History

• The dishwasher was invented by a woman named Josephine Cochrane in Shelbyville, Illinois, in 1886. Josephine was a wealthy woman who hosted several dinner parties. Her servants did the dishes too slowly and often broke her fine china. Josephine hated doing dishes and knew there had to be a better way. She searched for a machine that would do the job, but when she couldn't find one, she invented her own. She received the patent for her invention on December 28, 1886.
  
  

Features

• Josephine measured the dishes and made wire compartments to hold them. She placed the compartments inside a wheel that laid flat in a copper boiler. A motor then turned the wheel. Mrs. Cochrane enlisted the help of a local mechanic in the physical creation of her invention.
  
  

Function

• Although the dishwasher has come along way since Josephine Cochrane developed the idea, she created the first functional dishwasher. Her invention did the job she imagined it to do by cleaning the dishes with hot, soapy water pumped from the boiler.
  
  

World's Fair Unveiling

• Josephine Cochrane unveiled her invention in 1893 at the World's Fair in Chicago. Her dishwasher won the fair's highest award.
  
  

Interest

• Although people were curious and came to see Josephine's invention, only hotels and large restaurants were initially interested in the dishwasher. Public interest in the dishwashing invention didn't catch on until the 1950s.
  
  

Production

• Josephine Cochrane opened her own company and went into production. Her company went on to become what is known today as Kitchen Aid. Mrs. Cochrane did not become rich from her invention, but she did earn a comfortable living. Josephine Cochrane died in 1913.