As much as we’ve attempted to predict the future, we don’t seem to live in the world people predicted in sci-fis and movies decades ago. So what did a future kitchen look like in the 1950s? Are we living up to our grandparents’ fantasies? Here were a few prophecies for our kitchens. Yes, we are living in the “future” now.
1. Everything at your fingertips.
We’re all about convenience when it comes to cooking.
In the 1950s, the future kitchen’s magic permitted easy access to refrigerator doors and countertops at a push of a button. 60 years later, Whirlpool/Bauknecht showcased a stovetop that doubles as a touchscreen. Luckily, it’s not just for “big gals and little gals,” but men and women alike.
Now, you can cook your food on a touch screen that connects to the internet. You can listen to Spotify and invite your friends over on the stovetop. However, let’s hope your burger doesn’t get burnt while you’re stalking your ex on Facebook.
1950s:
2014:
2. Ultrasonic dishwasher
In 1957, the Monsanto House of the Future at Disneyland showcased a future kitchen utilizing an ultrasonic dishwasher. What does an ultrasonic dishwasher do? It uses a sound wave generator to deliver sound waves of different frequencies and/or amplitude to achieve the highest possible efficiency of the drying process. Today, it is up for grabs—at the price of $2000-$5000. Even in 2015, an ultrasonic dishwasher is still quite a bit out of reach for the average household. Not only is it expensive, but it also requires 150 gallons of water for filling and draining the entire cavity, according to John’s Corner Cleaning Technologies Group.
1957:
Now:
Photo Courtesy of KitchenAid on 3rings
Photo Courtesy of Yanko Design
3. Personalized Refrigerator
In the futuristic kitchen envisioned by people in the 1950s, we’d all have decorator fridges that matched our curtains. That’d be nice, of course, but we at Spoon think that fridges don’t need to wear clothes when their owners are wearing sweatpants to class. Honestly, magnets and Papa John’s coupons will suffice as decorations for college students in 2015.
1950s:
Photo Courtesy of The Bees Knees Daily on Flickr
Now:
Photo Courtesy of RSDigby_0205 on Flickr
Maybe our kitchens aren’t exactly what people had imagined in the past, but as long as there’s good food, Spoon has no complaints.