Well yes, because we have solar panels and heat pumps and battery powered power tools and vacuum cleaners and dishwashers and microwave ovens and smart lights and ...
Ugly (but very bright and power efficient, and cooler) LED lighting. Bright blue power LEDs on everything. Less fluorescent, minimal incandescent lighting.
Everyone is working at home.
Few books, no newspapers or print magazines, no typewriters, maybe even no wired telephone.
The post office only delivers packages and "junk mail."
No "long distance" phone charges.
No ash trays.
New/improved appliances: air fryers, instant pot/automated pressure/multifunction cookers, high-efficiency washing machines, etc.. Fewer toaster ovens and gas ranges or ovens.
Mandatory smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.
Lower power usage for most appliances.
No bottle returns. Much more "recycling" and industrial compost.
No large stereo systems, AM/FM radio, cassette players, or boom boxes. Fewer (and poorer quality) record players.
Home delivery of everything via amazon, grocery delivery, restaurant food delivery, etc.. UPS, FedEx and Amazon deliver many more packages than the USPS.
The point was vacuums etc have gotten a lot better over time.
Electric motors are noticeably lighter, more powerful, and more energy efficient today. Yes vacuums in the 1980’s worked but they where significantly heavier, louder, and far more power hungry not to mention more expensive. It might not seem like much but I remember the exhaust from the family vacuum being noticeably warm. It’s even more noticeable with cordless vacuums which got not just better motors but vastly better batteries as well.
Often it’s the parts you don’t notice that make a world of difference. The finger saver shutoff on a modern saw might not seem like much, but those things really make a difference in peoples lives.
Dishwashers use a fraction of the water they used to. It is more water and power efficient to use a dishwasher then to wash dishes by hand. [1]
In all these responses what I'm noticing is people missing the vast gains in efficiency from our appliances over the last few decades: everything we have gives more, and uses less.
On the other side the water and energy use has been trade off for time use. Living in country with plenty of fresh water I might prefer to waste some for faster cycle time. So in sense things have actually gotten worse.
Fair enough, though convection microwaves are a real improvement. Traditional microwaves meanwhile cost about 1/10th as much as an 80’s microwave which is noticeable in it’s own way.
Flooring has changed too. Carpets are better looking and more resilient. Click vinyl is stronger, has good texture, easier to install, and is super durable.
Main problem with them was NiMh battery had a shorter battery life, and was easy to ruin. First lithium battery was made in 70s as well. First lithium ion was in mid 80s However till the 90s they were not really a commercially viable item to use in products. So its still 80s tech in some regards.
Well yes, because we have solar panels and heat pumps and battery powered power tools and vacuum cleaners and dishwashers and microwave ovens and smart lights and ...
You wouldn't expect walls and carpets to change.