Who Invented the Cigarette Rolling Machine

The inventor of the cigarette rolling machine was James Albert Bonsack. He was born in 1859 and invented the machine in 1880. Prior to Bonsack’s invention, all cigarettes had to be rolled by hand. That meant cigarettes that were already made were considered a luxury item, but the rolling machine made pre-made cigarettes a more viable commercial option.

Because demand was so high for readymade cigarettes and even the best rollers could only produce four cigarettes per minute, a company offered an open prize of $75,000 to anyone who could develop a viable machine. Bonsack chose to patent his machine instead.

At full speed, Bonsack’s first rolling machine could create 200 cigarettes per minute. This completely changed the cigarette industry and by 1888, all cigarette rollers in the area were replaced by machines.