The 1970s have a bad reputation compared to the swinging ‘60s and the prosperous ‘80s. However, if you’re able to look past the decade’s terrible facial hair and obsession with beige, the ‘70s were actually surprisingly stylish. Here are 17 iconic products from the ‘70s that are still in demand.
Rubik’s Cube
The Rubik’s Cube is world-famous, but no one had heard of this classic puzzle before 1974. Since then, fans in the appropriately named Speedcuber community have tried to solve it as fast as possible. NPR says that the current world champion is Max Park, who solved the puzzle in just over three seconds!
Post-It Notes
Post-It Notes weren’t invented on purpose—Dr. Spencer Silver was looking for strong glues when he discovered one that could temporarily stick to surfaces and then easily peel off. This happy accident resulted in the creation of Post-It Notes in the late 1970s, and they’ve been a popular memory aid ever since.
Egg Chairs
While egg chairs were actually invented in the late ‘50s, they really came into their own in the 1970s. This futuristic furniture could be found in America’s most stylish homes, and it combined comfort with space-age design. Egg chairs are still popular today among fans of the vintage aesthetic.
Hacky Sack
These sand or bead-filled bags have been a staple of many American childhoods since the early 1970s. Hacky Sacks can be used to test your dexterity or to play a variety of games with friends, so it’s no wonder that so many have happy memories of this classic toy.
Stretch Armstrong
Stretch Armstong hit the market in 1976. Because these toys are made of latex and filled with a syrupy liquid, it’s possible to pull the doll’s arms into crazy shapes. Stretch Armstrong has even made a recent comeback, with viral videos on social media showing teenagers pushing these toys to the limit.
VHS Tapes
VHS tapes were accessible to the average American for the first time in the 1970s. While you’d expect them to have disappeared completely due to DVDs, Blu-Ray, and streaming services, they’re actually making an ironic comeback. So-called tape heads love collecting old tapes for nostalgic reasons, with BusinessInsider mentioning that some sell for over $80,000!
Drinks Can
Soft drink cans are an underrated engineering masterpiece: they’re strong, easy to store, and keep your cola fresh while being easy to open. This last perk is thanks to the development of push-through can tabs in 1975. These tabs were safer than previous versions, and they’re still in use today.
BIC Disposable Lighter
Cigarette lighters have existed since the 1920s, but BIC broke new ground in the 1970s by introducing its disposable lighter. Launched in 1973, the BIC lighter provided smokers with a cheap and convenient way to light up. Although they may not be environmentally friendly, they’re still a popular product.
Sony Walkman
The Sony Walkman is primitive by today’s technological standards, but this 1979 tape cassette deck revolutionized the music world. In many ways, the Sony Walkman was the iPhone of its day. While cassettes have fallen out of fashion, the Sony Walkman brand lives on as a vintage classic.
Home Video Games
Kids and adults alike are now so obsessed with video games that it’s difficult to remember a time when they weren’t the norm. One of the earliest video game success stories was Atari’s Home Pong, a play-at-home version of the classic arcade game. Gaming has changed a lot, but the ‘70s started the trend.
Polaroid SX-70
Before the Polaroid SX-70 was announced in 1972, amateur photography was labor-intensive and often messy. However, the SX-70 made developing photos quick and easy—completed images popped out of the camera seconds after being taken. Phone cameras just aren’t the same, which explains why Polaroids remain trendy.
Star Wars Action Figures
Kenner’s Star Wars action figures were in hot demand when they were released in 1978, and they’re still desirable today. While new dolls have come out to represent more recent characters, true collectors prioritize vintage figures. In fact, the BBC reports that one ‘70s figure sold for £21,000 ($26,700) in 2023!
The MagiMix
Home cooking changed forever in 1971. The release of the Magimix introduced households to domestic food processors for the first time, making food preparation easier than ever for busy Americans. Over 50 years after their creation, the MagiMix and its competitors can still be found in kitchens today.
Dodge Challenger
We’re happy to forget about many of the cars released during the 1970s, but some vintage classics still have their charms. The 1970 Dodge Challenger still has petrolheads swooning, and it’s not difficult to see why. This iconic muscle car oozes cool, no matter which decade it’s driven in.
Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots
Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots underwent a space-age redesign in the late 1970s to cash in on the success of Star Wars. But this wasn’t the toy’s only brush with Hollywood—a Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots movie was announced in 2021, though it’s yet to see the light of day.
Motorola Cell Phone
The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X represents not only an important step on the road to modern smartphones but also history’s greatest corporate smackdown. As CNN explains, Motorola’s creator used his first call to brag about the new product to the boss of a rival company. That’s got to hurt!
Apple Computer
Long before the iPod and iPhone took over the world, the company’s Apple II computer was breaking new ground for home computing. This 1977 computer is pretty laughable by today’s standards, but it helped turn Apple into the tech juggernaut that we know today.
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