ides p read ▁on ▁the ▁European ▁Cont inent ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁ ▁Electric ▁st ove ▁ ▁Once ▁electric ▁power ▁was ▁widely ▁and ▁econom ically ▁available , ▁electric ▁st ov es ▁became ▁a ▁popular ▁alternative ▁to ▁fuel - burn ing ▁app li ances . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁earliest ▁such ▁devices ▁was ▁pat ented ▁by ▁Canadian ▁invent or ▁Thomas ▁A he arn ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 . ▁A he arn ▁and ▁Warren ▁Y . ▁S oper ▁were ▁own ers ▁of ▁Ott awa ' s ▁Cha udi ere ▁Electric ▁Light ▁and ▁Power ▁Company . ▁The ▁electric ▁st ove ▁was ▁show c ased ▁at ▁the ▁Chicago ▁World ' s ▁Fair ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁where ▁an ▁elect r ified ▁model ▁kitchen ▁was ▁shown . ▁ ▁Un like ▁the ▁gas ▁st ove , ▁the ▁elect rical ▁st ove ▁was ▁slow ▁to ▁catch ▁on , ▁partly ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁un famil iar ▁technology , ▁and ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁cities ▁and ▁towns ▁to ▁be ▁elect r ified . ▁Early ▁electric ▁st ov es ▁were ▁uns atisf actory ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁electric ity ▁( comp ared ▁with ▁wood , ▁coal , ▁or ▁city ▁gas ), ▁limited ▁power ▁available ▁from ▁the ▁elect rical ▁supply ▁company , ▁poor ▁temperature ▁reg ulation , ▁and ▁short ▁life ▁of ▁he ating ▁elements . ▁The ▁in vention ▁of ▁nich rome ▁al loy ▁for ▁resistance ▁w ires ▁improved ▁the ▁cost ▁and ▁dur ability ▁of ▁he ating ▁elements . ▁▁ ▁The