8 features of the microwave that few people know about

Microwave, convection oven or slow cooker?

Does it make sense to buy a microwave when there are so many useful kitchen appliances on the market in which you can both heat up and cook food? It all depends on the tasks and volumes of products that you want to cook. The hybrids produced recently, for example, microwave ovens combined with a double boiler, etc., can be considered the most multifunctional.

Microwave oven Panasonic NN-GD39HSZPE with grill and steam function

Versatility is good, but dimensions grow along with it, and, as practice shows, for most owners such potential is redundant, and the cost of such equipment is not the lowest.So simple microwaves still do not give up their positions, borrowing interesting solutions from other technologies.

The main advantage of microwave ovens is time: due to the uniform penetration of waves, the products placed in the chamber begin to heat up not outside, but inside, reaching the desired temperature very quickly. Therefore, the microwave oven is ideal for heating and defrosting food.

Among the competitive technologies, it is worth noting the convection oven, in which hot air is used for cooking, dispersed through the chamber by a fan. It has no restrictions in terms of the material of the dishes, the products remain juicier and the heating temperature is higher, which allows you to get a golden crust. Microwave ovens, due to the peculiarity of the technology, interact exclusively with water, and temperatures above 100 ° C are not available for them. This is not enough for the full roasting of meat, which turns out to be similar to boiled in the microwave, and the process itself provokes evaporation, drying the food.

Popular contact grills have little in common with microwave ovens and are used mainly for highly specialized tasks like frying meat or fish. They give a good crust, but they are absolutely unsuitable for defrosting or boiling and inconvenient for heating. Of course, sometimes you can warm something in them, but it's easy to overdo it and get an inedible result.

Multicookers are ideal for those who seek to automate cooking as much as possible. Alas, they do not provide any other characteristic advantages over the classic gas stove, so the speed and convenience of heating / defrosting is again behind the microwave. True, the multicookers-pressure cookers that have appeared recently are catching up with them in speed.

It turns out that microwave ovens are still out of competition for quick heating and defrosting. If we talk about full-fledged cooking, then each class of devices is more suitable for its own purposes and the choice here depends on the personal preferences of the buyer.

3Horizont 20MW700-1479BHB

Representative of Belarusian production with a 20-liter internal chamber and 700-watt power. It would seem that this microwave oven cannot offer anything out of the ordinary. But it is not so.

First, more than adequate price tag. Secondly, a quartz grill, with which you can bake dishes to a delicious crust. Thirdly, there is delayed start function, child protection and a display (which not every model boasts of). And, fourthly, there are auto cooking and defrosting programs for various types of products, which will allow you to eat deliciously without culinary skills.

Of the shortcomings, the impracticality of the surface is most often noted - it is very easy to get it dirty.

Average cost: 4,222 rubles.

pros

• Convenient management
• Beautiful design
• Uniform heating
• Price

Minuses

• Grill not always working correctly
• Body soiling
• Loud opening/closing of the door
• Impressive weight

A few more important tips for choosing

1. Installation method. You can purchase built-in or freestanding appliances. The built-in one is placed inside the kitchen set, allowing you to save space on the work surface, while the free-standing one retains mobility. At the same time, the built-in one may be more expensive than the usual one.
2. Color is also important. Choose it so that it matches the shade of the kitchen unit or finish.

1. Choose the right accessories.For example, a multi-level plate rack is very convenient to use, with which you can heat several dishes at once, placing them one above the other.
2. Some microwave ovens come with oven mitts and plastic caps to keep grease from splashing onto the walls.

1LG MS-2042DS

The first place in the ranking of the best solo microwave ovens is occupied by LG MS-2042DS. This model of solo oven has an artful appearance, and will certainly become a decoration for the kitchen interior. A capacity of 20 liters and 32 cooking programs are very wide possibilities for such a low price range. Automatic cooking mode selection saves time and helps avoid annoying mistakes.

The reputable manufacturer has taken care of the ease of care - the camera coating is quite durable and easy to clean. The energy saving system makes the device energy efficient, as the microwave oven automatically turns off during idle time. And the innovative I-wave technology allows the waves to penetrate both the center and the edges at the same time.

Average cost: 4,190 rubles.

pros

• Impeccable execution of direct tasks
• Fast start
• Automatic defrosting
• Strict silver color

Minuses

• Short power cord
• Incorrect instruction
• loud door

How to check the microwave oven for safety?

There are several ways to help you determine how much harm you are doing to your body using a microwave oven. Of course, the effectiveness of some methods is questionable, but you can use several methods sequentially for the purity of the experiment:

For the first method, you will need two regular mobile phones.Put the first one inside the microwave, then call the first one from the second phone. If it rings, then the microwave perfectly transmits waves both in and out, that is, the risk of harm from this device is quite high.

Take a glass of cold water. Set the power in the region of 700-800 W and heat the water for 2 minutes. In theory, water should over this time boil. If this happens, then everything is in order: the microwave does not let radiation out and you can be near it during its operation. If the water is not warm enough to boil, it means that the waves break out, thereby harming people standing nearby.

Turn off the lights in the kitchen. Turn on an empty microwave and bring a fluorescent lamp to it. If it lights up, then your microwave is emitting too many waves.

If the microwave oven door becomes very hot during its operation, this may indicate that the waves are leaking out.

The most effective way to check if there is a radiation leak is to check with a microwave detector. You need to put a glass of cold water in the microwave and turn it on

Gently move the detector along the perimeter of the device, paying special attention to the corners. If there is no leakage, then the detector needle will not move from the green mark. If there is radiation, and it propagates strongly enough beyond the microwave oven, then the detector arrow will go into its red half

This method is the most reliable, but the most difficult to implement.

If there is radiation, and it propagates strongly enough outside the microwave oven, then the detector arrow will go into its red half. This method is the most reliable, but the most difficult to implement.

How to find out the expiration date of different models

How much you can trust the safety of the purchased microwave, you should ask when buying. You need to focus on the life of the product provided by the manufacturer. The longer this period, the longer we are insured against the harmful effects caused by the use of faulty equipment.

Pay attention to the warranty period. Usually on a microwave oven, it is from 1 to 3 years

The longer it is, the longer you will not have to bear the financial costs of repairing equipment. The warranty period is indicated in the technical passport for the equipment, which the seller is obliged to issue.

Council number 1. Determine the purpose of the microwave

Why are you looking for a microwave oven? To quickly reheat and defrost food? Or in order to bake meat with a crispy crust and cook other culinary delights? The answer to this question depends on the type of equipment, or rather its functions, and, of course, the price.

All those microwaves that you see in the store can be divided into the following main groups:

• solo ovens;
• grill oven;
• oven with grill and convection;
• oven with grill, convection and steam generator.

Solo ovens

In this case, the microwave is equipped with only a microwave emitter, due to which the product is processed. Such devices easily cope with heating and defrosting, and also know how to cook the simplest dishes. Naturally, the price of these microwave ovens is the most affordable.This is a great option for the home if you prefer to cook on the stove and in the oven, but Microwave oven you plan to use for fast food heating. Often such furnaces are also taken for offices. In this case, the simplest device that can heat the finished dish will fit - no other modes will be needed.

Note! Previously, ovens were sold with only one microwave emitter, so many complained that it was impossible to cook in microwaves, as the dishes remained raw. A lot has changed since then, but distrust of microwaves persists.

In most modern ovens, there are two or even three microwave generators that emit waves in different directions, they are reflected from the walls and evenly distributed, providing high-quality heating and even cooking.

Grill microwaves

Such devices can affect the product not only with microwave radiation, but also with heaters (grill), due to which the microwave turns into a direct competitor to the oven. In such an oven, you can cook complex dishes and bake food until crispy. If the family loves to eat meat, and the hostess boldly goes for culinary experiments, then such a microwave will come in handy.

The grill function is provided by the presence of heating elements, which can be of two types:

• The heating element has a complex shape, it is placed on top or on the side, or both on top and on the side. In some models, the heater is movable, and its location can be changed to achieve the desired effects. Ovens with a heating element grill are inexpensive, and the quality of baking is on top. Of the minuses, we note only the bulkiness of the devices and the difficulty of caring for the heating element, since it often has a complex shape;
• a quartz grill takes up less space, is mounted on top, costs more, but is easier to clean.

In some microwaves, you can find both heating elements, so browning and creating an appetizing crust will be as simple as possible.

Microwaves with grill and convection

Such an oven can easily replace a conventional oven. to the microwave emitter and a fan is added to the heating elements. Due to it, convection is provided. Roughly speaking, the fan overtakes warm air, it is distributed evenly, due to which the heating occurs quickly and evenly.

By combining convection, grilling and microwave radiation, you can cook any kind of food in the most unimaginable ways. There are about 20 programs in such microwave ovens, there is a manual mode, so the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Panasonic produces inverter microwave ovens with convection and grill. One of their differences is the increased volume of the chamber, which is achieved by reducing the size of the hardware. The main feature is automatic temperature control, which allows you to cook with significant energy savings.

Microwaves with steam generator

These are still rare specimens on the market, and something tells us that they are not destined to become popular. Yes, the device turns out to be multifunctional: you can get a harmful crust in it, and cook healthy steamed vegetables easily, but you will have to pay a lot for it, and such a stove will take up much more space than its simpler counterparts.

3Midea AC925N3A

The microwave will allow you to cook really juicy dishes with a delicious crust, because it has a quartz grill and convection in its "arsenal".Additional comfort of use will be provided by a timer that notifies you of the end of the device.

For a comfortable operating time setting and selection mode are mechanical switches, which, according to most buyers, are more durable and more convenient than touch switches for users of all ages. 10 auto cooking programs will take care of saving your time, and the built-in child protection will ensure your peace of mind.

A power of 900 W and an internal volume of 25 liters is enough to meet the needs of a family of 3-4 people.

Average cost: 8,490 rubles.

pros

• Multifunctionality
• Strict, solid appearance
• Recipe book and grill net included
• Combined modes

Minuses

• Marking surface
• Noisiness
• Unintuitive controls

Protection system

The door fits snugly against the chamber and has a special gap. Due to this, the radiation wave propagates inside the microwave.

The glass in the door has a special coating in the form of a metal mesh. It controls the radiation propagation area and prevents it from leaving the device.

The system of microswitches ensures that the microwave oven cannot be used with the door open.

The microwave oven has become an indispensable tool for modern man. This is a necessary addition to the stove and oven. A smart mechanism will be useful in performing many tasks and facilitating daily work in the kitchen.

The benefits and harms of a microwave oven according to scientists

Some research on the benefits of microwaves suggests that microwave ovens significantly reduce the number of diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract.This is explained by the fact that people do not need to add oil when heating and cooking food.

Some experts believe that microwaves retain the greatest amount of nutrients in foods that do not have time to break down in a short time of cooking. Studies show that cooking on the stove causes food to lose more than 60% of its beneficial elements. But the use of microwaves for cooking retains almost 75% of nutrients.

The opinion of experts on the dangers of a microwave oven is quite ambiguous.

Microwave Harm:

• Food cooked in the microwave is a danger to human life.
• Foods cooked in the microwave are destroyed, undergoing irreversible changes.
• Microwave-cooked food contains microwave energy that is not present in conventionally cooked food.

There is no consensus among experts. Some talk about the enormous harm from the presence of this simple and easy-to-use device in the house, while others consider it extremely useful. For example, scientists from America argue that cooking in a microwave without adding oil can significantly reduce the risk of cancer, and Swiss experts, at one time, tried to promote the theory of the growth of leukocytes in the blood due to its use.

According to the officially registered and scientifically based verdict of the World Health Organization, microwave ovens do not have a negative impact on a personnor the food they eat.The only exception to this statement is those who wear pacemakers, since the waves emitted by the microwave oven adversely affect the operation of the heart machines.

Before talking about the dangers and health benefits of a microwave oven, about the properties of food cooked in it, it is necessary to understand how food is heated.

On a regular fire, food is heated from below. In the microwave, it heats up on both sides. The movement of molecules becomes chaotic with prolonged heating.

With strong heating, vitamins are destroyed, proteins are denatured. Protein denaturation is not harmful to the body: it is the purpose of heat treatment.

Some bacteria, such as Salmonella, which has high vitality properties, are not killed at a heating temperature that rarely reaches 100 degrees.

Advice! It is recommended to use ceramics for heating in a microwave oven, as well as glass specially made for heating to high temperatures.

Opinions on the benefits of food from the microwave among scientists differed: some consider the data on the dangers of the microwave unproven, others are closely studying all the harmful properties of the radiation of the oven. So, the magazine "Earthletter" provides scientific facts about the properties of the microwave that can cause harm, according to studies conducted in 1991:

• deterioration in the quality of food;
• conversion of amino acids and other compounds into carcinogenic and toxic substances;
• reduction in the nutritional value of root crops.

Russian scientists also found that the nutritional value of food is reduced by 80%. According to scientists of the Russian Federation, heating food with a microwave, defrosting meat with its help leads to the following problems:

• violation of the composition of the blood and the functioning of the human lymphatic system;
• violation of the stability of cell membranes;
• slowing down the flow of signals from the nerves to the brain;
• disintegration of nerve cells, leading to a loss of energy of the central and autonomic nervous system.

The researchers note that microwaved food has a low pH, which disrupts acid-base balance towards acidification of the internal environment of the body.

The myth about the dangers of microwave ovens

Ten years ago, television programs vied with each other to intimidate us that terribly harmful rays come from a microwave. The population was afraid, they passed on what they heard to each other, and the results of this damaged telephone were sometimes unpredictable. Recently, the network discussed how grandmothers in line at the clinic said that the microwave changes the structure of DNA. Jokes are jokes, but such facts emerge from insufficient awareness.

How does a microwave oven heat food? The microwaves it generates set the water molecules in the food in motion. They begin to move faster and faster, which causes heating. Remember how in physics lessons they talked about the transition of kinetic energy into potential energy? This is what it is.

Should we be afraid of modern microwaves? No, it's not worth it. The thing is that each such device receives several levels of protection, preventing microwave radiation from in any way affecting our body. Firstly, the door fits snugly, and if you open it, the microwave will turn off. Secondly, there is a protective grid on the inside of the device. Thirdly, there is also an electromagnetic "trap".If this is not enough for you, then we add that all modern furnaces undergo mandatory certification with the passage of 4 levels of quality control and a radiation test.

Conclusion: a microwave oven is very convenient, but not scary, and our myths, probably, in a century, our children will compare with the fear of riding the first trains and watching the first films. Unpleasant consequences can only occur if for a long time every day for 8 hours you are at a distance of less than 5 cm from the microwave, but it is difficult to imagine such a situation. Note that it is not worth repairing the stove yourself - this is just the same unsafe.

Now you can safely proceed directly to the issues of choosing a microwave oven.

Power consumption of the microwave oven

The electricity consumed by a microwave oven is nothing more than the total power consumed by all its elements:

1. The magnetron (depending on the brand) consumes from 600 to 1150 W;
2. microwave + grill - from 1.5 to 2.7 kW;
3. Microwave + grill + combi oven - from 2.5 to 3.5 kW.

Calculating how much the selected microwave model consumes is quite simple.

Consider how to do this using the example of using a device with an energy consumption of 1 kW / h, operating 5 times a day for 3 minutes in warm-up mode:

1. In one minute, the device consumes 16.7 W (1000 W / 60 min);
2. For three minutes - 50.1 W (16.7 × 3);
3. For five warm-up cycles - 250.5 W (50.1 × 5);
4. For thirty days - 7.515 kW (250.5 × 30).

To this value should be added about 100 W, which are consumed by the device in standby mode.

How to find out the power

The performance of the magnetron, as a rule, is not indicated in the accompanying documents. In the best case, the developer gives information about the used brand of this element. In modern microwave ovens, three types of magnetron can be used:

• 2M 213 (600 W);
• 2M 214 (1000 W);
• 2M 246 (1150 W).

Most manufacturers indicate the total power of the microwave according to the international classification - in watts (W). Specifications are indicated in the passport for the product, as well as on the tag located at the back of the case.

Power setting

The operating mode (defrosting / heating) of the microwave oven, as well as the speed of cooking, depend on the performance of the magnetron. All modern models have the option to adjust device performance. However, the design features of a discrete magnetron do not allow reducing the radiation intensity. The problem of reducing the degree of heating of the product is solved as follows: the magnetron operates cyclically (on/off) at certain intervals. In devices with inverter technology, power adjustment, and, consequently, the product heating temperature, is carried out by smoothly changing the power supply of the magnetron.

The intensity of heating in furnaces with a discrete magnetron is adjusted as a percentage of the total power of this element. For example, necessary to prepare the product 10 minutes at 50% power. This means that the magnetron will cycle for 5 minutes at 100% performance. The main modes of operation and their purpose:

• 10% - long-term defrosting, heating delicate foods, maintaining the temperature after cooking;
• 25% - thawing and heating of semi-finished products;
• 50% - cooking soups, simmering food, quickly heating ready meals;
• 75% - cooking poultry, fish, vegetables, sauces;
• 100% - intensive cooking mode.

What are the kilowatts

Knowing the values ​​​​of power consumption, a competent consumer will be able to draw a conclusion about the capabilities of a microwave oven, electricity consumption (and hence future operating costs) and the load that the device creates on the power grid. The more kilowatts the oven consumes, the more product can be cooked at a time. In addition, the more powerful the device, the higher:

• cooking speed;
• electricity consumption;
• microwave cost.

How does the mode affect

How much electricity the device consumes depends on the selected operating mode:

1. In the fast cooking mode, the appliance consumes, on average, 1 kW of energy;
2. In the "Grill" mode, the device consumes up to 1.5 kW of electricity;
3. With convection, this parameter increases to 2 kW.

These figures are very approximate. Energy costs also depend on the time spent on cooking, and the time, in turn, varies with the volume of the product. Radiation is able to penetrate the product to a depth of no more than 2-3 cm, so everything under this layer is cooked due to the temperature of the heated areas.

Which grill is more economical

Depending on the model, two types of heating elements can be used in microwave ovens:

• TEN (tubular electric heater);
• quartz.

It takes from 900 for the operation of the heating element W up to 2 kW/h electricity. A quartz grill is an order of magnitude more economical, although it requires a lot of time to get a “brown crust”.

Myths about microwave ovens

• The widespread opinion that the frequency of the furnace magnetron is chosen corresponding to the resonant frequency of the water molecule is not true - the latter lies in the K-band (18-27 GHz), while most household microwave ovens operate at a frequency of 2.45 GHz, and some industrial models in the US - even less, at a frequency of 915 MHz.
• Microwave exposure allegedly changes the structure of water and food, turning useful substances into carcinogens. In fact, the effect of microwave radiation in a microwave oven is no different from conventional heating, and the energy that microwaves carry is not enough to directly destroy chemical bonds. Although chemists have studied some reactions (extremely rare), the course of which was supposedly influenced by non-thermal effects of microwave radiation, as a result of independent experiments, it was found that the observed "non-thermal" effects were actually due to heating inhomogeneity, and the hypothesis of the presence of non-thermal microwave effects was not confirmed. . In addition, water (except frozen), according to modern scientific data, cannot have any permanent structure (see the corresponding article).
• For the first time, a microwave oven called "Radiomissor" was allegedly created by German scientists during World War II, it was even used in the active German army to heat food, but turned out to be unsafe and was abandoned (however, Russian sites refer to foreign, and foreign - for the research of the Soviet Union, conducted in the non-existent Russian cities of "Kinsk" and "Rajasthan").
• Microwave ovens with the door removed can allegedly be used in the military for an inexpensive imitation of radar (in order to force the enemy to spend expensive ammunition or the resources of jamming aircraft to suppress them). Usually publications refer to the experience of the Serbian army in Kosovo.

2Samsung ME81KRW-3

Since only microwaves are used in the operation of this model, this allows it to enter the category of solo models. Perfectly warms and defrosts, perfectly copes with cooking pizza and frying sausages.

Cooking time is limited to 35 minutes, 7 operating modes are available. Control is exercised by means of two mechanical regulators. Due to bioceramic enamel, the inner chamber of the device is resistant to scratches, does not absorb fats and odors.

The microwave oven from the Korean mega-brand is able to distribute waves in a three-dimensional manner, which predetermines uniform heating.

Average cost: 6,190 rubles.

pros

• Clear manual control
• High performance magnetron
• Bioceramic enamel
• No extra features

Minuses

• Noisiness
• No blocking from inadvertent activation
• Short cord