
Best 10 Microwave Ovens
As Of July 2022
You can’t have a full functioning kitchen without one of the most wanted kitchen appliances. A microwave is what you need of course! One of the most useful gadgets for everyday challenges. Unfreeze, heat again, and prepare all your favourite meals faster and easier than ever. All it takes is the push of a button! Find out more now.
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Microwave It Like A Boss!
One of the most important gadgets that came to upgrade our cooking experience is without a doubt amongst air fryers and stand mixers, are the microwaves. Even the simplest freestanding microwaves are a go-to way for basic everyday tasks, like heating again and preparing delicious meals. Give it a chance and it’ll become your favourite kitchen appliance.
Prepare an amazing curry or a plate of jacket potatoes just by pressing a button. How cool is that? Especially if you’re a young person who might be renting a place and you don’t have the luxury of unlimited space, then the best microwave oven will save you from a lot of trouble. Even a basic microwave can help you cook crispy full of flavour and aroma in a couple of minutes.
What they lack in beauty and glamour (most of them), they make up for in convenience and speed. So if you’re looking for a microwave, or thinking about upgrading your old one, one thing is for sure. You need to have all the information and insights to make the best choice possible.
Why Do You Need A Microwave Oven?
If you believe that microwaves are only for heating again, then you’re wrong. Even a standard microwave has more versatility than you can imagine. There are some people out there that use their microwave for basic tasks like heating again their cold cup of coffee or melting butter to create their amazing baking creations. Others want to take it one step ahead and prepare a full meal and complex dinners in general. The thing is that whatever your needs are, now it’s super easy to cover them all just by getting the microwave that suits you.
Even if you’ve never had one in the past, all you need to do is plug it in and find the suitable program, power level or function that will do the job. Their panels are easy to read, with some being a little more premium than others. But don’t worry about it. Instructions will take you there and you’ll become a pro in microwaving before even knowing it.
Place it somewhere on your countertop that serves its purpose and won’t affect your cooking experience when using other appliances. The biggest advantage of having a microwave is that every task is smooth, easy and fast. Plus, now you can create many different dishes without being afraid of not reaching your expectations. Performance is key! That’s why in this buying guide you’ll find everything you need.
The best microwave has to combine a number of features that will make you see your cooking sessions under a new light. Make your life easier. Make your creations even tastier and better. All the key points that you need to check are here
Wattage & Heating Categories
Microwaves come with different powers that can affect your cooking times a lot. Who wants to wait for their meal after all? No one! That’s why the higher the wattage, the faster you can prepare your dish. There’s a variety of options, starting from 700W and going up to 1000W most of the times. Of course, this isn’t the only criteria for making your choice. Heating categories are connected with wattage. “A” being the least powerful and “E” the most powerful. It’s easy to assume once more that the further you go in the alphabet, the faster your meal will be ready.
Power Levels
Not every single thing needs to be microwaved in full power. Don’t do that mistake! You might burn something! This is why you need to adjust the power level depending on your task and the type of food. If you want to microwave a dish that has a lot of liquid content then using a higher setting is appropriate. If on the other hand, you want to heat again some left-overs for example, a medium setting would do the job. Finally, if you want to melt some butter or chocolate for baking a cake, low power is the perfect one.
Auto-cook Programs & Presets
There are many microwaves with auto-cook programs that know exactly how much time do you need based on the type and the weight of your dish. That way you’re always sure about the results. Plus, they come with different presets like pizza cooking, popcorn or even different types of vegetables.
Defrost, Reheat & Grill
Many people tend to use their microwave for defrosting, heating again and grilling. It’s a huge plus in being able to unfreeze your food just in a matter of minutes based on weight. Time is automatically adjusted for optimal results. Heating again works in a similar way. Grilling is a feature that not every microwave has. So if you’re looking for this feature, combination microwaves are the answer.
Size
It seems that it matters! If you’re someone who doesn’t have a lot of worktop space or maybe have a smaller kitchen than most, then a compact one should do the job for you. Also, if you don’t want to use it regularly, there’s no need to go for a big one and invest all your money. Families, on the other hand, that might use them every single day and need to prepare bigger portions of food, should probably spend a little more and buy a bigger and stronger one.
Flatbed VS Rotating Turntable
Flatbed microwaves don’t have a rotating turntable which gives you more space so you can fit in bigger plates. Plus, flatbed ones are much easier when it comes to cleaning! Even though they don’t rotate, they can heat your food evenly without any cold spots. This is why the cost a little bit more. The ones with a rotating turntable, as their name says, rotate your dish around to achieve even heating all over.
Clear View Door
Many microwave doors don’t have an easy view that lets you know the progress of your cooking. This is a big downside! Be sure that you invest in one that has a clear view and an inner light that will paint a perfect picture of the condition of your dish.
Child Lock
Safety is very essential in kitchen appliances and other electrical tools. This is why microwaves come with a children's lock option to help you live without worrying. This feature prevents your child from operating and opening the oven without any supervision. The whole menu panel is locked.
Ease Of Use
Simple usage is something that everyone aims for. Not all people are techies! From design to every function, almost every single one is super easy to easy and pretty straightforward. Plus, they come with instructions to take you step by step to your cooking adventure.
What Type Of Microwave Suits You?
There are different types of freestanding microwaves that could help you upgrade your kitchen. The question is which one suits you most. Let’s take a look together!
Solo Microwaves
Solo microwaves are the basic models of the market. They heat the food with the help of microwaves in a simple way. The heating process starts with directing the microwaves into the water molecules of the food or the drink. This extra energy they get tends to increase the temperature.
Combination Microwaves
Combi microwave ovens look a lot like the traditional ovens but they have different functions. With combination microwave ovens, you can bake cakes, make crisper potatoes and try browning different meals. They are by far more versatile than the basic ones and they totally worth their money.
Grill Microwaves
Take it one step further with the ability to grill food. Give your meat-based foods and bacon strips an upgrade and enjoy a great texture full of taste and rich aroma. That way you’ll save time as well! They give you a convection oven function without all the drawbacks.
How Much Do Microwaves Cost?
Simple and basic microwaves might not offer many functions but they do have a strong weapon against the others. And that is their price. You can get one for less than 50 pounds that does the job without any problem. So if you’re one of those people who just want to heat again their meals then go for one like those.
Take it one step ahead and go into a mid-range where functionality is the major thing. Give yourself the chance to prepare even better meals quick and easy and don’t waste any more time in the kitchen all it takes is 80-100 pounds and you’re good to go!
Take it all the way with a high-range stainless steel microwave and enjoy all kinds of cooking modes. A wide variety of pre-configurations, powerful results, and great capacity all in one. Don’t make any discounts if you’re a true food lover. With a couple of hundred pounds, you can get one that will make your convection oven jealous.
How Do Microwave Ovens Work?
There’s not some type of magic behind the way that microwaves work. All they do is producing… wait for it… microwaves! Well, actually these microwaves are produced on the inside of the oven by an electron tube that’s called a magnetron. They reflect on the metal interior of the oven and then they are absorbed by the food. All those microwaves cause the water molecules that are inside the food to vibrate, increasing their energy and producing heat that eventually cooks your meal.
What Can You Cook In A Microwave Oven?
First things first! Microwaves can both heat and cook food (when they got the right function and power to do so). But the thing is that they can’t always achieve extreme results with amazing flavour and quality. Except for the ones that belong to the high-end range! That being said, if you choose to go for a more premium one, you don’t have to stick to the basics like the heat again ones and defrosting ones.
Having pre-programmed functions can help you prepare pizzas, baked potatoes, vegetables and meat just by pressing a button. Which is amazing! Crispiness might not be the best one, but if you go for a combination microwave it can be perfect! Each one has different features so make sure that you choose the ideal one for you.
Always Have In Mind…
Give your kitchen a breath of fresh air and take your cooking level one step ahead. Prepare your favourite meals easier and quicker than ever. All it takes is the best microwave oven and a touch of a button. How simpler do you want it to get?
The perfect one is out there and is waiting for you to get it. Take a trip into flavour-land and don’t have another cold meal ever again. Here you can find all the information and insights you need to make the right decision. What are you waiting for? Check this buying guide now!