Close your eyes and walk back into the family room of 1975. The carpet is shag, the television is the size of a refrigerator, and something on the stove is bubbling.
Plenty of what filled our homes back then has vanished. Here are 11 things that were common in American homes in the 1970s, with the facts from a Mental Floss feature by Matt Hoffman (2026).
See how many you can remember.
Mr. Coffee Changed The Morning Routine
Mr. Coffee, the first automatic drip brewer for the home, launched in October 1972 with baseball legend Joe DiMaggio as its pitchman. Mental Floss reports that about a million units sold by 1975.
By Christmas 1977, the brand held half the U.S. market. The old stovetop percolator was on its way out.
Suddenly a fresh pot was a button away. Many kitchens never looked back.
The Fondue Pot Made Dinner A Party
Mental Floss says the Swiss Cheese Union, founded in 1914, set milk prices and promoted fondue as a national dish. Its recipes were scaled from four servings up to a hundred.
The union came to an end in 1999. But in the 1970s, that bubbling pot of cheese was the star of many a dinner party.
Everyone gathered around with long forks and a little bit of nerves about dropping the bread.
The Aluminum TV Dinner Tray Lasted Until 1986
Remember peeling back the foil on a frozen dinner? Mental Floss reports that in 1986, Campbell Soup replaced aluminum trays across all 61 Swanson frozen dinner varieties with microwave-safe plastic.
The original tray went to the Smithsonian that same year.
It is a fun reminder that an everyday kitchen object can end up in a museum.
Avocado Green Appliances Were The Height Of Style
Mental Floss says General Electric’s colors arrived in 1964 with Coppertone, 1966 with Avocado and 1968 with Harvest Gold. Softer versions called Fresh Avocado and Harvest Wheat were reissued in 1976.
GE went all white at the start of the 1990s. Many of us still remember a harvest gold stove.
What felt modern then looks like a time capsule now.
The Popcorn Ceiling Had A Hidden Hazard
Here is the twist. Mental Floss says the sprayed-on ceiling texture often contained asbestos.
It reports that the EPA banned spray-applied asbestos surfacing for fireproofing and insulation in 1973, and banned the rest in 1978 under the Clean Air Act. The CPSC banned asbestos patching compounds in 1977. If you own an older home, ask a qualified professional before you disturb a ceiling.
The Rented Telephone Came With A Monthly Bill
Households leased their phones and paid monthly, and Mental Floss reports roughly 55 million were still on lease in 1984. The FCC’s July 1977 certification program allowed outside manufacturers’ equipment to connect.
After the 1984 AT&T breakup, customers could buy or return their leased phones.
TV Guide Was The Most Read Magazine In America
Mental Floss says circulation peaked near 20 million in 1970, making it the most widely read U.S. magazine. It ran about 140 regional editions until October 17, 2005, when it switched to a single national edition.
By 2007, circulation was under three million. Before the on-screen guide, this was how we planned our evenings.
It sat on the coffee table, ready for the next big show.
The Encyclopedia Set Sat Proudly On The Shelf
Britannica’s U.S. sales peaked at 120,000 sets in 1990, according to Mental Floss. Sales collapsed after Microsoft’s Encarta shipped on CD-ROM in 1993.
In 1996, Britannica laid off its entire North American sales force, ending 60 years of door-to-door selling.
A salesman at the door with a set of books is a scene that few children see today.
The 8-Track Player Rode In Cars And Living Rooms
U.S. 8-track sales peaked in 1978 and then fell sharply, Mental Floss reports. Most retailers stopped carrying the format by 1983.
Columbia House and RCA Music Service kept mailing cartridges to subscribers until 1988.
Some of us can still hear the click between tracks.
The Kodak Carousel Turned Vacations Into Family Shows
Kodak introduced the slide projector in 1961 and produced some version for 43 years, ending in October 2004, according to Mental Floss. Its trays held 80 or 140 slides.
Many families still have a drawer of slides from a summer road trip.
S&H Green Stamps Filled Many A Sticker Book
Mental Floss says that through the 1960s, S&H issued more stamps than the U.S. Postal Service and mailed 35 million catalogs a year. By 1999, only about 100 U.S. stores still gave them out.
Licking those stamps and filling a book was a family project. Saving up for something special made the stamps feel like free money.
That is the tour of a 1970s home, and it is a good excuse to call a sibling and swap memories. Now take a look around your own house. Check the attic and the basement. A slide projector, a stack of old magazines or a harvest gold casserole dish may still be tucked away.
Some old items are worth keeping for the memories, and some can be sold or donated. Condition and originals matter if you plan to sell.
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