How to choose a microwave and not regret buying

Microwave ovens don't "contaminate" food with radiation: and WHORadiation: Microwave ovens / WHO, And FDAMicrowave Oven Radiation/FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) state that the technique is safe when used correctly. We tell you how to choose a microwave that will make your life more comfortable.

Decide on the type of microwave

It depends on how much the device costs and what dishes you can cook in it.

Solo

This group includes the simplest and most affordable models. Only a magnetron is installed in them: it generates microwave electromagnetic radiation of the decimeter range (2450 MHz) for heating products containing moisture. Solo microwave will provide hot food, help cook a cupcake in a mug and other simple dishes like stewed chicken breast with vegetables.

with grill

Such a microwave oven can make a ruddy crust on products. Grills come in three types: heating elements, quartz and ceramic.

The heating element (tubular electric heater) is usually installed in the upper part of the chamber of the device. It is a high-resistance metal coil encased in a metal tube. Such an element can slowly heat up and not smell very pleasant in the process, so you need to regularly clean it from crumbs and drops of fat, although this can be difficult. Sometimes heating elements are made movable to ensure more uniform heating of dishes and ease of maintenance of the oven.

Quartz grills are divided into two types: a quartz heating element in a glass tube and a metal spiral in a quartz glass bulb. Usually they are additionally covered with mesh or glass to make it easier to keep clean, and are almost invisible while the equipment is turned off. Such models provide fast and intensive heating of the dish.

The ceramic grill heats the product more evenly and keeps it juicy. This is the best option if you like to bake a whole chicken with vegetables, large pieces of fish or pork neck.

with convection

These ovens have one or more fans. They blow hot air and thus ensure an even temperature distribution. As a result, the dishes are well baked on all sides and do not burn. If you like to cook buns, pizza, meat or fish, convection is what you need.

What to buy

• Microwave solo from Gorenje, 4 999 rubles →
• Microwave with grill from Redmond, 18,799 rubles →
• Microwave oven with grill and convection from Samsung, 19,990 rubles →

Choose installation method

Microwave ovens are freestanding and built-in. The first one is easy. They can be placed anywhere - on the surface of a cabinet kitchen, on a dining table or even on a windowsill. Such models are more convenient for rented apartments or dormitories: equipment can be moved to a new location at any time. The main thing is not to close the ventilation holes during installation and leave the clearance recommended by the manufacturer to the wall: it is needed for withdrawal hot air.

But if you order a new kitchen set, the built-in microwave will fit neater into the interior. It has a wide front panel and a technically designed metal case (without beautiful drawings and other frills). The volume of such microwaves is less than that of the cabinet in which they are built - again, to ensure normal air circulation.

Find out the right power

The higher the microwave power, the faster it heats up. products. For household models, this figure is usually in the range of 700–1,500 watts. But you need to understand that the power consumption is always higher than the actual performance, because the efficiency of any equipment is less than 100%. Simply put, if a microwave consumes 1,250 watts, it gives off about 800 watts for heating.

As a rule, the larger the device and the more functions it has, the higher the power limit will be. For everyday needs, more than 1,000 watts is usually not required, so you should not chase numbers.

When choosing a microwave oven, also consider the electrical wiring in your home. In old buildings, turning on the powerful model at the same time as kettle or washing machine can cause network overload. The result is from broken plugs in the electrical panel to a short circuit.

Pay attention to the volume of the chamber

The volume of the microwave chamber is usually in the range of 12–45 liters. The most popular models are 21-27 liters: as a rule, they are enough to heat up an average grilled chicken.

Compact models with a chamber up to 20 liters will be useful for students and people who live alone. Large ones are more convenient for large families who can reheat or cook a whole meal in a microwave oven. pizza, several kilograms of baked meat, stew or lasagna for six to eight people.

By the way, the size of the microwave plate also matters. If you already have special cookware, check its parameters. Forms must rotate freely and not bump into the walls, so their diagonals cannot be larger than the diameter of the plate.

What to buy

• Microwave oven for 20 liters from BQ, 6 518 rubles →
• Microwave oven for 30 liters from Samsung, 18,691 rubles →
• 39 l microwave oven from LG, 34,990 rubles →

Find a comfortable type of control

It determines how easy it will be to set a particular mode or activate a certain function.

mechanical

The simplest and most reliable option is two “twists”: one is responsible for the heating time, the second is for choosing the power or mode. If the network often has power surges or you buy a microwave as a gift a person who is with technology at you, then this is the right choice. In addition, mechanically controlled models are cheaper and more reliable than other options.

Electronic

Such control is usually more convenient than mechanical. There are buttons for quick access to functions, setting modes and time. And often - and the screen, which displays the most necessary information: which program you have chosen and how much is left before the end of heating. But from power surges, electronic controls can quickly fail.

touch

The most stylish and comfortable, but quite expensive option. Such models should definitely be connected to the mains through protection against power surges - unless, of course, it is provided at the entrance to the apartment.

Usually in microwave ovens with touch control, you can set your own cooking modes and use dozens of preset functions. In addition, the control panel without protruding parts is easier to clean: it is enough to wipe it with a soft cloth.

What to buy

• Microwave oven with mechanical control from Redmond, 10,099 rubles →
• Microwave oven with electronic control from Midea, 5 999 rubles →
• Microwave oven with touch control from LG, 16 321 rubles →

Select interior wall finish

It depends on how comfortable take care of the microwave.

Enamel

This coating is often found in budget models. Enamel is practical, resistant to temperature fluctuations, relatively easy to clean.

But if you use the microwave very actively, over time, the enamel begins to peel off. And if you often reheat food without a lid, the white coating turns yellow. It can also darken from regular use of the grill.

Of course, there are models with colored enamel, but there are not so many of them. However, the enamel can be renewed with a special organic paint designed for the food industry.

Stainless steel

Perhaps this is the most reliable option - there is simply nothing to peel off and turn yellow. Over the years, the walls may fade, but the characteristics of the equipment will not change much from this.

True, it will not be easy to wash drops of fat and adhering crumbs from stainless steel without a special tool. In addition, metal scratches easily. In a word, this is a practical choice, but for care you need to immediately buy a special composition and soft sponges.

Ceramics

The ceramic coating is perfectly smooth, so it is easy to clean and almost nothing sticks to the walls. But such models are usually more expensive than others. In addition, chips and cracks are easily formed from impacts on ceramics, and it is unlikely that they will be able to get rid of them.

Recently, manufacturers have been offering improved coatings - for example, bioceramics. According to the developers, it better preserves the nutritional value of products and even prevents reproduction. bacteria - however, we failed to find studies on this topic that can be trusted. In terms of care, ceramics and bioceramics are almost the same.

Consider if you need an inverter microwave

If we describe the principle of operation of a conventional microwave as simplified as possible, then it works as follows. The transformer supplies power to the magnetron - a vacuum tube that generates microwave radiation. Electromagnetic waves enter the chamber through the waveguide, are reflected from the walls and cause the water molecules in the products to oscillate. Friction is created between them, and the food is heated.

The flow of waves in such models is maintained at the same level. The regulators can turn the magnetron on and off at different intervals to make the food heat up more slowly. But such an impact is considered quite aggressive, it can destroy the nutrients in the products and the structure of the dish.

In inverter models, an inverter (DC converter) is installed instead of a high-voltage transformer. Such a microwave starts at maximum power and then gradually reduces it. And there is no plate inside the device: the magnetron itself rotates, and the food warms up more evenly.

The inverter saves energy, runs almost silently, helps save more useful substances in products, makes it possible to create compact and lightweight microwave ovens with larger chambers. Yes, and more food is placed in a rectangular compartment without a round plate. But inverter microwaves are much more expensive than conventional ones.

Think about what modes of operation you need

How exactly are you going to use the microwave, in what situations will it be especially useful to you? For example, many models have automatic reheating frozen products: meat, fish, vegetables or bread. Much less often you can find microwaves with a fermentation mode - you can make yogurt in them or let yeast dough rise.

Preset programs make cooking easy - you can do it even if you rarely do anything more than scrambled eggs. And experienced chefs will appreciate the possibility of creating their own algorithms. Finally, with the automatic keep warm mode, you won’t have to reheat food if you are distracted by a couple of episodes of your favorite. series.

However, chasing the number of programs and overpaying for them most often makes no sense. If, for example, you bake from yeast dough a couple of times a year, then it can be great not far from the stove or near the radiator.

Consider additional options

These features can be very useful:

• child protection - so that the child cannot open the door and get hotter dish;
• a timer without turning on the microwave is an indispensable thing in the kitchen;
• energy saving mode - will help reduce electricity consumption and reduce your carbon footprint;
• mute alarm - useful if you have small children who might wake up (or if you like to eat at night);
• odor removal - active ventilation of the chamber;
• delay start - allows you to heat up food for your arrival.

But remember that each of these options is more of a nice bonus. Well, if there is, but it’s not worth overpaying on purpose.

Look at the package

If you have reached this point and have not chosen a clear winner among several models, pay attention to the accessories in the set. For example, measuring spoons and glasses in the box will make cooking easier. A special container with holes will help to prepare dishes for a couple. A metal stand will allow you to heat up two plates at the same time - and will definitely add comfort to use.