I am aware that the electric iron was invented in 1882 by Henry W. Seely, but I would like to find out when rich and middle-class Georgians started using it.
1 Answer
Although the first patent for an electric iron was awarded in 1882, their heating element remained very fragile, in need of regular replacement, until Thomas E. Morford thought of (and won a patent for) encasing the heating element in enamel in 1893.
According to Concise History of Electric Irons in the United States power utilities didn't begin supplying electric power to residences during daylight hours until 1920. Prior to that wall outlets were not installed as part of standard wiring, and one had to unscrew a light bulb to screw in an appliance's light-socket adaptor.
According to Early Electric Irons:
By the 1920s enough people had homes wired for electricity for electric clothes irons to spread fast across the US.
From all this it seems that the residential electric iron become popular in the 1920's.
answered Jan 2, 2014 at 0:42
