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Buying Advice for Microwaves |
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The Microwave is a device that helps in reducing the time you spend in cooking. Microwaves enable you to defrost, reheat or cook food in a fraction of the time you normally require. In addition to this, as there is no flame in Microwave cooking, Microwave ovens keeps your kitchen, smoke free. Also, as Microwaves only heat the food and not the container, there is efficient use of energy. This feature also enables you to cook your food directly in dishes that you use for serving. This means reduced time for cleaning separate dishes. With features such as these, it is not surprising that a vast majority of American households already use Microwaves for cooking! |
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How it Works | Requirements | Specifications |
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1 - How it Works
Microwave ovens use Microwaves for cooking. Microwaves are high frequency radio waves; the commonly used radio wave frequency is 2500 megahertz (2.5 Gigahertz). These radio waves cause the water molecules in the food to vibrate and collide against each other. This results in heat being generated due to friction between vibrating molecules. It is this heat generated during friction that heats the food. The cooking begins just beneath the outer surface and from there inward and outward, with the majority of the energy being expended in the outer layers. The rate and degree of heating depend on the depth and density of the food, as well as its ability to conduct heat. Microwaves pass through materials such as glass, plastic and paper, while they are reflected from metal surfaces. Therefore dishes used in Microwaves are made of glass or plastic which allow the Microwaves to pass through them; while the Microwave cavity is made of metal which prevents the Microwaves from escaping from the cavity. Since, Microwaves essentially
| travel in straight lines it results in “cold spots” in those areas of the cavity where Microwaves do not reach. “Cold spots” result in uneven heating of the food in the cavity. To prevent this, most Microwaves have a turntable that rotates the food kept in the cavity. This allows uniform heating of all parts of the food kept in the cavity. |
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2 - Requirements
A wide range of Microwave designs are available in the market. These Microwaves differ in terms of their power output and features (convection heating, grilling facility) available. These designs cater to a range of cooking needs. Hence it is important that you evaluate your expectations (read requirements) from a Microwave, before you decide to buy one.
Your may require your Microwave for any one or all of the following:
- Heating
- Defrosting
- Cooking
- Roasting and Browning
If you intend to use your Microwave only for reheating and defrosting small amounts of food you can go for Microwaves which have low power (400-500 watts)
In addition to reheating and defrosting, if you intend to use your Microwave for cooking, go for Microwaves with power output in the range of 1000 to 1500 watts. If you intend to use the Microwave for roasting and browning, in addition to defrosting, heating and cooking choose a convection Microwave. Convection Microwaves combine radiant heat with Microwaves to speed up cooking and provide crusty baked goods and juicier roasted meat
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3 - Specifications
Once you have evaluated you requirements from Microwaves, you need to zero in on a model that fulfils your requirements.
The key to do that, is to understand the specifications of Microwaves and their bearing on your requirements.
3.1 - Power
A Microwave with more power (higher wattage) will cook food faster. Most Microwaves have power that falls between
400 to 1500 watts. Though small amounts of food can be heated and defrosted at a power of 400 to 500 watts, food
cannot be cooked at this wattage. If you intend to cook food in your Microwave go for a Microwave with a power of
at least 800 watts. Most Microwaves offer different power level settings over the range of the Microwave. Control
over the power level enables you to control the speed of cooking and the amount of food that can be cooked. Check
if the Microwave has a variety of power levels.
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3.2 - Size
The size of the Microwave determines the amount of food you can cook and the size of dishes you can put into the
Microwave. The larger your family, obviously, the larger your Microwave size should be. The size ranges for Microwaves
ranges from 0.5-2.0 cubic feet. A Microwave in the range 1.4-1.6 cubic feet can cater to the needs of a small family
of 3-4 members. |
3.3 - Controls
Microwaves have digital or mechanical controls. In a Microwave with digital controls the settings and controls are set
electronically. Mechanical controls use dials and switches for controls. Mechanical controls though easy to use, do not
offer accurate control over settings. Digital controls on the other hand, offer accurate controls over settings. Touch
pad controls are used on most Microwaves. Digital controls also offer pre-set programs for different types of cooking.
You only have to select the type of cooking and the weight of the food being cooked. The program automatically selects
the power level and the time for which the food is to be cooked.
3.4 - Automatic Defrost
This feature allows you defrost frozen food according to preprogrammed settings for time and power level. This frees
you from the task of calculating the time for which frozen food need to be heated in the Microwave to defrost it.
3.5 - Additional Features
At additional cost, you can have features such as sensor cooking, one-touch start or child lock facility. Microwaves
with sensors monitor can control the humidity and temperature inside the cavity to ensure proper cooking and prevent
burning of food. One-touch start is a feature that allows the user to instantly start the cooking process without having
to manually set it manually. Child lock prevents “small hands” from modifying the program you have selected for cooking
or to prevent accidental start of the Microwave.
Microwaves are extremely simple and safe to use. The time saved in cooking and ease of use makes it a must-have
for every modern kitchen.
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