By: Mai Sroor

It’s our mission in Yaoota to give you an updated view of the market as well as a historical glance at the indispensable appliance: refrigerators. 

Did you know that the Egyptians, Chinese, and Indians were among the first people to use ice in food preservation? By the early 19^th century, people worldwide would use a variety of early refrigeration methods. Sometimes food would be placed in a bucket then put in a cool river or lake.

Ice was a hard commodity to come by, especially in the early 19^th century. It wasn’t until German breweries began to make their way into the United States in the middle of the 19^th century that the demand for refrigeration became realized. Refrigeration later made its way to railroad cars where it was used to transport goods. By the 1920s, refrigerators were in many U.S. homes.

 *Prices listed in this article are the ones provided at the time of its publication, and are subject to change according to the supply and demand of the market.

Electric Refrigerator Timeline

1913   The first refrigerators for home and domestic use were invented by Fred W. Wolf of Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA, with models consisting of a unit that was mounted on top of an ice box.

1915   Alfred Mellowes designed an electric refrigeration unit with the compressor that was in the bottom of the cabinet.

1923   Frigidaire introduced the first self-contained unit.

1927   The first refrigerator to see widespread use was the General Electric “Monitor-Top” Refrigerator was introduced.

1930s   Freon 12 was used to replace sulphur dioxide as the most commonly

used refrigerant.

1940s   Frozen food storage became widely used by consumers.

1947      GE two-door refrigerator-freezer combination was introduced.

1950s & ’60s      Automatic defrost and automatic ice makers first appeared.

1970s & ’80s      The environment issue became a top priority that led to more energy- efficient refrigerators and the elimination of chlorofluorocarbons in refrigeration sealed systems.

The smallest refrigerator is 4 liters, as being able to hold 6 cans of beer. A large domestic refrigerator stands as tall as a person and may be about 1 meter wide with a capacity of 600 liters.

It was a 104-year from

                  That                                                                                                       to this

Yet, the innovation continues to hop, and now it’s no wonder to read or hear of the following futuristic refrigeration concepts:

Futuristic Fridge Features

• Self-Filling Water Pitcher
  GE’s latest refrigerator features a pitcher that automatically refills itself with cold, filtered water.
  

• Airtight Crisper
  Found on models like the Kenmore Elite 72483 and Kenmore Elite 74025, the Airtight Crisper uses a special pane of glass to lock moisture in and maintain an ideal environment for produce
  
• Frigidaire Convertible Fridge/Freezer
  Probably the most flexible appliance Frigidaire has ever created, the FKCH17F7HW convertible fridge/freezer allows you to change the entire machine from a refrigerator to a freezer and vice versa. 
  
• Automatic/Measured Filling
  GE has come up with two such modes, called AutoFill and PreciseFill. AutoFill detects the size of your cup or glass and fills it to the top without spilling, while PreciseFill dispenses the exact amount of water you ask for, making it great for cooking and baking. 
  
• Ice Cream Maker
  There’s a fridge with a built-in ice cream maker. It’s called the Beko HomeCream, and it manages to squeeze a small ice cream maker into the freezer without sacrificing the traditional ice maker.
  Check out Ice Cream maker from here. 
  
• Built-in Keurig
  GE built a Keurig machine into one of its refrigerators.
  The GE Café CFE28USHSS  will brew coffee and tea from standard K-cups in three different quantities, just like a standalone Keurig machine. Best of all, since the fridge has its own water line, you don’t need to refill the water tank.
  

Check out comprehensive list of the best available refrigerators.