This Old-School Hot Dog Appliance Has Vanished From Most Homes

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A typical home kitchen has changed a lot since the mid-20th century. Some appliances, like dishwashers and microwaves, are far more common, while newer ones like air fryers have also emerged. Others have become rarer or disappeared entirely, including many specialty appliances that have been replaced by superior versions or phased out entirely. Among this group is the Presto Hot Dogger, a single-use device designed to do one thing: cook hot dogs.

The device was one of many created by Presto in the 1960s and 70s that aimed to take advantage of changing food trends. The compact countertop device could cook up to six hot dogs or similarly sized sausages at a time via electric heating elements that poked into the dogs from the ends. Users could dial in various levels of doneness, and the device also functioned as a bun warmer, allowing busy home cooks to whip up an all-American meal in a quick, hands-off way.

Although it might sound simple, the results might be characterized as mixed at best. Reddit users reminiscing about the vintage device noted the dogs often split, breaking the electric circuit needed to cook them and leaving them underdone and messy. Some criticized the taste, while others fondly remember it as an improvement over other cooking methods, such as boiling.

Naturally, the Hot Dogger isn't the only kitchen appliance kids today have never seen. This somewhat unusual and tragic list also includes dedicated air popper popcorn machines, the "all-purpose cooker" (an ancestor to today's modern Crock-Pots and similar devices), and electric carving knives. While those items may have become obsolete, old-school cooks might be baffled by some present-day kitchen appliances many think they need such as smart refrigerators, home soda machines, or electric pasta makers.  

If all of this has you craving an electrically heated hot dog of your own, you're not out of luck just because the Hot Dogger hasn't been made in decades. Used Hot Doggers are often available on sites like eBay for under $50, allowing curious modern-day cooks to give them a try.

To be sure, it would be hard to argue that the Hot Dogger belongs among the best ways to cook a hot dog when there are so many other fast, tasty ways to prepare them, from grilling to pan frying. Still, it's a notable part of American food culture that can help transform casual hot dog lovers into true sausage connoisseurs.