Have you ever heard someone describe something they are pleased with like this: "It's the greatest thing since sliced bread." That phrase is meaningless to most of us. Here's the rest of the story.

The first electric toaster appeared in 1909. It toasted one side at a time and required constant vigilance: when the toast was done, you pulled the plug. The first automatic electric toaster was designed in 1919 by Charles Strite, a man sick and tired of burned toast. Americans were skeptical at first about investing in a single-function appliance, but prices dropped and sales mushroomed. From 1922 to 1930 sales tripled, from 400,000 units to 1,200,000, thanks in part to the introduction of sliced bread by Wonder. Before this, bread was sold in whole loaves. If you were going to enjoy your new …