A microwave oven is an indispensable thing in the kitchen, which allows you to simplify the process of cooking. For those who are just going to purchase this appliance, it is advisable to read the recommendations on how to choose a microwave oven for your home.
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Microwave harm - myth or reality?
Before finding out if microwave radiation is harmful, you need to understand what a microwave oven is. A microwave oven is a household electrical appliance that is designed for quick cooking, heating food and defrosting food.
Microwave radiation is not radioactive because its frequency is less than that dangerous to human health. In addition, various types of protection are provided to prevent leakage of microwave radiation outside the device.Whatever company the oven is, manufacturers make it so that when the door is closed, the waves do not penetrate outside the oven chamber, and the glass of the door is screened with a fine metal mesh.
How to choose the right microwave for your home?
Before choosing a microwave oven, you need to decide for what purpose it will be intended. The cheapest "solo" microwave is suitable for heating, defrosting food and preparing simple meals. Therefore, if these functions are sufficient, it is not worth overpaying for options that will not be used. However, in such a microwave it will not be possible to fry or bake the dish until golden brown. Even in the budget version of the device, it is not recommended to cook anything for a long time, since the enamel coating inside is not designed for high temperatures.
Manufacturers of microwave ovens produce appliances that have a different volume of the working chamber, power and interior decoration. The speed of heating and cooking depends on the power of microwaves. Each model has a power level adjustment for cooking different types of food.
Volumes of microwave ovens vary from 9 to 41 liters. For a small family, you can purchase a stove with a volume of 17-23 liters, from 3-4 people - from 23 liters. But it is worth considering that the larger the capacity of the camera, the greater its power.
The taste of microwaved food depends on its interior finish. The coating of the inner surface can be:
- Enamel. The type of finish that is popular. It is easy to take care of him.
- Ceramic. Sufficiently durable coating, easy to clean from grease with a sponge.
- From stainless steel.Durable coating resistant to temperature extremes. In most cases, this finish is used in the manufacture of microwave ovens with grill and convection. The disadvantage of coverage is the difficulty in care.
Main characteristics
There are some technical characteristics according to which experts divide all microwave ovens into classes. The main ones are:
- capacity of the working chamber;
- operating modes;
- control system;
- the possibility of embedding.
If you have a small kitchen, it is recommended to buy a simple small microwave that can be placed on the kitchen table or a special shelf. People who prefer built-in appliances can choose a microwave oven that will harmonize well with the kitchen set.
Control type
According to the control method, all microwave ovens are divided into 3 types:
- mechanical;
- button;
- sensory.
Mechanical adjustment is a reliable and simple type of control that is suitable for the elderly or children. By means of 2 round knobs, the radiation power and the cooking time are set.
Push-button control is represented by a set of buttons on the panel of the electrical appliance. Used in models where there are different modes. You can choose the cooking time for foods according to their weight.
Touch control has functions similar to push-buttons, only pressing is done on the touch panel. It allows you to set the household appliance more accurate parameters. However, this type has a drawback - sensitivity to voltage drops in the mains.
Main functions
When choosing a microwave oven, you need to know that they all have 3 main functions:
- Defrosting. With this function, you can quickly defrost the desired products.To do this, you need to enter the name and weight of the product, and the device itself will select the power and time required for defrosting.
- Automatic cooking. To do this, you need to select the type of product and its weight, and the device itself will set the mode, power and time.
- Automatic heating. You must specify the dish to be reheated and its weight.
Additional functions
Modern microwave ovens have not only a beautiful design, but also equipped with additional features:
- Child lock that disables or blocks all buttons, thereby restricting access to small children.
- Fast cooking. With its help, you can quickly cook food or heat up a dish in 30 seconds at high power.
- Steam cleaning. By turning on this function, fat and food residues are independently removed from the inner surface of the appliance by means of steam.
- Fast defrosting, which allows to reduce the defrosting time of food by 2 times.
- Odor removal mode. Neutralizes food odors after cooking.
- steam sensor. Provides steam cooking at a temperature of +100°C. Keep food warm. By using this button you can keep the dish hot for a long time.
- Automatic weighing function. The device is equipped with built-in electronic scales.
- Shutdown sound signal. The oven notifies you of the end of work.
In addition, many modern microwave ovens are equipped with a grill function. With it, you can fry vegetables, meat and fish dishes. Grilled food has a crispy golden crust on top and retains the juices inside.
Microwaves are also equipped with a grill and convection at the same time.The latter function is good for baking and roasting meat. The built-in fan pumps the air heated to the set temperature into the appliance, ensuring uniform heating. Thanks to this, a ruddy crust is formed on the dishes, and more vitamins are stored in the products.
What kind of microwave utensils do you need?
Before you buy a microwave oven, you need to consider that not all dishes in the house are suitable for use in this electrical appliance. For cooking, heating and defrosting food, dishes with shiny or metal rims are not suitable, since high-frequency high-frequency current is induced on them, leading to sparks that can turn into an electric arc.
For microwave use only heat-resistant dishes. It can be made from:
- glass;
- plastic;
- ceramics and porcelain.
Plastic bags with holes are suitable for defrosting and heating food. For baking dishes, it is recommended to use dishes with high sides.
The best option not only for heating, but also for using an electrical appliance in different modes is heat-resistant glassware. But it is forbidden to subject it to a sharp change in temperature.
Top 5 Best Microwave Ovens
Now almost all the famous manufacturers of household appliances produce their own line of microwave ovens. Based on customer reviews, specifications and pricing, top 5 microwaves can be distinguished. So, the best microwave ovens of 2018:
- Horizont 20MW800-1479. Good microwave oven with a good rating. The model has all the main built-in programs, electronic control and grill.Besides, ininternal coating of the chamber - enamel.
- Daewoo Electronics KOR-8A4R. The device has a function to remove unpleasant odors and protection against accidental pressing. In this model, you can cook pizza or use the device as a double boiler. Steam can be used to clean the inside of the machine.
- Samsung ME83KRW-1. The device has convenient and simple control, touch buttons and bioceramic coating. The microwave oven copes well with its tasks and is equipped with additional modes.
- BEKO MGC 20100 S. The device is distinguished by its reliability and unpretentiousness in operation. The model has an interesting appearance, mechanical adjustment. Additional options: passive and active camera lighting, sound notification after cooking, grill.
- Horizont 20MW700-1378B. Model with mechanical control. Well suited for use in the "heat-defrost" mode Low price, positive customer reviews.
Since it is difficult to choose a microwave among the variety of products offered, after reading the rating of microwave ovens, you can easily decide which microwave to choose for your home.
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