The History of the Electric Handheld Hair Dryer
Hair dryers are a common household good that nearly every woman owns. With the variety of models of technology available, there is an electric handheld hair dryer suitable for any hair type and price point. These machines have come a long way since their birth in the late 19th century. Does this Spark an idea?
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Definition
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The handheld hair dryer or blow dryer is used to dry and style hair. They are found in drugstores, salons and mass retailers all over the world at difference price points. The hair dryer works by blowing air across a heating coil, heating it up to blow on wet hair, which helps it to dry much faster than if it were air dried.
Origin
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In 1890, Alexandre Godefoy invented the electric hot air-blast hair dryer. These early hair dryers were modeled after vacuum cleaners' warm exhaust. This initial hair drying device had a power cord and a hand crank.
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1920s
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Inventors developed portable, handheld blow dryers in the 1920s. They were made of steel and zinc, weighing more than two pounds. They did not dry hair very well because they only produced 100 watts of heat.
1950s
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Handheld dryers that were lighter in weight and made of plastic finally became available in the 1950s. By the 1960s, they produced up to 500 watts of power improving the way hair was dried.
Safety
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These early hairdryers were known to cause electrical shocks or short circuit if they came into contact of any water. In the 1970s, manufacturers improved the safety by adhering to the Consumer Products Safety Commission who recommended guidelines to produce safer hair drying machines.
1990s and Beyond
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As smaller motors were developed over time, hair dryers continued to develop. By the 1990s, handheld electric hair dryers produced more than 1500 watts of heat and today can produce up to 2000 watts of heat. Hair dryers also became more lightweight with the improvement of plastic technology.
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References
- Photo Credit dryers image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
