Key Takeaways:

• Ancient humans had to use nature to keep food cold
• Iceboxes were a short-term food storage solution
• Freon was a major step forward in refrigerator safety

When was the last time you opened your fridge? Was it to get a snack? Make dinner? Most of us don’t think twice about this particular appliance, but like many modern conveniences, the refrigerator has a long and interesting history. This article will delve into the high points of the history of the refrigerator.

Civilizations in cold food storage development

Ancient history is always murky in details, but the idea of taking steps to keep food cold seemed to have started with the Chinese. Back around 1000 BC, the Chinese started cutting and storing ice. Five centuries later, historians estimate that both Indians and Egyptians came up with the idea to leave their food storage pots outside at night to keep food cold and somewhat preserved.

In the 17th century, locations in Europe discovered the use of saltpeter dissolved in water held uses for cold food storage – they discovered that this combination could be used to create ice. By the turn of the 18th century, Europe had developed a process for gathering ice during the colder months and preserving it with a combination of salt and wrapping it in flannel while keeping it underground. This was a major step forward, as ice created and stored this way would last for months.

How humans kept food cold before modern refrigeration

Before modern refrigerators were a thing, people had to get creative to keep food cold. The first, easiest source was nature. People would store food in rivers or ice to keep food cold. Eventually, people started building ice houses for food storage. Eventually, storage pits were created. People would dig holes and fill them with ice and snow. Then they’d cover the holes’ openings with straw or some other kind of insulating material.

But people soon developed ways to keep food cold in their homes. The easiest was simply storing food in their cold cellars. From there, people began building their own ice boxes. They’d construct wooden boxes and fill them with ice and snow. They’d add seaweed or other insulation to keep the boxes cold. 

Then, manufacturers got in the action. They began building commercial ice boxes with insulated wood or metal, which were then delivered to homes.

The icebox: The fridge’s predecessor

Once the icebox was delivered, the owners also needed a drip pan. This pan, placed under the unit, needed to be emptied each day. The icebox was not a longtime solution, however, as the ice only lasted about a week. And, like milk from the milkman, homes would have to have new ice delivered every week.

Interestingly, some homes made it extra easy for the icebox delivery. The wall the ice box was up against often had a small door leading to the outside. The ice man could come to the house and open this small door to insert the new ice. Think of it as a doggie door for the local iceman delivery.

The first home refrigerators

As is often the case with technology, the refrigerator as we know existed back in the 1850s, but it did not become available to consumers until the turn of the century. And terminology caused some confusion – the icebox was, in the mid-1800s, sometimes called a “refrigerator” in old advertising copy. In 1911, the refrigerator was finally made available to private homes.

Unlike today’s modern wonders, these early units were not as simple to install or use. The first models often needed a compressor, which was generally stored in the basement or cellar. The refrigerator was then elaborately connected to the compressor. But it would be a few years before refrigerators became popular.

1920s advances in fridge convenience

GE’s major contribution to modern home refrigeration was combining the compressor and the cold food container into one unit. In 1927, you could bring one of these modern marvels into your home at the princely sum of $525. Adjusted for inflation, these new marvels would cost $8,925 in today’s dollars.

Just a year later, in 1928, Freon was invented. This made in-home fridges much safer. Before Freon, the occasional refrigerator leak could be deadly due to the toxic mix of ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and other poisonous gases used in the compressors of early refrigerators. Wanting to ensure the public felt comfortable bringing fridges into their homes, General Motors, DuPont, and Frigidaire all worked together to develop Freon as a much safer alternative.

A rapid rise in popularity

It took some time before people caught on to the idea of modern refrigeration to safely keep their perishables cold longer. At the beginning of the 1930s, approximately 8% of American homes had a refrigerator. But less than ten years later, a whopping 44% had a fridge in their homes. The following decade saw them become commonplace in most homes.

Can you imagine life without your fridge?

While the fridge hasn’t been around nearly as long as other modern inventions, it’s hard to imagine life without one. Can you imagine how different your life would be without this modern convenience? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends!