The Oldest Kitchen Appliance Brand In The World Dates Back To The 17th Century

There are dozens of kitchen appliance brands to choose from when you're in the market for a new stovetop to create a balanced homemade pasta sauce or fridge to store fresh produce. However, only one can say it has been in business since the 17th century. German-born company Gaggenau has been selling products benefitting the masses for nearly 350 years and, as many businesses do, it sprang to life out of necessity.

Gaggenau began its journey to becoming a leader in luxury kitchen appliances near Germany's Black Forest in a somewhat downtrodden region. The local authority, a noble named Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm von Baden, attempted to better the lives of his subjects by setting up smelter operations and nail forges that would provide them with a means of building wealth. By 1873, the company had transitioned from nail making to constructing farm equipment. A few years later, Gaggenau pivoted once again and started making enameled goods, which eventually became a cornerstone of its gas and coal-powered stoves.

Fast-forward to the 1940s, and Gaggenau was concentrating exclusively on making stoves. Supplying coal, gas, and electric-powered cooking appliances was the primary focus for some time, yet when a new owner took the reins of the business, he maintained that custom-fitted kitchens for home cooks was the wave of the future. Functional, aesthetically pleasing home products thus became the bread and butter of Gaggenau's business model during the 1950s, but there was still more innovation to come from this luxury kitchen appliance brand.

Gaggenau spent decades improving its sleek designs of cooktops and dual fridge/freezer appliances as an independent company until it was purchased by BSH Hausgeräte GmbH in 1995. Shortly after, in 1999, the luxury goods manufacturer was the first to offer home cooks a steam oven that could be fitted into their home kitchens. BSH Hausgeräte GmbH changed hands again in 2015 when Bosch Group became the new owner. Today, Gaggenau remains the conglomerate's elite kitchen appliance brand.

Being a brand that focuses on precision cooking for chefs and experienced home cooks, it made sense that Gaggenau would create pop-up restaurants to demonstrate the first-rate cuisine its products could create. Helmed by Michelin-starred chefs, Restaurant 1683 and Bistro 1683 — both names honor the year Gaggenau was founded — took guests on a gastronomic journey recalling its Black Forest origins and included seared foie gras and a carefully crafted Black Forest cake. Many delicacies were prepared tableside — on Gaggenau appliances, of course.

Showrooms across the world display the brand's premium kitchen devices for folks interested in augmenting their galley with an updated luxury appliance, but Gaggenau isn't for everyone. Its products tend to be on the pricier side compared to other Bosch Group brands like Thermador, Siemens, and, of course, Bosch. However, bona fide culinary enthusiasts willing to splurge on the elite kitchen appliance brand will likely be impressed with the precision controls and exquisite appearance that Gaggenau has strived for years to perfect.