Siemens Home Appliances
The introduction of home appliances, irrevocably changed the way households were run around the world. And from the beginning of the 20th century, Siemens not only pioneered breakthrough technologies in home appliances, but has always been one step ahead. Always anticipating the need of the consumer and delivering solutions that made life simpler, more efficient, and extraordinary.
2008: Zeolith® drying technology.
One of the key priorities for every appliance manufacturer was and still is energy efficiency. With the development of the award-winning Zeolith® drying technology for dishwashers, this was superbly achieved. As a result, the drying cycle became significantly faster – it needed 30 minutes less than conventional dishwashers – and a lot more efficient.
The 80s: The Age of Intelligence.
Introduced in 1979, the Walkman revolutionised the way technology was used. It could be enjoyed on the move and keep up with the fast pace of life people were becoming accustomed to. As technology evolved, home appliances needed to keep up too. With that, the era of intelligent technology was born. Having a one-way relationship with your appliance, was coming to an end. Instead, home appliances started taking part in the conversation, giving you helpful tips throughout the user experience.
1986: The built-in kitchen.
Having all your cooking, baking and cooling appliances as loose standing items in the kitchen was the norm in most kitchens at that time. However, Siemens Home Appliances was one step ahead, developing built-in appliances. This transformed the set-up and style potential of the kitchen and pioneered an age where design – not only function – started to gain prominence.
1984: The 'speaking' Siwamat fully-automatic washing machine.
Gone were the days of guessing what your appliance was up to. The Siwamat fully-automatic washing machine was the first of its kind to keep the user up to date with instructions and notifications. Not to mention the fact that the Siwamat was launched with 15 fully automatic programs for all types of laundry. It revolutionised the way laundry was done, and pioneered the era of intuitive home appliances.
The 70s: The Age of Automation.
Launched in 1976, the Atari game console was the first of its kind that allowed for ROM cartridges. An array of games were thereby made accessible, automatically. Likewise, when it came to usability, home appliances were still mostly being operated manually. However, this process was soon to be transformed by automated functionalities. And Siemens home appliances proudly lead the way. This was a game-changer for households around the world that made the seemingly impossible, possible.
1973: An oven that cleans itself.
Using strong and often damaging detergents when cleaning an oven, was an unavoidable part of owning one. That was until 1973, when engineer Josef Ackermann invented an electric cooking oven with the pyrolytic self-cleaning function. This automated process made it significantly easier to clean the oven, eliminating the need for any detergents. Although this process took a couple of hours, it was fully automated.
The 30s: The Age of Optimisation.
In 1928 le Corbusier created the Ultimate Chaise longue, which took relaxation to the next level, through an optimised yet sleek design. During this time, appliances had successfully transitioned from traditionally being found in factories, to being in homes. Which meant that the focus had changed from making them viable for households, to optimising them. This included making the design sleeker, and the appliance more energy efficient.
1930: The evolution of the absorption refrigerator.
During the start of the twentieth century, household refrigerators were becoming more and more popular. Siemens played an invaluable role in making that possible. During the 1930’s, for example, Siemens brought household refrigerators onto the market using the advanced “Normelli” absorption system. This entailed an optimised absorption system which used three cooling cycles instead of one, enhancing the volume of the interior and making it more energy efficient.
1935: Protos stove.
In 1935 Siemens developed the first stove that included automatic temperature regulation capabilities: The Protos Stove. As a result, the use of electricity became a lot more efficient, cooking times became shorter, and the cooking process became less hazardous as too high temperatures would be decreased and controlled.
The 20s: The Age of Mechanisation.
In the beginning of the 20th century, the introduction of the typewriter meant the mechanisation of writing, traditionally only possible by hand. Likewise, refrigerators, cookers and washing machines were appliances that traditionally belonged in factories and industrial environments. The fact that they were being developed to be used at home, introduced an age of empowerment through mechanisation that was unheard of. The 1920s also introduced electricity to homes all over the world, spurring on this age of technological independence.
1928: Turbo Washer.
Siemens brought the first electric washing machines on the market in 1928, called the Protos Turbo. It included a drum-type machine that would not only wash a load using electricity, but also spin-dry it. This evolution in the washing machine eliminated the need to lift heavy, wet laundry from the washing machine to a spin-dryer.
1926: The first "baking tube".
Up to that point, all cooking was done with the use of wood or coal. Apart from the potential danger associated with these cooking methods – especially when taking place in small kitchens – the cooking process also took a very long time. In 1926, Siemens brought the first "baking tube" on the market. This included an actual tube with a heating coil wrapped around it. This was the first time that people could cook with electricity, instead of wood or coal.
1920: The first electric kitchen.
During the 1920s, electricity became more and more common in homes. This revolutionised the way households were run, and made life a whole lot easier – and healthier. As electricity spread, so did the development of electrical home appliances. This included small appliances like the electric iron. But it later also included cookers, washers and coolers.
