This ’90s Kitchen Tech Trend Is Making a Comeback (I Missed This!)

Nostalgia has never been more popular, from the return of Y2K-inspired aesthetics to vintage-inspired home decor that evoke feelings of comfort and familiarity. After all, is there anything better than mornings when the internet didn’t exist, and all you had to worry about was finishing your Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal while watching cartoons before school?

While there’s no Back to the Future-style time machine, TikTok and Instagram creators are doing the next best thing and re-creating the ultimate ’90s kitchen with one product that’ll make you feel like you’re a kid all over again. 

In a recent Instagram Reel, lifestyle creator @thrift.chiicc told viewers it’s “your sign to put a small TV in the kitchen” while sharing a clip of her very ’90s-coded setup. The video shows a tiny TV displayed in the L-shaped corner of her granite counter, which feels like a real throwback to the kitchen I grew up with in the ’90s — a television taking up space on the counter for my parent’s morning news or for cartoons. It’s such a smart idea — after all, is there anything better than watching your favorite shows while you’re cooking meals or sitting down to enjoy your culinary creations?

The Instagrammer revealed that they got the mini TV for $13 at a thrift store, sharing, “I can watch TV while I cook, follow recipes, listen to music, or even just to have a nice ambience” (a must for anyone who constantly needs some background noise). The only con is that the TV is a bit too big to store on the counter all the time.

Lifestyle Editor Lizzy Francis always has her laptop in the kitchen while cooking for background noise and loves the idea of having a little TV instead. The laptop is bulky — it can take up more counter space when you account for the keyboard — but also risky, as it runs the risk of potentially catastrophic spill.

Instead, you can buy your own 24-inch smart TV on Amazon for under $65 to virtually transport your kitchen back to the ’90s (while still benefiting from modern-day appliances and the ability to get Netflix on said television). 

Currently on sale for $64.99, the INSIGNIA 24″ Class F20 Series Smart HD Fire TV comes with multiple HDMI ports (a rarity in such a small model), as well as Alexa Voice Remote capabilities. You’ll feel like you’re back in your childhood, whether you’re watching old cartoons or tapping into your Hamptons-inspired coastal summer with Ina Garten and Martha Stewart reruns. 

While you can place your new mini TV on the counter, there are a few modern-day upgrades you can take advantage of to make it take up less space. A Redditor recommended using a 360-degree wall mount to ensure easy viewing from every angle. You can also look into using HDMI cords to view the same content from your living room or bedroom TV.

This might be my next home improvement project — after I set up a ’90s computer room!