ChronoFive
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Setting the scene
Radar researchers during World War II noticed that microwaves could heat food; Raytheon engineer Percy Spencer reportedly noticed a candy bar melting in his pocket near a magnetron.
What happened
Raytheon's commercial Radarange microwave oven went on sale in 1947, standing almost six feet tall and costing thousands of dollars—far beyond typical household budgets.
Why it still matters
Decades of size and price reductions put microwaves in nearly every American kitchen, changing how families reheated leftovers and defrosted dinner. Memorable detail: early Radaranges were water-cooled and installed mainly in restaurants and ships.
Background
Early models were refrigerator-sized and cost thousands.