What's your 1st memory of the microwave oven? Do you remember trying to cook hamburger patties or eggs in it? I remember that my Dad bought Moms a RadarRange and it was like something out of a spacealien movie to me. My Dad placed a small flourescent light bulb in the RadarRange and turned it on to demonstrate to us kids how it could light the bulb up and he explained to us the principles that microwave ovens worked on. Now to a kid, that was a cool physics lesson.
RadarRange~
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Wards /Sharp R-5000
My first real job had a 1970 Wards-branded Sharp R-5000 that just wouldn't die. It had a tiny interior but worked really well.
Experimented with cooking. My first cake I microwaved I called the "crater cake". Everything cooked around the edges but the center was mud.
I am the proud owner of a 1961 Tappan Electronic wall oven which is being readied for a museum. Has its own water-pump, water-cooled Litton magnetron and a radiator!
My first real job had a 1970 Wards-branded Sharp R-5000 that just wouldn't die. It had a tiny interior but worked really well.
Experimented with cooking. My first cake I microwaved I called the "crater cake". Everything cooked around the edges but the center was mud.
I am the proud owner of a 1961 Tappan Electronic wall oven which is being readied for a museum. Has its own water-pump, water-cooled Litton magnetron and a radiator!
County Fair!
I saw my first RadarRange at the Indiana County Fair (in Indiana, PA). I so looked foreward to my trip to cousins there at the end of the summer, so I could go to the fair, every day. I think I was about 10 years old. It was the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, and the salesman at the appliance display was probably bored out of his mind. He called me over and asked if I was hungry. Of course I was. So he offed a free hamburger, if I told my Mom how he cooked it. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. He took a bun out of the package, a patty out of the fridge and put them together. Then he put them in the oven, turned it on, and in less than a minute there was my burger. Magic it was!! Just Magic!! I found my cousin and told her all about it! I told my Aunt all about it! I begged my Mom for a RadarRange when my parents picked me up. Cooking with RADAR, what a concept. Mom bought a Sharp years later.
I saw my first RadarRange at the Indiana County Fair (in Indiana, PA). I so looked foreward to my trip to cousins there at the end of the summer, so I could go to the fair, every day. I think I was about 10 years old. It was the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, and the salesman at the appliance display was probably bored out of his mind. He called me over and asked if I was hungry. Of course I was. So he offed a free hamburger, if I told my Mom how he cooked it. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. He took a bun out of the package, a patty out of the fridge and put them together. Then he put them in the oven, turned it on, and in less than a minute there was my burger. Magic it was!! Just Magic!! I found my cousin and told her all about it! I told my Aunt all about it! I begged my Mom for a RadarRange when my parents picked me up. Cooking with RADAR, what a concept. Mom bought a Sharp years later.
The first microwave I ever saw
was a Litton, and not an Amana Radarange.
One of my uncles (my Dad's baby brother) was in various aspects of food service, and in 1967, he worked for the Commercial Cooking division of Ohio Edison.
I don't know how he came by it--whether it was a loan or a purchase, but it was a small, heavy, solid stainless box. By today's standards, ridiculously slow, and extremely simple.
It was a Sunday evening when he and my aunt called us. They lived about 15 minutes away then, and Ma was reluctant to go over, but we did. She had heard of microwave cooking, being a Home Economics teacher, but was a little skeptical.
(Incidentally, a properly conducted Home Economics/Family and Consumer Studies curriculum is NOT a "snap." Yes, "stirring and stitching," but also child development, human nutrition, consumer finances, World foodways and food security, single living, home construction and decor, and economic advocacy. Properly done, it includes biology, bacteriology, cultural history, language development, and more.)
We were amazed by cooking in paper (bacon strips, popcorn), and cooking fast (the 90 second hot dog...) I don't remember any vegetables, or fish, or even reheating, the things that truly shine when cooked by microwave.
I, of course, wanted one immediately, but we didn't get one until 1986
And then, we got the RR-700.
However, we DID have colour tv before they did.....but that's quite another story.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
was a Litton, and not an Amana Radarange.
One of my uncles (my Dad's baby brother) was in various aspects of food service, and in 1967, he worked for the Commercial Cooking division of Ohio Edison.
I don't know how he came by it--whether it was a loan or a purchase, but it was a small, heavy, solid stainless box. By today's standards, ridiculously slow, and extremely simple.
It was a Sunday evening when he and my aunt called us. They lived about 15 minutes away then, and Ma was reluctant to go over, but we did. She had heard of microwave cooking, being a Home Economics teacher, but was a little skeptical.
(Incidentally, a properly conducted Home Economics/Family and Consumer Studies curriculum is NOT a "snap." Yes, "stirring and stitching," but also child development, human nutrition, consumer finances, World foodways and food security, single living, home construction and decor, and economic advocacy. Properly done, it includes biology, bacteriology, cultural history, language development, and more.)
We were amazed by cooking in paper (bacon strips, popcorn), and cooking fast (the 90 second hot dog...) I don't remember any vegetables, or fish, or even reheating, the things that truly shine when cooked by microwave.
I, of course, wanted one immediately, but we didn't get one until 1986
And then, we got the RR-700.However, we DID have colour tv before they did.....but that's quite another story.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
My parents bought a Wards (made by Tappan I'm pretty sure) microwave that also had a browning feature, I'm guessing around 1975-1977 range. It had two matching dials one above the other, one for zapping and one for browning. There were three rectangular chrome buttons across the bottom of the panel: ON, OFF and START, which created a strange rattling sound when pushed as it brought the magnetron to life. I don't think the browning element was used even once. This oven was still working up until it was sold at the estate sale back in July.
The thing we marveled at when we first had it was the way it handled leftovers. They tasted so much like the first time around compared to heating them up on the stove or in a conventional oven.
The thing we marveled at when we first had it was the way it handled leftovers. They tasted so much like the first time around compared to heating them up on the stove or in a conventional oven.
I grew up with an RR-700 Radarange - mom bought it new in 1984. I found the original owners manual a few years back IIRC. My favorite feature, as a kid, was not the cooking capabilities, but the egg timer feature! I remember getting quite a bit of grief for using it often.
Then in the early 90's mom replaced it with a GE SpaceMaker II that is still in use today. Not sure what the original failure of the Amana was. The GE is a fabulous microwave - almost as good as a RR.
Then in the early 90's mom replaced it with a GE SpaceMaker II that is still in use today. Not sure what the original failure of the Amana was. The GE is a fabulous microwave - almost as good as a RR.
I first remember seeing them in the snack bars on the train late 60's early 70's and also in some of the submarine shops but they were wildly expensive. When I got my first full time well paying job around 1974 I bought a Toshiba which at that time cost about $600. It was big and had a 20 minute timer knob and a cook/start button. That was it iirc. All metal, heavy clunk but I loved it. Nobody else had one that I knew. A couple of years later I shipped it east to my moms when I bought a newer fancier Litton with defrost. Mom used the big old Toshiba, about the size of a radarange and just as heavy. for quite a number of years from about 77 the up thru the 80's. She was pretty much the only person around that had one that early around here. They didn't really become widespread until the 80's when the prices started dropping significantly and the mid size models came out.
Oh I remember going to the sub shop 4 blocks away and getting your sub nuked.
It was the best.
I remember running home with it while it was still hot.
After we got our first microwave and could get a cold sub and bring it home and nuke it ourself, it just wasn't the same and never tasted the same either.
It was the best.
I remember running home with it while it was still hot.
After we got our first microwave and could get a cold sub and bring it home and nuke it ourself, it just wasn't the same and never tasted the same either.
Our first Microwave was a National Panasonic 40L 650 watt jobbie from 83, with a digital control panel and 4 stage programmable cooking. I can remember a few attempts to use the browning grill with limited success and a few dried out chickens. Over the last 10 years, it's used for defrosting, reheating and cooking vegetables.
We've got pictures of me in my nappy helping mum putting the cup cake tray on the turn table.
The Microwave is still kicking along now, I've offered a few times to upgrade it to the new convection model but she wont have a bar of it. It's still almost in imaculate condition and never been serviced.
We've got pictures of me in my nappy helping mum putting the cup cake tray on the turn table.
The Microwave is still kicking along now, I've offered a few times to upgrade it to the new convection model but she wont have a bar of it. It's still almost in imaculate condition and never been serviced.
My mother's aunt got a Radarange, Touchmatic. I don't recall being swept away by the novelty of it but the touch-controls were a source of many hours of fascination.
Paul, do you have any pics of your 61 Tappan? I would love to see some details - does it still work? There is one of these on display at the Pioneer Museum in Minden, NE but you're not supposed to touch. I'm sure they'd balk at my taking a screwdriver to it. Curiosity once killed a cat...
Paul, do you have any pics of your 61 Tappan? I would love to see some details - does it still work? There is one of these on display at the Pioneer Museum in Minden, NE but you're not supposed to touch. I'm sure they'd balk at my taking a screwdriver to it. Curiosity once killed a cat...
whirlcool
Well-known member
Our first microwave was a Litton Model 412 that we bought in 1977. We still have it to this day and it works! But it needs the glass plate that goes on the floor of the oven cavity. It has manual dial controls and variable cooking that Litton called "Vari-Cook" controls. It does a very good job, although not as quiet as microwaves of today.
I wonder why Litton got out of the microwave business? They seemed to be doing very well with their ovens and microwave cookware.
I wonder why Litton got out of the microwave business? They seemed to be doing very well with their ovens and microwave cookware.
First experience was at Marshall Field's in Chicago in about 1970 with my grandmother...we'd taken the Burlington downtown from Hinsdale to go shopping. On the household floor, they were demo-ing the Radarange...and made me a cupcake. My grandmother told that story for years and years.
Next experience was mid-70s..my aunt and uncle had the cheap Wards which was mentioned earlier...my brother and I (10 y.o and 6 y.o) had dinner with them and I remember nuking frozen peas, then deciding that peas flambe would be fun (with the liquor on top of the microwave) and trying to flambe with vodka which I dumped over the peas (w/o draining them or anything)
Next experience was mid-70s..my aunt and uncle had the cheap Wards which was mentioned earlier...my brother and I (10 y.o and 6 y.o) had dinner with them and I remember nuking frozen peas, then deciding that peas flambe would be fun (with the liquor on top of the microwave) and trying to flambe with vodka which I dumped over the peas (w/o draining them or anything)
I've mentioned here before how much I loved my 1980 Panasonic which I belive was model NE7720B or something like that. Huge cavity, rotating dish and temperature probe. It was 700 watts which is weak by today's standards. I loved the ease of use and did find the temp probe convenient for some things. I reluctantly left it behind when we sold our house since it was too big to fit anywhere in the kitchen at the new place. In shopping for a new zapper I didn't find any that had temp probes, but my main requirement was ease of use. We got another Panasonic that has nearly double the watts and offers the ability to simply crank the knob until the desired number of minutes is displayed and then push "start" and I have yet to have to resort to any of that 10-key touchpad nonsense. I'm happy with it even though I am sure it won't last for nearly 30 years like its predecessor.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Amana:
The first microwave I ever saw was in the house of my mom's best friend, who was much better-heeled than we were. In '66, she and her husband built themselves their "dream house", with every convenience you could get at the time. It was the first private house I was ever in with central air, a reefer with icemaker, self-cleaning ovens, an intercom, and acentral vac system. The following year, this woman's birthday or Christmas present was an Amana Radarange, probably an RR-1 or 2. She didn't use it much, but the kids quickly discovered that it was great for warming up stuff. Larry began calling it "the $400 hot dog warmer". $400 was a ton of money back then.
My first two nukers were Tappans. I wanted an Amana, but couldn't swing it financially, and there were hardly ever any used units available back then. My present Amana Radarange Touchmatic RRL-9TB would have been a pipe dream then.
The first microwave I ever saw was in the house of my mom's best friend, who was much better-heeled than we were. In '66, she and her husband built themselves their "dream house", with every convenience you could get at the time. It was the first private house I was ever in with central air, a reefer with icemaker, self-cleaning ovens, an intercom, and acentral vac system. The following year, this woman's birthday or Christmas present was an Amana Radarange, probably an RR-1 or 2. She didn't use it much, but the kids quickly discovered that it was great for warming up stuff. Larry began calling it "the $400 hot dog warmer". $400 was a ton of money back then.
My first two nukers were Tappans. I wanted an Amana, but couldn't swing it financially, and there were hardly ever any used units available back then. My present Amana Radarange Touchmatic RRL-9TB would have been a pipe dream then.
Tappan Electronic 1961
Unrestored. Sorry for dim pix.
Unrestored. Sorry for dim pix.
Tappan Electronic Oven
I have the docs for the oven, which is going to a museum once it is cleaned up. Although complete, I assume it doesn't work. If I recall it requires a 50A direct feed. Even though I have a 200A service, I'm not really willing to try this guy out. Beside, its purpose in life now is to educate - its cooking days are long over...
I have the docs for the oven, which is going to a museum once it is cleaned up. Although complete, I assume it doesn't work. If I recall it requires a 50A direct feed. Even though I have a 200A service, I'm not really willing to try this guy out. Beside, its purpose in life now is to educate - its cooking days are long over...
From Hotpoint!!
Paul - your Tappan is amazing. Have always wanted to see some of the early stuff. I don't blame you a bit for being cautious and considering it to be more of a museum piece instead of trying to get it functional.
Now I need to thank Cory for even reading the text on this ad. Found this in the January 1958 copy of Electrical Merchandising. Could this be one of the earliest examples of microwave cooking?
Paul - your Tappan is amazing. Have always wanted to see some of the early stuff. I don't blame you a bit for being cautious and considering it to be more of a museum piece instead of trying to get it functional.
Now I need to thank Cory for even reading the text on this ad. Found this in the January 1958 copy of Electrical Merchandising. Could this be one of the earliest examples of microwave cooking?
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Brighter Tappan Pic:
Paulg:
Hope you don't mind my doing this; I brightened up the photo of your Tappen to bring out the detail a bit more. You're more generous about sharing it than I would be - I'd be figuring out a restoration/installation in my house! :
Paulg:
Hope you don't mind my doing this; I brightened up the photo of your Tappen to bring out the detail a bit more. You're more generous about sharing it than I would be - I'd be figuring out a restoration/installation in my house! :
Litton and Raytheon
Yes, I think that Hotpoint may indeed be one of the earliest units available. The TAPPAN I showed was available in basically the same design since about 1954. Although the bill of sale on that Tappan shows 1961 (at $1500), it must have been manufactured before that. Hotpoint, Westinghouse and Whirlpool all offered in-wall ovens it seems. I saw the Whirlpool unit at the Henry Ford Museum. I do have an ad for a Westinghouse 1960 microwave but it is basically a rebadged Tappan.
It appears the above manufacturers all licensed the Litton or Raytheon magnetrons and power-supplies to put in their appliances.
I believe Litton got out of the industry due to price erosion. If I recall correctly, near "the end" they sold the home-microwave division to MPA (Microwave Products of America) who almost immediately went bankrupt. MPA was offered back to Litton at bargain-basement prices and Litton declined. That ended the Litton era of home microwaves. That's my understanding of the end of Litton ovens in the USA - I hope its correct. Thanks for cleaning up the picture. Excuse the mess around the oven...
Yes, I think that Hotpoint may indeed be one of the earliest units available. The TAPPAN I showed was available in basically the same design since about 1954. Although the bill of sale on that Tappan shows 1961 (at $1500), it must have been manufactured before that. Hotpoint, Westinghouse and Whirlpool all offered in-wall ovens it seems. I saw the Whirlpool unit at the Henry Ford Museum. I do have an ad for a Westinghouse 1960 microwave but it is basically a rebadged Tappan.
It appears the above manufacturers all licensed the Litton or Raytheon magnetrons and power-supplies to put in their appliances.
I believe Litton got out of the industry due to price erosion. If I recall correctly, near "the end" they sold the home-microwave division to MPA (Microwave Products of America) who almost immediately went bankrupt. MPA was offered back to Litton at bargain-basement prices and Litton declined. That ended the Litton era of home microwaves. That's my understanding of the end of Litton ovens in the USA - I hope its correct. Thanks for cleaning up the picture. Excuse the mess around the oven...
