Technological advances happen so quickly that it’s almost impossible to keep up. If you told someone in the 1990s even that folks today would be texting from their watches and watching TV on their phones, they might look at you as though you’d grown another head. And if you were to compare some of today's modern devices with their early iterations, you probably wouldn't even be able to tell what's what. Want to find out how much you know about outdated appliances? Read on to test your knowledge and see if you can figure out what these old household objects were originally used for.
What's this crank-operated machine?
Tminaz / Alamy Stock PhotoHint: You probably used to use one of these every day in school.
Answer: A calculator!
ShutterstockLong before battery-powered calculators were staples in classrooms, these analog devices were the easiest way to add things up.
What's this adorably rustic device?
KokWhy Hoi / Alamy Stock PhotoHint: It wouldn't be a summer party without one!
Answer: An ice shaver!
Shutterstock/Brent HofackerPrior to the advent of machines that can create a snow cone at the touch of a button, folks used to have to shave their ice the old fashioned way: with nothing more than a crank and a whole lot of elbow grease.
What's this unique-looking table?
Jim Snyders / Alamy Stock PhotoHint: You may have used one on your last camping trip.
Answer: A kerosene stove!
Shutterstock/Max SudakovToday, your average camping stove can easily fit in a backpack. Just a few decades back, however, they were much larger apparatuses—and hardly portable at that.
What's this ominous-looking box?
EyeEm / Alamy Stock PhotoHint: You probably still have one of these in your kitchen.
Answer: A microwave!
ShutterstockBefore microwaves were petite enough to be installed over a stove or plugged in on your countertop, they were large standalone devices that took up more than their fair share of kitchen space.
What's this scary-looking metal apparatus?
Luca Ponti/AlamyHint: It looks a bit like a torture device, but many men use its modern version on a regular basis.
Answer: Hair clippers!
and-one/ShutterstockPrior to the invention of the electric razor, guys brave enough to let one of these near their face would use it to pare down their beards.
What's this rolling contraption?
Stephen Power/AlamyHint: It's not a steampunk coat rack or a repurposed sewing machine table, but you're warm.
Answer: A washing machine!
ShutterstockThe combination of modern agitators and running water certainly makes our clothes cleaner than they used to be. The previously pictured machine was used to get the excess water and soap out of garments—and that's about it.
What is this metal contraption?
Jim Lane/AlamyHint: It may look like a thumb piano in a cage, but that's not its bread and butter.
Answer: A toaster!
ShutterstockEarly electric toasters—like the one pictured previously, which was built in 1921—had the same basic mechanism as the ones we use today. Slices of bread were held in a cage and pushed down toward a heating element, which crisped it right up. And funnily enough, the toaster was actually created before sliced bread was invented; the latter wasn't a mass-market product until 1928.
What is this wooden device?
Steve Bentley/AlamyHint: Even the most well-versed amateur historian would be hard-pressed to figure out what this combination of wooden boards and screws is.
Answer: A trouser press!
ShutterstockBefore there were dry cleaners and handheld garment steamers, if you wanted to get your pants in wearable shape, you'd put them in a trouser press.
What is this scary-looking cage?
mauritius images GmbH/AlamyHint: Though this looks like something out of a horror movie, women once swore by it.
Answer: A hair dryer!
ShutterstockBefore we had ionic hair dryers, straightening brushes, and Dysons, the electric bonnet was about as good as it got in the hair salon. The machine wasn't pretty, but it got the job done; it hooked up to a tube that blew air through holes in the metal cage.
What is this copper pot used for?
alberto maisto/AlamyHint: Though it looks like it could chill a bottle of champagne, this contraption was actually used for the opposite purpose.
Answer: A portable heater!
Shutterstock/hello_jiKnown as a brazier, this type of pan was typically used to hold hot coals. The coals would be loaded into the heater and used to heat individual rooms in the house before the advent of electric heating.
What is this scary-looking machine?
Heinz Jacobi/AlamyHint: If this device reminds you a bit of a guillotine, you're not far off.
Answer: A bread slicer!
ShutterstockInstead of chopping off heads, this simple machine was used to chop bread into uniform slices. The handle on the left raises the blade, while the wooden part allows the rest of the loaf to rest without anyone's hands getting in the way.
What is this icy bucket used for?
Yarvin Pennsylvania Journeys/AlamyHint: This gadget gives new meaning to the "ice bucket challenge."
Answer: An ice cream maker!
ShutterstockSimilar to the process used to make butter, ice cream used to be churned in a bucket to create a smooth, frozen consistency. Old ice cream makers also typically combined salt with ice, as the two create a refrigerant mixture capable of freezing dairy.
What is this hand-cranked device?
lucag_g/AlamyHint: If you guessed it was a pepper mill, you're on the right track.
Answer: A coffee grinder!
iStockToday, you can grind coffee beans at the touch of a button with an electric coffee grinder (or just buy them pre-ground). But getting the same result a century ago meant hand-cranking your beans against a set of blades to finely mill them.
What is this contraption full of wheels and chains?
RosaIreneBetancourt9/AlamyHint: Suffice it to say that today's version of this device makes any process easier.
Answer: A food processor!
ShutterstockBefore Cuisinart entered the game, getting your ingredients finely ground was far more involved, as evidenced by the previously pictured complex machine.
What is this pan-and-screw combination?
Antiques & Artifacts/AlamyHint: If you consider yourself a grill master, you've probably used one of these before.
Answer: A meat press!
ShutterstockIdeal for creating perfectly round burgers and getting a good sear on steaks and other cuts of meat, this device was once a staple in kitchens around the country.
What is this pot with a gauge on its lid?
Tony Claxton/AlamyHint: It may not look like much, but this machine can get a lot done in a surprisingly short amount of time.
Answer: A pressure cooker!
ShutterstockBefore Instant Pots were everyone's favorite cooking tool, pressure cookers like the old one pictured prior were a common sight in kitchens. Similar to the electric pressure cookers many chefs are accustomed to today, these pots used steam and a pressurized environment (hence the screws) to cook food fast.
What is this metal gadget on three legs?
Danny Smythe/AlamyHint: This one looks like it was lot easier to clean after breakfast than today's version.
Answer: A juicer!
iStockBefore electric juicers were effortlessly turning fruits and vegetables into drinkable liquids, the process was done by hand. You'd simply put the fruit of your choice into the center well, flip the part on the lefthand side over toward the right, and squeeze the two handles together to create juice.
