Electricity the Aladdin's Lamp of the Modern Home

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 29, 31 January 1930, Page 27

Electricity

the Aladdin's Lamp of the Modern Home

LECTRIGITY, the servant of man- | kind, is probably more widely known through its application in the home than in any other of the wide range, of uses to which it ean, be applied. . In the earlier stages of its use in the home electricity was confmed almost solely to lighting; then came the electric iron, the

pioneer of all domestic appliances. In later years, through the development of many different kinds of domestic appliances, its use in the home has become unlimited and now it is truly the universal servant. Although lighting was the first use to which electricity was put in the home, no great development took place in its earlier stages, the earlier fixtures being merely an adaptation of the superseded gas fixtures. In the past few years, however, the science of lighting. (and lighting is a science) has made rapid strides, so much so that the artificial lighting of the modern home is given very . eareful attention. The lighting unit consists of the electric lamp which is the source of light, plus a shade or fixture which

"ean be merely decorative or utilitarian, or ‘both. Lamp manufacturers have given, and are still giving, a great amount of careful thought and study to the improvement of the electric lamp itself, their more recent, developments being the elimination of glare from the naked lamp by means of opal .bulbs and pearl or -inside-frosted bulbs, while the current consumption of the lamp has been enormously reduced. LASst year we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the manufacture of the first commercial electric lamp, and although the period is short in years, the growth from the original carbon filament lamp to the present-day gas-filled lamp is simply enormous,

Similarly very rapid strides have been made in the manufacture of: electric lighting fixtures which in the main to-day are as ‘efficient as they are decorative, and they: form an exceedingly important part in the equipment in any well-furnished home. We have long since departed from a mere imitation of the old gas fittings, and now it can be said that the position is reversed, The

variety of types and designs to be seen to-day in any well-equipped electrical showroom makes it’ possible to choose an electric light fixture which will tone in with any scheme of architecture or decoration to the satisfaction of the most fastidious. HE first labour-saving electrical device in the home was the electric iron, and even to-day it remains the most popular of them all. Since its advent it has been greatly improved both as regards efficiency, utility and appearance until to-day we have the automatic iron which really thinks for itself. In quick succession a number of smaller electric domestic appliances made their appearance until to-day we have a multiplicity of portable electrical appliances each designed for a specifie purpose-such as the kettle,

boiling jug, coffee percolator, toaster, chafing dist, hotplate, egg boiler, griller, urn, waffle iron, immersion heater, and so on. It is not necessary to describe each of of these portable appliances in detail since their name suggests their use. Being portable these appliances can be used in any part of the house where an outlet point has been provided, and their annearanca t«

ee OES OEE OE such that they are just as suitable for use in the drawing-room as in the kitchen, The use of electrical appliances in the home tends to improve and maintain the health of the workers in the home by the elimination of dirt, soot, ashes and fumes, In this health field, also, special appliances have been developed such as the electric vibrator and the violet ray applicator. For the perSonal use of the lady we have the electric hair clippers and the electric hair dryers, and that electrical development is keeping abreast of the times is shown by the introduction of the hair curlers. Another important labour saver is the electric motor for operating the sewing machine, which eliminates entirely the use of the treadle.

TPHEN, too, we have the _ seasonable articles such as the electric fan which, being portable, can be used in any room in the house for keeping cool in the summer, and only those who have experienced its benefit in the sick room, in the summer know what a boon it can be. For the winter we have electric radiators and fires which have shown a remarkable development in the last. few years. The consumer has a very wide choice in size, design, finish, and price, ranging from the small bowl-type radiator to the electric coal fire designed to be in keeping with even the most expensively-furnished rooms. In the early days of the electric radiator users frankly admitted their efficiency and ~ --Continued on page 365.

Modern Aladdin ’*s Lamp am eee oe (Concluded from page 27.) their utility, but it has taken a long while to break down the prejudice in fayour of the glow of a coal or. wood fire. This psychological preference has been overcome by the adoption of combined electrical heat with flickering coal fire effect. The electric vacuum cleaner has its place in every home. It is more than a labour saver and a time saver, for the vacuum cleaner cleans better than any broom or sweeper. it saves health too. It is adaptable inasmuch as it can be used for cleaning’ carpets, rugs, chairs, hangings, upholstery, bedding and clothing, and, in fact, when purchased completé with its attachments, it becomes a complete house-cleaning plant. . With the rapid growth of electricity in the home, and the cheapening of the cost to-the user of electricity, it is only to be expected that manufacturers would turn their attention to larger appliances, the foremost of which today is the electric range, which in itself could easily be made the sole subject of an article much longer than this. In its entire elimination of soot, ash and fumes it is a health bringer as well as a labour saver, and its enamel finish inside and out makes it so easily kept clean. _ The. supply .authorities in New Zealand have proved their progressiveness by the institution of charges which make the electric range the cheapest form of cooking. Add to this’ the elimination of loss of shrinkage in the cooking of joints-the beautiful appearance, and you have that most to be desired of all electrical appliancesthe electric range. N a country like New Zealand, where most housewives do their own housework, it has taken them a long time to realise that a very large amount of their lives is spent in the kitchen. Out of this awakening has come the desire for better and brighter kitchens, and to meet this demand electric ranges are now available in a variety of beautifully finished enamelled colours. The adoption of the electric range in place of the old coal range and its water boiler brought the’ need for some means of heating water electrically. This problem was very quickly overcome by means of placing electric elements in water cylinders, and, with the provision of very cheap rates, all the hot water necessary for the household can now be provided electrically at a very economical cost. HE development of, the electric refrigerator for household purposes has been phenominal and it is rapidly superseding the use of ice-chests for the preservation of food. These refrigerators are automatic in control, thus ensuring a constant temperature. The main purpose of the electric refrigerator is to preserve food from decay, so that from the aspect of good health alone it is worthy of considera-

tion, for good food means good heal th, . Probably the greatest drudgery in the home arose out of the preparing and cooking of meals, since meal time comes round with painful regularity, and, having eliminated the most objectionable features from. cooking, it is only natural that the electrical industry should set itself to the removal of the slavery of the wash-tub. This has been achieved by the production of the electrically-driven clotheswasher, which is being sold in huge numbers in the older countries, and the benefits of which are now being made available in New Zealand homes. Many ladies may doubt the statement that the electric clothes-washer . will actually wash clothes, but this fact can be easily proved by actual demonstrations which can be arranged in their homes. Electric washing machines are of two main types, namely, those equipped with an electrically-driven wringer and those equipped with a hydroextractor, or commonly known as the "spinner" type. Of these the spinner type is the later and more popular development. Apart. from the labour-saving feature of the washing machine, consideration must also be. given to the fact that not .only is no harm done to the clothes but it actually preserves them from the hard wear and tear experienced from the old-fashioned washing-board. The next twelve months will see a very rapid development in the use of electric washing machines throughout New Zealand, and it is predicted that in the next few years it will be as popular as the electric range and the electric vacuum cleaner. N watching the development and progress of the electrical appliances for the home, it is interesting to note how a need is met almost as soon as it has arisen, and the development in one piece of apparatus has rapidly led to the manufacturing of its adjuncts. This has already been demonstrated in the foregoing remarks, and is further shown by the manufacture of the electric ironing machine as an adjunct to the washing machine; and the cake-mixing machine. and eggbeater and also the vegetable peeler as an adjunct to electrical cooking. Anothe.: appliance which is destined to achieve popularity is the dish-wash-ing machine which, in time, will eliminate one of the most hateful of all household tasks-"washing-up." Many of these appliances are already to be found in every home in’ New Zealand served by electricity, but one of the greatest mistakes made by the user of electricity is lack of foresight in providing ample outlet Points to which can be connected various appliances which. are purchased as and when circumstances permit. ‘ In conclusion, it cannot be too strongly urged on every home-builder in New Zealand the absolute necessity of making adequate provision in this respect when the electrical installation is being made at the time when the home is being built. Not only will it save money in the long run, but it makes it so much easier to procure and use other appliances as and when one is in a position to do so.