"The best thing since sliced bread"
"The best thing since sliced bread" Meaning of this famous idiom used to describe a brilliant new invention, idea, or innovation that makes life significantly better or easier. History of the Phrase The expression originated in the United States around the late 1920s to the 1930s, right after . Otto Frederick Rohwedder revolutionized the baking industry by inventing the first automatic commercial bread-slicing machine. His power-driven, multi-bladed prototype made its debut on July 7, 1928 , at the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri. Because buying pre-sliced loaves completely revolutionized convenience in kitchens, the phrase was quickly coined to highlight how impressive other new innovations were in comparison. How to Use It To praise something: "I just bought a new smartphone—it's the best thing since sliced bread, I can’t believe I worked without it! "Sarcasm: You can also use it to mock something that is being overly hyped, or for a compl...