Retro household gadgets like the Teasmade make a comeback Sodastreams also help save money by allowing families to make their own fizzy drinks. Teasmades, combining an alarm clock, kettle and teapot for the perfect cup if tea, were found in many British homes in the Sixties and Seventies when 300,000-a-year were sold, but went out of fashion in the 1980s. The best-known Teasmade brand, Goblin was taken over by Swan, which has given the gadget a modern make-over. John Lewis says the £54.95 Swan STM100, said to be quieter than the old-fashioned Teasmade, is selling well. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Will Jones, electricals buyer at John Lewis, said: "The classic Teasmade has done well because it is quite a quaint, almost comical, product. The resurgence in popularity is a combination of the appreciation of the invention but also building a nostalgic concept. Suzanne Hothersall, commercial director of Hostess trolley makers Crosslee, believes TV shows like Come Dine With Me might be behind a 30 to 40 per cent sales boost this Christmas. She said: "Television programmes like Come Dine With Me mean that people are noticing how important the way they serve food is. In the last few years we have seen more of a focus on entertaining at home. Fiona Hope, managing director at SodaStream UK, said: "People tend to look to brands which remind them of happy childhood experiences, but that also meet the demands of modern-day living practically and efficiently. Many may have had a SodaStream in the family when they were a child and are looking to replicate the experience with their own children.