Have you ever marvelled at the miracle of the air fryer? That magical countertop gadget that crisps your chips without drowning them in oil, or that reheats yesterday’s roast to perfection? It’s changed how many of us cook – but how many know the man behind its beating heart? 

Let me introduce you to Albert Marsh: the quiet inventor from Illinois who helped shape the modern kitchen – and so much more – with a wire. 

Albert Marsh was born in 1877 in Pontiac, Illinois. He was the eldest of three children and, like many bright young minds of his era, grew up surrounded by rapid change: the electric light bulb, the telephone, and the first whispers of flight. By the time he graduated in 1901 with a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois, he had the makings of a mind tuned to innovation. That same year, he married Minnie Hayward and embarked on a career that would, quite literally, heat up the world. 

Most of us take electric heating for granted. Flick a switch and – voilà – your toaster glows, your kettle boils, your hair dryer heats up, and your air fryer works its magic. But behind these comforts lies a fundamental challenge: how to turn electricity into reliable, controllable heat. Almost any metal wire will heat up when electricity runs through it. The trouble is, most metals either conduct too well (so they don’t heat up much), or they become brittle and oxidise when red-hot, snapping far too quickly for everyday use. 

That’s where Marsh’s genius comes in. 

In his spare time – imagine that, inventing in the evenings after a full day’s work – Marsh began experimenting with combinations of nickel and chromium. He wasn’t doing this in a shiny lab, either. In 1904, he struck a deal with William Hoskins, a Chicago chemist, who gave him a modest salary and, crucially, permission to continue his experiments. Together, they laid the foundations for what would become Hoskins Manufacturing Company and, in 1906, Marsh patented a new metal alloy: nichrome. 

This unassuming thin wire was a game-changer. 

When heated, nichrome forms a protective layer of chromium oxide – stable, resistant to oxygen, and remarkably durable. It doesn’t rust away. It doesn’t snap. It just keeps on glowing. And so, quietly and without fanfare, Albert Marsh’s invention revolutionised electric heating. 

Nichrome became the essential heating element in toasters, space heaters, kettles, and later on, hairdryers, curling tongs, and soldering irons. Over time, its uses expanded into electric ovens, industrial furnaces, laboratory equipment, and even dental tools.  

Today, it's still going strong in cutting-edge tech – from 3D printers and battery testing devices to the sleek new air fryer on your kitchen counter. Its unique combination of heat resistance, durability, and versatility has made it an enduring favourite in engineering and everyday life for well over a century. 

Without Marsh, we’d still be fumbling with open flames or fragile filaments. 

But he didn’t stop there. Alongside his work on resistance wire, Marsh also co-developed a novel method for producing aluminium more efficiently. At a time when aluminium was still considered a precious metal, his electrochemical process – involving molten salts and precise electrode work – helped make high-purity aluminium widely available. This lightweight, versatile metal would go on to transform industries from aviation to packaging. 

By 1915, Marsh was president of Hoskins Manufacturing, and his career continued to flourish. He was recognised with prestigious awards, including the John Price Wetherill Medal for his contributions to the physical sciences, and the Sauveur Award for outstanding metallurgical achievement. Yet, despite these honours, his name remains little-known outside specialist circles. 

And that is a shame. Because Albert Marsh’s impact is everywhere. 

Every time we use a device that warms up without fire – from the humble toaster to industrial furnaces – we’re witnessing the quiet legacy of his work. His inventions didn’t just make life more convenient; they made it safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. Heating without flame reduced fire risks. Efficient aluminium production made aircraft lighter and fuel usage lower. And, of course, nichrome wire gave rise to a host of modern appliances, culminating in the 21st-century phenomenon: the air fryer. 

We often think of progress as something that arrives with a bang – a breakthrough or a bold name in headlines. But people like Albert Marsh remind us that real change can come quietly. His work wasn’t glamorous, but it has rippled through every decade since, improving daily life in ways we rarely stop to notice. I, for one, will be thinking of him every time I use my air fryer – and grateful for the heat he brought into our homes. 

Marsh passed away in 1944, long before he could see the full impact of his work. But his story reminds us that some of the most transformative inventions aren’t flashy or headline-grabbing. Sometimes, they’re forged in back rooms, in quiet moments, by people who are simply curious enough to ask: What if this wire could do more? 

And its story is far from over. As we move into an era of electric vehicles, smart textiles, and 3D-printed everything, nichrome's unique properties are being repurposed for modern challenges – from self-heating clothes and battery safety devices to spacecraft thermal systems and next-generation medical tools. A century on, Marsh’s invention is still adapting to the future. 

So, next time you bite into a perfectly air-fried chip, raise a silent toast to Albert Marsh – the father of the glow that warms our toast, boils our kettles, dries our hair, cooks our food and makes our modern lives just a little easier. 

Inspired by the BBC Two programme on the Secret Genius of Modern Life - the Air Fryer with Hannah Fry. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_L._Marsh