The concept of cooling and preserving foods is ancient. Historians have even suggested some techniques are up to 11,000 years old. North America at the time hosted large herds of mammoths and hunter-gatherers would spend hours hunting the beasts to cash in a big feast. After they had one of these giants there was the difficult problem of storing and preserving the meat so nothing would go to waste. Unfortunately for them, the household fridge was a few years away so they had to come up with something a little different.
Their unlikely saviours were the small ponds and lakes which dotted the landscape of ancient North America. These ponds were not only cold and therefore less likely to host toxins but they also contained a bacteria called Lactobacilli. This bacteria produced a lactic acid which in turn preserved the meat’s muscle mass. By storing their meat this way hunter-gatherers could have their roast mammoth for up to a year after the hunt! Thankfully though the way we keep our food cool continued to progress through the centuries.
Aside from ice ponds, ancient humans had few other methods for keeping their food cool. Burying food was also a common tactic to keep food fresh. The lack of sunlight and naturally insulating properties of soil meant that food would stay cool and fresh for much longer than if they just left it outside.
Using bogs is another funky way our caveman friends would keep their leftovers cold. Burying food into the peat around bogs was an ideal place as the low-oxygen environment paired with high acidity naturally preserved organic matter.
Ice houses
The next really significant step we took toward the invention of the modern-day fridge was ice houses. The king of Mari is said to have built one of the first examples of an ice house in 1780 BC in the northern Mesopotamian town of Terqa. This technique was then adopted by many cultures around the world with the Romans similarly storing snow to then sell on to rich aristocrats.
These ice houses were essentially specially built rooms designed to stay cool and store Ice imported from nearby mountains. The buildings were commonly built underground as a form of insulation but also featured straw and sawdust for further heatproofing. In some cases, ice and snow stored in these rooms would last right through to the next winter and keep food lasting for months.
The first ice house was introduced to Britain in the 1600s by James I. He built the house in Greenwich Park in 1619 and another in 1625 in Hampton court. The Hampton Court ice house was said to be particularly impressive with snow a whopping 30 feet deep and 16 feet wide.
The technique of ice houses grew rapidly in Britain after James I’s introduction, with many castles and manor houses building similar structures throughout the century. As with many prestigious items the rich found a way to turn these buildings into a sort of competition. Elaborate ice house designs began to appear with bragging rights going to the lords and ladies with the most eye-catching designs. Some historians have even suggested that the sheer number of ice houses contributed to the many myths and tales around secret passages.
The British elite chose to fill these ice houses with snow and ice imported from Scandinavia up until 1920. However later in the 20th century, synthetic ice was introduced which brought production to British industrial towns.
The process of storing ice in cool structures wasn’t just for the rich though. Italian villagers during the 13th century would store ice from nearby hills in caves. So even the less fortunate could still enjoy the benefits of food preservation.
Commercial fridges
After the invention of Ice houses, the progression of food cooling techniques all but dried up for more than 3000 years. Then, in the 1800s people began to manufacture ice boxes. These more portable options worked in a very similar way to their larger ice house cousins, with similar insulation techniques such as straw and dried grass. The real innovation here was not the ice box itself but more the mass production of them. For the first time not only the super-rich had access to regular food preservation. However, in a few private labs around the globe, the 1800s saw the development of something far more exciting.
In 1834 American Jacob Perkins created the world’s first vapour compression system.
Then, later in the century, professor Carl von Linde patented a vapour compression system which was the first of its kind.
By 1913 the time had finally come. American Fred. W invented the home refrigerator and the rest, they say, is history. However, these early fridges were hardly cheap. A fridge whether commercial, catering or retail would have set you back a whopping £13,150 in today’s money. Hardly the method for the masses then.
Around this time also saw the beginning of Mitchell’s. In 1914 the first Mitchell’s shop opened on St Aldate Street in Gloucester. The shop mainly provided homeware electrical products as the turn of the 20th century saw the introduction of electric goods to many homes. Then in 1920, Lionel Mitchell purchased a larger building in the city and soon became the area’s biggest supplier of electrical appliances.
The technology in fridges continued to increase throughout the 20th and 21st centuries with the introduction of water dispensers and built-in freezer draws. The mass production of fridges also steadily decreased in price and by the 1930s fridges were a fairly common sight in most households. This is when Mitchell’s entered the world of refrigeration. The shop started selling fridges from Northgate Street, eventually becoming a distributor of York Refrigeration.
Types of refrigerators
Today there are four main types of domestic refrigerators. These are compressors, absorptions, peltiers and magnetics but what’s the difference?
Compressor refrigerators
These are without a doubt the most common of all four types. The compressor increases the pressure and temperature of the vaporised liquid within the fridge. Most believe these fridges are the most efficient even if they do produce some noise.
Absorption refrigerators
Often found in caravans and other places with low electrical capacity, absorption fridges are powered by a small heat source such as propane or kerosene.
Peltier refrigerators
This system works by applying a voltage across two conductors to create an electric current. When the current runs through the conductors it removes heat and triggers cooling. These types of fridges are usually cheaper than many other options however they are far less efficient.
Magnetic refrigerator
The magnetic cooling effect occurs by placing a metal alloy in a magnetic field. The metal within the field heats up and is then rapidly cooled.
Future fridges
Just like most things in our world the refrigerator will see a drastic and exciting change through the 21st century. Innovations will likely push for more eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and intelligent fridges. So, what does the future hold for tomorrow’s fridges?
Smart fridges
Your phone is smart, your watch is smart, even your heating is now smart and fridges are next! There are many smart fridges now in circulation with features such as a digital calendar and notes page. One of the most impressive things about these new fridges though is if an empty milk carton is placed back in the fridge it will sense this and warn you that your milk is running low. Some new appliances even allow you to order from your preferred supermarket on the fridge’s touch screen.
In the future, many experts predict your fridge (with the help of artificial intelligence) will remember your weekly shop and reorder items to arrive just as they run out. So, you’ll never have to worry about that weekly shop again! Plus if you get bored of cooking or just want a takeaway night you’ll be able to turn your smart fridge into a TV and stream all your favourite shows.
Some fridge pioneers have also predicted the refrigerator of 2100 will even be able to grow foods such as salads and mushrooms. What’s more, you may even be able to 3D print a meat-free burger right from the fridge! All of these theories contribute to the growing popularity of ‘vertical farming’ in our increasingly urban world. This concept works on the basis that if we could all produce a small amount of food ourselves we would save vast amounts of space elsewhere for rewilding and eco-friendly initiatives.
It’s safe today then, that fridges have had a pretty fascinating history and they’re certainly not going anywhere! Fridges are constantly evolving and as we race through the next century don’t be surprised if your phone brand matches your fridge.
Do you need help planning your next commercial fridge installation? Get in touch with us today!