While many appliances have existed for centuries, the self-contained electric or gas powered appliances are a uniquely American innovation that emerged in the early twentieth century. The development of these appliances is tied to the disappearance of full-time domestic servants and the desire to reduce the time-consuming activities in pursuit of more recreational time. In the early 1900s, electric and gas appliances included
washing machines, water heaters, refrigerators,
kettles and sewing machines. The invention of Earl Richardson's small electric
clothes iron in 1903 gave a small initial boost to the home appliance industry.