MovieChat Forums > The China Syndrome (1979) Discussion > when did electronic microwave ovens go m...

when did electronic microwave ovens go mainstream?


The ending made me hungry.




I saw you breaking the 5th Commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason.

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Microwaves with a probe like those shown in the movie were mainstream by 1977. Where we lived there were microwaves at every appliance store, and there was a microwave store at the mall where you could buy your oven and also take cooking lessons for it.

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First microwave oven I owned as a freshly independent young man was just like one of those shown. All analogue controls, a proper bell that went 'DING!' at the end of a run, temperature probe to plug into the roof and a right proper crunch each time the Magnetron kicked into gear for a heating cycle.

Was a lot of sophistication for something used exclusively to pop popcorn.

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In the USA it serene to be the late 70s

In Britain from the early 80s

It's that man again!!

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It was literally right at this time. Note how you don't see microwaves advertised any more. Or, for that matter, stoves in general. People only buy one when they need to replace an old one.

But at that time, people were buying their very first microwave. In an Odd Couple episode just about 5 years earlier, Felix and Oscar are on (I think) Let's Make a Deal, and a microwave was a big deal of a prize, something like $900. My family got one just about 4 years later (1978 or so) and it already fallen to about $400 by then.





I want the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

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I worked for a vending company in 1974 and just about every place where I serviced machines had microwaves in the break areas.

When I was in college (Jan 1976 to May 1978) the vending areas there had them, but I know I never saw any in dorm rooms. We all had toaster ovens.

I bought my first one in 1983...and it still works! GE made great stuff back then.

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It also meant a nearly-direct copy of the last shot of "Network," with TV Control Room monitors being shown, with one showing what happened at the end of the movie, and a commercial in another monitor. Not terribly original!

I. Drink. Your. Milkshake! [slurp!] I DRINK IT UP! - Daniel Plainview - There Will Be Blood

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