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72 Vintage Devices From Back In The Day That Put Modern Tech To Shame With How Cool They Are
Contemporary electronic inventions have made our lives incredibly easier compared to 20 or 30 years ago. We have smartphones that are basically pocket-sized IDs, wallets, and mini music and movie players in one; we have robots for vacuuming, lawn mowing, and window cleaning. Yet, there’s something charming about old-school electronics that makes us miss the days of old.
Retro gadgets like old TVs, record players, and transistor radios are fascinating remnants of the past, even if we weren’t alive to witness that past. Bored Panda has collected the most interesting vintage gadgets we came across online for you to dip your toe in the nostalgia pool or simply see what the first laptop, a 1928 toaster, and a whisk from the 1950s look like.
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#1
Yard Sale Find. Transistor Radio. It Works Like New . What Year?
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Even if some of the gadgets on this list are not functional anymore and look more like they belong on the set of Doctor Who than in somebody's home, there's something about old electronics that seems sturdy, reliable, and long-lasting. Perhaps it's because we're so used to planned obsolescence in our devices and appliances that anything tougher immediately impresses us.
Statistics show that one in three people replace their smartphone before its time and while it's still fully functional. Sometimes, it’s psychological: people replace electronics too soon because they’re no longer trendy or because of aggressive marketing campaigns by manufacturers. Other times, planned obsolescence is economic: repairing the gadget is more expensive than just getting a new one.
#4
$1 Thrift Store Find
#5
Epson Px-8 Geneva: Cp/M-Based Portable Laptop Computer (1984)
#6
Science Fair 150 In 1 Electronics Kit
Grant Prescott 14 hours ago
I had three or four of these sets with different configurations. 1960s - 1980s.
Some old gadgets were simply easier to use. As Sydney Butler writes for How-To Geek, it’s easier to pop a DVD into a player than to navigate several streaming services. Sure, it might seem like you can watch almost anything if you’re paying for a streaming service, but consumers are learning that some movies and TV shows are hard to find on any streamer or might be removed altogether, while owning a DVD means you have that little disc for life.
Similarly, old-timey CRT TVs were small and uncool-looking, but they didn’t bombard us with unnecessary features like installing a VLC app and advertisements as soon as we turned them on. Making phone calls through apps is also putting us through unnecessary steps — once upon a time, punching in a number into a dial was enough.
#7
Map Of Ireland But Its A Phone
#8
1970s Waring Blender In Iconic Avocado. Came With My Parents Lake House And Still Makes A Mean Margarita
#9
Still Going Strong Through Three Generations. Every Christmas Morning For Decades!
Butler adds that many modern gadgets look alike, even if they’re made by different manufacturers. Electronics just don’t have a distinct style anymore, and when we look at retro electronics, they had way more personality.
“Until I got my first smartphone, no two of my dumbphones had looked anything alike,” Butler writes. “I've owned a 34-inch Sony Trinitron CRT for a few months now, and every time I walk into my office in the morning I appreciate just how beautiful the design of this TV is.”
#10
Egg Grading
#11
They Don't Make Them Like They Used To
#12
As Promised. The Built In Mixer
Phantom Phoenix 12 hours ago
Follow the link under the picture for the rest of the images. It looks nifty
We might be used to things breaking down sooner and every phone looking like each other’s clone, but vintage gadgets provide a certain sense of comfort. Ryan Hamilton, associate professor of marketing at Goizueta Business School, foundin his research that people lean towards vintage shopping because they associate them with a sense of much-needed stability nowadays.
#13
Found This At My Parents House!
#15
1950s Whisk I Picked Up Last Week. I'm In Love With It
Kristiina Männiste 13 hours ago
The horror!! We had a simillar, but soviet model. As kids it was our job to make whipped cream and, as my dad loves whipped cream, we had it as dessert often. It was so annoying and my hands got tired. We kids were SO glad when we finally got an electric whisk in the late 90ies
Objects that have survived several decades provide a certain sense of comfort and permanence just by the fact that they still exist and function. Psychologically, we find that grounding and calming. "I don’t want to overstate our findings. But it’s at least possible that the appeal of vintage for teenagers is bolstered by a sense of permanence and endurance that helps them during times of upheaval," Hamilton explained.
#16
Nearly Mint Condition 1950s Rival Ice Crusher Estate Sale Find, Have No Use For It But It Works And I Love The Aesthetic
What kind of retro gadgets are your favorites, Pandas? Do you own any old-timey electronics yourself? Even if it's a '90s cassette-tape player, a turntable, or a retro Game Boy, it still counts, so share your vintage gadgets with us in the comments! And if you'd like to see more cool retro objects, check out our previous publications about unbelievably amazing thrift store finds and ads for old-timey products that look quite odd today.
#19
Frigidaire Flair Wall Oven From 1964-65
#22
Pocket Casio TV
Kristiina Männiste 13 hours ago
I was thinking - oh how cool, wish we had something like that now. And then I remembered about smartpones...
#23
The Grandfather Of All Video Games
#26
I Have A Feeling This Thing Is Junk But Does Anyone Know Something About This?
#29
Frankentool
Janissary35680 11 hours ago
I just checked and it looks like you can still buy these. Alibaba has them for example.
#30
Treasures From Dad’s Workroom. He Made This Lunch Box Game For Us Kids In The Early 70s
Janissary35680 11 hours ago
Featured in the "Big list of things you should not try to take through a TSA checkpoint nowadays".
#31
My Favorite Kitchen Appliance - Early 80’s GE Toaster Oven
#32
The First Product Sony Ever Came Out With
#34
Cash Register From The 1915–1925 Period
#35
Does Anyone Know What This Is?
Tim Fawcett 12 hours ago
B**t Phone - called that because of the clip for the linesman (typically male at the time) to hang it off their belt while climbing the telephone pole. It clips onto the phone lines for testing. Fancier ones would also measure line current and ringing voltage.
#38
Elektronika 6 Soviet Alarm Clock
#41
Portable Magnavox Turntable
#42
Our Donut Maker! It's At Least 30 Years Old And Works Great!
#45
My Dad Brought This In 1982. It Then Became My First TV As A Child. It Has Been In My Dad's Attic For Years. I'm Happy It's Now Back In My Hands
#49
65 Year Old New In Box Electric Can Opener For Only $3? Yep!
#50
88yo Neighbor Is Moving, Kind Enough To Let Me Pick Through Her Garage After The Kids/Grandkids
#52
25$ At My Local Thrift Store! Went To Target After And Bought Some 600 Film! Wow These Old Polaroids Work Great And Take Very Nice Photos
#53
Columbia AC-2000 Telephone
#58
Spice Holder Found At Goodwill
Janissary35680 10 hours ago
Very nice but this one doesn't really belong on this list does it? I mean the "tech" dates back to the Pre-Neolithic.
#59
What A Nice Looking Couple!
#60
Just Got This New Old Landline Phone For Free :)
#61
Sony Dream Machine ICF-C10w Radio Always On
#62
Dad's Old Stereo, Been Kicking It Around Since He Passed, Is It Worth Trying To Sell It Or Junk?
#63
Altair 8800
Janissary35680 11 hours ago
Wikipedia: Altair 8800. Fun fact: This machine gave Microsoft its jump start. Gory details at Wikipedia: Altair BASIC
#67
Imagine Playing Doom On This. Catch And Release From Thrift
#68
GE Spacemaker Messages Center
Spittnimage 44 minutes ago
It says spacemaker. It's supposed to be attached to the bottom of a cabinet.
#72
Weird Articulated MS Gaming Controller From The 90s (?)
Itchy Twitchy 2 hours ago
The Microsoft Dual Strike is a SideWinder controller that was released in 1999 for Windows and Pentium PCs. The Dual Strike attempted to blend both mouse and game pad functions into a single unit. It was composed of two portions; there is a hinge between the two that allows you to rotate the right side up and down and from side to side.
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