Microwaves as a household appliance became popular in the 1970s. The technology was actually developed in the late 1940s, but it took several decades for it to become affordable and widely available for home use. The first commercial microwave oven, called the "Radarange," was introduced by Raytheon in 1947, but it was large, expensive, and mainly used in industrial settings.
In the 1960s, the technology started to become more compact and affordable, leading to some limited adoption in homes. However, it was during the 1970s that microwaves gained significant popularity and began to replace traditional ovens and stovetops for certain cooking tasks.
The convenience and speed of cooking with microwaves appealed to many households, and the technology continued to improve over the years, becoming a common fixture in kitchens worldwide. As microwaves became more efficient and versatile, they expanded their role beyond reheating leftovers and quick cooking tasks to more complex meals and food preparation.