Refrigerators — I have one in the basement that’s been sitting there unused for the last 10 years, but it was working perfectly the moment I unplugged it and moved it to my new house. (We started using my husband’s newer fridge in the kitchen, and it conked out two years ago.) I can’t remember the brand of mine, but it was bought new c. 1980 by my parents.
I’m betting that 30-year-old monster in the basement would work. Sadly, there aren’t enough electrical outlets down there to fire it up. (A future project.) A repairman c. 1996, when something went wrong with the freezer, told me they didn’t make 'em like that anymore and to hang on to the thing, so I did.
A vacuum tube-powered guitar amp built in 1986, but that really more a recreational device than an appliance. Beyond that, I don’t think I have anything older than about five years. That’s what a divorce and remarriage will do for you.
I have a record player you just wind. I play my collection of 78s on it. I don’t know the year. Probably from the 1930s, but it could be a decade later.
As far as electric devices, I have a Singer sewing machine from about 1969 that I just finished using to make my son a new backpack, an electric can opener my parents got as a wedding gift in 1963, and a 1977 Bally pinball machine “Lost World.” It was one of the first models with electronic scoring. I also have a pachinko machine from sometime in the early 1970s, but exactly when is anyone’s guess.
From 1997-2006 I drove a 1961 Ford Falcon. Now I’m driving a 94 Acura Integra.
Say, are we counting digital cameras? Because we have an old Canon PowerShot A95 that we bought a few months before the aforementioned radio/cassette player. In early 1994 or even late 1993.
I just (just last week) replaced a GE toaster oven from the late? 1960’s. All stainless steel and black plastic exterior, slider and paddle controls. It still works, just got tired of a small toaster oven.
Some may feel this is stretching the definition “electronics,” but I don’t.
I’m a guitarist, and in my entire lifetime I’ve owned and played through only one amplifier: a 1967 Fender Vibrolux, bought when I was in high school.
It’s had tubes, capacitors, etc. replaced over the years, of course, but the speakers are the original ones. It’s used an average of three times a month (not counting practices); in previous decades, it was used a lot more. It still has the same warm, punchy sound it’s had from the beginning. I can’t imagine playing through anything else.
Only thing I’ve noticed is, it hasn’t gotten any lighter to carry over the years!
I still use the calculator and alarm functions on it from time to time. Never had a use for the Hex Calculator, but back in my radio days it was great because you could do time calculations on it (e.g., it’s 2:13:48 now and this classical piece is 9:39 long — when will it end?).
We have an old rotary phone from at least the 60’s or 70’s (originally leased from AT&T because private ownership wasn’t permitted yet!). I attached a modern plug to the end so that it fits in the jack, and we still use it when the cordless phone has a bad connection.
Unfortunately, we switched to VOIP, so the rotary no longer be used to dial out, but while we were still connected to the Bell System, the rotary worked just fine!
I have a 1940’s bakelite alarm clock am radio that my grandparents bought new. Still works. It’s on a shelf my office at home. I sometimes listen to sporting events on it, when I’m working.
I have a camera I bought waaaaaaaaay back in olden times of 2008, my laptop I bought in '09. I think I’ll be replacing both this summer. Nothing older than those. Maybe the white goods are older but they came with the apartment and don’t look old.
Turntable: 60’s era Dual 1019. Rock-solid performer going on 50.
Bass Amp: mid-70’s Acoustic 370. Still operating flawlessly on its original power fuses. Does seem to weigh a lot more these days.
I’m still running windows 3.1 except the MB died on the old 486DX2 so I swapped the HD into a Pentium. Still runs great! (other than the DST problem which I still haven’t resolved)
I just put a new a new blade on an old scroll saw that all evidence points to being from the 1930’s!?
My house was built in 1950 and still has the original furnace and A/C. At the inspection both our realtor and home inspector had never even heard of the brand before. They both still work surprisingly well.
My oldest is a pedestal type waffel iron from the 30’s I am guessing. I just gave it away to a friend who collects but it still works well. My shop had an old gas operated fridge from the early 1950’s they are still using.
I have a genuine Crock-Pot ™ slow cooker from 1972 (the Crock-Pot was introduced in 1971), a pair of Advent speakers from 1978 and a Pioneer turntable from 1979.
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