Older than the TikTok generation … Jason Connolly’s 1974 Janex Batman and Robin wind-up talking alarm clock. Photograph: Courtesy of Jason Connolly View image in fullscreen Older than the TikTok generation … Jason Connolly’s 1974 Janex Batman and Robin wind-up talking alarm clock. Photograph: Courtesy of Jason Connolly Life and style ‘My electric toaster is more than 100 years old’: readers on their ancient appliances After news that a couple from Gloucestershire are still using an Electrolux fridge from the 1930s, we asked readers about their experiences. From a 50-year-old TV to a 75-year-old vacuum cleaner, here are the old faithfuls
Prefer the Guardian on Google Batman and Robin alarm clock I have a 1974 Janex Batman and Robin wind-up talking alarm clock. Amazingly, it still works even though it’s more than 50 years old. It plays audio of Batman and Robin having a discussion on why should really get up and out of bed. I love it. Every time I see it, I smile. Jason Connolly, 57 , district nurse, Macandrew Bay, New Zealand
View image in fullscreen Crumbs! … Heather Sebastian’s trusty toaster. Photograph: Courtesy of Heather Sebastian I have a Hotpoint toaster that could be more than 100 years old and still toasts bread and bagels perfectly. It’s the same model my grandparents had. I recovered mine from a house that was being demolished. After cleaning it with baking soda and vinegar, it looks pretty good for its age. Heather Sebastian, retired teacher, Vancouver , Canada
View image in fullscreen Dust might … Jane McCall’s vacuum cleaner. Photograph: Courtesy of Jane McCall When my husband and I moved in together 46 years ago, we bought a secondhand Electrolux vacuum cleaner. It’s been going strong ever since. It has never broken. We take it into the repair shop occasionally for a little TLC and they tell us to never get rid of it because we’ll never find anything better. Jane McCall, 67, retired, Vancouver , Canada
View image in fullscreen Mixing up the generations … Alick’s Kenwood Chefette. I inherited my grandmother’s Kenwood Chefette food mixer. I think she got it in about 1975. The plastic bowl gave up about 20 years ago, but the mixer is still going strong. Even my daughter uses it when she visits, so it has served four generations. Alick, 62 , environmental health officer, Berkshire, UK
View image in fullscreen Chilled out … Anne Hartman’s Norge refrigerator. Photograph: Courtesy of Anne Hartman My parents bought a summer cottage in 1975 that came with an old fridge. It’s a Norge Customatic, made in Detroit, with an original inspection tag from 1956. I have it now and it worked like an absolute champ until it needed new wiring a couple of years back. Sure, I could have just found another more modern fridge but I always loved this one with its turquoise and gold sparkle interior. I found a business in nearby Quebec that specialises in antique kitchen appliances and they serviced it. It should be good for another 70 years. Anne Hartman, 50, repairer and builder of musical instruments , Toronto, Ontario, Canada
View image in fullscreen A slice of history … Barry Lillis’s toaster. Photograph: Courtesy of Barry Lillis During my first year at university in London, when I went home for Christmas, my mum had replaced her old Tefal Thick’n’Thin toaster with a new one. The old one hadn’t been binned and was still working, so I took it back to university. It came with me on my adventures in student and young professional house share…