1962

Japan's First Mass Produced Microwave Oven <R-10>

Sharp developed the R-10, Japan's first microwave oven in 1961. The following year, Sharp became the first company to mass produce microwave ovens. It was generally believed that it would take some time for the general public to get used to the idea of cooking without a flame. Sharp was confident that someday microwave ovens would be a staple appliance in homes but in the meantime the company worked at creating a customer base by selling commercial-use microwave ovens.