The microwave oven has become as common as the kitchen sink in every household. This technology gained popularity in the1980s in the US. They are a way of life. The microwave is now a necessary for both residential and commercial use. Percy Spencer, has been credited for this accidental discovery. This discovery has transformed the way homes prepare meals.
The microwave was introduced in 1967 in Chicago by Amana. According to Dixie Trout, the vice president of consumer communications, “many appliance manufacturers, such as Amana, aimed to take the drudgery out of the typical homemaker’s life and replace it with the modern conveniences of the ‘home of the future.’( SMECC, 2007). This was during the dawn of the “Supermom” which was spurred by the large number of mothers who entered the workforce.” (SMECC, 2007). This was important because women desired to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with their families after a full day.
The microwave rekindled family bonding. As both men and women strive to find balance between work and home, the microwave helped to increase family time.
Amana. (2010). Retrieved July 8, 2010 from http://www.amana.com/
The Great Idea Finder. (2007). Percy Spencer. Retrieved July 8, 2010 from http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/spencer.htm
Sharpe, T. (2007). Microwave Oven. Retrieved July 8, 2010 from http://www.smecc.org/microwave_oven.htm
Yahoo. (2009). Yahoo Dictionary. Retrieved from http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/supermom
Very interesting post about the microwave oven. I remember my family being one of the first families of my friends that had one. Our friends thought we were rich. Buy one now, thirty years later, is so commonplace.
ReplyDeleteHi Cassandra,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I did not realize the invention of the microwave oven dated back to 1945. Interesting that Amana did not start producing them until 20 years later. I remember our first microwave oven growing up that took a large part of one counter-top in the kitchen, and having to use a probe to heat any liquids, like my Mom's coffee!
The microwave oven is a technology necessity for everyone today. My favorite button is "Popcorn." No more burnt popcorn!
LeAnn
AHHH the microwave! I don't know what I would do without mine... it has become common place in kitchens today and a kitchen without one is out of the stone age. I find it interesting that they didn't start producing them until 20 years after the fact! Just think how much further they may have been today if they had produced them earlier?!
ReplyDeleteSherry
Cassandra,
ReplyDeleteMy parents bought our first microwave around 1982 and it was huge, it still works today!
Shauna