In pics: The early gadgets of the housework revolution

Electric coffee dispenser in your car? Dish AND clothes washing machine? These was the early (domestic) appliances of science…

THEY CALLED IT the appliance of science – the technology that began to revolutionise how housework was carried out towards the middle of the 20th century.

We’re not sure how much of the workload these early domestic appliances lifted from the shoulders of (mainly) housewives… Did you have anything resembling these, er, gadgets at home?

In pics: The early gadgets of the housework revolution

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Washing machine - 1953
Image: Tophams/Topham Picturepoint/Press Association Images
Household goods at a Curry's store, England - 1967
Image: Barratts/S&G Barratts/EMPICS Archive
Automated clothes wringer - 1958
Image: Topham/Topham Picturepoint/Press Association Images
Combination clothes and dishwashing machine - 1950
Image: Barratts/S&G Barratts/EMPICS Archive
Electrical car coffee dispenser, Germany - 1950
The boiler ran on the car's generator and could also be used for preparing soups, boiling eggs or heating water for washing or shaving. Image: AP Photo/Albert Riethausen
Laundry machine, USA - 1941
Image: AP Photo/Press Association Images
Early all-electric kitchen - 1919
Image: Topham/Topham Picturepoint/Press Association Images
Mini vacuum cleaner - 1967
Image: Topham/Topham Picturepoint/Press Association Images
'Hoover' brand vacuum cleaner - 1937
Image: Topham/Topham Picturepoint/Press Association Images
Electric spin dryer - 1958
Image: Topham/Topham Picturepoint/Press Association Images
Electric dishwasher - 1960
Image: Topham/Topham Picturepoint/Press Association Images
Automatic electric toaster - 1949
Original description: "An automatic electric toaster, the toaster will shoot out the toast when it is brown." Image: Topham/Topham Picturepoint/Press Association Images
Electric cooker - 1956
TV chef Phyllis "Fanny" Craddock at an electric cooker on board a new camping coach (?) for British Rail. Image: Barratts/S&G Barratts/EMPICS Archive

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Susan Daly

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