Science Museum

Refrigerator: The Story of Cool in the Kitchen
Helen Peavitt

This book explores the history of refrigeration and how the fridge has become an essential appliance in our homes today. 

Refrigeration technologies – essentially a completely new method of preserving and transporting all manner of perishable goods – had a profound impact on society from the nineteenth century onwards. Helen Peavitt leads us through the rooms, cabinets and boxes used to keep food, drink and other substances cool, their prime refrigerating function driven by mechanical means or, in earlier times, ice. The story of the refrigerator encompasses tales of scientific discovery, applied technology, power and steam engines; ice harvesting; industrial design and production; popular culture and taste; public health and hygiene; changing climate; technological aversion, danger and the odd dalliance with environmental catastrophe.