The Evolution of the Microwave.
The microwave oven, like many other inventions, evolved by accident; there was no original intent on the part of Dr. Percy Spencer to create what was to become a phenomena to the world of cooking. In 1946 the Doctor, a self taught student, was working on a radar project using a vacuum, otherwise known as magnation. Whilst working close to his experiment, he noticed that a chocolate bar in his pocket had completely melted. The following day he tried some tests and found popcorn began to pop and eggs cooked when placed near his apparatus-the development of the microwave oven had begun.
Low density microwave energy was trapped in a basic metal cabinet, soon after, and the rapid rise in temperature enabled a number of experiments to take place. The earliest microwave ovens that went into production were not cheap-the first one costing some 5000 dollars. This was not like the electric combination and convection models we can buy today; it measured five and half feet tall and ran on 100 volts. The microwave did not take off too well; in 1947 it was met with scepticism and the general public feared it was dangerous.
The first combi top came out in 1967, by which time this revolutionary item could be bought cheap compared to its earlier forms. It has turned out to be one of the best cooking aids in the kitchen, saving time, and money. The many uses it is put to allow catering businesses and the general public to store fresh food and cook it whenever they choose. When you review the various best buys in microwaves, you can get electric combination models that perform the role of a normal oven and convection ovens that can brown food off, something the earlier models could not do. Many modern models can be integrated into the kitchen but the best cheap buys are still the conventional stand alone ones.
Prior to the introduction of the microwave oven, cooking was a much more time consuming affair. Now all kinds of food can defrosted as well as cooked in a fraction of the time. I guess we all have a lot to thank the good Doctor for. Mind you, he did quite well by taking over 150 patents out on this best buy, cheap kitchen miracle.
