Before the kitchen revolution of the ‘50s, it is estimated that the average 1950s housewife, if there was such a thing, spent approximately 60 hours a week cooking and cleaning. Fast forward to the 21st century and on average it is estimated at being 14 hours per week.

Luckily for us, the world had become a much more convenience-based society and ‘women’s work is so much more than housework. The ‘60s revolution in society was witnessed nowhere more than in the kitchen. The kitchen revolution freed women to establish themselves alongside men as equals in education and in the workplace.

All thanks to the humble twin tub and tumble dryer!

We can all agree that certain appliances have become essential in our homes. But when were they first introduced, and how have they shaped the way we live our lives today? We looked at six staple appliances and explored their history and how they facilitated the kitchen revolution.

1. Dishwasher

The first dishwasher to use water pressure to clean dishes was patented in 1886 by Josephine Cochran. She invented the machine because she was tired of her plates being chipped when they were hand washed, and in so doing, she changed the lives of millions of women.

Cochran opened a business to sell her dishwashers, which first had success in the hospitality industry. However, in the 1950s, dishwashers also became popular with the general public. Initially, it was only the wealthy whose homes boasted dishwashers, but by the 1970s, they became a standard in most households.

The percentage of UK homes that own dishwashers has continued to rise over time, but we are still firmly behind other European nations (according to Statistica, in 2021, 44% of UK homes had a dishwasher compared to Germany’s 72%).

2. Washing machine

Though the inventor of the electric washing machine is unknown, the machines were being discussed and advertised in newspapers from as early as 1904. However, it was not until 1937 that the first automatic domestic washing machine was introduced.

During the second half of the 20th century, washing machine ownership steadily rose, and now they are practically ubiquitous in British homes. According to Statistica, 98% of British homes in 2018 had a washing machine.

Washing machines are considered an important force behind women’s liberation as they greatly reduced the time dedicated to one of the most arduous household chores, thus allowing women time to join the workforce.

The washing machine is an unusual labour-saving machine in that it allows more people to join employment rather than making jobs obsolete.

3. Cooker

The first version of the modern kitchen range as we know it was invented in the 1790s by Sir Benjamin Thompson as an alternative to open-range cooking. Cookers were improved and made more compact so that by the 1850s, most middle-class homes possessed a cast iron stove. In the 1880s, gas stoves had commercial success in the UK and in 1905, the first electric stove was patented by David Curle Smith.

In more recent history, the 1970s saw the invention of induction hobs, but these only gained popularity in the early 2000s. Advertising surrounding kitchen stoves has traditionally focused on speed, ease, and a sleek design. Today, the innovations we see for all types of cookers continue this legacy. Induction hobs are but one example, with the invention and popularity of electric hot plates also proving that speed, ease and compactness are still the most important factors for home cooks today.

4. Fridge

In primitive times, methods for keeping food cool existed, such as using ice houses as storage. However, it was as late as 1802 that anything resembling a modern fridge was invented, and it was an icebox designed by Thomas Moore. Even then, it wasn’t until 1913 that the first electric refrigerator was made available for commercial use and until 1945 that mass production of modern fridges began in the USA.

The UK took a while to catch up, and only in the 60s were fridges in the majority of British homes. The first advertising for fridges centred on the benefits of keeping food fresh for longer, and the reduced risk of meat and other fresh produce rotting. Today, smart fridges are all the rage with touchscreen interfaces and even doors that can turn transparent with a touch, and advertisements seem to have all but forgotten the primary function of fridges.

5. Oven

Ovens have been used since antiquity in many different forms as a way of minimising heat loss and regulating cooking temperature. The first gas oven was patented in 1826 by James Sharp and in 1922, the AGA was invented. In the 1920s and 1930s, electric ovens began to compete with gas, but electricity was still expensive and poorly distributed, so gas ovens retained their popularity for decades.

These days the tables have turned: according to the British government, almost 70% of UK homes have electric ovens whereas just under 30% have gas.

Ovens continue to get more sophisticated, but they have also become noticeably more stylish and sleek since their invention, to the point that Dolce and Gabbana now have an oven made in collaboration with Smeg.

This modern-day desire for kitchen design, now secreting appliances away behind doors in fitted kitchens. Previously these expensive appliances were something to be proud of and on show for all visitors to see and be impressed.

The very thought of encasing your brand new washing machine in a kitchen unit would make the average 1950s homeowner shudder.

6. Tumble dryer

The first manual clothes dryer appeared in 1800 thanks to M. Ponchon, but it wasn’t until 1937 that Henry Altorfer invented and patented an electric tumble dryer. The true boom for tumble dryer purchases came post-WW2, and during the 1960s, technology improved rapidly. Tumble dryers have been particularly useful in Britain given that we are not blessed with great weather for drying clothes outside.

However, they are far less common than washing machines, with only 58% of UK homes possessing a tumble dryer (Statistica, 2018). This is probably due to the fact that tumble dryers are notorious for consuming a lot of energy and have severe environmental and monetary costs as a result.

As such, advertising and innovation in the tumble dryer sector nowadays tend to focus on increasingly eco-friendly vented tumble dryers, condenser tumble dryers and heat pump tumble dryers.

And so, the kitchen revolution began. From twin tub to tumble dryer, dishwashers to microwaves, Wi-Fi washing machines to air fryers, we can now thank our lucky stars for all of the labour-saving appliances that have made our lives a little easier over the years.

So, what’s next in the world of home technology? Who knows – but one thing is for sure, we’ll continue to rely on new innovative products that make our everyday lives just that little bit easier.