Who invented the washing machine?
The automatic washing machine is a great invention, comparable to the wheel, bicycle, car, and so on. Thanks to the automatic washing machine, millions of modern housewives now have extra hours of free time that they can use productively instead of doing hand laundry. 82% of women worldwide use washing machines, but only a few know who to thank for this. We'll try to correct this injustice by explaining who invented the first washing machine.
The appearance of the first washing machine
We'll likely never know who actually invented the first washing machine or when, as we can only judge the past by the crumbs that miraculously survive to this day. Ancient, powerful civilizations have vanished into oblivion, and we'll hardly be able to know what their lives were like in detail. We only know certain facts about the modern history of washing machines.
In 1851, the American King invented the first washing machine with a handle that the housewife had to turn. He patented this machine as a washing machine, although, in all honesty, King had simply slightly modified a household butter churn into a laundry machine, but this was still a breakthrough. The history of washing machines then unfolded more rapidly. By 1874, hand-operated washing machines were being mass-produced by another American, Blackstone.
Blackstone washing machines featured not only a manually rotated wash tub but also a very simple wringer—two rollers with a handle. Wet laundry was passed through the rollers while the handle was rotated, thus spinning it. The wringer was invented a little earlier in 1861. By 1875, more than 1,900 models of various washing machines and devices were patented in the United States. However, most of them were either ineffective, inefficient, and unreliable.
In the Old World, the washing machine appeared almost 50 years later, but it was much more efficient and effective than the inventions of Blackstone and King. We are talking about the invention of the German K. Miele, who in 1900 made the first European hand-operated washing machine.
FYI! The first Miele washing machine also looked like a butter churn and wasn't widely popular.
The first semiautomatic rifles
The era of semi-automatic washing machines began with the invention of Fisher, who built an electric washing machine in 1908. The machine was intended for home use, but it was too dangerous, as all its moving parts protruded. However, Fisher's invention was a breakthrough: now a washing machine could wash clothes without the need for laborious manual labor.
The first half of the 20th century can be considered the era of the development of semi-automatic washing machines. During this time, numerous industrial companies specializing in the production of washing machines emerged. Miele was a prominent example, and to this day remains the leader in the production of washing machines, only now automatic ones.
- In 1911, Upton built a small factory to produce semi-automatic washing machines, which later grew into the Whirlpool corporation, which continues to thrive today.
- In 1916, Antonio Zanussi opened a small workshop in Italy to produce electric washing machines. A little later, the production grew into the largest company in Italy, and after some time, this company became transnational.
- In 1930, Lee Byung-chul built a mill in Korea where he began producing rice flour. This marked the beginning of the Samsung company, which produces, among other things, washing machines. It is the largest appliance manufacturer in South Korea.
The list could go on and on, as at that time there were approximately 2,000 companies worldwide that specialized in the production of household appliances, including washing machines. Semi-automatic washing machines made housewives' work much easier, but full automation of laundry was still a long way off.
Automatic machine
In the first half of the 20th century, semi-automatic washing machines flooded the market and were widespread in Europe and America. In 1951, the situation began to change with the introduction of the first automatic washing machine. This washing machine was very similar to modern ones, as it had a spin function. The machine had two control switches: one for washing and one for drying; there was no automatic switch between washing and drying.
In 1962, a representative of the Miele company invented an automatic washing machine that was controlled by just one switch. The main problem with spin-drying washing machines of the 1960s was that they performed poorly, as the drum rotation speed did not exceed 600 rpm. In 1970, an automatic washing machine capable of spinning at 1000 rpm appeared. It was very noisy, but the spin quality, like the wash quality, was excellent.
Please note: Automatic washing machines from the 1950s and 1960s were excellent, but they had mechanical controls.
In 1978, a Miele engineer invented, and a team of engineers subsequently launched, the first microprocessor-controlled automatic washing machine. This machine no longer required switching between wash and spin cycles. Essentially, it was the first prototype of the modern automatic washing machine. Modern automatic washing machines are capable of performing a full laundry care cycle and feature the following functions:
- drying;
- easy ironing;
- bubble wash;
- automatic weighing of laundry;
- smart washing;
- washing certain types of fabric and others.
So, we've briefly discussed the international history of washing machines, including the question of who first invented the washing machine. If you're interested in more detailed information, history of the washing machine, read the publication of the same name on our website.
Russian models
The history of washing machines in Europe and America is generally clear, but what about Russia? The USSR had quite a few of its own washing machines, although the prototypes for our "Vyatka" and "Riga" models were often foreign Husqvarnas and Mieles. Until 1925, there were no washing machines at all in Russia; then they began to be purchased in small quantities abroad for nomenklatura workers.
After World War II, the Soviet economy began to recover rapidly. Thousands of new enterprises emerged, and their industrial capacity enabled the USSR to launch production of its own semi-automatic washing machines. Thus, in 1949, the Riga enterprise RES launched production of the EAYA-2 and EAYA-3 machines. These machines went on sale in 1950, but customers had to wait in line for a five-year wait to purchase them. Nevertheless, these were the first washing machines produced in the USSR that were affordable to the masses.
In 1966, the Kirov Plant launched production of Vyatka washing machines in the USSR. They were little different from the Riga Plant's products, featuring the same round wash tanks, and water had to be poured in with a bucket. The first Vyatka had only one advantage: it had a roller wringer mechanism. In the 1970s, the USSR's industry began producing a whole series of washing machines. Almost every city with a population of over a million had a washing machine manufacturer. Around this time, the Volga, Chaika, Volna, and other washing machines appeared in the USSR.
FYI! You can still find similar washing machines in some homes. They're 40 or even 50 years old, but they still work perfectly—Soviet quality.
The history of washing machines in the USSR didn't end there. In the 1980s, the same Kirov plant began producing the first fully automatic washing machines in the USSR, the Vyatka-Avtomat 12. Production 
The production of these machines was established at the expense of the Italian concern that produces Ariston equipment. The Vyatka-avtomat 12" is a copy of one of the Ariston washing machine models.
Subsequently, the USSR collapsed, and Russian industry declined. Gradually, foreign companies entered the Russian market and began producing automatic washing machines. Nowadays, it's quite common to find Russian-made washing machines from Samsung, LG, Ariston, Whirlpool, Bosch, and Indesit, although their quality still leaves much to be desired. Russian-assembled washing machines are not valued highly.
In conclusion, even historians have a hard time answering the question of who invented the very first washing machine and when. It's believed that the first washing machine was made in the mid-19th century, and it's from this point that we should begin counting the invention's existence. We have no choice but to accept this assertion, especially since we can't refute it.
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A huge thank you to everyone who invented this wonderful machine! What a joy, my hands don't hurt and I have freed up time!
We pray to those who came up with this...
Thank you, inventor!
Remember how we used to wash clothes in regular washing machines: first, we'd soak them, wash them, and wring them out by hand. Then we'd rinse them. And hang them outside on clotheslines to dry. And now it's so beautiful—you press a button, and it does it all.
Respect and admiration from all women!
This is the most brilliant invention! Every time I throw laundry into the drum, I say, "Thank you so much for this wonderful machine!"
Like all housewives, I am deeply grateful to the inventor for the miracle he gave us. It's such a relief to our lives that we're ready to bow low to him. Thank you!
Praise be to all the clever inventions! Thanks to our laziness, such necessary things are invented!!!
Thank you so much for the many women who made their lives easier thanks to the inventors of the automatic washing machine!
In my opinion, this invention is worthy of all the world's awards! My deepest respects.
Sometimes I laugh at myself. Why doesn't the washing machine hang the laundry on the line?
Thanks a lot to whoever invented the automatic machine!
So I don’t understand, we don’t have our own production of washing machines?
Thank you so much!
I'm 70 years old. The "automatic" machine came into my life 20 years ago, when my five children became adults. Today, I can't imagine how I ever managed without it. Standing next to this miracle, I thought once again: the person who invented the machine deserves the gratitude of all the women in the world like no one else!
Thanks to the inventor!
Holy man! Thanks for the automatic machine!
A technological marvel. My deepest respects to the inventor.
Women used to wash clothes by hand, but men invented the washing machine. Thank you, men, for your concern! What would we women do without you?
May your name, inventor of the automatic washing machine, live forever! This is the best gift to all women on Earth! ❤️❤️❤️