The world of kitchen appliances is rich in various novelties, which it is sometimes very difficult to understand on their own. The question of how to choose the right microwave oven is of concern to many today. Knowing the varieties of microwave ovens, their most important characteristics, getting to know the most famous manufacturers will help you figure out which microwave to choose, which brand is best to buy this appliance, which model is the best for home.
Content
Microwave Features
Household kitchen appliances are designed to facilitate a person’s life, to free him as much as possible from everyday worries about cooking, leaving more time for other activities. Modern microwave ovens are no exception. Buying such a device will allow you to immediately heat up the finished dish on the plate in a matter of minutes, quickly cook food, bake delicious muffin or thaw meat. The cooking process is so rapid that the maximum of nutrients remains in the products.
A microwave is an electrical appliance that uses microwave radiation generated by a magnetron to affect products. Waves act in such a way that products are prepared or warmed up, as if from the inside. Here, the consumer does not have to worry about a burnt crust, as this simply will not happen. Today, inverter devices are very popular, differing from conventional ones by the absence of a transformer and the presence of an electronic control unit, with which you can control the power of the magnetron.
Advantages of the microwave:
- universality (here you can heat, cook, bake, defrost, sterilize);
- heat treatment does not last long, so the products do not lose nutrients;
- many devices can be programmed to perform certain functions, which will save a person from the need to control the process;
- heating or cooking can be done in dishes for serving, saving time on shifting and washing plates;
- lack of smells in the room;
- compact dimensions allow you to install the device anywhere in the kitchen;
- simplicity of operation, clear management.
Criterias of choice
If your kitchen still does not have a microwave oven or if you want to replace the old equipment with a new one, knowing the basic parameters will help you choose a microwave oven - a reliable assistant for every housewife. So, consider how to choose the right option for the home.
The main types of microwaves
The most affordable are the solo ovens. These models are suitable for defrosting foods, heating ready-made foods and preparing simple dishes. Such microwave ovens fit perfectly into the interior of the kitchen, ideal for modern offices.
If you want to cook more complex dishes, choose a multifunctional microwave. These devices are equipped with a grill, convection function, and can also combine several modes at the same time. Choosing a microwave oven with a grill will allow you to achieve a fragrant crisp on meat, fish or vegetables. Convection mode guarantees the fastest and highest quality cooking. The fan installed in the device creates the most favorable conditions for cooking. Modern microwave models can be equipped with ten or more automatic programs.
Separately, it is worth highlighting small microwaves. The volume of these devices does not exceed 10 liters, a width of not more than 50 cm, a depth of 40 cm or less.
In addition, the furnaces are divided into freestanding and built-in. The latter are installed in niches, kitchen tables or on shelves.Such placement will help to more effectively use the space in the house or office.
Volume
Before choosing a microwave for the home, it is important to decide how many people you plan to serve with this appliance, how much free space is available in the room, is it only supposed to heat ready meals, or do you need a complete oven for cooking.
Microwaves are:
- small-sized (volume does not exceed 20 l);
- medium size (up to 27 l);
- oversized (the volume of the working chamber varies between 28-42 l).
The best option for a family of 3-4 people is a 30-35 liter oven.
Coating inside the camera
The most common and affordable is enamel. It is quite simple to clean such a surface from oily drops and other contaminants. However, the durability of the enamel coating leaves much to be desired.
Stainless steel - a strong, durable, not afraid of high temperatures coating. Not without flaws. This surface requires additional cleaning efforts.
Ceramics or bioceramics are the safest and most durable surface. If you want to choose the most reliable and durable device - look towards these microwave ovens. The surface is practically not greased, easy to clean, not scratched. Disadvantages - high cost, with a strong blow can crack.
Body material
Most furnaces are made of metal painted with special paints in any color, and the palette can be varied: from classic white to silver, black or red. Today, there are models on the market whose case is made of high-quality stainless steel. The choice of color depends entirely on the personal preferences of the hostess, design, as well as the color scheme of the kitchen.
Door features
Frequency of use affects the choice of how to open the door. A more familiar and reliable way is a regular pen. It is enough to pull lightly - the door will open. The second option is a button, pressing which will open the microwave.
Power
This parameter directly depends on the type of appliance, affects the speed of cooking. For example, an indicator of 300-900 watts is enough to defrost meat, warm up cooked foods or prepare simple dishes. Typically, standard solo furnaces have this power. All-in-one devices consume more power. If you decide to choose a good oven with grill function, look for models with power from 1.2 kW to 1.5 kW. If you want to buy a good microwave with convection - keep in mind that such a device has an ultra-high power indicator (over 1.8 kW).
Workflow management
Consider which microwave oven is best to buy: with mechanical, push-button or touch controls.
The first option involves the presence of handles to set the required power and turn on the timer. The plus of this model is the reliability of the mechanism, the minus consists in setting the time per minute in increments of one or two minutes.
The button model has a number of buttons with which the cooking time is set. Such devices have a screen, the ability to program cooking.
Touch-controlled furnaces look very stylish and modern. The device is controlled by a light touch on the sensor. An additional plus is the ease of maintenance of a completely flat surface, the disadvantage is the high cost, power surges can cause damage.
Modes
Multifunction devices are equipped with grill, convection, can have both functions.
A grill can be a shadow (a rotating spiral, most often located at the top of the chamber, less often at the bottom) or quartz (a wire placed in a quartz tube is placed on top, heats up faster, is more economical, and is easy to clean). Convection assumes the presence of a special fan, providing the most favorable conditions for cooking.An oven equipped with this function may well replace the traditional oven and allow you to experiment with various recipes. In addition, a different combination is possible: grill and microwaves, convection plus microwave waves, grill and convection.
Auto defrost guarantees high-quality and quick defrosting of products, and the required temperature is set automatically. The temperature maintenance mode allows you to keep food hot for a long time. A unique function that delays the launch will turn on the device at a predetermined time, which is very convenient, since it will not distract a person from other matters.
Thanks to the auto-cooking option, the most popular recipes will be stored in the microwave memory. Advanced microwave models can independently set the cooking mode, pre-setting the name of the product and its weight. The functions of a built-in bread machine or a double boiler, steam cleaning or odor removal can also be found in modern microwave ovens.
Set of accessories
A standard set of parts is a pan with a lid, a grill. Some models have a frying disc, which acts as a frying pan or steam dick, coping with the functions of a double boiler. Setting an audio timer will warn about the end of the cooking or defrosting process; a child lock will make the appliance even safer.
Top manufacturers
So, how to choose the right microwave oven, it remains to clarify which company to give preference to.
If you need a good microwave solo, we recommend you pay attention to the LG MS2042DS. A device with a 20-liter chamber and a power of 700 watts is not only enough for defrosting and warming up. This microwave can do the cooking well. The oven has a child lock, is controlled by touch buttons, operating data is displayed on a special display. The enameled chamber is easy to clean, the manual contains three recipes for automatic cooking.
In many ratings, the Bosch HMT 84G461 is recognized as the best among devices with microwave waves and grill. The furnace, like all products of this brand, is characterized by reliability, durability, ease of operation. Inside the 25-liter chamber is made of stainless steel. The power of the device is 900W.
The multifunctional microwave Sharp R-8771LK will allow you to cook in microwaves, grills and convection, either individually or by combining different options. The device is made of stainless steel, it can easily replace a conventional oven. A convenient touch panel will facilitate the management of the cooking process, allowing you to quickly set the desired program.
Thus, in order not to be disappointed in the purchase of a furnace, we recommend choosing according to the above parameters. A high-quality modern microwave will become a reliable assistant in the kitchen, free up more time for relaxing and doing other things.
