From Radar to Radarange: The Serendipitous Story of the Microwave Oven

In 1945, engineer Percy Spencer was working on radar magnetrons when he noticed a candy bar in his pocket had melted. Experiments with popcorn and an egg confirmed the radar waves had culinary potential, an accidental discovery that led to the first microwave.

Inventions & Discoveries Technology & Innovation Military Technology & Strategy

The Unlikely Inventor

In the high-stakes technological race of World War II, the last thing on anyone’s mind at the Raytheon Company was a better way to reheat leftovers. The focus was on victory, and a key tool was radar. At the heart of this technology was the magnetron, a high-powered vacuum tube that generates the short-wave radio signals, or microwaves, essential for detecting enemy aircraft. And at the heart of Raytheon’s magnetron program was Percy Spencer, a brilliant, self-taught engineer with a knack for practical problem-solving. Spencer, who never finished grammar school, held over 120 patents by the end of his career, a testament to an insatiable curiosity that would soon change the world’s kitchens forever.

A Sweet Discovery

The pivotal moment arrived in 1945. While testing a new magnetron, Spencer stood close to the active device and noticed something peculiar: a Peanut Cluster bar in his pocket had turned into a gooey mess. Another person might have cursed their luck and moved on, but Spencer’s inquisitive mind saw a puzzle. Was it just body heat, or was this mysterious, invisible energy responsible? He decided to test his hypothesis. First, he aimed the magnetron at a handful of popcorn kernels, which promptly danced to life and scattered all over the lab. For his next experiment, he placed an egg near the tube. An intrigued colleague leaned in for a closer look just as the egg’s internal pressure built to a critical point, exploding yolk and shell all over his face. This messy, but conclusive, experiment confirmed it: the microwaves could cook food with incredible speed.

From Behemoth to Countertop Staple

Recognizing the commercial potential, Raytheon filed a patent for a microwave cooking process. The result was the first commercial microwave oven, unveiled in 1947. But this was no sleek kitchen appliance; it was a culinary monster.

The 'Radarange': A Kitchen Giant

The original 'Radarange' was a testament to its industrial origins. Here are a few of its staggering statistics:

  • Height: Nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall.
  • Weight: A hefty 750 pounds (340 kg).
  • Cost: Approximately $5,000, which is over $60,000 in today's currency.
  • Power: It required water-cooling for its powerful magnetron.

Priced and sized for industrial use, the Radarange found its initial home not in suburban kitchens, but in restaurants, railroad cars, and ocean liners—places where large quantities of food needed to be heated quickly.

The Path to Domesticity

It wasn't until 1967, after Raytheon acquired Amana Refrigeration, that a countertop model designed for home use became a reality. This model, priced at a more accessible (though still expensive) $495, marked the true beginning of the microwave's journey into our homes. What began as a component for a secret weapon of war, through the keen observation of a curious engineer, had completed its transformation into a staple of modern convenience, fundamentally altering our relationship with food preparation in a way no one could have predicted.

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