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Story: Cooking

Microwave oven, 1965

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Microwave oven, 1965

The first microwave ovens appeared in New Zealand kitchens in the early 1970s, but this model was exhibited at a trade stall during a hospital boards conference in Nelson in 1965. Optimistically described as the 'oven of the future', this microwave cost £625, a whopping $22,000 in 2012 terms. The cost of microwaves significantly decreased over time – the cheapest cost less than $100 in 2012.

Using this item

Nelson Provincial Museum, Nelson Photo News Collection

Reference: NPN62-19651211

by Barry Simpson

Permission must be sought from Nelson Provincial Museum before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

David Burton, Cooking – Cooking technology, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/38524/microwave-oven-1965 (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by David Burton, published 18 June 2012.