The history of the modern stove

Benjamin Franklin is probably best known as one of the founding fathers of the United States of America, although he is also credited as one of the founders of the modern stove. A Massachusetts-based foundry is credited with being the first to build a cast-iron plate box with the intention of burning wood inside in 1642.

It was over 100 years later that Franklin created the Franklin stove. The Pennsylvania politician and inventor created a stove with a hollow baffle at the back with the intention of increasing heat and reducing the amount of smoke that would circulate through a room.

In fact, there is also a European claim to the invention of the modern stove. In 1735, the Belgian architect Francois de Cuvilliés introduced his Castrol stove, which would later become known as the “stew stove.” This was a closed stove with a flat top. Cuvilliés’ intention was for the meals to be heated on top of the stove.

The stew stove predates the Franklin stove, but was a masonry construction covered with perforated iron plates, whereas the Franklin design was made entirely of metal.

The design, which Franklin refused to patent, has constantly evolved over the years, but retains many of its original features. The Franklin stove moniker also stuck, particularly in the US.

One of the best-known developments in stove history occurred in the late 18th century when Benjamin Thompson, also known as Count Rumford, published an article explaining how fireplaces work and suggesting an improved design. His idea included a sloped chimney and an adjustable damper that became the standard on most stoves.

Thompson’s design was primarily aimed at large estates and stately home working kitchens, so the next stage in wood stove history saw the stove scale down for incorporation into more homes.

This was most successfully done by Philo Stewart, who patented his Oberlin stove in the US in 1834. The cast iron stove became a huge success, selling over 90,000 over the next three decades. Similar small domestic stoves were also becoming popular in Europe during this period.

Generally speaking, these designs have stood the test of time. Aesthetically, the stoves have evolved according to the tastes of the time but the basic operation has been maintained.

The main advances have been ever-increasing steps toward greater efficiency and, more recently, a reduction in overall household energy bills.