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VINTAGE VIBES: THE EVOLUTION OF FRIGIDAIRE

January 28, 2015

Innovation is key when it comes to kitchen and home appliances. Over the span of its 90-year legacy, Frigidaire® has made it a priority to continually evolve their products based on needs of the consumer.

As functionality and preferences for the home have changed, so has the design and function of Frigidaire’s appliances. Just how much have the products changed? We talked with Graham Pocialik of Frigidaire to learn the ins and outs of their product innovation.

Then: First Refrigerator (1918)

Then: First Refrigerator (1918)

Not only was 1918 the birth of the first electric refrigerator, it was the birth of the Frigidaire name. W.C. Durant, the president of General Motors, purchased the manufacturing company that built the first self-contained electric refrigeration unit and coined the name Frigidaire. In fact, the common nickname, “fridge” is derived from Frigidaire.

Now: Frigidaire Gallery 20 cu. ft. Top Freezer Refrigerator

The unit offers a SpaceWise® Organization System with a Custom-Flex™ Door—a revolutionary new feature. For the first time, you have the ability to customize the interior of your refrigerator in more than 100 different ways by adding, moving or sliding door bins.
Then: First Laundry Center (1970)

Then: First Laundry Center (1970)

The first Frigidaire Laundry Center featured a family-sized washer on the bottom and a family-sized dryer on top. It was just 24 inches wide—slimmer than some of the bell-bottoms people were wearing at the time.

Now: Frigidaire Electric Washer/Dryer Laundry Center

A feature called, “The Immersion Care™ Wash Action” moves water through clothes for a more thorough, gentle cleaning with less stretching, tangling and wrinkling.

Then: First Compact Electric Range (1950)

Then: First Compact Electric Range (1950)

Frigidaire was able to shrink the size of the average range by a full 10 inches while simultaneously offering the largest household electric range oven to date. The range got smaller and the oven got bigger—now that’s progress!

Now: Frigidaire 30” Freestanding Electric Range

The range is equipped with a timed cook option that lets you set the oven to begin cooking at a predetermined time. It also features a larger window, making it easier to check on the status of your dish without having to open the oven door.