Hammacher Schlemmer has always been famous for its novelty products and gift ideas....They are NOT items you will find in upscale stores and boutiques...Hammacher Schlemmer is often somewhat ahead of its time in its products.
For instance, Wikipedia lists these as H.S. retail "Firsts"
Firsts
| Year | First |
| 1862-1863 | Was one of the first companies to issue “Rebellion Tokens” during the Civil War |
| 1878 | Among first 271 subscribers listed in New York City Bell Telephone directory |
| 1896 | One of the first in the country to have electric lighting in showroom |
| 1899 | First home delivery service driven by automobile |
| 1930 | Pop-Up Toaster |
| 1930 | Portable Radio |
| 1931 | First houseware catalog (first for Hammacher, and first of its kind in the country) |
| 1934 | Electric Dry Shaver |
| 1934 | Waring Blender (in the 30s Fred Waring created this unusual device because his wife’s illness meant that she could only eat mashed foods)/Electric Food Processor |
| 1935 | Miss Palmer is the first female salesperson at the store on 57th Street |
| 1948 | Automatic Steam Iron |
| 1948 | Electric Broom |
| 1955 | First Electric Toothbrush |
| 1961 | Home Bowling Alley |
| 1961 | “Nothing Box” |
| 1968 | “Telephone Valet”- Answering Machine |
| 1968 | Radarange Microwave Oven |
| 1971 | Cordless Telephone |
| 1973 | Mr. Coffee |
| 1976 | Cuisinart Food Processor |
| 1977 | First full color catalog for Hammacher Schlemmer |
| 1994 | Integrated Caller ID & Digital Answering Machine |
| 1998 | Recordable Compact Disc Player |
| 2002 | 'Roomba' robotic vacuum cleaner |
| Hand-Held Paperless Fax Viewer | |
| Electric Can Opener | |
| Stainless Steel Kitchenware | |
| Schick Razor | |
| Salton Hotray | |
| Home Freezer | |
| Mechanical Ice Crusher | |
| Plug-In Intercom | |
| Card Shuffler | |
| Martini Mixer | |
| Battery-Operated Radio | |
| Battery-Operated Toothbrush |
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