History of Refrigerator
The history of refrigerator systems as we know them is somewhat muddled. While most people credit one inventor with the contraption, the truth is that many different people contributed to this machine.
The very first type of refrigeration system was invented by William Cullen of the University of Glasgow in 1748. However, numerous inventors worked on the system from 1805 to 1902. From that point on, many people tried to perfect the machine, though it was never really accessible to the average family. Even though Electrolux came out with a refrigerator that was effective, it cost around $1000 to purchase. This amount of money was a lot at the time, considering the average Ford automobile only cost around $400. From this point on, the history of refrigerator systems gets a bit more complex.
By the start of the 20th Century, most American households still used the old melting ice system to keep their foods cold. Those that didn’t have some type of icehouse did not use any refrigeration system during the summer months at all. Those that could afford the machine that Electrolux put out were extremely wealthy, and most belonged to oil tycoons. Eventually, General Electric came up with their own version of the fridge that could be sold for household use. However, these machines were quite difficult to set up and maintain.
The first GE fridge required various parts, a motor and compressor, and a room that was near the kitchen (in order to keep the parts needed to run the machine). Around 1922, GE was selling these units for around $714. The very first refrigerator that was sold widely was called the Monitor-Top, and it was produced in 1927. More than 1,000,000 of these machines were sold across the nation. From that point on, the fridge became a household item. Until the 1950s rolled around, most refrigerators did not have any type of freezing unit, though this function was eventually invented. At this point, the history of refrigerator systems enters the modern world.
Today, nearly everyone within the United States has a fridge. In fact, most people could not live without them. Still, it’s good to know that those old snow banks will do the trick in a pinch… should you ever lose refrigeration.
The history of refrigerator systems is quite interesting given the fact that many people worked on this machine. Many decades ago, it was clear that something had to be to preserve food, which is why so many people across the world worked fervently in order to create the fridge that we know and love today.