Microwave Ovens

Microwave Oven Ratings to Consider

2010-04-09T15:47:00.000-07:00

A microwave oven should be one kitchen appliance that can last for more than a year. However if you are being victimized by replacing yours every six months, you should first stop and think about the different microwave oven ratings that you need to consider to make sure that it will last for more than six months. This will assure you that you already have the best among the many models and thus will help you save your hard-earned money.

One of the many microwave oven ratings that you need to consider to be sure that it is the best is its efficiency. This can be judged by making sure that the given ratio of the output to the input is very high. For instance, try to look at how much power it needs to consume to be able to give a certain value to its users. And if you see that it only needs to consume a small amount of energy to be able to cook a lot of food, then it is really worth buying. The next rating that you need to be sure of is the impression of other people on that specific model. If you are reading more good than bad reviews about it, then that already means something; this could mean that it is worth spending a certain amount of money for that model.

But to also verify what other people are saying, the next best thing for you to do is to determine the value of the microwave oven. This can be done by looking at two specific factors - worth and cost. This can be done by visiting several stores that offer this specific model; comparing the prices can truly determine if this specific microwave oven is really worth something. Another factor that you need to consider is the reason why you need to buy a microwave oven. Knowing the future use of an oven in your home can very much help in making sure that it will really be efficient in helping you with your needs. Determining the reason for buying one can also mean thinking about where you can place the microwave oven in your home. This factor can also determine if the microwave oven you want to buy will become really efficient inside your household.

The last rating that you need to take into consideration is where you are going to buy it. The place where you will buy your microwave oven can tell so much about the kitchen appliance. You can make sure that the reputation of the store or site that you will buy your oven from is really trustworthy to ensure that you will not be wasting your money over something that has a low quality.

Taking into consideration all these microwave oven ratings can really help you in many ways. The first is by helping you into spending your money into something that can last for a very long time inside your home. These ratings will also ensure that the oven you will be able to buy is really something worth keeping for a very long time.

Focusing on Microwave Oven Parts

2010-03-18T09:30:00.001-07:00

The different microwave oven parts are the primary reasons why microwave ovens work. If you are not familiar with this appliance, it is a device that has a structure that is like of a box that is made of steel. What people do not know is that a mesh is installed on the inner side of the door itself and it is installed because it reflects the microwave radiation. The safety inside the microwave is really tight because even the latch has micro switches in them. One good feature of a microwave is that it automatically shuts down when the door is not yet closed and it will not operate until the door remains opened.

Cavity is what the inside of a microwave is called and it is actually made of steel. Obviously, when the cord of the microwave oven is plugged and it is turned on, then it is already okay to be used. The user will be guided on how he/she should operate the microwave oven that is shown on the control panel. Included in the many microwave oven parts is the circuit board behind the control panel that is responsible for executing your commands. To maintain the heat inside the cavity, there is a fan that sucks the air through the ventilations on the side; the air that is sucked is then blown in the magnetron's fins. Even though there are fans to keep the temperature of the microwave oven manageable, there are still sensors installed so that if something becomes too hot, the appliance will automatically shut down.

Among all the microwave oven parts, it is confirmed that the magnetron is the most important because it is the one that generates the microwaves inside the oven. The magnetron is energized by a relay process that guides the generated microwave radiation into the cavity using a small window. Inside the cavity, a turntable can be found and it is where the food being cooked is placed. The reason why this turntable is rotating is so that the food can be cooked equally; another fact about these turntables is that they are made from a material that is microwave resistant.

Truly, the different parts of a microwave oven are really very different from that of other appliance like televisions or radios. Even experienced technicians are really having a hard time handling the circuits found in a microwave oven. As a matter of fact, even the circuit boards of several microwaves from different brands also differ from one another. Because of this, it is really advisable to look for original spare parts when your microwave oven breaks down. This is so you will be assured that the parts that you will install in the oven will really work perfectly so that your microwave oven will function like brand new. And because of this, the life of this specific kitchen appliance will really be extended over a very long period of time, making all your hard-earned money really worth it.

How To Buy Microwave Ovens

2010-03-10T08:28:00.000-08:00

Even though many people are already familiar with different ovens, it seems that a lot of them are still clueless on how to buy microwave ovens. Maybe they are not that familiar with this particular appliance after all. Buying the perfect microwave oven for your household is like picking a flower from a bouquet because there are obviously a lot of choices to decide on. But even though there are many features and models to choose from, the process of selecting the right one becomes easier when a series of steps is followed when doing so.

The first among the many steps a person has to follow when one wants to buy microwave ovens or when one wants to replace older models is to think about how often he/she would use it. If you know that your cooking would not depend on your microwave oven that much, then it is advisable for you to buy something that has lesser features compared to the others; just the basic model will surely fit your needs just the same. On the other hand, if you know that a microwave oven will be your primary appliance in the kitchen, then it is just practical for you to go for models which have more advanced features.

Now that all these facts have already been laid out, it is now time to look more closely into the different options that you will be encountering while searching for microwave ovens. Different oven models offer different wattages; this means that your preference and purpose will also matter when looking for the right wattage of a microwave oven for your use. When the wattage of the microwave that you need has already been settled, you need to decide on where you plan to position your microwave inside your home. This is can also help you in deciding what type of model you are going to buy - whether you only need a countertop oven or an oven range model. This aspect also depends on your purpose you have for buying a microwave oven that is why that needs to be established before anything else. In addition to all these information, it will also be good to know that the microwave ovens with advanced features are really advanced. This is so because some advanced ovens have their cooking time and power already automated depending on the food that the user needs to cook. This feature works by just telling the machine what you are cooking and all the other details already depend on the microwave oven.

To buy microwave ovens or another kitchen appliance for that matter is really not an easy task even for the experts. But when all the requirements you have are already settled, everything becomes easier. The best thing to do about these requirements is for you to list down every single detail you are looking for in a microwave oven, this way you will not forget anything when you are already shopping for a model. Truly, things will become easier with just a simple system.

Guide to Microwave Ovens

2010-02-20T08:26:00.000-08:00

If you are someone who is looking for an accessory in the kitchen that can really help you in cooking your different meals quickly and easily, then microwave ovens are the right one for you.

To fully understand the essence of the said kitchen accessory, it is just necessary to know the concept that it uses to cook food. First of all, all of these microwave ovens are operating through a heat called microwave radiation that uses a 2500MHz frequency most of the time. The common components of these gadgets usually include a humidity sensor, a turntable that is rotating, digital clock and control keypad. Aside from these components, a vacuum tube known as a Magnetron is also included in these ovens along with a control circuit and an enclosure where the cooking of food happens.

There are just some facts you have to be aware of when using this kitchen appliance in your home. One of these is to not put any metallic containers or utensils inside the oven when you want to cook food. This is because the microwave radiation is reflected on these metallic materials and can cause an explosion or a fire. Instead of using metallic materials in cooking your food, it is more advisable that you use materials such as plastic, glass or ceramic because they do not absorb the microwave radiation. Another best thing for you to do when you want to use a container in a microwave oven is to first inspect the container properly and see if there are signs and/or indications that they can be used for the said type of oven.

Since there are many different types and prices of ovens, it is best that you first figure out what the role of a microwave oven will be in your home. After figuring this out, for sure you will have an easier time in determining the type of oven that will be most convenient for you to purchase. To give you a general idea, some of the most basic functions of these microwave ovens are defrosting automatically, cooking popcorn, keeping the food warm and delaying the cooking of food. There are also ovens which are large that are suitable for those people who will use it all the time like in a food business. There are also medium-sized ovens that are best used in a household.

The best way for you to know important information about the different types and functions of these ovens is by looking them up over the internet and reading about their different features. Another way by which you will be able to learn more about the different models of a microwave oven is by directly checking them out from a store. This way, you can ask directly from the sellers the different details you want to know; it will become easier for you to decide which one suits your needs and your household the best.

If you are planning to buy one, start your research today, after all it is never too early to be knowledgeable about things.

Sharp Microwave Oven Facts

2010-02-17T08:30:00.000-08:00

harp microwave oven has been in the market for a couple of years now. These microwave ovens by Sharp are known to be the best among all the other brands available in the market that is why many people really prefer them.

A sharp microwave oven has really become one of the most important appliances in the kitchen today because it has made its way in its own place in the modern kitchen. They have been the ones responsible for the majority of the food that you need to serve. These devices have been known to generate warm energy to surely cook the food while at the same time retaining the natural moisture and juiciness.

During the earlier days these microwave ovens are still very costly, but now that a lot of brands are also developing different microwave ovens, the prices experienced a significant drop. Companies like Sharp made sure that majority of the people will still be able to afford these kitchen appliances while at the same time making sure that people still get the most efficient functions of these microwave ovens.

Some of the advantages that these microwave ovens bring are that they can be used to brown, roast or produce crispy food in an instant. They can also be used to heat leftovers and to bake different dishes. It is also possible to use these ovens to cool and heat the items whenever you need and desire to. Another good thing about these microwave ovens is that you can always experience healthy food because you are only required to use a minimum amount of oil. And these microwave ovens also use only a small amount of energy and save a significant amount of money.

Although a sharp microwave oven can offer a lot of things to its users, there are required to keep in mind a lot of precaution to always ensure safety. One of these precautions is to avoid using materials such as foil and/or metal when cooking food in them. This is because it can cause a fire or an explosion since it reflects the heat the microwave is producing. You also have to have a closer look on the amount of time that the food stays inside the microwave to prevent it from being overcooked. When this happens, there is a bigger chance that the food will just go to waste. Lastly, you always have to make sure that the walls of the oven do not accumulate food particles over time because these particles can affect the efficiency that these microwave ovens bring.

These models have really surpassed the standards of conventional ovens because they can now offer different features to its users. One might be thinking that over the years, the quality of these ovens has already been degraded over time that can also be caused by the decrease in its market value. However, with all the satisfaction that users get from them, it is safe to say that the existence of these microwave ovens has actually allowed them to develop into better kitchen appliance for a lot of people.

How do Microwave Ovens Work to Heat Food?

2009-12-31T17:54:00.000-08:00

Microwave ovens are a marvel of modern kitchen technology. Many of us can remember a time before microwave ovens when even heating the simplest leftover would require the oven to heat up and could take quite a while. Not only that, but such simple foods as a baked potato would take a great deal of time where today it will be done in a microwave in a matter of a few minutes. While many understand the basics of a traditional oven and how it works, they really don't necessarily understand what makes the microwave oven of today's kitchen work.

Microwave ovens use microwaves. A microwave is a type of electromagnetic radiation in a higher frequency range than radio waves. It actually is around the same frequency range that some wireless network devices and some portable phones use. This is the 2 gigahertz frequency range. Now, electromagnetic waves at this frequency can penetrate and affect waters, fat and sugars. When it does so, the atoms of these substance start to vibrate and become warmer and warmer as they continue to be exposed to the microwaves. Human tissue can be affected by radiation in this range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The eyes are especially sensitive to this frequency range. For this reason it is very important that you never operate a microwave that is damaged or the door or door latch is broken. It's also important not to stand against a microwave while it is in operation.

That much said, microwave ovens are a perfectly safe way to reheat food. The air inside a microwave does not naturally heat up and so there will be no browning or crisping of anything reheated within the oven. For this reason some microwave foods will come wrapped in a material that will heat and then in turn heat and brown or crisp the outside of the food that they package.

Since microwaves are emitted from one side of an oven, many such ovens will be designed with a rotating plate which is designed to help food cook thoroughly. It is possible that the microwaves may not penetrate through particularly thick foods and this movement helps to make more even distribution of the radiation as the plate turns.

The wavelength of microwaves is around 12 centimeters and for this reason, unless it is damaged the waves should not escape the cabinet of the microwave unless it is damaged or poorly designed. Microwave ovens have a magnetron inside them which is the source of the radiation that is used to cook our food. If you run a microwave without anything in it you will see sparks as the microwaves have nothing to be absorbed by and reflect and then collide with each other. The same is true if you use a substance that reflects the waves such as metal. Materials that do not absorb microwaves are considered microwave safe and include plastics, glass and ceramics.

Microwave Oven Parts

2009-11-07T22:35:00.000-08:00

I guess you could say I'm a bit of a do it yourself kind of person. I replaced the thermostat on our oven once and we got several years more out of it. Sometimes though you have to weigh the price of a replacement part, or even the challenge of finding it against the price of a new kitchen appliances though. Microwaves are no different and given some of the parts I suppose most people should be cautious about the idea of servicing their microwave oven themselves.

That much said, I've run across some sources for microwave oven parts. Appliance Part Pros for example has some replacement parts (mostly for Whirlpool Microwave Ovens.

By contrast... Appliance Help has many parts for GE Brand microwaves. I was looking for quasar microwave oven parts, but haven't found too many suppliers for these parts anymore.

PartSelect.com has a variety of microwave oven replacement parts as well. It looks as though they have a good search function where you need to enter the model number of the microwave that you are looking for a part for.

So, what part am I looking for? Really, right now, nothing.... just looking. (Why wait till the last minute?) No, seriously I like to see that there are easily available replacement parts for our appliances. It's kind of nice to know before things go wrong isn't it? It's a lousy feeling to be trying to repair something only to discover that the last parts were made 10 years ago (6 months after they stopped making the product and 1 month after you bought it) and no one really has it anymore unless you can track down a working part in an old version of the appliance.

We seem to be such a disposable society, I wish I could say that microwave ovens were more eco friendly, but.... like many appliances today we have a disposable society where things are not necessarily made to truck on for decades in and out (like the old quasar microwaves that seem so resilient. Sadly, even their replacement parts aren't that easy to find.)

Oh and be careful opening up the case of your microwave oven to replace parts unless you know what you're doing!

Is Microwaving eco friendly?

2009-10-11T19:09:00.001-07:00

Eco friendly and going green seem to be the buzzwords and trendy thoughts of the last 5-10 years it seems. Personally, it somewhat annoys me when suddenly people decide to hop on a trendy bandwagon. Does that mean I don't care about the environment.... well, pardon me but DUH, we only have one home here, I think it's crucial that we conserve resources and keep our planet clean. It's just all the bandwagon "green" "eco" marketing and guilt that's annoying.

Anyway.... I saw the sierraclub has this article up on the topic of "to zap or not to zap" which looks at the environmental costs and benefits of using the microwave. They've come to some interesting conclusions that really seem to make sense.

If you're only cooking small amounts of foods or reheating one or two servings it's more energy efficient to microwave your food than heat it in the oven. (Personally.... if it's winter I'm more likely to heat things in the oven as it can help warm the kitchen too. In the summer we really don't like the extra heat and find the smaller toaster oven or microwave a better choice.)

Plastics can leak BPHs into foods so be careful the kinds of materials you place in a microwave.

Never use a damaged microwave. Normally they should only operate when the door closes securely, but if a microwave is damaged it may leak radiation. (RUN! All joking aside - if it's damaged, replace it you can buy a microwave oven for under $100.)

Styrofoam takeout containers do not last long in a microwave, move your takeout to another container or you may be cleaning melted styrofoam out of your take out dinner.

They seem to be all for the use of microwaves. Frankly, for us it depends on the kind of food. Some foods reheat better in a microwave than in the oven, others work a lot better in the oven. (Typically things that need to be crisp we go for the oven and things that should be moist we put in the microwave.) As for the energy usage.... you really shouldn't go for a HUGE microwave oven if you only heat small items and for our usage a small toaster oven is a nice alternative to the traditional oven for reheating small items. The power usage is less than the standard oven and comparable to a microwave.

There are so many excellent choices these days though. There are many reasons to consider a microwave oven as an essential part of your kitchen appliances. Especially for those that eat out a lot (I know when we do, we bring home leftovers.) The microwave can be the perfect place to reheat those take out meals and leftovers from eating out.

Sharp Microwave Ovens | Sharp R-305KS

2009-09-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

The first microwave we'll take a good look at is made by Sharp. It's a Microwave Oven model #R-305KS and it's a 1 cubic foot 1100 Watt oven. It's also a stainless steel microwave oven. Believe it or not I have seen this oven priced anywhere from $89 to $199 online. Although I have seen the user manual for the Sharp R-305KS for about $20 and a used one for about $60 (the microwave, not the manual.)

It's dimensions and weight are as follows:

17.8 x 20.5 x 12.2 inches ; 37 pounds

It comes with a 1 year limited warranty and features a 12-5/8-inch-diameter turntable to provide even heating; as well as 23 automatic settings. There are also 4 defrost, 6 cook, and 6 reheat options; Short Cuts for melting, softening, and warming. Wrapping the features up, there are Minute Plus and popcorn keys; auto-touch controls; 4-digit 2-color lighted display; and an interior light.

I have seen some negative reviews of this microwave, one reviewer claimed that it lasted only 14 months, another had theirs fail after about 10 uses, another one had theirs last 6 months. Yet another reviewer claims that the motor started making loud noises, the turntable moving slowly and smoke coming out the vents. (Wonder what if anything they had on the turntable?) Another claims that warranty service is hard to get from Sharp. Another reviewer had theirs fail in about 6 months as well and yet another was frustrated because on arrival they could not get the door open. Went to look to see if there were instructions in the manual for how to open the door and lo and behold the manual is inside the microwave(!)

On the plus side, there are reviewers that found this microwave to be the best values in the mid size range, many reviewers stating that it is solid and looks sharp as well as working well for most small things (under 2lbs is what one user posted.)

Overall the ratings tend to be overall good with most of the negatives as I noted above seem to surround short lives. The fact that there are several reviewers that have had a 1 year or less life out of this model would give me a bit of a pause in ordering this particular model. When you see so many similar stories it does make you wonder if there may be an issue with this particular one. Baring that, I would at least make sure that I was clear on what the warranty terms are and if it makes life easier to buy local for that reason, so be it.

Microwave Oven Ratings

2009-09-06T18:10:00.001-07:00

On this site we will be rating the microwave ovens we look at, but it won't strictly be a review of the microwaves. My goal is to use the available information about the products to produce a good list of the technical features of each and we may occasionally rate them for comparison to other models.

I hope we will be getting a consistent way of rating the microwave ovens that are featured here. We will also be linking to the products where you might be able to purchase them, about how much you might expect to pay for each. Where applicable we may also be listing such things as where replacement parts or manuals may be available for each brand that we take a look at.

My hope is to provide you with enough information so that you can make a good buying decision based on the features you are looking for in a microwave oven. I know that when we look to buy most anything that costs more than $50 we spend a fair amount of time researching the products, different models and brands, comparing them and trying to come up with what the best solution is for what we are looking for.

I won't be telling you specifically whether or not you should buy a specific microwave oven because I don't know what you're specific needs are. You may just want a microwave oven to boil water and if that was the case then the large microwave oven that is big enough to cook a whole dinner in is probably not a good fit for you. As we really get started highlighting some of the models out there I think you'll start to get an idea of how I'm approaching this.

Quasar Microwave Ovens

2009-09-04T22:59:00.000-07:00

I remember very clearly the first Microwave Oven we had was a Quasar Microwave Oven. I was into astronomy at the time and that name really stuck in my head. It came with a quasar microwave oven cookbook and was a huge appliance really. It still is the largest microwave I think we've had. Anyway, it was the early 80s I believe. Maybe 1982 or 1983 when we got the quasar microwave and it lasted for my parents at least until the late 1990s, in fact I think it may have lasted until after the turn of the century.

I haven't heard much of quasar microwaves lately though which made me wonder if they're still made. I've seen people looking for quasar microwave manuals or quasar microwave parts. In looking around a bit online I do find several people talking about 11-25 year lifespans out of these warhorses! I have seen several stories of people having to replace a fuse or a lightbulb in their quasar microwave and it kept trucking!

I think ours had the microwave function as well as something that it referred to as convection cooking and there was a little rod in the ceiling of the microwave that turned as it worked. I also think I remember a probe port in the interior side of the microwave that you could plug a thermometer or thermostat of some sort that then could be inserted into whatever you were cooking. (I think I remember that right!) It seems as though we even managed to cook a turkey in there one of the first years we had it for Thanksgiving. (I may not remember that right though it's been 25 years I guess.)

The most recent manufactured Quasar Microwave I can find was made in 1992 and I saw it listed on craigslist for sale. They mentioned that it was model MQS1108WN. They also talk about the Quasar brand being made by Mitsubishi which I didn't remember. Unfortunately I don't see many references to this brand or line of microwaves being currently available. A search at amazon only seems to turn up their Quasar Microwave Cookbook and I think that is only available used now.

It's too bad if they really aren't made anymore as they have such a reputation for long lives and reliance. (Of course, I suppose from a marketing point of view that could be considered a problem when it comes to repeat buyers.)

The shortest running Quasar microwave that I've seen reference to is a model MQ7755YW. It looks as though if you do have a problem with your quasar and it's not a light bulb or fuse you may have some real problems getting replacement parts these days as many repair shops seem to be reporting that they just can't get the replacement parts for quasar microwaves anymore. Too bad as I really felt like Quasar really was a pioneer of the microwave in some ways.

About This Site

2009-08-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

This will be a site about microwave ovens. We'll probably talk a bit about how they work, but we'll also look at the many different brands and models out there and compare their features for you so that you can make a good buying decision when looking for a new microwave oven.

I remember our first microwave oven in the early 80s was a Quasar Microwave. It lasted for probably 15-20 years before it needed to be replaced. I only wish that todays crop of microwave ovens may be that reliable. As we go on, I may even include some microwave oven recipes, who knows(?) I remember that quasar microwave oven came with a cookbook full of microwave recipes.

The microwave oven has really made a big impact on our lives in the last 20-30 years though. Microwave popcorn, reheating leftovers, boiling water even is faster thanks to these marvels of modern life. I know it's probably not the most captivating topic on the face of the earth so I guess we won't be starting the microwave oven fan club, but I hope to provide good details on some of the products out there today.

Privacy Policy

2009-07-04T22:56:00.000-07:00

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Contact Us

2009-07-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

We hope to make use of this page so that visitors to the site will be able to contact us with suggestions of different models of microwave to look at, or stories, comments that they would like to see incorporated into the site.

Unfortunately at this point in time we don't not have a contact form setup, so if you would like to add feedback to this site, you may wish to comment on this post.

Thanks!