What’s cooking? Kitchens then and now

This 1978 Datalux cooker from Electrolux was as innovative in its day as our newest models are today. Let’s compare…

“The Datalux was one of the first to have a flat panel with controls to press – today we have full graphical touch screens much like on a mobile phone,” says Kersten Kaiser, Head of Advanced Development at CX PL Taste – Food Preparation. “The Datalux also was one of the first to have a food probe to measure temperature inside a pot. Today, we have SensePro® Induction to do that, wirelessly!”

The Datalux cooker’s electronic controls also had memory capacity, and automatic boil control – pretty cool for 1978! The Datalux had solid hot plates, which was quite new back then compared to the old coils. Those solid plates are still sold in lower-cost models today. And now, of course we have induction cooktops.

“Induction uses much less energy, the glass surface is easy to clean and stays quite cool,” Kersten says. “We have some of the best induction technology in the world, as part of our drive toward sustainability.”

The 1978 cooker would have needed a large hood above it, too. Today we still have hoods with sleek designs, but we also have two new so-called ‘combohobs,’ which have a built-in extractor flush with the hob to pull in steam and smoke, eliminating the need for a hood altogether. We launched our latest products in this growing premium category – the 800 Bridge with eXTractor and the 800 FlexiBridge® with eXTractor – at EuroCucina in June 2022.

Electrolux Flexbridge Combohob

How far have ovens come since 1978?

The full glass door on the Datalux oven was a new thing back then too, Kersten says. The only problem was, that door still got quite hot. Today, our all-glass fronts stay cool, for safety. They also close quietly, compared to 1978!

“Remember when your grandmother used to put a pan of water in the oven with the roast?” says Kersten. “Now our Steamify technology does that for you, enhancing bread-baking and helping you cook fish perfectly, for example.”

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Our products also offer the opportunity to use sous-vide on the cooktop or in the oven. You can vacuum-pack foods before cooking at a constant low temperature for long periods of time, for better flavor and moisture.

“The Datalux was a great product for its time,” says Marco Bulgheroni, Head of R&D for Global Food Preparation at Electrolux. “We’ve continued to innovate since then. Today our top-notch technology helps consumers save energy and cook healthier, to enjoy food with family and friends.”