The electric dishwasher was invented by Josephine Cochrane in 1886. She was a wealthy socialite from Illinois, United States, who wanted a machine that could wash dishes faster and more efficiently than her household staff. Cochrane's dishwasher used water pressure to clean dishes placed inside a wire rack, and it was the first practical mechanical dishwasher to be patented and manufactured. Her invention laid the foundation for the modern dishwashers we use today.