The surprising history of the microwave oven

A curious accident led to the invention of a device that would become one of the most common appliances in our homes. 

The story begins in 1947, when a melted chocolate bar turned a radar into the first microwave oven. The engineer Percy Spencer discovered the microwave oven when he was working on a frequency generator, he had a bar of chocolate in his pocket, and when he ate it he realized that it had melted.

That's how Spencer decided to repeat the experience, if you could cook a chocolate bar so quickly, why not try other foods? This time he tried it with an egg and some popcorn, he placed it near the frequency generator and what he got was a fried egg and some popcorn.

In this year the first ovens were marketed, but they were very large: they were approximately 1.60 meters high and weighed 80 kilograms. In addition, its price was very high, an average of 5,000 dollars each, so only a few restaurants bought it.

1970s: the microwave oven becomes popular

Smaller and cheaper models appeared, which became popular throughout the world. In 1975 it outsold the gas stove, and ten years later, it was in 60% of American homes, already making a part of appliance history.

The story goes that Spencer designed a metal box with an opening into which he introduced energy in the form of microwaves, creating an electromagnetic field, in which the temperature of the food increased rapidly. This was the beginning of a revolution in the way of cooking: the use of the microwave oven.

Today more than 200 million microwaves are used worldwide

Kitchen habits have changed drastically due to saving time and energy with the use of this appliance. Currently the microwave not only fulfills the function of heating food, but also has special functions, such as those included in the Haceb Microwave Oven: baking, defrosting, and adaptable options depending on the food such as: pizza, popcorn, drinks, potatoes and vegetables. 

Now that you know the microwave oven history, take a look at the ones that Haceb offers you in our catalog.