The History of the Refrigerator
The conventional refrigeration of food creates a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from refrigerant leakage and electrical power consumption. In 2019 the emissions from these sources accounted for 3.2% of the total refridgerator uk (go!!) annual territorial GHG emissions.
The summer of 1959 was the first time fridges were a common feature in British homes. Prior to that, the majority of households relied on cold slabs in pantries. These were inefficient at maintaining the temperature at a constant temperatures and triggered a lot of food loss.
The History of Fridges in the UK
Fridges are essential kitchen appliances that allow us to keep food and beverages fresh for a long time. They're also incredibly energy-efficient. It's easy to forget that refrigerators were once considered a luxury product. It wasn't really until the 1950s that they began to gain popularity. In the beginning, it was the summer heat of Britain that helped make them famous.
Before refrigerators were invented, people used insulated iceboxes in order to keep their food cool. They would gather blocks of ice from lakes in the winter months, and keep them in storage throughout the warmer summer months. However, the ice boxes were not ideal. These ice boxes were heavy and had to be carried by an "ice man". The first electric refrigerators came into the market in 1918, but it took a while before they were commonplace in homes.
The efficiency of fridges has increased dramatically over the years. They use less energy than they did ten years ago. Some fridges use only 4 kW*h of power per day (equivalent of 170 W continuously). A majority of refrigerators in the US have an energy rating of A+.
In the early 1950s, manufacturers introduced refrigerators with separate freezer compartments. They also began producing models with a chrome-colored finish, which was extremely popular at the time. Since then, fridges have been made available in a variety colors and finishes. In the 1960s, pastel colors like pink and turquoise were very popular. Earth-tone colors like avocado green and almond became more popular in the 1980s and 1970s. In the early 1990s stainless steel started to take over.
Fridges in the 1920s
Before refrigerators were invented people made use of wooden "ice boxes" to store food and drinks that were fresh. Icemen would bring blocks of ice to fill them and they'd keep things cool throughout the year. Ice boxes can be found in well-off kitchens.
The first electric refrigerator was first introduced in 1918 and was placed sale on fridge freezers uk top of the home's current ice box. They were large noisy and expensive. The motor was situated on top of the cabinet. They were also known as monitor-tops. William C. Durant bought out the Mellowes refrigerator company in 1918 and set up up the Guardian Frigidaire company to mass make refrigerators. Durant was influenced by a design by Cistercian Monk Marcel Audiffren, and Swiss Engineer Albert Singrun. This was a refrigerator that absorbed sulfur dioxide.
In the 1920s, these new refrigerators were affordable for a lot of homes. The new refrigerators could store much more food and drinks and kept them cooler for a longer period of time than the older ice boxes.
The advertisements on refrigerators were imaginative, enticing and full of promises about ice-cold drinks and chic designs. The ads from the past are fascinating to read as they give us an insight into what life was like in the past.
By the end the 1920s, electric refrigerators were in almost all homes. Electric utilities encouraged the trend by offering discounts to those who bought refrigerators. In the Great Depression, these appliances were considered crucial to home survival, and their popularity increased.
Fridges in 1950s
Refrigerators became more popular in the 1950s. They were still rare in the 1920s. By the end of the 1960s they were a common feature in most homes.
Early refrigerators were utilitarian, simple appliances that matched the decor of the kitchen. The refrigerators were typically smaller and had legs. They came in a range of colors (though the majority of them were pastels - think mint). During this time there were several companies making refrigerators such as Whirlpool, Gibson, Hotpoint and Tappan.
All of these brands were renowned for their reliable, high-quality refrigerators. They also diversified their product lines, offering other kinds of appliances for homes. For example, Crosley was a manufacturer of radios before they moved into refrigerators in the 1940's and were renowned for their small refrigerators that fit well into smaller spaces.
In the 1950s, refrigerators became more elegant and were advertised to housewives as a status sign. They were designed to match cabinets and walls of the kitchen, and were generally white and featured chrome handles.
In the 1960s, refrigerators started to transform into gadgets that included separate freezer sections and ice-cube makers. The manufacturers also began to use less expensive materials, allowing them to offer their products at lower prices.
Fridges in the 1960s
The fridge uk was a necessity in most households during the 1960s, with some families even having two fridges. They were expensive for a while, in America the average refrigerator cost $600 (that's about $7000 in 2024 dollars) however at the end of the 60s, they were only $200.
The refrigerator was a significant technological advancement at the time. It transformed kitchens and changed the ways we preserved our food. The fridge also improved home comfort as it made meat and dairy fresher longer, which allowed people to purchase bulk quantities and cook meals ahead of time, and then store them to be used later.
The first fridges were made of poisonous gases like ammonia, methyl chloride, and sulfur dioxide for refrigeration, however this was hazardous for humans because these gases escaped from refrigerators. In 1929 carbon dioxide was introduced as a safer way to cool food items. A number of people were poisoned, and died.
This means that manufacturers were able to design more efficient and safer refrigerators that could be used in homes, with certain refrigerators featuring an internal freezer compartment accessible by opening the fridge door. These fridges were referred to as bi-door and they were very popular in the 1950s and 1960s.
The 1960s fridges were sleeker and more futuristic. They had soft curves, and a sleek look that suggested a time of efficiency and freedom for the home. They still tended to be quite large, but the boxy look of refrigerators from the 1940s was beginning to decline.
Today's fridges
Modern fridge freezer in uk freezers are available in a variety of colors styles, designs and finishes that can be tailored to suit your kitchen and personal taste. Some fridge freezers come with smart features that are connected to Wi-Fi. This lets you quickly alter the settings. Some even come with an inbuilt camera that allows you to look inside your refrigerator.
French door models dominate the market, as consumers demand modern features and appearances, such as dispensers for water or ice and flexible drawers. In certain instances, smart screens are also included. Many are also rated A, B or+ in energy efficiency ratings, following a shake-up of the labelling requirements for UK appliances.
We love this Hotpoint model due to its sleek design, which features an innovative UVNano technology that auto-sterilizes the fridge to kill bacteria and a pair of salad drawers with adjustable humidity sliders. It's also large, with plenty of room for jars, bottles and a generous storage compartment for the fridge's door.
Find fridges that have the eco-friendly ICE+ feature that uses less energy. You could save even more by selecting a model with an automatic ice maker which produces a constant supply of ice ready to use in the morning.
The best way to help the environment is to buy a fridge with an energy efficiency rating of either A or A+. It's important to take into consideration the fridge's annual electricity usage as part of your budget for household appliances when you're deciding on an appliance. It's important to keep in mind that the world is not an area where we can afford to take energy for granted: everyone deserves access to affordable, reliable and abundant electricity to live an active, healthy lifestyle and preserve our planet.