a hot take. Every chef has their opinions on the best knives, from Alton Brown's top five knives to Gordon Ramsay's thoughts on how important a properly weighted handle is to a great knife. You might not see top chefs touting the benefits of the 1960s-era electric knife, but we're going to say that these wonderfully retro carving knives still deserve a place in your kitchen — and they definitely deserve to come out around the holidays even if it's just for the nostalgia.

However, we also found something neat when we headed out to Reddit: some Reddit users who swear by electric knives for the very specific purpose of filleting fish. Some say that when they go out on a fishing trip and have to plan on filleting a lot of fish from the day's catch, an electric knife is the only way to go.

The cost of living in our 21st-century world is only on the rise. In the summer of 2026, it was estimated that the average electricity bill was going to be more than 10% higher than it was in 2025, and that's likely only getting steeper. That's one reason we're going to suggest looking to the past to try to alleviate the ills of the present, and that brings us to the electric frying pan. They're exactly what they sound like: standalone pans or skillets that plug into the wall and can do anything your stovetop skillet can.

They were popular in the 1960s and '70s, and not only in the U.S. You'll find people as far away as Australia who have fond memories of Mom and Dad firing up the electric skillet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it was wildly popular as a way to save on energy costs. Why run a whole stove or oven when you can maximize efficiency with these skillets? Whether you wanted to deep-fry some chicken wings or cook a roast, the skillet was there.

We found Reddit users who swear that these still make the best-ever fried potatoes, and some even use them for baking cakes. Pull it out for weekend pancakes, have it do some heavy lifting with a pork tenderloin dinner, and experiment with everything in between. Depending on your needs, you might just find this old-school idea can replace your stovetop a surprising number of the time.

Fondue nights are one of those old-school food customs that have nearly vanished, and that's a shame. Anyone who says they don't want to sit around a giant pot of melted cheese is definitely missing out, and when it hit the U.S., it hit in a big way. We even know exactly when it happened — in 1964, when it gained wider American attention at New York's World's Fair. 

There were all kinds of different fondue sets in the '60s and '70s, but the basics were the same. Long skewers were used with a communal pot, and while you might think of melted cheese or chocolate as taking center stage, some Reddit users remember being handed a skewer for pieces of steak, which would be dipped into hot oil.

Still, the idea behind fondue is a pretty neat one. It's all about friendship, community, and a sense of togetherness, and the '60s were a time when that was definitely much needed. It makes sense that gathering together around a variety of fondue sets and recipes would be a wonderful way to enjoy the company of others, and if there's anything that the 21st century needs, it's more of that.