Appliance Brand Histories of appliances such as Whirlpool, GE, Kenmore, Frigidaire, KitchenAid, Maytag, and more. Appliance design and inventions.
Frigidaire
Frigidaire celebrated it’s 95th anniversary in 2011. It was founded in 1916 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The company was originally bought from engineer Alfred Mellowes and a group of investors by General Motors. In 1919, the company was moved to Detroit and mass production of refrigerators began. The Frigidaire Appliance division makes cook-tops, stoves, wall ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, garbage disposals, water dispensers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, toasters, coffee makers, and irons. Frigidaire’s are built to last. The Professional Collection has Pro-Select Controls, Heavy Duty Grates, and professional style knobs. Ovens/stoves have Power-Plus Boil and Power Plus Convection. In 1921 GM transferred the manufacturing to Dayton, OH and a division of Delco Light. During this time porcelain coating, insulation, and temperature controls in refrigerators were introduced. Frigidaire also began producing ice-cream cabinets, soda fountains, drinking fountains, and grocery freezers. Mass production brought the price of a Frigidaire refrigerator to the low price of $468 by 1926. Between 1919 and 1929 Frigidaire sold more than 1 million refrigerators. By 1941 it had sold over 6 million. In 1929 they introduced the first home chest size food freezer. 1931 freon was used as a refrigerant. 1938 brought the first window air conditioner. During the 1930’s Frigidaire offered other appliances. Ranges, ovens, water heaters, washers and dryers. Right before WWII Frigidaire claimed they had the world’s largest refrigerator plant with over 20,000 employees in the U.S. During the war production was turned over to defense items including aircraft parts, propellers, gas [...]