The
microwave oven
is now a standard appliance in most American households, but it has
only been around since the late 1940s. In 1945, Percy Spencer was
experimenting with a new vacuum tube called a magnetron while doing
research for the Raytheon Corporation. He was intrigued when the candy
bar in his pocket began to melt, so he tried another experiment with
popcorn.
When it began to pop, Spencer immediately saw the potential in this
revolutionary process. In 1947, Raytheon built the first microwave oven,
the Radarange, which weighed 750 pounds, was 51/2 feet tall, and cost
about $5,000. When the Radarange first became available for home use in
the early 1950s, its bulky size and expensive price tag made it
unpopular with consumers. But in 1967, a much more popular 100-volt,
countertop version was introduced at a price of $495.
