Electric Iron

Before the invention of the electric iron, various methods were used to smooth out washed and wrinkled clothes. Charcoal-filled pans were replaced by cast iron flat irons which were heated up in open fires in Ancient China. By the late nineteenth century, flat irons were being heated by a range of fuels including kerosene and animal oils.
As this method was a tiring and dirty task as it involves continuous heating by a coal. But with the invention of electricity Henry W. Seely, an american inventor was the first to develop and patent an electric iron in 1882.
The electric iron uses resistive heating. This was used to warm a metal hot plate which are now made of aluminium and stainless steel. The plate is attached to a handle to make it portable. Due to lack of technology it was difficult to control the temperature of the plate of irons.
Seely and Richard Dyer made a cordless iron which became very popular. Around 1920s most of the homes had a electric iron which was fast and clean. Switching the iron to 'on' or 'off' was introduced in 1930s.