Appliances such as washing machines and vacuum cleaners have made our lives tremendously easy. We no longer have to spend hours a day doing household chores. How did these appliances come into existence?
The iron came along in 1882
Irons are quite simple, and the first model powered by electricity was around as early as 1882. It was patented by American inventor Henry W. Seeley. But this behemoth weighed about seven pounds and took time to get hot.
The vacuum cleaner came in 1902
In 1902, the world was amazed by the first vacuum cleaner. That day, inventor Hubert Booth vacuumed the carpets at the coronation of Edward VII in London. There the general public saw this device for the first time and was immediately sold.
The sandwich press came in the 1920s
The hit in every student's kitchen. Although the first variants came on the market as early as the 1920s, it wasn't until 1978 that we had a sandwich press that puts the well-known triangles in your bread. The sandwich press, of course, builds on the toaster, which is a bit older. The first electric toaster, called "El Tosto," was a makeshift framework of wires. Undoubtedly not very safe, but on sale as early as 1905.
The dishwasher came in 1924
The development of the electric dishwasher had a long run: the first patent dates back to 1850. But that dishwasher, and subsequent versions, were all hand-powered. The first decent electric model arrived in 1924.
The dryer came in 1938
Where there is washing, there is drying. It did take until 1938 for Hamilton Manufacturing Company to market the first model, named "June Day.
The coffee maker came in 1954
In 1954, the Wigomat saw the light of day, the first electric filter coffee maker that dripped water of the right temperature over the coffee. The German invention remained the best on the market for several decades.
The microwave oven came in 1955
In 1955, the first consumer microwave oven was on sale. But this handy model was preceded by giant, water-cooled microwaves for restaurants. These weighed several hundred pounds and were the size of a refrigerator.