Appliance/Elevtronic status symbols by the decade

[verizonbear]

A friend of mine is getting his MBA and is specializing in marketing. On the MARC train to DC we had a discussion and made a list of " Appliance&#92Electronic Status Symbols " that represented entry into the upper middle class and became mainstream during that decade. What would you add this list?

1950s : Automatic Washers, Dryers, TV stereo consoles Refrigerator with seperate freezer compartment.

1960s: Dishwashers, Washer Dryer Combos, Frost Free Refrigerators with ice maker, self cleaning ovens, reel to reel audio tape recorders, garbage disposals, color TV, built in wall ovens and cooktops

1970s: Microwave Ovens, Side by Side Refrigerator with ice/water in door, seperate stereo components, 8 track tape players. trash compactors, portable washers and dryers,25 inch console tvs,

1980s: CD players, Microwave/Convection combos, Over the range Microwave Hood, Down draft vented cooktops. Stacked Unitized washer/dryer, cassette tape players

1990s: Ceramic Cooktops, home theater systems, laser disc players, camcorders, white on white appiances

2000s: Dual Fuel Ranges, stainless steel appliances, rebranding of front load washers, dishwashers with stainless steel interior, electronic controls, Dvd players, high depth tv, rebranding of bottom freezer refrigerators, Drawer Diswashers, cooktops with grill, ranges with convection ovens. induction cooktops, surround sound home theater

2010- h2014, French door refrigerators, wine coolers, lcd TVs, sound bars, internet connectivity,

 

[jakeseacrest]

Kitchen Aid Mixers for the 70s and Cuisinart Food Processors would probably be in the 80s.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

1950s: Television

 

[whirlcool]

Looks like you are pretty much right on target with the items/decades.

 

[paulg]

Central Vacuum Cleaners

Is something I would add as a glamour product of the time.
Which decade? Dunno.

 

[xraytech]

Can't forget the VCR in the 80s

 

[turquoisedude]

Central vacs - good one - they seemed to be a big deal here in Canada in the 70s and 80s!

 

I guess ironers were probably a status symbol in the 50s too.  

 

[stevet]

KA mixers....

KitchenAid mixers have been around since the early 20's. I have a Model 3B from the late 40's that I still use and it works like it is brand new!
Food Processors were much in vogue as stated in the 80's and forward.

 

[tolivac]

I have seen Cuisnart Food processors even in the 70's those early versians built for them by RoboCoupe are PRIZED machines-VERY RARE-folks won't give them up!You started and stopped those by moving the lid on the container.There was no switch on the base.It has been said that food processors were used commercially in France even as early as the 50's.Again made by RoboCoupe-they made the first food processors-they are still with us today-they cator to commercial markets-they do make a machine for home use under "Magimix".Williams Sonoma and Chefs Choice catalogs listed those.

 

[electron1100]

the 70s

you have hifi separates but I remember quadraphonic hifi as being a status item then.

Gary

 

[tolivac]

"Quad"or Quadrophonic didn't really catch on in those days-was aimed for music listening.It survives today in another form 5.1 and 7.1 sorround sound formats for movie soundtracks.Now we have theaters installing Dolby Atmos and Auro soundtracks that have even more channels-speakers above the listeners-in front of the screen.And they add two other channels for behind the screen.Some BluRay movies are encoded for these-in hopes that amp makers will make compable amps for this.What will the Mrs think with MORE speakers in the home theater room?In theaters the above speakers are flush ceiling mounted.

 

[electron1100]

Umm

Hi Tolivac

I think you miss my point about Quadraphonic Hi-fi back in the 1970s, my point was about it being a status symbol in the UK Hi-fi world back then, not as to whether it was a success or not.

Gary

 

[frigilux]

I would add cassette tapes to the very early 1970s. Remember seeing one of the first examples in a Sears Christmas catalog.

Prognostication 2015-2020: Google Glass (or similar)

 

[tolivac]

Yes,didn't relize you were talking about UK.Only very breifly here.Remember Elcassettes?Remember seeing them and their machines only a couple times.Another audio "dodo".

 

[electron1100]

Elcaset

That was such a shame, I owned two Sony Elcaset machines the 5 and the 7 and they were both stunning in terms of there performance and build quality, the only non reel to reel machines that could draw me away from reel to reel.
Ah well all the good stuff goes :-(

Gary

 

[tolivac]

Guess the Elcassette died from---Folks already happy with RR machines and not wanting to change.Philips cassette machine owners happy with theirs and not wanting to change-the 70's was the time when Philips style cassettes went from a "dictation" quality format to a Hi-Fi one thanks partly to Dolby,and cassette tape oxide formulas that improved the recording quality of the tapes.-Chromium and Metal type tapes as I vaguely remember.

 

[arbilab]

The 'status' joke was on the passengers of the 8-track boat. Even back in the day you'd see 8trk carts on the side of the road with their guts hanging out like a runover skunk, hearing the echo of the owner yelling expletives around "you've jammed on me for the last time". Oh, and when they DID work they sounded like listening to music-on-hold over the phone.

OTOH, the one thing I NEVER saw was a car with a R2R in it, though that would have been more practical than car TURNTABLES which I DID see.

Early 50s: central air. Only one house on our circle had it, and it wasn't ours.

 

[statomatic]

Compact cassette

The Dolby B was a consumer version of the Dolby A, dolby B is used on most of the decks.
In 1981 the Dolby C was released, it provides a better noise reduction but needs a very precise alignment of the tape deck (bias, sensitivity azimuth...) to prevent audio artifacts like pumping effect and treble loosing.
The DBX was the best in terms of noise reduction and dynamic range expansion but it also needs a perfect alignment and to be decoded (DBX equipped are rare).
There was several other noise reduction systems that were less popular like the ANRS (JVC), the ADRES (Toshiba / Aurex), Super D (Sanyo) and Dolby S (used on some 90's decks).

The tapes gets some great improvements too, BASF invented the chromium dioxide (type II) tape in the early 70's.
The Japanese manufacturers invented "chrome equivalent" tapes (TDK "Super Avilyn", Maxell "Epitaxial", Fuji "Beridox") to not have to pay the taxes to Sony (which was the exclusive distributor in Japan).
In 1975 Sony created the "FeCr" (ferrichrome or type III) tape which has two oxide layers, this tape was excellent when used on a deck with "FeCr" because it has the advantages of ferric tape (great bass response) and chrome tape (low noise and great treble response).
In 1979 the metal (type IV) tape was invented, it uses a pure iron (non oxidized) pigment.
The FeCr tape manufacturing stopped in the early 80's when the metal tape started to have a better success.
In the early 80's there was also cassette shells improvements like the TDK MA-R (metal shell), the Sony Metal Master (ceramic shell), and several others with new plastic formulations.

Yes I don't collect only vintage washing machines !

 

[electron1100]

Oh yes

ha ha we are drifting off topic here but yes being the age I am all this gear etc was around when I could buy it and enjoy it and still do, dyed in the wool analogue fan here.

 

[DADoES]

 
I had three cassette decks with Dolby C, still have one of them.

 

[washer111]

One for the Late-70s/Early-80s

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Our monstrous single-story home we vacated several years ago (5 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms/Ensuite, Laundry, Kitchen, Games, Dining, Formal Dining, Lounge, Little-Lounge {Part of "Dining" and hallway}, Study) was built in 1987, and had the following:</span>

 

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">~ "Valet" VM1200 Intercom System.</span>

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Several of the stations could receive music and sometimes audio messages (Though setting the sliders was "finicky"), but often could not communicate. </span>

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Doorbell played an electronic Fur-Elise... Boy that song is annoying to hear now. You couldn't speak to them, either. </span>

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In the "Little-Lounge," there was a 5-pin DIN connector so you could run your Hi-Fi throughout the house. Now THAT is surround sound, LOL. Interestingly, that wire would have run from one side of the house, to the other. That probably wouldn't have helped signal quality either. </span>

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The system was repaired when we moved in around 2000, for doorbell functionality. The touchpad for the radio was irritating to use, and becoming increasingly sensitive in its age. </span>

 

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">~Valet Ducted Vacuum. An earlier model, and working well. One outlet never was quite right. Used little switches in EACH outlet to start the system. Trouble is, what if the wires break?!</span>

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Again - this was broken on arrival. Previous residents had used it to vacuum their dog's mess up... </span>

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Another breakdown around 2007. The replacement motor was evidently weaker and seemed less powerful. Made a horrendous noise, and dust in the garage, too!</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 10pt;">Can't imagine Chinese builders/owners of the house would ever spec such equipment. Considering the floor-tiles were loose and misaligned, who knows how those products went in :/ </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 10pt;">Pictures:</span>

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: small;">1. Doorbell Unit</span>

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: small;">2. Variation of the Room-Station</span>

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: small;">3. Ducted Vacuum similar to ours (Ours was a Dark-Grey colour, with a yellow "VALET" logo)</span>

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: small;">4./5. The Base-Station for the Intercom. Manual here: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">https://valet.com.au/uploads/103/24/Valet_VM1200_Owners_Manual.pdf</span>

<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px;">There are 4 switches, "Monitor-Master," "Door-Lock," "Front Door," "House-Call."</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px;">The bottom row of switches allow control of Private or System-Wide Intercom, and the sliders allow control of Intercom, Music and Monitor functions. </span></span>

<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px;">Up the top are all the radio controls and input controls. </span></span>

 

 

 

[pcasa]

Ankarsrum & Aga

Two great designs - one older one newer that have great cache

 

[pcasa]

ankarsrum

.. not sure where this photo went - I would love to own one of these!

 

[pcasa]

central vac

.. my parent's home was built with central vac in 1971 - it is still working well - there are "portholes with covers" which receive the vacuum hose and when shoved into the connection - the unit activates - central unit located in the garage

 

[retropia]

We lived briefly in a model home built in around 1960 or so, while Mom and Dad were having a house built. The model home was not especially great, but it was loaded with "upsell" options, like a sputnik chandelier, and a built-in "planter" filled with plastic greenery. The planter was faced in styrofoam brick.

It also had a Nutone intercom system, and the base unit, located in the kitchen, had an AM-FM radio so you could pipe music throughout the house. The built-in intercom system seemed a popular "prestige" option, at least into the 1970s.

A 1979 up-market condo I lived in had a Sub Zero built-in refrigerator, and a Jenn-Air drop-in combo cooktop/grill and oven. I suppose built-in appliances are still considered prestigious, but not to the extent they were back in the 1960s and 1970s.

Nowadays, for the prestigious look, people want appliances in their homes that look like they came out of a restaurant kitchen.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

I still have customers with the Nutone intercom/music system. Two have an optional record player that dropped down from the wall.

I would say that having a 3D T.V. Started out as a status symbol.

RCD

 

[beekeyknee]

For the 1960's - Central air conditioning, for most of the United States anyway.