Early Microwave Oven

Everyday we become more and more busy people. It seems like if since we start our

journey in the morning a race starts. So, the world has to be adapted to our every day race,

and the technology we use every day is a proof of that. The microwave oven seems to be

our salvation when is time to cook. It is interesting to know that this great machine was

discovered by chance.

During World War II, the magnetron, a tube that produces microwaves was invented.

Installing magnetrons in Britain’s radar system, the microwaves were able to spot Nazi

warplanes on their way to bomb the British Isles.1

Several years later, around 1946 during a research project Dr. Percy Spencer noticed that

the radar waves had melted a candy bar that he had in his pocket while he was testing a new

vacuum tube called a magnetron.

So, Dr. Spencer tried another experiment, he placed some popcorn kernels near the tube

and he saw how the popcorn sputtered and popped. The Experiments he did show that

microwave heating could raise the internal temperature of many foods far more rapidly than

a conventional oven. Dr. Spencer created a metal box which was fed with microwave

power. The energy entering the box was unable to escape, creating a higher density

electromagnetic field. 2
1
http://pency-spencer.wikiverse.org
2
http://members.aol.com/spencerlab/history/reading.htm
As a result, all the food that was placed inside the box was affected by the microwave

energy. When the temperature of it increased, it was cooked. In that moment a new and

quickly way to cook emerged.

The first commercial microwave oven was the “1161 Radarange”. It was marketed in 1954.

Only restaurants could use it because it was too large and expensive. In 1967, a new

microwave oven was produced. This was smaller and practical that could be used in a

common kitchen, however, it was still expensive. By the end of 1971, the price of the

microwave stated to low and people could take advantage of a new tool to cook quickly.3

Still nowadays the microwave is a very popular appliance, to illustrate, the Chinese firm

Galanz is the largest company that manufactures microwave ovens in the world; this

company produces over 15 millions of microwave ovens per year.

Ref.

http://pency-spencer.wikiverse.org
http://members.aol.com/spencerlab/history/reading.htm

3
http://pency-spencer.wikiverse.org