DOMELRE
DOMELRE (abbreviation of DOMestic ELectric REfrigerator) was the the first domestic electrical refrigerator, invented by Frederick William Wolf Jr. (1879-1954) in 1913 and produced starting in 1914 by Wolf's Mechanical Refrigerator Company in Chicago (several hundred units were made). The unit replaced the block of ice in the icebox with the electrical-powered cooling device[1] and was completely automatic.[2]
Labelled as the "first electrical refrigerator",[3] It has been described as "revolutionary" in the history of domestic refrigeration.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).[1] Fred Heideman was also invented in the unit's design.[1] In 1916 Wolf sold the rights to the invention to Henry Joy, president of Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit, which released an upgraded version under the name ISKO.[2][3][1] Having sold about a thousand more models, Joy's company nonetheless went bankrupt in 1922.[1]
Commercially, DOLMERE was described as "a quick hit".[4] The unit was considered relatively inexpensive for its time.[3] The original model was sold for $900;[4] the 1916 model was priced at $385 in 1916, later dropping to $275.[1]
Significance
DOLMERE has been described as "revolutionary" in the history of domestic refrigeration.[5] It has been described as the "first domestic refrigerator",[6] the "first household refrigerator",[7] the "first electrical refrigerator",[3] the "first successful, mass marketed package automatic electric refrigeration unit",[3] "the first plug-in refrigeration unit",[2] "the first mass-produced small refrigeration system",[2] or just as "the domestic electric refrigerator".[8]
DOMELRE contained a number of innovations not found in prior domestic refrigerators, such as offering automatic temperature control by thermostat, an air cooled condenser that did not require water, and not the least, it also introduced a freezing tray for ice cubes.[3][5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Nagengast, Bernard (2004). "Electric refrigerators vital contribution to households". ASHRAE Journal. 46 (11): 11–16.
- ^ a b c d Nagengast, Bernard (2007). "Re-Inventing the Wheel in HVAC&R Technology: History Does Repeat!". ASHRAE Transactions. 113 (1): 186–191.
- ^ a b c d e f "DOMELRE First Electric Refrigerator | ashrae.org". www.ashrae.org. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
:3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
:4was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Lydia Bjornlund (1 August 2015). How the Refrigerator Changed History. ABDO. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-62969-771-0.
- ^ Watkins, Helen (2006-04-01). "Beauty Queen, Bulletin Board and Browser: Rescripting the refrigerator". Gender, Place & Culture. 13 (2): 143–152. doi:10.1080/09663690600573742. ISSN 0966-369X.
- ^ Rodriguez-Martinez, Veronica; Velazquez, Gonzalo; Massa-Barrera, Sofia; Welti-Chanes, Jorge; Fagotti, Fabian; Torres, J. Antonio (2019-09-01). "Estimation of Safety and Quality Losses of Foods Stored in Residential Refrigerators". Food Engineering Reviews. 11 (3): 184–199. doi:10.1007/s12393-019-09192-1. ISSN 1866-7929.