Various household appliances have become part of our daily life. We can no longer imagine our everyday life without a washing machine, vacuum cleaner, dishwasher, it is these devices that allow us to save time and effort. Well, in the kitchens, there are electric kettles, food processors and other devices that make it possible to show our culinary talents without much effort. Our article will tell you how to choose a microwave for your home in year, so that this purchase becomes a reliable, durable and effective assistant in your kitchen.
The principle of operation of the microwave
The microwave oven was "invented" quite by accident. This is one of those examples when developments in the field of heavy industry have been successfully applied in everyday life. By the way, the microwave oven celebrates its birthday in December, it is already over 60 years old!
The main working element in a microwave is a magnetron. It generates ultra-high frequency waves, and then they are converted into heat within the limits of the heated product. The walls of the microwave and the rectangular shape are reflectors of the fluxes of free electrons, and they, in turn, “disperse” the molecules of the products. So, your dishes are heated contactlessly and very quickly. The body of the device does not allow these radiations to enter the external environment - that is, the microwave does not penetrate your room and in no way can affect you and your well-being.
On store shelves, you can find a huge number of microwave ovens with different functionality, programs and different configurations. How to find the optimal model? How to choose a microwave oven and not overpay extra money? This is what we will tell our readers about.
See also - The best microwaves by user ratings
Criteria for choosing the best microwave for your home
Let's look at the technical specifications and parameters that will help you decide on a purchase.
Configuration
Microwaves are built-in and freestanding. The built-in appliance will allow you to create a harmonious and consistent interior of your kitchen - no appliance will be knocked out of the overall composition with its appearance. A built-in microwave oven can often be found in author's design projects, especially if the style of the kitchen does not correspond to the modern era. Freestanding microwaves can be placed in any corner and on any flat surface. Moreover, if desired, they can be rearranged, the main thing is that there is a socket nearby.
Volume
The range of this indicator ranges from 10 to 40 liters. The most compact and inexpensive models, designed only for heating and defrosting a small number of products, have a volume of up to 17 liters.If you want to cook with a microwave - choose model, from 17 to 25 liters. Need a grill? Filter your microwave search - you need a volume of 25 liters or more. If you have a large family and you need to heat several servings at once, buy a microwave oven with a volume of 30 liters or more.
Power
This is the most important indicator of speed. Low-power microwaves will warm food longer. Also, direct proportionality should be observed: the larger the microwave size, the higher the power should be. Otherwise, it will not work to reveal and appreciate all the advantages of using the furnace.
If you need to warm small amounts of food or prepare simple dishes (hot sandwiches, pizza, etc.) - then a power of 300 - 800 watts will be enough. If you plan to use a microwave oven for cooking complex and multicomponent dishes, then the power indicator should be from 900 watts.
Microwave lining
Enamel - it will save your money, it is easy to wash it, but grill is not found in such devices - after all, high temperatures and enamel coating are incompatible. Ceramics or bioceramics are economical, durable, models with such a coating consume less electricity per unit time, and they are also easy to wash. But for such a microwave, most likely you will have to pay more, think whether it is worth overpaying? Stainless steel or steel - reliable, stylish, easily tolerate any temperature, but need careful care after cooking.
See also - Is the microwave harmful according to experts?
Type of control
Mechanics or electronics. Mechanical controls are simple round knobs that switch with a click. They are simple and reliable, rarely fail their master. Electronic control - buttons or a panel-sensor gives more room for settings, and you can also experiment with the appearance of the microwave when buying. However, sometimes such control gives additional troubles when repairing the device.
Functionality
A modern device always “acquires” additional abilities. A microwave is no exception and it has a variety of functions:
- Grill - quartz or tenov. The first - it cooks faster and saves energy more economically. Tenovy - evenly heats the product to a crisp due to its mobility, models with such a grill are slightly cheaper.
- Convection or circulation of hot air - ideal for dough and baking, such a microwave oven is a complete replacement for the oven.
- Inverter power control, smooth adjustment, which allows you to gradually increase or decrease the microwave power during cooking, in order to preserve the texture and useful properties of the products.
- Automatic defrosting or warming up - allows you not to count minutes in your mind - just put the dish in the device and turn on the corresponding mode.
Modes
In most models, there is a minimal set of microwave oven operating modes - heating and defrosting. But sometimes the appliance you have chosen may have settings for preparing liquid dishes, side dishes, meat and fish, baking, fries, etc. Some microwave ovens may have memory settings and options for saving your own recipes.
Additionally, you can pay attention to the package bundle: a recipe book, a grill or a special dome dish for a crisp.
Also, keep in mind that sometimes microwave ovens can fail, and the ability to repair them without problems, buy the necessary parts, or take the device to a service center is an important advantage.
We are sure that these 7 parameters told you how to choose the right microwave oven for yourself and your preferences. Embed or install separately? With a grill or just for healthy food? For warming up, defrosting or for preparing complex culinary delights? Choose you!
See also - See also - How to choose a toaster for home: expert advice
A brief overview of popular models
Choose the right microwave in Our short review-rating of the most popular and discussed models of microwave ovens will also help the year. If we talk about manufacturers, then trademarks such as LG, Panasonic, Bosch, Samsung.
Also, we highlighted the 9 most popular models that we most often bought in 2018- year and who received the most positive reviews.
- The best low-cost solo models: LG MS-2042DS (protection against children, volume - 20 l, power - 700 watts, display, several operating modes), Samsung ME81KRW-1 (23 l, 800 watts, uniform wave distribution system), SUPRA MWS-1814 (mechanics, 17 l - volume, power - 700 watts).
- The best models with grill function: Samsung MG23H3115NW (volume - 23 l, power - 800 watts, grill, backlight, lock), Bosch HMT 84G461 (900 watts, 25 L, grill, 99 min timer), Panasonic NN-GF574M (touch control, 27 l, 1000 watts, invertor adjustment).
- Microwaves with grill and convection: Samsung CE118KFR (32 l, 900 watts, memory of 2 own recipes, 6 operating modes and timer), Panasonic NN-DS592M (27 l, upper and lower grill, steam cleaning, odor removal mode).
- The most popular built-in microwave is Samsung FW77SR-W (20 l, 800 watts, buttons and display).
A convenient and multi-functional microwave will help you to show your culinary abilities and help pamper your household with fresh and always warm delicacies. We told you how to choose a microwave for home in year, now you can safely go to the hardware store or any selling site and make your choice. Good luck with your purchases and “tasty gatherings” with your family and friends!
See also - 10 best microwave ovens to customer reviews
