What’s something traditionally from another generation that you’ve bought and now can’t live without?

24 comments

1. I still use an MP3 player. My phone has access to the internet, but also a far worse battery life and a host of distractions.
   if I am on a jog, a train, a wait, or almost anything else, this little thing can fill my ears discretely and has almost 24 hours of battery life.

2. I bought a medieval flail a few years ago. I can definitely see the hype. They do a lot of damage, are effective against armour, fast paced to swing around between attacks, hard to block. Such a great weapon.

   Could I live without my medieval flail? Sure. But would I really want to? Hell no

3. My wristwatch. Hadn’t used one for ages, but a while back I worked for a company where you had a lot of “flash” people. Fancy suits, fancy cars, and yes, fancy watches. I bought myself a cheap digital Casio, not too dissimilar to the one I had as a little kid, as a sort of personal silent protest. I’ve since bought a couple of [F-91Ws](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W) in different colours, and love them.

4. I still use a paper wall calendar. I just prefer it to a digital one.

5. [deleted]

6. Owning my own home. Apparently used to be much more widespread in the past.

7. A food mill. You put food in it, turn the handle, and it puries your food. I use it to make passata or mashed potato. I like it because it makes a nice smooth and even texture, but in the case of the passata doesn’t blend it completely so you still get some texture.

8. Alarm clock. Relied on my phone throughout my adult life til I got one last year. So much better and no burning my retinas when I wake up in the night and want to know the time.

9. Electric blankets.

   They make such a difference on colder days. We save loads on heating and it doesn’t feel like we’re saving energy because we’re always snug and cozy.

   My 70yo mother-in-law thinks we’re being ridiculous because she’s a rebel and they used to be very popular with *her* mother’s generation, so my mother-in-law would obviously never dream of admitting her mum was right about something.

10. Straight razor – much better for the environment and you get a good shave. Also works out cheaper eventually.

11. Two Crystal Decanters for my favourite spirits. Every time I use them I get a little bit of joy

12. Double edge razor. Just like the one grandad had. I grew up watching the adverts tell me that Gillette is the best a man can get. Bollocks. Better shave, fraction of the cost.

13. I have a fondue set and it’s fucking awesome.

    *Ludicrously* dangerous objectively, but great fun as long as you’re sensible.

14. a giant beanbag its so nice to sit in and chill out on.

15. Well TIL I learnt that scrunchie hair ties aren’t just some generic female hair accessory – as a man, I had no idea. Which generation or age-group are they associated with?

16. Sounds very small in comparison to everyone else’s wonderful things here, but stockinette cloths. (Or a roll, as it comes & you cut it)

    I’m a weirdo who really enjoys cleaning & glass in particular. Wash the windows with fairy & lemon juice, squeegee it off & buff with stockinette.

    Microfibre & modern day window cleaning cloths just seem to get soap residue from the machine built up on them eventually (normal powder, not conditioner or anything) & are next to useless.

    Bought stockinette on recommendation from my 80yro mam & streaks are no longer a thing. Been washing the same ones now for about 3 years & they are perfect for windows, mirrors & cars.

17. Hostess trolley. So naff and old-hat, but to me that’s all part of their retro charm.

    For large meals or entertaining, they really do help take some of the pressure off. You can cook at your own pace and keep everything hot while you deal with the next dish, without having to worry about juggling for oven and hob space.

18. A paper diary. Yeah I could use my phone but I don’t

19. A Panama hat. Baseball hats are almost as good, but the all round coverage of a brimmed hat cannot be beaten.

    An absolute game changer in the summer. No more squinting like a Chinaman an in a 70s sitcom when the sun’s out. No more of that brain fog you get from your head gradually overheating.

    I only wish I could pull it off better, I have a tiny head so all the usual sizes look a bit silly on me. I’m saving up to get a proper nice one from a real hat shop. I might even get a winter hat too.

20. Cream cleaner for the bath. I never see it in other peoples houses and it’s getting harder to find in the shops but nothing gets rid of soap scum etc like cream cleaner.

21. I bought myself a vinyl player two years ago. Since then I’ve become addicted to the colour brown, wear turtlenecks all the time, and love to gatecrash family parties. Money well spent I say.

22. Road maps after an unpleasant adventure when following sat nav

23. A teapot. Loose leaf tea makes life worth living on a bad day. Teabags are the broken sweepings from the factory floor.

24. Fountain pens!

    They’re still made obviously, all the time, but you don’t see very many people using them, and a solid majority of people who do use them (from what I can see at least!) seem to be people who used them in school. /r/fountainpens can skew it, since Reddit itself skews young, but if you go onto Facebook groups, or forums (remember forums!) like the Fountain Pen Network, you’ll find those skew older.

    I find them really enjoyable to use. And being able to write in literally whatever colour I want (if you can think of a colour, there’s almost certainly a fountain pen ink out there in that colour). I find it calming.