Smart Cooking
Gone are the days when you’d to spend hours in the kitchen and struggle with traditional stoves. The use of microwave technology for cooking purposes has added a new dimension to culinary art. It is safe to say that microwave ovens, microwave for short, allow you the convenience and benefit of smart cooking! If you’d like to jump on the bandwagon, then read through our microwave oven buying guide to get an insight into the various factors you need to keep in mind before you buy one.
Microwave cooking has plenty of advantages over the traditional ways of cooking. These daysime is definitely limited and there’re numerous ways in which microwaves can help you save your valuable time. You can cook, reheat, and defrost food items conveniently and quickly. Delicious cooking is also on the list of advantages. Microwave ovens can help retain aroma and taste of certain delicacies better than stoves. Convection microwave ovens can even help you prepare recipes involving grilling, baking, roasting, and browning.
Microwave ovens do not heat up your kitchen area like stoves, so you can cook comfortably even in hot weather. Your kitchen will also be cleaner as there will be lesser food spills to worry about and it is comparatively easier than wiping them off an oven.
There is a myth that microwave cooking can cause major health issues. Microwaves use non-ionizable radiations, so there is no threat of cancer, as many believe. Also, the microwave energy is immediately converted into heat and thus, there is no risk of radioactive substances affecting your food. Microwave ovens can help you considerably reduce the use of oil in your cooking. In fact, food with more water content tends to cook faster, which, in turn, helps in preserving the nutritional value of your food.
Microwave Basics
Over the years, microwave ovens havemoved from being luxury kitchen appliances to important and convenient gadgets. Ideal for commercial uses to start with, microwave ovens have made their presence crucial for domestic applications as well. These smart kitchen appliances have gained a lot of popularity amongst working people because of their time-saving ability. From cooking, heating, and thawing to grilling, baking, and roasting, you can do almost everything with convection microwave ovens.
Microwave ovens make use of dielectric heating. This is enabled by the use of microwave radiation that heats polarized molecules within the food, and works well with water, sugar, and fat content, thereby leading to a faster cooking process.
Simple Facts
Microwave radiations are quite attracted towards moisture and this is the reason why food with high water content cooks much faster. The same applies for food that has a high fat and sugar content. Glass, plastic, porcelain, and paper are microwave friendly and hence, you can use them as a base or a cover for your food. However, make sure that these materials are microwave-safe.
Basic Cooking Knowledge
It is vital that you become aware of the basics of using a microwave oven before you proceed to buy one. Using metal containers in a microwave oven is a strict no-no. As microwaves cannot pass through metal, they bounce off the surface and this can be a possible cause of fire. The same is the case when you turn on the microwave when it is empty. It is suggested that when you cover your dish, leave a small opening to let the steam escape. This will protect your hands from burning when you open the lid of the dish. Exceeding the time limit of heating a liquid in a microwave oven may lead to superheating. So, it is quite essential that you properly understand microwave ovens, especially the types, their features, kinds of dishes they can help you prepare, and most importantly the do’s and don’ts. This knowledge will help you make the right buying choice. Read on to find out more in our microwaves buying guide.
Features to Watch Out For
Microwave ovens include plenty of features to make cooking a more convenient affair. To begin with, microwaves had a very basic set of features that allowed only for simple cooking. Over a period of time, more advanced versions with high-end features have arrived, thereby allowing you to cook even complex recipes conveniently and quickly. In this section of the microwaves buying guide, we provide you with a list of features you need to watch out for in your selected model of microwave
- - Turntable: This is the basic feature that any microwave oven would have, a revolving glass plate that enables even cooking. Usually, when food is subject to microwaves, the heat produced is not evenly dissipated. It is for this reason a turntable is used. Some ovens are provided with a round removable plate while others have a rectangular plate, which slides back and forth.
- - Variable Power Control: Every dish requires different heat levels for optimum cooking. Hence, microwaves come with a variable power control feature, so that you can select the right power level depending on the type of food you choose to prepare. This feature also allows you to save energy to a great extent.
- - Interlock: The function of an interlock is to automatically shut down the operation of the device if it is opened while in use. This is a safety feature that brings down the risk of any possible harm.
- - Preset Programs: Cooking is much easier with preset programs, especially for novice chefs. These programs are capable of automatically sensing the amount of time required for preparing the dish, and you’re saved of the major hassle of having to guess the time required, especially for popular food items. For e.g. if you want to bake pizzas, just insert the tray with the dish and press the preprogrammed “pizza” menu. And voila sizzling, hot pizzas will be ready for you.
- - Child Lock: This feature is especially useful for families with toddlers and inquisitive kids. To avoid any potential, dangerous situations, where children may gain access to the gadget and get hurt, child lock feature is incorporated. So, look for child safety lock microwave ovens if you have little kids.
- - Automatic Cooking: This feature allows microwave ovens to calculate the time needed for cooking based on the actual weight of the food item.
- - Multiple-Sequence Cooking: Advanced microwaves have this multiple-sequence cooking feature, which involves analyzing and then automatically deciding on the power levels and best cooking time for your recipe. For instance, in case of frozen food, where the defrosting needs to be done before proceeding to the actual cooking, this feature is highly useful.
- - Sensor Cooking: Sometimes, your food might get burnt due to timer settings that don’t comply with the moisture content of the food item. To overcome this problem, modern microwaves come with the sensor cooking feature, which automatically detects the humidity within the oven and the food’s moisture content, and adjusting the cooking time and power levels accordingly to achieve better results.
- - Defrost: By calculating the actual weight, microwave ovens are capable of thawing meat and other frozen foods effectively.
- - Reheat: This feature is especially useful for reheating items like soups or baked beans. It can save a lot of your precious time when you are busy with something else.
Types
Microwave ovens are basically classified into five categories as explained below. They are differentiated based upon their size, design, construction, and application. You can get a fair idea to make a choice that’s best suitable to your requirement.
Over-the–range-microwave Ovens: If your kitchen has a lot of space, then over-the-range microwave ovens would be an ideal choice. Packed with a wide range of features, they’re the ideal choice when it comes to diverse cooking abilities. They’re usually paired with another appliance, say your stove, and project a blended look. Though over-the-range microwave ovens have a tendency to cloud your kitchen with heat and smoke, they’re usually provided with exhaust fans to dissipate them, so that your kitchen area remains at a comfortable temperature always.
Countertop Microwave Ovens: They’re quite a popular choice of many households, as they’re portable and you can place them as per your needs and requirements. You can choose from a variety of sizes, depending on your family size and cooking portions. However, you need to be aware that they tend to take up a lot of space on the kitchen counter. So it is a good idea to look for compact microwave ovens with as many features as you desire, like baking and grilling.
Built-in Microwave Ovens: They perform similar functions as that of standard microwaves, but they are designed to blend with your kitchen’s décor. You can fit them in kitchens where ample counter space is unavailable. However, they require a channel for ventilation, and therefore ventilation hoods need to be provided for. Built-in microwave ovens are the best bet for modular or designer kitchens.
Convection Microwave Ovens: They incorporate a heating element, in addition to a fan that helps in circulating hot air inside the oven evenly. Thus, cooking is made effective and faster. Ideal for baking, crisping, and browning, convection microwave ovens let you indulge in a lot of culinary experimentation. Though slightly on the expensive side, they’re worth every penny you spend, if you have the need for one.
Commercial Microwave Ovens: As the name suggests, they find application in restaurants, hotels, and other such commercial establishment. As they are subject to heavy use, these ovens are built powerful and have a huge capacity.
So, make your choice based on the kind of cooking you indulge in, space availability, cooking portion
Accessories
Many people tend to use microwave ovens purely for heating food or keeping cooked food warm. Apart from warming, microwave ovens may be used for roasting, baking, broiling, grilling, defrosting, and more. But be aware that for such diverse cooking capabilities, you will need a huge array of other accessories as well, which basically includes cookware. You can go for materials such as plastic, porcelain, and glass. Ensure that they’re microwave-safe.
We give below a list of some of the useful microwave oven accessories you may need to start using your appliance effectively.
Microwave Steamer: This microwave oven accessory can help you cook and steam items such as rice and vegetables conveniently and quickly. Usually it is made from food-grade plastic.
Power Steam Bowl: With a power steam bowl, you can easily cook rice, boil vegetables, and steam meat, and at the same time retain the moisture content and tenderness.
Multi Cooker: Synonymous with its name, this microwave oven accessory helps you cook various items. It comes with a steamer basket, a roasting tray, and a self-buttering popcorn lid. So, with one cookware you have a versatile range of options from cooking rice and making popcorns to roasting chicken.
Bacon/Metal Grill: This microwave accessory is ideally suited for grilling, defrosting, baking, and reheating. If you have a passion for cooking, then this accessory will help you cook plenty of your favorite dishes conveniently.
Egg Boiler/Cooker: You will definitely need this accessory if you’re fond of eggs. It’ll save you a lot of time as compared to cooking on the stove.
Potato Feet: This accessory allows you to cook potatoes easily in a microwave oven. All you have to do is pierce them to stand upright on prongs and place it inside the microwave.
Food Cover: These microwave-safe lids have vents and perforations to allow steam to escape.
Trays: They’re versatile options that can come in for multiple uses.
So, choose your accessories wisely and you’ll be able to use the microwave for a wide range of cooking processes, limited only by your skills and imagination.
