The History of The Electric Oven & Cooker

In 1892 a Canadian inventor by the name of Thomas Ahearn filed a patent for an "Electric Oven". In 1893 the electric oven or stove was showcased at the World fair, where an electrified model kitchen was shown. Unlike the gas oven and stove, the electrical oven stove was slow to catch on, partly due to the unfamiliar technology and lack of households with electricity. But by the 1930s the technology had matured and the electric oven slowly began to replace the Gas oven and Stove, especially in domestic household kitchens.

All electric cookers with single or double ovens and a hob on top whether gas or electric hob driven are the most popular appliances. Separate ovens and hob tops started to become the norm in the 70s and 80s as they were more modern and stylish. Ceramic hob tops started to appear in the 1970s along with combined oven and microwave oven built in appliances. Electrical heating coils or infra red Halogen lamps are used as heating elements. Because of its physical characteristics, the cooker hob top heats more quickly, less after heat remains, and only the plate heats up while the adjacent surface remains cool. Also, these cooker hob tops have a smooth surface and are thus easier to clean, but are markedly more expensive. This was a great addition to the cooker or stove. Generally electric cookers and ovens have not changed much over the years but a recent technology developed induction cooking first for professional kitchens, but today also entering the domestic appliance market electric gas or cookers with the induction hob. This process has only heated ferromagnetic cookware directly through electromagnetic induction. Recent developments have enabled non ferrous cookware to work as well, but not as efficiently as ferrous. Induction stoves also have a smooth glass-ceramic surface. Professional cooks say it is as controllable as gas.