Just wanted to post my vintage experience BUT it covers so many topics I think it belongs here. Today, while digging through 80 years of storage at my recently deceased mothers house, I came across my old conair hot lather machine. It had been in storage in the attic there since I left for college in the early 80s. I had completely forgotten about it AND the attached can of Noxema red can shaving foam. Anyway, I brought it home, shook up the can, plugged it in and turned it on. HOW could I have forgotten about this thing!! More than 30 years later and it heated up 35 year old shaving foam like it was just yesterday. The scent brought back so many memories, and using my original TracII that was in the same box with a vintage blade, it was a step back in time. But I digress.....my point is, if you have a hot lather machine that is not being used, try it again. If you DONT have a hot lather machine, and you use canned goo, well....get a machine. It makes your canned foam sooo much better!
Conair hot lather machine.
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I had a hot lather machine back in the mid to late '70s. Can't remember the brand but the hot lather was awesome. Seems like it lasted a couple of years and quit working. Could you post a picture to jog my memory?
We had one too, but with four boys in the house it didn't last long.
Definately have one sitting in the back of the cupboard, unfortunately mine leaks foam out of the nozzle/connector spout slowly, I guess the seal isn't very good/pressure from the can. Otherwise it would be nice for sure. Or... do you have to use a certain kind of shave goo? Like gel and no foams or vice versa? Man if I could get it going and not leaking overnight it would be good to get going as a nice warm preshave etc.
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You have to use foam only. Gel makes a terrible mess. I remember trying it and it came out like hot grease and wouldnt stop oozing.
Now I'm excited, I have a can of barbasol (I beleive it's foam) and I'll go dig out the ole conair
It’s perfect for the man who doesn’t have enough unnecessary gadgets.
Not sure I’ve ever met someone who would fit that description, though.
Not sure I’ve ever met someone who would fit that description, though.
Fabulous!! The olfactory memories are priceless!! 
I had forgotten all about those. Conair still makes them, as do others, $249 on Amazon. 
My first shave as a boy involved a plug in adapter that extruded hot foam (molten lava). It went sideways, there were tears…I survived.
Since I am new to the DE shaving hobby, I have never heard of a hot lather machine. Could you go into detail on how something like this works, and why its better then standard shave soaps? I'd appreciate it, its all about an education to me.
I will say, that after 35 years that thing has been sitting, and it still works, amazes me. If a car or mower were sitting unused for 35 years, it be dead as a door nail requiring service.
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I cant say that it is really BETTER than standard soaps. It does seem to ramp up the performance of canned shaving foam. It also tends to soften your beard better than foam straight out of the can. Its hard to explain, but the best way to describe it is it makes the canned foam feel wetter (if that makes sense) and so your beard is softer when you shave. It also seems to "slick it up" better than if it is cold straight out of the can. Here is how the one I have works, you pop the stock nozzle off the can. You then click the unit on top of the can. Then you plug it in and press the top until a bit of foam appears. Turn it on and wait for the green light. You then have a supply of hot shaving cream. It will heat it as long as you use it. You can apply with fingers or use a brush. When done, just turn off the unit, unplug, and put it away OR just turn it off and leave it until you need it again. It takes about 90 seconds to heat up.
I had one back in the day and liked it. Today I have a scuttle - same warmth with any soap/cream you like. I don't think you'll find any warmed canned goo "better" than that.
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Here are some photos. Granted of my machine. They are not great, but they show what I am talking about. I just checked a certain site that is some sort of mart that is built on a wall. They actually have it for over 200 dollars!!! I can promise you it was less than 20 when I got it. There is no way a highschooler in the mid 80s would have paid anything NEAR that price. My mom bought it for me for christmas when I was a senior in HS after I saw she used one of the industrial hot lather machines in her beauty shop. Fun fact, she kept her cosmetology license current until the day she died at 80yo. I know because I just got the renewal forwarded to me from the post office! LOL
It has some novelty value then!
Surprised Gillette has not jumped in here. A portable Lithium Ion rechargeable version may be possible.
Surprised Gillette has not jumped in here. A portable Lithium Ion rechargeable version may be possible.
Finally!
Now I know the thing doesn't look like a coffee maker, and is much smaller then one. But see, I like to drink coffee, and if it can't brew me a cup of coffee, at the same time, producing me some hot lather for hot studs, then I am not gonna like it.
Lol, I'll be getting my 44th or 45th Cosmetology license renewal notice pretty soon! I started in High Skool.
I'm not using it, but I can afford it, just like my RN license. Lol, I suppose I should just stop doing it since I'm retired, but there is some talk of having a "Nurses Corp" kind of like the National Guard, in times of national need. One good thing that came out of COVID was the lack of preparedness in healthcare in times of crisis.
Can't werk like the fool I was, but I could always supervise. That and my Ham Radio license might come in handy if stuff gets REALLY ugly.
Pray for nurses. Just read a depressing article about just how bad the burn out has gotten, and how many are just going to leave the profession. The shortage is now in the multiple millions, 20 to 30 million is the prediction is 25 years.
And then a nurse was found guilty of homicide for a med error..... If I could still werk everyday I would be, but I honestly would not recommend it as a career choice to young folks today. You can werk fast food jobs for about half the pay of nurses now. Sad.
Oh my sorry for all that drives!
I MEANT to say my Dad had one of those things about the time I started shaving. They were the cats pajamas back in the day! My Dad's was tan colored, as I recall. Possibly Conair?
I MEANT to say my Dad had one of those things about the time I started shaving. They were the cats pajamas back in the day! My Dad's was tan colored, as I recall. Possibly Conair?
