By definition the kitchen is a room used for food preparation that is typically equipped with a stove, a sink for cleaning food and dish-washing, and cabinets and refrigerators for storing food and equipment.

Kitchens have been around for centuries, however, it was not until post-civil war period that the majority of kitchen appliances were invented. The reason was that most people no longer had servants and housewives working alone in the kitchen needed culinary help. Also the advent of electricity greatly advanced the technology of labor saving kitchen appliances.

History of Kitchen Appliances

Large Kitchen Appliances

• Dishwasher

In 1850, Joel Houghton patented a wooden machine with a hand-turned wheel that splashed water on dishes, it was hardly a workable machine, but it was the first patent.

• Garbage Disposer

Architect, inventor John W. Hammes built his wife the world's first kitchen garbage disposer in 1927. After ten years of design improvement, Hammes went into business selling his appliance to the public. His company was called the In-Sink-Erator Manufacturing Company.

• Ovens or Stoves

The first historical record of a stove being built refers to a stove built in 1490 in Alsace, France.

• Microwave Ovens

The microwave oven was invented by Percy L. Spencer.

• Refrigerator

Before mechanical refrigeration systems were introduced, people cooled their food with ice and snow, either found locally or brought down from the mountains.

Small Kitchen Appliances

• Apple Parer

On February 14, 1803, the apple parer was patented by Moses Coates.

• Blender

In 1922, Stephen Poplawski invented the blender.

• Cheese-Slicer

The cheese-slicer is a Norwegian invention.

• Corkscrews

Corkscrew inventors were inspired by a tool called the bulletscrew or gun worm, a device that extracted stuck bullets from rifles.

• Cuisinart

Carl Sontheimer invented the Cuisinart food processor.

• Eating Utensils

The history of forks, sporks, knifes, and spoons.

• Green Garbage Bags

The familiar green plastic garbage bag (made from polyethylene) was invented by Harry Wasylyk in 1950.

• Electric Kettle

Arthur Leslie Large invented the electric kettle in 1922. General Electric introduced the electric kettle with an automatic cut-out in 1930.

• Weber Kettle Grill

George Stephen invented the original Weber Kettle Grill in 1951.

• Mason Jar

John Mason patented the screw neck bottle or the "Mason Jar" on November 30, 1858.

• Electric Mixers

The first patent that can claim to be for an electric mixer was issued on November 17, 1885 to Rufus M. Eastman. Lillian Moller Gilbreth (1878-1972), the mother of 12 children, also patented an electric food mixer (at a later date).

• Mixmaster

Ivar Jepson invented Sunbeam Mixmaster, which he patented in 1928, and first mass marketed in 1930.

• Paper Towels

The Scott Paper Company was founded in Philadelphia by Irvin and Clarence Scott in 1879. Brothers Seymour and Irvin Scott ran a paper commission business for twelve years, but the poor economy in the 1870s forced them out of business. Irvin and his younger brother, Clarence, then decided to form their own company out of the remains of the first. Irvin reportedly borrowed $2,000 from his father-in-law and added it to the $300 the two brothers had to form the capital of Scott Paper Company. In 1907, Scott Paper introduced the Sani-Towels paper towel, the first paper towels. They were invented for use in Philadelphia classrooms to help prevent the spread of the common cold from child to child.

• Peelers

The nineteenth-century created numerous kitchen use inventions: toasters, potato mashers, apple/potato peelers, food choppers and sausage stuffers were all invented. Over 185 patents for coffee grinders and over 500 patents for apple/potato peelers were patented in the 1800s. Early peelers were made of iron and the patent number and other information was included in the casting. Peelers ranged from the familiar and simple round swiveling rod with a knife blade that peeled skin, to contraptions full of gears and wheels that could peel, core, slice and section. There were separate peelers designed for different fruits and vegetables; there were even peelers that removed the kernels from ears of corn.

• Pressure Cooker

In 1679, French physicist Denis Papin invented the pressure cooker, called Papin's Digester, this airtight cooker produced a hot steam that cooked food more quickly while preserving nutrients.

• Saran Wrap

Saran polyvinylidene chloride or Saran resins and films (called PVDC) have been wrapping products for more than 50 years.

• Soap and Detergents

The history of soaps and detergents

• Squeegee

The single blade window cleaning squeegee was invented by Ettore Sceccone in 1936.

• Toaster Toasting bread began as a method of prolonging the life of bread. It was very common activity in Roman times, 'tostum' is the latin word for scorching or burning.

• Tupperware

Tupperware, plastic containers with airtight lids, was invented by Earl Silas Tupper.

• Waffle Iron

The waffle iron was patented on August 24, 1869, invented by Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York. The patent (United States #94,xxx) described the invention as a "device to bake waffles.