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Did You Know?
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- The earliest known patent for a washing machine was issued in 1691 to British inventor John Tyzacke. However, the first machine that resembles a washing machine today was invented by German scientist Jacob Christian Schäffer in 1767.
Schäffer's design included a drum that rotated to agitate the clothes, which was a significant improvement over earlier methods. James King patented a machine with a drum in 1851, and Hamilton Smith followed with a similar design in
1858; the technology continued to evolve with the introduction of rotating drum washers. These early machines were still manually operated, but they laid the groundwork for the electric washing machines that would come later.
In 1908 Alva J. Fisher invented the first electric washing machine, Thor, which used a rotating drum and an electric motor, marking a major leap forward. During the period of 1940 to 1960 with the introduction of spin dryers,
fully automatic washing machines with various wash cycles and settings were developed. Today, smart washing machines with advanced features (e.g., Wi-Fi, remote control) and energy-efficient technologies are becoming increasingly popular.
- The first practical dishwasher was invented by Josephine Cochrane in 1886. She was a wealthy socialite who wanted to create a machine that could wash dishes
faster and more efficiently than her servants, and without breaking them. Cochrane created this invention out of necessity. she used water pressure to clean the dishes, especially to wash her fine China without damaging it,
instead of scrubbers to clean the dishes. She unveiled her creation at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. Her invention was a success, and was the first to receive a patent. She later founded a company to manufacture and
sell dishwashers. Cochrane's company eventually became part of KitchenAid, which is a well-known brand today!
- The home appliance industry is a multi-billion-dollar market, with global retail sales expected to generate around $670 billion in 2024. The overall appliance market is forecast to grow further in the near future
to more than 800 billion US dollars in value by 2028. Leading companies include Haier, Samsung, Whirlpool, and LG Electronics; Samsung is well known for a host of innovative smart features, Whirlpool offers durability and value,
and LG, combines reliability with impressive capabilities.
- The first electric washing machine was introduced in 1908 by the Hurley Machine Company of Chicago. It was called the “Thor” and featured a galvanized tub and an electric motor.
- The first portable vacuum cleaner was invented in 1907 by James Murray Spangler, a janitor who suffered from asthma. His invention was later bought by William Hoover, leading to the creation of the Hoover Company.
- The first electric iron was patented by Henry W. Seeley in 1882; it was called the “electric flatiron” and took a long time to heat up.
- The first blender was invented by Stephen Poplawski in 1922
- Arthur Leslie Large invented the electric kettle in 1922, with General Electric introducing an improved with an automatic cut-out in 1930. A kettle,
sometimes called a tea kettle or teakettle, is a device specialized for boiling water, commonly with a lid, spout, and handle. There are two main types: the stovetop kettle, which uses heat from a hob, and the electric kettle,
which is a small kitchen appliance with an internal heating element.
- The microwave oven was invented accidentally in 1945 by Percy Spencer, an engineer working on radar technology; he noticed that a chocolate bar in his pocket melted while he was working with microwaves.
- The first electric refrigerator was introduced in the early 20th century.
- Before mechanical refrigeration, people used ice and snow to keep food cool. Nathaniel Brackett Wales (11 July 1883, Braintree, Massachusetts – November 15, 1974) was an American inventor credited with early patents on refrigerators,
washers, and vacuum cleaners. Early refrigerators used dangerous chemicals like ammonia and sulfur dioxide, but the introduction of Freon in the 1920s made them safer. DOMELRE (an acronym of Domestic Electric Refrigerator) was one of the first domestic
electrical refrigerators, invented by Frederick William Wolf Jr. (1879–1954) in 1913 and produced starting in 1914 by Wolf's Mechanical Refrigerator Company in Chicago.
- DOMELRE has been described as "revolutionary" in the history of domestic refrigeration, it has been considered as the "first household refrigerator", the "first domestic refrigerator", the "first electrical refrigerator", the
"first plug-in refrigeration unit", the "first mass-produced small refrigeration system", the "first successful, mass marketed package automatic electric refrigeration unit", the "first electric household refrigerator to survive its infancy"
and the "domestic electric refrigerator".
- Carl Sontheimer (1914–1998), an American inventor, introduced the Cuisinart food processor, a kitchen appliance used to facilitate repetitive tasks in the preparation of food, in the 1970s.
- Alessandro Volta invents the electric battery, laying the groundwork for future electrical devices in 1800.
- Michael Faraday invents the electric motor in 1821.
- Hinrich Globel invents the first light bulb in 1854.
- James Nason was granted for patents of the electric coffee percolator in 1865.
- H. Cecil Booth was patented for an engine-powered vacuum cleaner in 1901.
- Earl Richardson introduced the lightweight electric iron in 1903.
- James Spangler invented the first practical domestic vacuum cleaner in 1907.
- Frank Shailor of General Electric was patented for the first commercially successful electric toaster in 1909.
- Canadian inventor Thomas Ahearn is credited with creating the first electric range, he showcased it at the Ottawa Hotel, demonstrating its potential for cooking in 1892.
- William Hadaway received the first patent for an electric stove in 1896, his design laid the groundwork for future developments in electric cooking technology.
It wasn’t until the 1920s that electric stoves became popular, as more homes gained access to electricity.
- The first stove was introduced in 1490 in Alsace, France.
- David Curle Smith, an electrical engineer in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, was patented for the "Kalgoorlie Stove" in 1906, his design featured an oven with a hotplate on top, a configuration that became standard for electric stoves.
- Electric stoves began to gain popularity as more homes were electrified during the period of 1920s to 1930s, they were seen as cleaner and easier to use compared to their gas counterparts.
- The post-war boom saw a significant increase in the adoption of electric stoves, driven by advancements in technology and the widespread availability of electricity in 1950s.
- Joel Houghton was patented for invention of a wooden machine with a hand-turned wheel in 1850, although it wasn't very effective; it was a wooden box that used a hand-turned wheel for splashing water on dirty dishes, and it had scrubbers.
- John W. Hammes (1895-1953), an architect working in Racine, Wisconsin, introduced the first kitchen garbage disposer in 1927; he was patented for this invention in 1935. Hammes started commercial production of the InSinkErator brand in 1938, and his
InSinkErator company put his disposer on the market in 1940. In the late 1970's, InSinkErator produced half of all the garbage
disposals sold in the market, and was one of the world's largest manufacturer of food waste disposers and instant hot water dispensers for home and commercial use; Whirlpool acquired
InSinkErator from Emerson in November 2022.
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