Kitchen Appliances
Can you imagine what life must have been like before modern kitchen appliances were invented? What was it like having to keep your food in a box with a giant piece of ice in it? And, even though you might enjoy having a nice cookout on an open fire, what would it be like if you had to do it every day? Many people alive today don't even remember what it's like having to wash their own dishes, let alone cook on an open fire for every meal or keep their food cold and fresh by using a huge block of ice. Even though ancient peoples would insist that it's quite possible to get by without them, modern kitchen appliances like refrigerators and stoves have become a necessity of daily life. So, what are the histories of these fabulous products that make our lives so much simpler? And what are the different types available on the market today?
Refrigerator
An interesting fact about refrigeration ... it does not add cold; it removes heat. That's right; refrigeration is a process by which the heat in an enclosed space is actually removed, thereby lowering its temperature. Pretty cool, huh?! Prior to the introduction of mechanical refrigeration people kept food fresh with ice or snow. Some of the ways people used ice or snow in this manner was either by purchasing ice in huge blocks or even by carrying it down from mountains. (Can you imagine having to climb a mountain every time you need to refrigerate something?!) University of Glasgow inventor William Cullen demonstrated what is known as the first recorded artificial means of refrigeration in the mid 1700s, which was followed by American inventor Oliver Evans designing the first refrigerating machine in 1805.
Today, there are several different types of refrigerators available, and which one to choose depends on household needs. Some of the most popular types are top-freezer, bottom-freezer, side-by-side, and three-door refrigerators. Top-freezer refrigerators are a traditional style that's been around for a very long time. These are often the least expensive and they provide more space for refrigerated foods and less for frozen. Bottom-freezer refrigerators provide a little more space for frozen foods, with the bottom part of the refrigerator being a large drawer for frozen food storage. These do not come in as many styles and colors as top-freezer models, but they are becoming a favorite. Side-by-side refrigerators provide more equality of space for frozen and refrigerated foods, which is why they became so popular after their introduction decades ago. Three-door refrigerators are also becoming a favorite because, like side-by-side, these have a refrigerator and freezer next to each other, but they also have an extra door in the front of the refrigerated part for items that are used most often.
Stove
Recorded history has no evidence of when humans started cooking their food. Some archeologists suggest that cooking goes as far back as 2 million years ago! In fact, a British primatologist suggests that the evolution of the modern human was dependent on humans cooking their food because this led to less time spent cooking and more time spent developing brain power. The modern kitchen appeared with the invention of the range, a flat-topped source of heat that came equipped with an oven. This invention was the first known gadget that took cooking off an open heat source and put it into a box.
Some of the most popular types of stoves on the market today are gas, electric, cooktop, and freestanding ranges. Gas stoves are popular because they fire up quickly and because they come in many different styles, sizes, colors, and prices, ranging from inexpensive to very costly. Electric stoves, though used by millions, are not quite as popular as gas stoves because there is less control of heat output. These also come in many different styles, sizes, and prices. Cooktop stoves offer greater flexibility in terms of where they can be placed because the cooktop and the wall oven are not connected. They do, however, require more expertise in installation. Freestanding ranges are a range and oven all in one. They are simpler to install than cooktops and typically cost less also.
The next time you may be feeling like life has gotten too difficult, imagine life without the conveniences afforded modern society by the giants of scientific innovations. Think about what life would be like without the conveniences most of us take for granted every single day. What if you couldn't just open the refrigerator and pull out the food you left there yesterday, knowing it would stay fresh at least until today? What if you had to walk up a mountain once a week in order to bring down enough ice to keep your food fresh? Thank goodness life isn't like that now. Today's modern kitchen appliances, indeed, have become a necessity that few can live without.
Refrigerator
An interesting fact about refrigeration ... it does not add cold; it removes heat. That's right; refrigeration is a process by which the heat in an enclosed space is actually removed, thereby lowering its temperature. Pretty cool, huh?! Prior to the introduction of mechanical refrigeration people kept food fresh with ice or snow. Some of the ways people used ice or snow in this manner was either by purchasing ice in huge blocks or even by carrying it down from mountains. (Can you imagine having to climb a mountain every time you need to refrigerate something?!) University of Glasgow inventor William Cullen demonstrated what is known as the first recorded artificial means of refrigeration in the mid 1700s, which was followed by American inventor Oliver Evans designing the first refrigerating machine in 1805.
Today, there are several different types of refrigerators available, and which one to choose depends on household needs. Some of the most popular types are top-freezer, bottom-freezer, side-by-side, and three-door refrigerators. Top-freezer refrigerators are a traditional style that's been around for a very long time. These are often the least expensive and they provide more space for refrigerated foods and less for frozen. Bottom-freezer refrigerators provide a little more space for frozen foods, with the bottom part of the refrigerator being a large drawer for frozen food storage. These do not come in as many styles and colors as top-freezer models, but they are becoming a favorite. Side-by-side refrigerators provide more equality of space for frozen and refrigerated foods, which is why they became so popular after their introduction decades ago. Three-door refrigerators are also becoming a favorite because, like side-by-side, these have a refrigerator and freezer next to each other, but they also have an extra door in the front of the refrigerated part for items that are used most often.
Stove
Recorded history has no evidence of when humans started cooking their food. Some archeologists suggest that cooking goes as far back as 2 million years ago! In fact, a British primatologist suggests that the evolution of the modern human was dependent on humans cooking their food because this led to less time spent cooking and more time spent developing brain power. The modern kitchen appeared with the invention of the range, a flat-topped source of heat that came equipped with an oven. This invention was the first known gadget that took cooking off an open heat source and put it into a box.
Some of the most popular types of stoves on the market today are gas, electric, cooktop, and freestanding ranges. Gas stoves are popular because they fire up quickly and because they come in many different styles, sizes, colors, and prices, ranging from inexpensive to very costly. Electric stoves, though used by millions, are not quite as popular as gas stoves because there is less control of heat output. These also come in many different styles, sizes, and prices. Cooktop stoves offer greater flexibility in terms of where they can be placed because the cooktop and the wall oven are not connected. They do, however, require more expertise in installation. Freestanding ranges are a range and oven all in one. They are simpler to install than cooktops and typically cost less also.
The next time you may be feeling like life has gotten too difficult, imagine life without the conveniences afforded modern society by the giants of scientific innovations. Think about what life would be like without the conveniences most of us take for granted every single day. What if you couldn't just open the refrigerator and pull out the food you left there yesterday, knowing it would stay fresh at least until today? What if you had to walk up a mountain once a week in order to bring down enough ice to keep your food fresh? Thank goodness life isn't like that now. Today's modern kitchen appliances, indeed, have become a necessity that few can live without.