The History of the Fridge

The process of preserving food has been one thatthe world's first commercial fridges to the market,
has challenged the human race for countlessthat utilized a sulfur dioxide cooling process. These
generations. From salting to pickling, the act ofparticular fridges were incredibly expensive; at a cost
manipulating food so that it lasts through harsherof close to one thousand US dollars, they were, at
environments has been crucial to ensuring survival.the time, approximately twice the cost of a car.
However, the invention of the first fridge in theGeneral Electric continued to refine and upgrade the
1700s marked a drastic change in the ways peoplefridges they offered to the public, and by 1923, they
were able to keep food, and has since evolved intoreleased the 'Monitor Top,' which, due to it's more
modern times to be one of the sought appliances foraffordable nature than previous models, sold over
the home; many could not imagine living withoutone million in it's those early few years, and has been
owning a fridge.regarded as the first mass produced modern fridge
Chemist and physicist William Cullen created the firstunit.
fridge cooling system whilst he was working andIn the 1930s, the discovery and utilization of freon
studying at the University of Glasgow in 1756; at it'sled to the creating of even more effective fridges,
core was a vapor cooling compression device thatwhich were, after the Second World War, mass
was ground breaking at the time. This first fridgeproduced within USA, England and Australia. However,
existed academically for quite some time and wassince then scientists have discovered the harmful
not improved upon until nearly a hundred years laternature of freon (in particular with CFCs), and the
when Dr. John Gorrie demonstrated to an universityproduction of these types of fridges is now banned.
audience the first experimental ice making device.These days, a modern fridge seems to be more high
This device, coupled with Cullen's vapor cooling devicetech and based in science fiction than reality, as they
was the the basis for the very first ice box, whichare on the cutting edge of technology due to
by the earlier 1900s, were in a third to a half of allcompetition in the refrigeration industry. Decked out
American homes. These ice boxes were generallywith LED lights, stainless steel cases and endless
effective at storing food at a stable temperature,internal gadgets, they really are a sight to behold and
although were expensive to use due to the cost ofseem monolithic next to the humble ice box.
purchasing large blocks of ice to ensure the coldNonetheless, they are a necessity in all of our lives,
temperature within.and have had a massive impact on society since they
In 1911, American company General Electric releasedwere first received by the public.