Choosing A Microwave Oven

(HIT) - "Know your needs before choosing a microwave oven." That’s sound advice when purchasing any appliance, says Carolyn Verweyst, manager of Whirlpool Corporation’s Appliance Information Service and a trained home economist. But it's especially important for those choosing a microwave oven for the first-time and for those who have little or no experience using one.

Most U.S. homes have at least one microwave oven today, but there are still millions of families thinking about adding one of these wonderful appliances to their kitchen for the first time. "Choosing the right microwave oven—one that’s the right size and offers the capacity, cooking power, design and features needed for a specific family’s lifestyle isn’t a simple decision, or one that can be made hastily," Verweyst cautions. There are several important factors to consider before choosing:

Space And Installation Considerations

Will the microwave oven sit on a countertop or cart, be installed over a range, suspended on a wall or beneath a cabinet, or built into a wall or cabinet? Start by deciding where you want to install your new microwave, then measure the available kitchen space (height, width, depth). Check spec sheets for dimensions, ventilation requirements and acceptable installation options to see if the microwaves you're considering will fit your designated space.

Microwave Oven Users

Who will use your new microwave? In most families, a microwave oven will be used at various times by chefs of all ages and sizes. Size up your family's needs and check the controls, door latches, special oven features, and accessories (such as units with heating elements) of any microwave your thinking of choosing to be sure that everyone in your family will be able to operate or use it easily and safely.

How Will Your New Microwave Will Be Used?

Research indicates that, in most cases, microwave ovens are used more often, by more people and for a wider variety of cooking tasks than purchasers anticipated. While most microwave owners report using them to save time while preparing meals, they're also used to prepare snacks (especially by children), to heat leftovers and to thaw frozen foods. Others use microwave ovens for full meal preparation, to prepare recipes from scratch, even for some baking. So it’s important to review your own particular cooking needs and practices, then choose a microwave with the size, cooking power and special features you need.

Oven Cooking Systems

Most microwave ovens cook only with microwave energy. Some, however, also feature an electric broiler element for browning foods after microwaving; while others offer a combination of microwave, radiant and convection cooking all in a single oven cavity. With combination units, each cooking system can be used separately, and in most cases, used in combination as well. Most alternate between microwave and convection cycles for speedy cooking with browning and crisping of foods.

Combination cooking is usually slower than microwave-only cooking, but faster than conventional ovens. With microwave-only ovens, the interior stays relatively cool during cooking and food spatters don’t burn on as they can in conventional and convection ovens. Generally speaking, for families with young children, older people or people with disabilities, microwave-only ovens are the best choice—from a safety standpoint—versus microwaves with heating elements.

Choosing Microwave Features And Accessories

Automatic sensor cooking, variable power levels to handle a variety of foods, temperature probes, special defrost cycles, browning elements, carousel turntables and a long list of special utensils, dishes and cooking accessories are available for today’s microwave ovens. It’s important to evaluate cooking needs and practices to determine which of these specific features will offer value and convenience for your family.

"Clearly, choosing a microwave oven isn’t a snap decision, but should involve research, thought and careful planning," says Verweyst. She urges prospective buyers to consider the advice of current owners who say their next microwave ovens will:

• be larger, to handle casseroles and baking dishes;
• have higher wattage ratings for faster cooking, and
• include an automatic defrost cycle and multiple power levels.

"A final suggestion: Talk to friends who have microwave ovens to learn what they like and don’t like about them. In fact, you may even want to do a little "testing" with their ovens to get a feel for size, door latches and control designs. There’s no substitute for hands-on experience," Verweyst emphasizes.

Replacing an old microwave oven or adding a new one to your kitchen? Home economists from Whirlpool Corporation suggest that you consider the features offered by a combination model that can cook with microwaves only, convection only or combine microwave with convection cooking. This versatile design offers the speed of microwave cooking with convection oven crisping, browning and traditional baking.

For more information about Whirlpool's complete line of microwave ovens, visit the company's website at www.whirlpool.com.

Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center