The best-selling products of the 60s - how many do you remember?
The most popular items from the decade
The swinging 60s gave us The Beatles, mini skirts and Woodstock – as well as, for many people, a sizeable disposable income. Here are the 30 of the most iconic items everyone was splashing the cash on, from must-have toys to game-changing kitchen appliances.
Courtesy Braun/Airytram via Tumblr
Braun T3
Look familiar? Masterfully designed by Dieter Rams, this pocket transistor radio from Braun is thought to be the inspiration behind Apple's iPod – they do look uncannily alike, after all. Launched in 1958, the minimalist radio sold like hot cakes throughout the 60s.
Yardley Oh! de London
Targeting city-dwelling youngsters, Yardley launched this super-popular perfume in 1962. A must for hip and happening young ladies, the best-selling fragrance boasted an ad campaign fronted by model of the moment Jean Shrimpton. The scent is still produced today under the Tuvaché brand name.
Remington Lektronic
Remington introduced the world's first cordless rechargeable shaver in 1960. The pioneering firm launched the Lektronic to much fanfare and men were only too eager to snap up the company's convenient, ultra-portable invention, which enjoyed buoyant sales throughout the decade.
Sony Triniton KV-1210
The first truly "modern" color TV, Sony introduced the Triniton KV-1210 in 1968. The original 12-inch model outclassed the competition in terms of picture quality and ease of use, and was an instant success. Sony went on to sell 100 million Triniton TVs before the company ditched the brand in 2008.
Kodak Instamatic 104
The Instamatic series was Kodak's most lucrative line – a staggering 60 million units were shifted during the 60s and 70s. The Instamatic 104, which hit the stores in 1963, was 'snapped' up by consumers. The camera retailed for $20 at the time, around $167 (£132) in today's money.
Sunbeam Mixmaster
KitchenAid’s classic stand mixer might be the more memorable model, yet Sunbeam’s Mixmaster was actually the best-selling mixer of the decade – at least in North America, Australia and New Zealand. Though Sunbeam has lost the bulk of its market share, the firm still produces a range of quality mixers. In 1998, the US Postal Service even created a stamp to honour the Sunbeam Mixmaster as one of the greatest inventions.
Kenwood Chef
On the other side of the Atlantic, the Kenwood Chef was the UK's preferred stand mixer during the 60s. A status symbol back in the day, the multi-tasking wonder gadget featured on many a wedding list and retailed for a hefty 30 guineas in the mid-60s, which is around $490 (£400) in today's money.
Courtesy Pifco via dollycoolclare
Pifco Princess
If you remember the extravagant bouffant hairdos of the 60s, you'll almost certainly remember some of the extreme lengths women went to to get them. This bizarre-looking caption was the answer: a hairdryer complete with a tube and hood attachment, it allowed women to 'set' their hairstyles just so.
Courtesy Black & Decker Advertising Archive
Black & Decker U-100
Dubbed 'the power tool with 1,000 uses', Black & Decker's U-100 1/4” drill sold in great numbers during the 60s as the home improvement craze was taking off and flat-pack or 'knock-down' furniture was becoming popular.
Courtesy West Bend via Pinterest
West Bend Flavo-matic
Drip brew machines weren't invented until the 70s, so if you were fond of coffee during the 60s, it's likely you would have owned a percolator, especially if you lived in North America. West Bend's Flavo-matic was one of the most popular models of the era.
Chinese Girl by Vladimir Tretchikoff
Along with the unnerving Crying Boy picture by Giovanni Bragolin, this kitsch painting from 1952 graced the walls of countless homes worldwide during the 60s. Prints of the Chinese Girl by Vladimir Tretchikoff sold in their millions, making it one of the best-selling prints of the 20th century. While the original fetched $1.2 million (£982k) at auction in 2013.
Barbie
The number one doll of the decade, Mattel's Barbie sold by the truckload during the 60s. Barbie's looks and outfits reflected the fashions of the time, with dolls sporting everything from chic Jackie O-style suits to hip Mod-inspired threads. Today, Barbie has come a long way, with one original 1959 doll selling for an astonishing $26,173 (£20,731) at auction in 2017.
Sindy
Brits: who remembers Sindy? Barbie’s British cousin came complete with a Mary Quant-inspired bob and outfits that looked like she’d just stepped off Carnaby Street. The doll was the UK’s favourite for many years, making up a massive 80% share of the fashion doll market by her peak in 1985. Despite falling out of favour by the end of the 90s, Sindy was relaunched in 2016 by Pedigree Toys with a brand new look.
Troll Dolls
The first Troll was designed by Danish woodcutter Thomas Dam in 1959. The wild-haired dolls were launched in Europe in the early 60s and the US in 1963, sparking a major craze. Thanks to the release of the Trolls movie in 2016, the revamped dolls, which are now produced by Hasbro, are becoming popular once again.
Hoover Dial-A-Matic
A brand name so popular that in the UK, it's become synonymous with the appliance itself, the Hoover Dial-A-Matic was the quintessential vacuum cleaner of the decade. Launched in 1963, the model, which was known as the Convertible in the UK and the Dynamatic in Australia, was the world's first clean-air upright vacuum cleaner.
Irina Silayeva/Shutterstock
Western Electric Model 500
Famed for its distinctive circular ringer and virtual indestructibility, the Western Electric 500 was the standard phone issued by the Bell System and a feature of most American homes during the 60s, up until 1984 when the Bell System was disbanded.
Deben Dave via Wikipedia CC
GPO Type 706
The GPO Type 706 was the UK's answer to Western Electric's Model 500. Available in seven colors, the phone was introduced in 1968 and adopted by hundreds of thousands of homes in the country. Though officially discontinued, retro-styled versions of the phone are available to buy today.
UKmender via Wikipedia CC
GPO Type 712
The more fashion-conscious UK consumers in the 60s opted for the stylish GPO Type 712 Trimphone. The award-winning handset was a premium pick – although it's a far cry from the compact landline phones of today, consumers back then were happy to pay extra for the so-called 'slimline' design. After just under two decades of popularity, the GPO Trimphone range was discontinued in 1982.
Hawkins Hostess Trolley
If you went to a dinner party in the 60s, you almost definitely came across one of these. The Hawkins Hostess Trolley was a culinary status symbol, allowing you to keep multiple dishes warm at once. The ultimate in modern home dining at the time, it didn't come cheap, with the appliance selling for 36 guineas in the UK in 1964 – that's about £665 ($840) in today's money.
Uncle Milton's Ant Farm
Kids who grew up in 60s America will undoubtedly remember Uncle Milton's Ant Farm. The formicarium, which is still produced today, was heavily promoted in comics and magazines and went on to shift a whopping 20 million units.
Products from the past that people still use today
Courtesy Dansette Revolver
Dansette Bermuda
A triumph of mid 20th century design, the Dansette Bermuda record player was huge in the UK during the 60s and Dansette was a bona fide household name at the time. In 1962, it retailed for 13 guineas, equivalent to $360 (£286) in today's money.
Courtesy General Electric
General Electric Automatic Toothbrush
Although the electric toothbrush was invented in 1954, it didn't gain mass popularity in the US until General Electric launched its version in the early 60s. Not too dissimilar to electric brushes you can buy today, the GE Model was cordless and rechargeable.
Chatty Cathy
The second most popular doll of the 60s in North America after Barbie, Chatty Cathy was a pull-string doll that would utter any one of eleven phrases when her cord was tugged – which, by many kids, was every five minutes. Launched in 1959, the doll was a sensation in the US and Canada, and remained in production intermittently until 2001, when it was discontinued. Cue a sigh of relief from aggravated parents everywhere.
Coppertone
If you needed any further proof that we've come a long way since the 60s, here it is. Coppertone's so-called 'sun creams', launched with the slogan "Don't be a paleface!" were formulated for tanning rather than shielding skin against the sun's rays, as tanned skin became fashionable in the 60s. Thankfully, we've come a long way in understanding the dangers of sun damage, and Coppertone has shifted its focus from sunbathing to SPF 50.
Classic Film/Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0
Clairol hair dye
It was one of the most influential cosmetic products of the decade – if not the century. Clairol hair dye revolutionised attitudes around hair dyeing, taking it from being seen as cheap to natural-looking and believable. Along with a highly successful ad campaign, customers bought Clairol dyes in their droves.
Iconic ad campaigns that turned companies around
Courtesy Ohio Art Company
Etch-a-Sketch
The real question is, could anyone actually draw anything decent on these? Invented by French toymaker André Cassagnes in the late 50s, Etch-a-Sketch was acquired by the Ohio Art Company and launched in the US market in 1960, priced at $2.99, around $25 (£20) in today's money. The fun yet infuriating art toy was a huge success, selling in the millions, and it's still going strong today.
Best-selling products in the decade you were born
Courtesy Philips Company Archives
Phillips EL 3300
The world's first cassette tape recorder, the Phillips E3300 was launched in 1963. It’s often seen as the precursor to the Walkman and, with its microphone and portable design it was a ‘reel’ innovation, gaining in popularity throughout the 60s.
Courtesy Northern Electric
Northern Electric Blanket
Decent central heating was still considered a luxury in the 60s and many homes were cold by today's standards. Creating a cosy place to sleep was quite a challenge, which explains the popularity of this electric blanket by Northern Electric.
Courtesy Enfield Museum Service
Belling Bedwarmer
In the UK, Belling's electric Bedwarmer was popular. This brightly coloured gadget was placed under the sheets for some welcome warmth before bedtime. By the 70s however, the humble hot water bottle had taken its place as the bedwarmer of choice for British households.
Courtesy Goblin/Glen Dimplex
Goblin Teasmade
Another curiously British gadget, the Goblin Teasmade would wake its owner up with a cup of tea in the morning along with a blaring alarm siren. The Teasmade was popular up until the 80s when it was increasingly seen as being old-fashioned and just plain uncool. Miraculously, after being discontinued in 2001, Teasmade rolled out a revamped version in Lakeland stores in 2010, which includes an LCD clock, reading light and rapid boil function.
Must-have products your parents splashed their cash on