Microwave for home: how to choose the right

Today, there is hardly a person who has not heard about the benefits of using microwave ovens at home. Thanks to this kitchen appliance, it has become easier to heat food, and sometimes to cook some dishes.

In this article we will tell you how to choose a microwave and what to look for when buying.

Since the advent of this invention in 1945, its models have improved so much that they are huge in weight. (340 kg!) turned into compact devices that easily fit even in small student little rooms. In addition, their cost has also decreased significantly, and now kitchen appliances, which they could previously afford unless restaurants and large food chains turned into irreplaceable devices in the kitchen of most housewives.

In the face of a large number of proposals from various companies and models, the question often arises of which microwave oven is best suited for the household.

Which microwave to choose: terms of use

It should be remembered that a good microwave is not necessarily the device with the highest power, a huge volume of the internal camera, a large number of functions or the highest price. If the kitchen appliance will be mainly used for heating dishes, then a small microwave oven without a variety of “bells and whistles” is ideal. Do not buy kitchen utensils that cannot be used at full capacity due to the high prices for electricity or insufficient quality of dishes prepared in it, compared with kitchen cookers.

If you plan to use a microwave oven for defrosting foods, preparing specific dishes (and modern appliances are equipped with cooking functions on a steam or grill), then you should take care of purchasing a device with a large number of functional of opportunities. You should be aware that such products will cost more.

You should also take into account the size and capabilities of the kitchen space - too small a room should not be cluttered with a variety of appliances just because of their status.

Choosing a microwave oven for the home: features (internal coating, power)

The main characteristics of microwave ovens include:

• instrument chamber volume;
• power consumption;
• camera interior material;
• type of grill;
• type of management.

The main indicator when choosing a microwave oven is the volume of the internal chamber of the device. As a rule, in small devices with 12-17 liters the minimum number of functions is realized, which allows heating food, thawing food or preparing standard dishes for one person.

But do not go for too large devices if the family has a large number of people. Often, housewives prefer to cook more often, but so that there is always fresh food on the table (for people who cook food for 3-4 days ahead, this rule applies exactly the opposite).

Microwaves of 17-20 liters can already include additional functions - grill and convection. Devices with a volume of over 30 liters allow you to cook large quantities of food or bulky dishes (like whole bird carcasses, etc.).

For a good microwave device used for heating food, an indicator of power consumption of 800-900 watts is enough. For devices equipped with a grill function, you should choose the optimal power in the range from 1200 to 1500 watts. It is believed that the minimum power for a furnace with convection function is 1350 watts. It is better if this indicator is in the range from 1800 to 2000 watts.

Modern microwave ovens use several types of coatings for the home. Which one to choose? Tips:

• painted “under enamel”: it is used in the most budget models, differs in fragility and complexity of leaving;
• coating of heat-resistant enamel: also used in low-cost models, but is easy to maintain - after each use, the device must be wipe with a damp cloth, and wash thoroughly once or twice a month; not applicable in convection ovens because it does not tolerate high temperature
• stainless steel coating: used in appliances with a high temperature, but requires careful care due to the high level of adherence of fat to the surface;
• bioceramic coating: heat-resistant and easy to clean, of the minuses - high cost and the possible appearance of cracks with a strong impact.

The grill used in microwave ovens can be of two types: TEN or quartz. The latter takes up much less space, but costs more.

Mechanically controlled models are equipped with handles that allow you to choose the time and power of work. The electric type of microwave is equipped with buttons or a touch panel.

Basic and advanced features

A good microwave oven should have all the modes of working with the products needed by the hostess. In modern models, the following functions are implemented:

• Defrosting products. The function is presented in models with both manual and electric controls.
• Warming up dishes. All kinds of microwave kitchen appliances are also equipped with this mode.
• Cooking Cooking simple food can be implemented in budget versions of a kitchen appliance, but more expensive options are provided by expensive analogues. In some of them, it is possible to cook a particular dish with a simple choice of program.
• The grill function allows you to bake meat or vegetables.
• Some models are equipped with a bread maker function, which eliminates the need to purchase a specialized appliance.
• The presence of steam humidifiers in some versions of microwave ovens allows you to implement a program for cooking dishes “steamed”.
• Convection or additional blowing with hot air makes it possible to prepare dishes of a more uniform consistency. A similar function is provided with modern expensive models of devices.
• Self-cleaning with steam allows you not to worry about removing traces of food from the inside of the camera, allowing you to carry out this operation with a simple click of a button.
• The odor removal function, which is equipped with some oven models, makes it possible to cook dishes one by one, without waiting until the kitchen appliance is ventilated from extraneous odors.

The right choice, taking into account the features of the interior 

Naturally, a good microwave should harmonize with the color scheme of the kitchen space. For classic bright kitchens, as a rule, models of light shades are chosen. If monotonous colors prevail in the kitchen space, it would be useful to diversify such a background with interspersed with bright colors - red or bright green. Today's manufacturers provide a huge selection of colors for kitchen appliances.

Do not worry about the color of the device if it is located in the kitchen cabinet. But here it is worth paying attention to how much the product weighs. In the wall cabinets of the kitchen room, you can put the device of minimum or medium dimensions. So, a small microwave oven with a volume of internal space has a weight of about 12 kg, some models weigh 20 liters a little more - up to 14 kg.

Larger models require placement on tables or in floor cabinets (often they are placed in kitchen cases). The weight of devices with an internal space of 30 liters excluding products is up to 20 kg.

What is the best microwave: check before buying

Many potential users of microwave ovens are wary of harmful microwave radiation. And if the safety of the products prepared in such a device has already been repeatedly proven by special studies, then many people still have concerns about the effect of rays on others. To eliminate such thoughts, right before you buy the device in the store, you can conduct a special test.

They put a mobile phone in the oven with a tightly closed door, after which they try to call the "locked" number. " A good device made of high-quality material and without violations should not pass the signal of the device inside.

Today, a microwave oven has become almost as necessary a kitchen utensil as dishes or a refrigerator. By choosing the right priorities and deciding on the real need to buy the right model, you can significantly facilitate the work of the hostess in the kitchen, freeing up time for other useful activities.