The History of AGA

The AGA cooker – it’s a staple piece of equipment in many kitchens, and those who have one frequently swear that they wouldn’t know what to do without it! It’s also a cooker with some fascinating history behind it – as the infographic image above shows.

The AGA cooker was invented in 1922 by physicist Dr Gustaf Dalén, shown at the bottom left of the infographic. What the image doesn’t show, however, is that the AGA was invented as a result of an explosion! Whilst developing a porous substrate which would allow the transportation of otherwise unstable and dangerous gases, an explosion blinded Dr Dalén and he was forced to stay at home. It was then that he realised that his wife was exhausted by cooking, and – despite his sight loss – he set about inventing a new stove that would make cooking easier.

Introduced to the UK in 1929, Dalén’s AGA cooker quickly became a centrepiece to many kitchens. Although they were introduced in a time of recession, this was followed in the early 1930s by a housing boom, and the AGA was to take pride of place in many of the new homes of the time – a sign that they were at the cutting-edge of culinary technology. This continues to this day, with modern AGA cookers which can be controlled by your smartphone, making cooking easier than it’s ever been.

One of the characteristics of an AGA cooker is their longevity – in 2009 a contest was held to find the oldest AGA still in use. Many whose cookers dated to the 1940s and 1950s responded, but the ultimate winner was an AGA installed by the Hett family of West Sussex way back in 1932. Many respondents had AGAs which had survived the Blitz during World War 2 and other disasters such as floods, yet which were still in use decades later.

Of course, they do need a little care and attention to help them remain in good condition over the years, so whether your AGA is an heirloom model or a brand new version, we here at Range Experts can help you ensure its future with AGA servicing in Devon and the surrounding areas. For more information, to book a service, or if you’re in need of emergency repairs, contact us on 01392 427641 today.

This infographic was originally sourced from http://www.agaliving.com/buying-an-aga/about-us/the-history-of-aga-cookers-infographic