The history of the microwave oven: A critical review

Microwave-oven history appeared in the 1984 special issue of the IEEE MTT transactions. Since then, misinformation and revisionist history have appeared in print and on the web. Credit for inventorship and milestones has been questioned even in IEEE media. Allegations include neglect of contributions, including those for radar and magnetrons, in Europe and Japan. Detailed historical research rebuts most allegations and provides a detailed history of microwave ovens, including some oft-forgotten aspects like radiation fears, as well as current trends and future developments.