The Sweet Discovery

Percy Spencer, an American self-taught engineer working at Raytheon during World War II, was developing microwave radar transmitters. In 1945, while testing an active radar set, he noticed a candy bar in his pocket had started to melt. This peculiar incident piqued his curiosity, leading him to wonder if electromagnetic energy could cook food.

From Popcorn to Radarange

Spencer's experiments confirmed his hypothesis; he successfully popped corn kernels and even caused an egg to explode near the magnetron. Raytheon quickly filed a patent in 1945 and, by 1947, introduced the first commercial microwave oven, dubbed the "Radarange". This initial model was a massive, water-cooled machine, nearly six feet tall and weighing about 750 pounds, costing around $5,000.

A Kitchen Staple

Due to its immense size and cost, the Radarange was initially marketed to commercial establishments like restaurants and ship galleys. It wasn't until the late 1960s, with technological advancements reducing its size and cost, that companies like Amana (a Raytheon subsidiary) introduced the first compact countertop microwave ovens for home use in 1967. By the mid-1970s, microwave oven sales began to outpace traditional gas ovens, solidifying its place as an everyday kitchen essential.