The “Crock Pot,” invented by Irving Naxon, was inspired by his mother’s bean stew. He received a patent in 1940 for what he called the “Naxon Beanery.” He later sold it to Rival Manufacturing who renamed it “Crock Pot.” By the 1990s over 83% of households owned one. But now there is competition. In 2008, an out of work tech engineer, Robert Wang, invented the Instapot. He sold the first one in 2010. He wanted healthier meals for families when both husbands and wives worked full-time jobs. The popular Instapot was never advertised in the media, but has displaced the Crock Pot because of its versatility serving as a rice cooker, a pressure cooker, a steamer and a slow cooker.
Growing Home: The Crock Pot
