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Vintage Household Gadgets Quiz

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Date: 

Instructions: Can you still identify the washboards, coffee grinders, and rotary tools that filled grandma's kitchen?

  1. 1.

    What was a washboard used for in the days before electric washing machines?

    A
    Scrubbing laundry by hand against its ridged surface
    B
    Draining excess water from freshly washed dishes
    C
    Kneading bread dough on a flat surface
    D
    Grating vegetables for cooking
  2. 2.

    A hand-cranked rotary egg beater was a staple in old kitchens. What did turning its handle do?

    A
    Spun two wire-loop beaters to whip eggs or cream
    B
    Pumped water up from a cistern beneath the counter
    C
    Turned a small grinding wheel to sharpen knives
    D
    Rotated a spit to roast meat over the stove
  3. 3.

    What was the main purpose of the old-fashioned box mangle (or clothes mangle) found in many laundry rooms?

    A
    To press and smooth wet laundry by rolling it between heavy rollers
    B
    To boil and disinfect clothes in a sealed chamber
    C
    To shake excess water from clothes before hanging them out
    D
    To starch shirt collars using a heated iron insert
  4. 4.

    Which kitchen gadget was called a "meat grinder" and was typically clamped to the edge of a countertop?

    A
    A hand-cranked device with a screw feed that minced meat through a perforated plate
    B
    A cast-iron skillet with a textured bottom for tenderizing steaks
    C
    A large wooden mallet used to pound cuts of meat flat
    D
    A wire-mesh strainer for rinsing raw meat under the faucet
  5. 5.

    What was a "sad iron" (also called a flat iron) used for in the 19th and early 20th centuries?

    A
    Pressing and smoothing wrinkles from clothing
    B
    Sealing the edges of homemade pies
    C
    Crushing ice chipped from the icebox
    D
    Holding down pie crusts while baking
  6. 6.

    A "coffee grinder" in grandmother's kitchen usually looked like a small wooden box with a handle on top. What did turning the handle do?

    A
    Rotated steel burrs that crushed whole coffee beans into grounds
    B
    Pumped hot water through a filter to brew coffee directly
    C
    Stirred a pot of percolating coffee to keep it from burning
    D
    Opened and closed a valve to dispense coffee from a large urn
  7. 7.

    What was a "butter churn" designed to do?

    A
    Agitate cream repeatedly until the fat globules clumped together into butter
    B
    Pasteurize raw milk by heating it to a precise temperature
    C
    Separate cream from whole milk using a spinning drum
    D
    Mold freshly made butter into decorative block shapes
  8. 8.

    What was the purpose of an icebox (the kind that used an actual block of ice) in homes before electric refrigerators?

    A
    To keep food cold using a large block of ice placed in a top or side compartment
    B
    To freeze water into ice cubes using a hand-cranked mechanism
    C
    To carbonate beverages by chilling them under pressure
    D
    To store root vegetables at a stable cool temperature underground
  9. 9.

    A "cherry pitter" (or cherry stoner) was a handy old kitchen gadget. What did it do?

    A
    Pushed a metal pin through a cherry to pop out the pit without crushing the fruit
    B
    Peeled the skin from cherries using a tiny rotating blade
    C
    Sliced cherries in half for use in pies and preserves
    D
    Measured out precise amounts of cherry juice for canning recipes
  10. 10.

    What was a "carpet beater" (sometimes called a carpet whip) traditionally used for?

    A
    Striking a hung carpet repeatedly to knock out trapped dust and dirt
    B
    Smoothing freshly laid carpet by pressing down the fibers
    C
    Stretching a newly purchased carpet to fit the dimensions of a room
    D
    Applying carpet dye evenly by tapping pigment into the fibers
  11. 11.

    What was the function of a "lard press" in old farmhouse kitchens?

    A
    Rendering and pressing cooked pork fat through a perforated plate to produce clean lard
    B
    Compressing leftover meat scraps into firm blocks for long-term storage
    C
    Stamping decorative patterns onto molded blocks of butter
    D
    Squeezing juice from cooked fruit to make jellies and preserves
  12. 12.

    What was a "nut cracker" shaped like a metal or wooden screw clamp used for in old kitchens?

    A
    Cracking open hard-shelled nuts like walnuts and pecans without smashing the nut meat
    B
    Sealing the metal lids onto glass canning jars during preserving season
    C
    Clamping a meat grinder or food mill firmly to the countertop edge
    D
    Pressing garlic cloves through tiny holes to mince them finely
  13. 13.

    What was a "waffle iron" of the early 20th century typically heated by?

    A
    Placing it directly on a wood or gas stove burner
    B
    Filling it with hot coals from the fireplace
    C
    Plugging it into an electric wall outlet
    D
    Setting it in a pan of boiling water on the stove
  14. 14.

    What was a "corn sheller" used for on old farms and in rural kitchens?

    A
    Removing dried kernels from a dried ear of corn quickly by hand or crank
    B
    Removing the green husk and silk from a fresh ear of sweet corn
    C
    Grinding dried corn kernels into cornmeal flour
    D
    Cutting corn kernels off a fresh cob for cooking
  15. 15.

    A "bootjack" was a V-shaped wooden or iron device kept near the back door of old homes. What was it used for?

    A
    Gripping the heel of a boot so you could pull your foot out without bending down
    B
    Stretching a new pair of leather boots to fit a wider foot
    C
    Scraping mud and manure off the soles of boots before entering the house
    D
    Polishing the toes of boots by rocking them back and forth on a buffing pad

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