Electric heating is the process of converting electrical energy into thermal energy. Since the discovery that electric current can produce thermal effects when passing through conductors, many inventors around the world have been engaged in the research and manufacturing of various electric heating appliances. The development and widespread application of electric heating, like other industries, follows a pattern: from advanced
Electric Heater
Electric Heater
countries gradually spreading to the rest of the world; from cities gradually developing to rural areas; from collective use to household and then to individual use; products evolving from low-end to high-end. In the 19th century, electric heating appliances in their infancy were mostly crude. The earliest electric heating appliances were for domestic use. In 1893, the prototype of the electric iron first appeared and was used in the United States, followed by the electric stove in 1909, which involved placing an electric heating element in the stove, meaning heating shifted from firewood to electricity, i.e., converting electrical energy into thermal energy. However, the rapid development of the electric heating appliance industry truly began after the invention of nickel-chromium alloy as a heating element. In 1910, the United States first successfully developed an electric iron using nickel-chromium alloy heating wire, which fundamentally improved the structure of the iron and led to its rapid popularization. By 1925, products with electric heating elements installed in pots in Japan became the prototype of modern rice cookers. During this period, industrial electric heating products such as laboratory electric furnaces, glue melters, and heaters also emerged. The years from 1910 to 1925 were a major development period in the history of electric heating appliances. In both household and industrial sectors, various types of electric heating appliances appeared and were rapidly popularized and applied, especially in households. Therefore, the invention of nickel-chromium alloy laid the foundation for the development of the electric heating appliance industry.
After the 1920s, there were fewer new application developments compared to the previous period, but during this phase, all kinds of electric heating appliances were redesigned and continuously improved, marking a stage of advancement in the history of electric heating appliances. In household electric heating appliances, various devices were designed to be more aesthetically pleasing, durable, and robust, and most were equipped with automatic temperature and time control.
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