Have you ever thought where the microwave came from? The invention of a microwave all started from the melt of a chocolate bar and it’s completely an accident. The purpose of its invention was not to find a better way to cook food but to spot Nazi planes. In fact during World War II, two scientists created a tube that produced microwaves known as magnetrons. These microwaves when installed in the radar system helped the British army to destroy Nazi’s planes. Several years later it was discovered that microwaves can cook food in a very short time. Here we will tell you the facts of microwave oven invention.

Who invented the microwave oven?

Percy LeBaron Spencer was an electronic engineer in Raytheon Company. Spencer was designing radar equipment. One component of the machinery he was working on was a “magnetron”. When he paused next to Magnetron he discovered that the chocolate bar in his pocketed had melted. From there he got the idea that microwaves can cook food. The reason is that microwaves increase the internal temperature of the food which results in cooking the food much faster. While conventional ovens don’t do this.

First Microwave Oven

The first commercial microwave oven was created in 1947. Its name was Radar Range. This microwave was as heavy as the refrigerator. This oven was 1.8 meters tall. The cost of Radar Range was $3, 300 for one piece. Its weight was 340 kg. Those Radar Range ovens were water-cooled. They also consumed 1600 watts. Due to the large and heavy body of these expensive microwave ovens they were only confined to hotels and restaurants.

Spencer, knowing the potential of his discovery, filed a patent in 1945. Until 1946 his device was already tested in Boston. That’s how the commercial microwave ovens came up.

Domestic Microwave Ovens    

A subdivision of Raytheon, Amana, introduced domestic ovens. These domestic microwave ovens introduced in 1967 were mainly for home kitchens. But they were not sold as crazy because they were quite expensive. Also the size of Amana microwave was large – requiring special plumbing service to fix them.

Countertop Microwave Ovens

After several years companies like Litton along with other companies brought countertop microwave ovens. In the beginning the price of a microwave oven was high. But by the end of 1971, the price started to decrease. By 1975, microwave ovens sold in millions. People preferred purchasing microwave ovens instead of gas cookers.

Used mostly to reheat food

These days’ microwaves are mostly used to reheat food rather than cooking it. They have also impacted the way food is prepared. Electric or gas ovens took a lot of time to cook the food. Microwave oven can do it in minutes.

However, microwaves do have some shortcomings. They sometimes overcook the food. Especially when cooking meat – it doesn’t get the brown crust. Food is cooked unevenly. Some food items can even explode – eggs. Despite there are some flaws in microwave ovens, people still prefer having one in their kitchens. Some have even said them indispensable. 

Above all, we want people to invent such things accidently these days too.