4 ms·

> vacuum cleaners mainstream since at least the 1950s > dishwashers 1970s > microwave ovens available but fairly expensive in the 80s, ubiquitous in the 90

> vacuum cleaners mainstream since at least the 1950s > dishwashers 1970s > microwave ovens available but fairly expensive in the 80s, ubiquitous in the 90s

Retric 4y ago
The point was vacuums etc have gotten a lot better over time. Electric motors are noticeably lighter, more powerful, and more energy efficient today. Yes vacuums in the 1980’s worked but they where significantly heavier, louder, and far more power hungry not to mention more expensive. It might not seem like much but I remember the exhaust from the family vacuum being noticeably warm. It’s even more noticeable with cordless vacuums which got not just better motors but vastly better batteries as well. Often it’s the parts you don’t notice that make a world of difference. The finger saver shutoff on a modern saw might not seem like much, but those things really make a difference in peoples lives.
- musicale 4y ago
  > finger saver shutoff Probably a feature I wouldn't want to give up.
- musicale 4y ago
  The Dyson bagless/root cyclonic vacuum design completely took over. "Hoovering" really became dysoning.
- kareemsabri 4y ago
  I don't think that was the point. The OP said "we have [them]", not "they've gotten better". I agree, Dyson is quite a bit better than the vacuum my parents had (though central vac was pretty damn good). Dishwashers are quieter, though not that different. Microwaves seem about the same.
  - Retric 4y ago
    Fair enough, though convection microwaves are a real improvement. Traditional microwaves meanwhile cost about 1/10th as much as an 80’s microwave which is noticeable in it’s own way.
  - XorNot 4y ago
    Dishwashers use a fraction of the water they used to. It is more water and power efficient to use a dishwasher then to wash dishes by hand. [1] In all these responses what I'm noticing is people missing the vast gains in efficiency from our appliances over the last few decades: everything we have gives more, and uses less. [1] https://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2008/data/papers/1_123.pdf https://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2008/data/papers/1_1...
    - Ekaros 4y ago
      On the other side the water and energy use has been trade off for time use. Living in country with plenty of fresh water I might prefer to waste some for faster cycle time. So in sense things have actually gotten worse.
      - Retric 4y ago
        It’s not really about water use. Dishwashers require very hot water, so less water directly translates into dramatically less energy use.
foobiekr 4y ago
Hmm, in the US anyway they started to get inexpensive by 1980 or so, same as VCRs.
musicale 4y ago
>> vacuum cleaners >mainstream since at least the 1950s Canister vacuums date to the 1910s and were probably mainstream by the 1930s (wasn't Herbert Hoover mocked by connecting him to Hoover Vacuums?) Battery powered vacuums are ubiquitous now and were not in the 1980s (for example the first Dirt Devil model was corded.)
IshKebab 4y ago
> mainstream since at least the 1950s Of course. What about battery powered vacuum cleaners?

> vacuum cleaners mainstream since at least the 1950s > dishwashers 1970s > microwave ovens available but fairly expensive in the 80s, ubiquitous in the 90s

Retric 4y ago

The point was vacuums etc have gotten a lot better over time. Electric motors are noticeably lighter, more powerful, and more energy efficient today. Yes vacuums in the 1980’s worked but they where significantly heavier, louder, and far more power hungry not to mention more expensive. It might not seem like much but I remember the exhaust from the family vacuum being noticeably warm. It’s even more noticeable with cordless vacuums which got not just better motors but vastly better batteries as well. Often it’s the parts you don’t notice that make a world of difference. The finger saver shutoff on a modern saw might not seem like much, but those things really make a difference in peoples lives.

musicale 4y ago
> finger saver shutoff Probably a feature I wouldn't want to give up.
musicale 4y ago
The Dyson bagless/root cyclonic vacuum design completely took over. "Hoovering" really became dysoning.
kareemsabri 4y ago
I don't think that was the point. The OP said "we have [them]", not "they've gotten better". I agree, Dyson is quite a bit better than the vacuum my parents had (though central vac was pretty damn good). Dishwashers are quieter, though not that different. Microwaves seem about the same.
- Retric 4y ago
  Fair enough, though convection microwaves are a real improvement. Traditional microwaves meanwhile cost about 1/10th as much as an 80’s microwave which is noticeable in it’s own way.
- XorNot 4y ago
  Dishwashers use a fraction of the water they used to. It is more water and power efficient to use a dishwasher then to wash dishes by hand. [1] In all these responses what I'm noticing is people missing the vast gains in efficiency from our appliances over the last few decades: everything we have gives more, and uses less. [1] https://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2008/data/papers/1_123.pdf https://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2008/data/papers/1_1...
  - Ekaros 4y ago
    On the other side the water and energy use has been trade off for time use. Living in country with plenty of fresh water I might prefer to waste some for faster cycle time. So in sense things have actually gotten worse.
    - Retric 4y ago
      It’s not really about water use. Dishwashers require very hot water, so less water directly translates into dramatically less energy use.

foobiekr 4y ago

Hmm, in the US anyway they started to get inexpensive by 1980 or so, same as VCRs.

musicale 4y ago

>> vacuum cleaners >mainstream since at least the 1950s Canister vacuums date to the 1910s and were probably mainstream by the 1930s (wasn't Herbert Hoover mocked by connecting him to Hoover Vacuums?) Battery powered vacuums are ubiquitous now and were not in the 1980s (for example the first Dirt Devil model was corded.)

IshKebab 4y ago

> mainstream since at least the 1950s Of course. What about battery powered vacuum cleaners?