The History of the Microwave Oven

The microwave oven is one of the most brilliant inventions of human race. Not only is it used to heat food, it can also be used for cooking, baking, thawing and even boiling water. No household appliance is more versatile than this dinky dynamo.

But who invented this great product?

Microwave Oven

Like many great products in history, the microwave oven is also a goods of past technologies. In 1946, Dr. Percy Spencer, an engineer at the Raytheon Corporation, led a radar-related investigate project. Dr. Spencer noticed something unusual when he was supervising the project. While testing a new vacuum tube called a magnetron, he realized that the candy bar in his pocket melted.

Stunned by the prospect, he began to study the phenomena and conducted other experiments. One experiment complicated putting popcorn kernels near the tube. Standing far away, he saw the popcorn sputtered, cracked and popped all over his laboratory.

Another experiment that he conducted complicated an egg, which he placed near the magnetron tube. That time, he asked his colleague to accompany him so that they can both see the phenomena.

Because of the substantial pressure, the egg began to tremor. The temperature inside the egg got so high that the egg exploded. Hot yolk splattered all over his colleagues face. Because of these results, they realized that they can cook other foods using the low-density microwave energy.

Dr. Spencer then fashioned a metal box. The chance of this box is directly linked to the microwave power. Since the power cannot flee the box, the corollary is an vigor that is closeted in a space. When Dr. Spencer put food inside the box, the temperature rose quickly, cooking the food in an instant. That was the first time that food was cooked using the microwave technology.

Food engineers went to work on the microwave idea and refined it further. In 1946, the Raytheon enterprise filed a patent proposing the use of microwaves to cook food. An over, similar to what Dr. Spencer created, only refined was placed in a Boston restaurant for testing. It turned out to be a success.

So in 1947, the first microwave oven was introduced commercially. The first units were all big, about six feet tall and weighing 750 pounds. They were ultra expensive, costing 5000 dollars each but well, with such great technology, what is a few thousands.

Back then, the ovens had to be watercooled, so the enterprise also had to setup some kind of plumbing materials.

The History of the Microwave Oven