The discovery of the art of cooking and stoves was a sweet accident. The ancient civilization ate raw food until the day cooking was discovered. There are plenty of tales about the first cooked meal tasted by humankind. However it may have happened, it has proved to be a boon to human civilization. It is believed that the first form of cooking was roasting. Open fire systems came to place since then; they used wood to fuel the cooking. During those times, a hunt or harvest was cooked to make it more edible not for taste value like in modern times. From roasting, they eventually invented the art of boiling. In the 2^nd century AD, the middle-eastern households constructed a clay fireplace that was used for cooking. This then later was adapted in different parts of the world. Eventually, with the need, the cooking system saw a tremendous change over the centuries to come.

Hearths and open fires

The first trace of kitchen stoves dates back to 221 BC in the Qin dynasty. Countries like China, Japan, and Korea use hearths and they formed an integral part of their homes. The European continent still cooked their food in the open fire until the middles ages. These hearths were slightly improvised over time with the need.

Woodstoves

The Europeans invented the Wood burning stoves in the 16^th Century. Unlike the open fire, this was an enclosed structure. This was invented by Benjamin Franklin due to the prevailing shortage of wood during that period. The woodstove was more efficient than the open fires, yet people hesitated to make this switch. However, during the Industrial Revolution, these woodstoves became very popular.

Coal as a fuel

Around the Industrial Revolution, coal was being used as a fuel for cooking. Coal being smokeless served as the best fuel for cooking as compared to wood that produced a huge amount of smoke. Around the same time, Jordan Mott invented coal ovens. Both modes of stoves were made of iron cast.

The invention of Gas stoves

The first attempt at the invention of gas stoves was in 1802 by Zachäus Winzle. This however did not work out. In the year 1826, James Sharp invented a working gas stove in Northampton. He used this own kitchen to carry out this experiment and later the invention.

Large-scale production of a gas stove for cooking

In the year 1834, James Sharp set up his own Gas stove manufacturing company. The business did not catch up immediately, until the 1850s the company wasn’t doing well. In the year 1880’s Gas stoves had become a trend, every kitchen had to have one. But the other parts of the world were still not updated with this style of cooking until the 20^th century.

The invention of electric stoves

The invention of the electric stoves was in the 1990s. In the year 1891, Carpenter Electric Heating Manufacturing Company invented an electric oven. William Hadaway was issued the first patent for an electric oven in 1896. The electric stoves were easily adapted because they were portable, easy to clean and use.

The evolution of Stoves has not stopped at that. There are a wide variety of designs and features in the market in the present day. The modern-day kitchen scenario is all about comfort and luxury. The open fire cooking to the plush-themed kitchen has been quite a journey. In the midst of all this transition, one aspect remains the same and that is, safety! Be it open fire or gas stoves safety should be a priority. The most commonly used LPG gas cooktops possess the risk of mishaps; make sure to switch to IGT gas safety devices to have a safe cooking experience. Enjoy your cooking experience with the ever-growing kitchen technology advancements.

Also read, Kitchen cleaning hacks: Make your cleaning experience a cakewalk!