Microwave Buying Guide

Details on Microwave Buying Guide

Microwave ovens are one kitchen appliance that comes with modern living.

The convenience it offers in food preparation makes it an invaluable tool in any home. From simple heating to baking, the versatility of this machine also allows you to live a healthy lifestyle.

Living on quick-cook meals from scratch enables you to beat the time in maintaining healthy and well-balanced diet. As you put together more reasons why you should invest on a good microwave oven, now comes the time for you to learn how to shop for the right oven.

With the plethora of styles and models available for this kitchen appliance, picking the one that will best suit your needs could be a challenge.

The similarities between the variety of microwave oven styles and brands often cause confusions on the part of the costumer. Even the decision on which brand to take, whether a GE Kenmore, LG, Panasonic, Sharp or Whirpool microwave oven, is extremely difficult.

So how exactly do you weed out the least ideal options?

1st question of microwave buying guide is "How you plan on using the microwave"

The first thing you should do is to think about how you plan on using the microwave. Is it for simple defrosting frozen goods or re-heating left-overs? Do you intend to make it your main cooking machine, fixing quick dinners, baking casseroles and pans of meats and cakes for your pleasure?

Your answers in this question should guide you the idea on which oven features you should look out for. A standard microwave oven is built sufficient for heating food and beverage or cooking ready meals. For light load oven cooking, a standard oven should do.

Now, if you are looking for a microwave oven that is built to stand up to the demands of heavy-duty cooking, look for a convection microwave oven. Convection features combine convenient cooking, baking and grilling features to standard microwave capabilities. There are ovens that carry sensor cooking features, which allow one-button shortcuts for quick re-heating and auto-programmed cooking modes.

Now, let’s go over the other microwave oven features. When it comes to capacity and power oven specifications, we talk about the electrical requirement and the oven size. Usually, ovens range from 0.8 cubic feet to 1.8 cubic with 500 watts to 1,400 watts power requirements. As a rule of thumb, the higher the wattage, the quicker the oven will cook your food. Ideally, for medium-load and conventional microwave oven kitchen utilities, a 1.2 cubic feet oven with 1,100 watts power requirement is generally efficient.

For easy maintenance, consider taking an oven that has removable racks and turn tables. Easy detachable hardware allows you to keep the interiors clean and prevent odors and early rusting. Also, take note of the body of the oven. Pick the one with an exterior that does not easily scratch.

2nd question of microwave buying guide is "How you plan on having your microwave oven installed"

Next, let’s talk about how you plan on having your microwave oven installed. If you lean more on aesthetics, expect to pay extra bucks in picking ovens with more elegant trims.

In addition to the traditionally white body, modern microwave oven models are given stainless steel on black or bisque on bisque trims to add variety and readily complement your kitchen design.

Take note of the space in which you intend to install the oven. Consider the placement of the oven’s vents to avoid heat and moisture from ruining the walls and materials of your kitchen cabinets or counters. If you happen to have a spacious kitchen counter, then it can conveniently accommodate a standing oven. For either built-in or put-on installation, there is a microwave oven model that suits your installation preferences.

3rd question of microwave buying guide is "How much is your budget"

The last important consideration on picking the best microwave oven for your kitchen is your budget. How much are you willing to shell out for this smart kitchen tool? This should narrow down your options in a snap. For every budget, there sure is a great valued oven that you can find at your local home appliance stores as well as in online appliance stores. Look out for sale seasons to get the best deals out of the microwave oven models that you can afford.

Summary of Microwave Buying Guide

1. Compact Microwave.

For serving 2 people
only available in countertop type
capacity below 1.0 cu ft
Used for prepare simple meals and reheat leftover
Price range $60 to $180

2. Mid size

Serve a family around 4 people
Available in countertop and over the range type
Capacity around 1.0 cu ft to 1.2 cu ft
Cooks meal
Price range $100 to $200

3. Full Size

For a large family
For someone who like to cooks and spend most of the time in the kitchen
capacity 1.5 cu ft to 2.0 cu ft
Looks for an easy button and pre progammed meals function, mostly they have a cookbook
built in, countertop and over the range type
price around $150 to 250, but if you go for built in, which are the combination of conventional oven and microwave oven, then it could be more than $1000

Next >>>> General microwave oven faq before buying a microwave oven.

Related Articles to Microwave Buying Guide

Energy Star Microwave
Find information about energy star and how does this energy star microwave saves energy?

Microwave Ratings
Microwave Ratings System - What decides the rating of a microwave ovens? You'll see this rating on every microwave review pages. so what is this about? find the details here

What Factors Determine Microwave Oven Prices? - click here for the answer.

Thinking about microwave ovens as gifts?