The History of Microwave Ovens -- an insight into the development of consumer technologies

American lives have been transformed in the past half century by an abundance of consumer goods. One of the most useful and ubiquitous is the microwave oven. Invention and Technology magazine has a fascinating account of its invention and development.

An interesting little piece of information:

The first production microwave oven weighed in at 670 pounds, stood 62 inches tall, and measured nearly 2 feet deep and wide. To install it, an electrician had to put in a 220-volt line and a plumber had to install a water pipe to cool the oven’s radar tube. This first oven sold shortly after the war ended for more than $2,000, the equivalent of about $20,000 today. Obviously, this was not an appliance for home use.

The article is filled with such things, but it also makes some important, and generally unappreciated, points about how transformational technologies are developed.

The idea of microwave heating was not founded on any single random discovery, and after the initial idea, it took years, even decades, of engineering and marketing to make it work.

And there's more:

The development of the microwave oven encapsulates much of the story of technology in the second half of the twentieth century. It reveals the great influence of World War II technology in our lives; it charts the rise of electronics as the greatest force in technological change; it reflects the growing sophistication of advertising and marketing; and lastly, it exemplifies the great change in women’s roles due to the industrialization of the household.

This is popular history at its best. It tells a compelling story, filled with fascinating personalities, and at the same time incorporates within it important and even profound themes and information. Good stuff. Check it out here.