At least 75% of American households have a dishwasher. Most of us consider it a necessity and would never purchase a new home that didn’t have one. However, our love affair with the dishwasher has a rather short history.
In 1850 the first ever dishwasher arrived on the scene. This version, though, still required a certain amount of effort. Made of wood, it required cranking that would force water through wood plumbing and spray out over the dishes.
Later, in 1887, a wealthy woman named Josephine Cochrane took it a step further and entered it into a World’s Fair. Though she claimed to not actually wash any dish herself, Josephine complained her servants broke her dishes often when washing.
Fast forward to 1924, and an Englishman gave us a more modern version complete with rack and rotating sprayer. It was really only for the wealthy who could afford indoor plumbing. By the 1940’s we had drying features, yet this beloved appliance remained unattainable to all but the more wealthy. The post-war time of the 1950’s gave the economy the boost it needed to introduce the dishwasher into more average income households.
By 1970 the dishwasher was being seen as more of a necessity appliance. Today many would probably claim they have never hand washed a sink full of dirty dishes. The most modern dishwashers sport features like delay-start, eco-friendly washes, pre-soak cycles, movable racks and multiple drawers. A far cry from its humble beginnings.
You probably aren’t looking to upgrade from a crank-style dishwasher, but your five-year-old dishwasher may need some tender loving repairs. If so, give us a call.
