Josephine Cochrane

Inventor of the first commercially successful dishwasher, revolutionizing kitchen technology

Josephine Cochrane (1839–1913) transformed domestic labor by patenting the motorized dishwasher in 1886. Frustrated by servants chipping her heirloom china, she engineered wire compartments and water-jet sprayers - principles still used in modern appliances.

At the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, her Garis-Cochrane Dishwashing Machine won highest prize, selling to hotels and hospitals. The IEEE recognizes her as an early adopter of aluminum construction and pressurized cleaning. Though initially marketed to institutions, Cochrane's vision of 'every home needing one' anticipated 20th-century consumer culture. Her company evolved into KitchenAid, impacting millions of households globally.