After looking at several vintage fridge designs, I wonder, “Why did we stop using that design?” A TikTok user who calls himself “TheDustMan” takes us on a tour of the past in several posts. His website at Dusty Old Stuff focuses on repairing and restoring vintage fridges. Some features in old-style ’60s fridge and freezer combos are incredibly innovative but no longer in use.
@dustyoldstuff Which one do you prefer? Can see how things got "flashy" starting in the late #1940s. yes every single one works. #antique #refrigerator #vintage ♬ Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
Vintage everything is all the rage in the right circles. We have seen wristwatches, old bicycles, and a still-working refrigerator from 1946. Many things from our past withstand the test of time in grand fashion. It is true that “They don’t build them like they used to.” What will future archaeologists digging up artifacts from our time period think of our ingenuity? Just check out some of the features of a ’60s fridge, and you’ll see what we mean.
Each shelf in the ’60s vintage fridge swings out on a pivot. The shelves adjust up or down with the push of a button. Is the butter too cold for your toast? The 1963 vintage fridge has a heated butter tray that keeps your butter spreadable!
The vegetable crisper is set up with a “lazy Susan” feature, revolving 360 degrees around a central anchor. The drawers can be detached for easy cleaning. Seriously… why did we stop using these features? I would gladly exchange a glass-fronted door for rotating shelves!
For a full tour of this 1963 masterpiece of innovation, view the entire video below:
Can We Go Back To Having These Vintage Features?
It simply amazes me that these features are no longer in use. The ease and convenience built into this vintage fridge would make life so much easier. Who cares if I can see through the door to make my shopping list if I can’t reach anything in the back?
How many times have you had to empty almost everything in your fridge to get that last can of soda out of the back? Then, when you grab it, it’s stuck to the shelf because something leaked and created a sticky mess. Now, you have to perform Olympic-level acrobatics trying to clean up the sticky mess. Or remove the shelves and try to wash them in a sink made for smaller items. Modern fridges are not easy to clean.
If you enjoyed this nostalgic trip into a ’60s vintage fridge, please share it. Maybe we should tell manufacturers we want to see these features return. Who is with me? Demand a return to the past!