Technical characteristics of microwave ovens. Microwave (microwave) oven. Description, principle of operation, types and selection of microwave ovens

The walls are painted to resemble enamel. This is the cheapest coverage. It cannot withstand high temperatures and long cooking times.

Durable enamel. It is easy to keep clean, it makes the walls smooth, eliminating porosity. This is an inexpensive coating.

Special coating(antibacterial - LG, bioceramic - Moulinex) is a special compound that is sintered at high temperatures, making the chamber coating an absolutely smooth surface.

The special coating has undeniable advantages:

Very durable;
perfectly smooth;
it is difficult to scratch;
has high resistance to soot;
better retains nutrients and;
retains more heat in the oven, since the thermal conductivity of the chamber is 2-4 times less than that of a stainless steel chamber, therefore it consumes less energy;
Everything from such a surface can be washed off without difficulty.

The disadvantages include the fragility of the coating and its high cost.

Stainless steel- durable, beautiful coating, which can withstand any temperature (this is especially important when working with grill and convection). However, it is more difficult to care for, keep clean, and maintain shine. Stainless steel can be cleaned with abrasives.

Types of microwave oven controls

There are three types of control:mechanical, push-button, touch.

— Mechanical- the simplest type of control using knobs, without an electronic display. Use two handles to set the radiation power and start the timer. Mechanical control is the simplest, most reliable, less likely to break down, and cheaper. But the mechanics do not provide the necessary accuracy in setting the time, and a difference of a few seconds can ruin the dish.

— Push-button— the time on the electronic dial is set using buttons. Less reliable than mechanical, but more reliable than touch. Allows programming. Has a beautiful appearance.

— Touch— push-button, but the buttons are clearly not visible, there are no protruding parts. It has a beautiful appearance, you can program the cooking process. Since there are no protruding buttons, dirt does not accumulate. But it’s not very convenient to press these buttons; with strong surges in the network, the touch elements sometimes burn, which are more expensive. Microwaves with touch controls make up about 60-70% of all microwave ovens sold.

Microwave power

When choosing a microwave oven, you should pay attention not only to the volume of the chamber and the level of equipment, but also to the power of the device. The power of a microwave oven depends greatly on the heat source used. If the oven is equipped only with a microwave emitter, then its power can be 500-1100 W. When the grill is operating, the rated power will be 850-1500 W. If the device is also equipped with a convector, then its power will be 1350-2000 W.

Each oven has several modes of operation of the microwave emitter. The simplest and most inexpensive microwaves have only 4 levels, the most complex ones have 10. But most often, microwaves are equipped with emitters capable of operating in 5 modes.

The most powerful is the so-called “full mode” (HIGH). When operating in this mode, the emitter power is maximum (100%). In this mode, you can prepare various sauces, drinks, bake vegetables and fruits.

The “above average” level (MEDIUM/HIGH) assumes that the emitter power is 70-75% of the possible one. In this mode, you can cook poultry, heat up first and second courses.
“Medium” (MEDIUM) level (50% of the maximum possible power) is optimal for cooking fish, roasting meat, and cooking various soups.

The “below average” level (MEDIUM/LOW), when the power is only 25% of the maximum, is well suited for defrosting food, preparing hot snacks, and reheating food.
And finally, the “minimum” power level (10%) can be used to heat up “delicate” foods (asparagus, tomatoes, strawberries, etc.) or keep a ready-made dish hot.

Additional functions and accessories of microwave ovens

One of the additional features of a microwave oven is the ability to supply steam, which helps prevent some foods from drying out while they are being cooked. Thanks to this function, food cooks two to three times faster while maintaining its natural consistency.

The ability to ventilate the working chamber can be called a small thing, but very pleasant. The smell of fish or meat with spices is removed in a matter of minutes, and soon after preparing a hot dish you can bake puff pastries or pies.

The multi-level plate rack allows you to heat several dishes at the same time.

With two grill grates, you will cook twice as much food in one “session”.

Some ovens are equipped with a function "auto-weight", that is, equipped with built-in electronic scales. In such models, there is no need to indicate the weight of the products placed in the working chamber - the microwave will determine it itself.

"Plate of Crusty", otherwise called "Crisp", allows you to fry food on it like in a frying pan. It is made of special metal and heats up to 200°C.

The “Dual emission” function declared by the manufacturer means that the radiation source is bifurcated. This separation contributes to more uniform heating of the products and increases the efficiency of the oven.
Sometimes microwave ovens are equipped with a dialogue mode, with which even a child can cook. A leading question is displayed on the display, and you only need to answer it for the next one to appear. Some models voice-duplicate messages displayed on an electronic display.

Electronic cookbook - this feature will greatly ease your wallet during the purchase and your life after the “smart” microwave oven is delivered home. Even a child can cook with the help of a collection of recipes; you just need to understand how to use it. However, in our computer age, children are much better friends with electronics than adults.

In modern microwave ovens, there is a dialog mode when recommendations for the housewife are displayed on the display.

Safety

Safety from radiation, electric shock, mechanical and thermal injuries is confirmed by certification according to international standards. Despite criminal liability developers and manufacturers of microwave ovens for your safety, you must strictly follow the installation and operation rules.

You are protected from microwave radiation by a metal casing and structural traps around the perimeter of the door. The magnetron and transformer inside the microwave are fan cooled to prevent overheating. When the magnetron is turned on, the door is locked so that it cannot be opened. When the door is opened or the temperature of the chamber wall or stove casing rises, special sensors instantly turn off the magnetron. Experts say that the level of radiation even in the immediate vicinity of a microwave oven is several times lower than permissible and decreases sharply with distance.

High power consumption is another reason for increased danger. If your home's electrical system has a third ground wire, conventional shock protection will provide maximum safety.

It is strictly prohibited to use water or gas pipes as a grounding wire. This could lead to the death of your loved ones or neighbors.

If there is no grounding, try to prevent the possibility of simultaneous contact with the microwave oven body and water or gas pipes. Your safety can be increased by installing an RCD (Residual Current Device).

To protect against children, the microwave oven is switched on. Nevertheless, the possibility of children playing dangerous pranks with oven buttons and control knobs must be excluded.

Inventory technology in microwave ovens

Very often, the desire of consumers to purchase a large-volume microwave oven is faced with the impossibility of placing the desired oven in a small kitchen due to the very impressive dimensions of the oven. In addition to the actual volume of the working chamber, there are also technical elements that ensure the functioning of the microwave oven and, unfortunately, take up a lot of space. Inverter stoves were called upon to solve the problem.

Inverter technology can significantly reduce the volume required to house technical components by replacing the conventional magnetron with more compact components, resulting in an increase in the usable volume of the chamber.

The use of inverter technology for microwave ovens is based on the principle of direct control of the output power level (as opposed to classical magnetrons, which always operate at maximum power, and power regulation is achieved by their pulsed operating mode). The advantages of inverters, in addition to smaller dimensions, also include more rational use energy, accelerating cooking processes (heating, defrosting) and reducing energy consumption.

Currently, inverter technology is used mainly in Panasonic microwave ovens (in which it was first used), but there is no doubt that inverter technology has a great future.

Myths about microwave ovens

— Many people hold the belief that an iron plate can cause a microwave oven to explode. high power. In fact, in the worst case, it will cause damage to the magnetron due to arcing.

— If you keep a microwave oven on for a long time at high power, its powerful electromagnetic radiation can damage all electrical appliances within a radius of several meters. In fact, electromagnetic radiation outside the working chamber no more than from back wall system unit of the computer, although close to it it can still interfere with the reception of a signal at a close frequency. Some oven models may interfere with Wi-Max, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

— A microwave oven can cause allergies... to electromagnetic waves.

— That for the first time a microwave oven, called “Radiomissor,” was allegedly developed by German scientists during the Second World War, it was even allegedly used in the active German army to heat food, but allegedly turned out to be unsafe and was abandoned (Russian sites with in this case they refer to foreign ones, and foreign ones - to Russian studies, allegedly conducted in the non-existent Russian cities of Kinsk and Rajasthan).

—Microwaves are radioactive or make foods radioactive. This is incorrect: microwaves are classified as non-ionizing radiation. They do not have any radioactive effect on substances, biological tissues and food.

— Microwaves change the molecular structure of food or make food carcinogenic. This is also incorrect. Microwaves operate on a different principle than x-rays or ionizing radiation, and they cannot make products carcinogenic. In contrast, because microwave cooking requires very little fat, the finished meal contains less burnt fat with its molecular structure altered by cooking. Therefore, cooking food using microwaves is healthier and does not pose any danger to humans.

— Microwave ovens emit dangerous radiation. This is not true. Although direct exposure to microwaves can cause thermal damage to tissue, there is absolutely no risk when using a working microwave oven. The design of the oven provides strict measures to prevent radiation from escaping outside: there are duplicate devices for blocking the microwave source when the oven door is opened, and the door itself prevents microwaves from escaping outside the cavity. Neither the housing, nor any other part of the oven, nor food products placed in the oven accumulate electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range. As soon as the oven is turned off, the emission of microwaves stops.

Those who are afraid to even come close to a microwave oven need to know that microwaves attenuate very quickly in the atmosphere. To illustrate, we give the following example: the microwave radiation power allowed by Western standards at a distance of 5 cm from a new, just purchased stove is 5 milliwatts per square centimeter. Already at a distance of half a meter from the microwave, the radiation becomes 100 times weaker.

As a consequence of such strong attenuation, the contribution of microwaves to the general background of electromagnetic radiation surrounding us is no higher than, say, from, say, from, in front of which we are ready to sit for hours without any fear, or a mobile phone, which we so often hold to our temple. Just don't lean your elbow on a running microwave or lean your face against the door trying to see what's going on in the cavity. It is enough to move away from the stove at arm's length, and you can feel completely safe.

Utensils for microwave oven

The choice of utensils for the microwave oven should be taken very seriously. The fact is that if you don’t understand this issue, it can lead to several troubles:

- you can harm your health;
- you can damage the microwave;
- you may lose the dishes themselves;
- you can ruin the product itself.

Choosing material

Dishes for microwave ovens can be fireproof or heat-resistant. The first can withstand temperatures of 250-300°C, the second - only up to 140°C. Both types of dishes can be made of glass, porcelain, ceramics, plastic, but the properties of these materials will be different. Refractory materials are subjected to special hardening; as a result, the resulting containers can be used even on electric and gas burners. Heat-resistant materials - ordinary table glass and ceramics (as well as some types of food plastics).

Let us dwell on the issue of choosing material in a little more detail.

— Glass– one of the most common materials of cookware suitable for cooking in a microwave oven. It is not recommended to use thin-walled dishes in the microwave - although stable, such glass can burst when exposed to high temperatures. Optimal choice in this case, bowls, bowls or dishes made of thick frosted or transparent glass will be used: you can conveniently place pieces of food in them.

— Porcelain. Porcelain dishes are very convenient for portion-wise heating of food: just place the plate intended for serving in the microwave - and in a few minutes you will get a hot lunch. If you buy plates without wide sides and a small diameter, you can place several pieces in the microwave at once, thereby providing lunch for the whole family. Porcelain cups Can be used to heat up drinks.

— Ceramics, faience. Dishes made from this material are suitable for the microwave oven if they are covered with glaze on all sides (when purchasing, be sure to read the labeling on the product - it should indicate that it is acceptable for use in the microwave). It is necessary to carefully monitor that upper layer the glaze did not crack or fall off - otherwise the dishes would not be able to withstand the high temperature. Ceramic dishes, plates and bowls are not the best choice for the microwave: they are not transparent enough for microwaves and get very hot. However, you can use such dishes for preparing omelettes or meat dishes: on a very hot surface you can even get beautiful golden crust like in a regular frying pan. If desired, you can use ordinary tableware for cooking; many types are microwave safe.

— Paper- a very convenient and fairly safe material for use in a microwave oven, provided that the cooking time is not long and the food does not contain a large amount of fat or moisture (otherwise they will saturate the paper too much). However, avoid dyed paper as it may stain your food when exposed to heat. Paper towels can be used to wrap food and place it in baking pans.

— Plastic has become quite widespread, but many still prefer to use plastic containers exclusively for storing and carrying food. Meanwhile, only plastic dishes can be placed in the microwave immediately after removal from the refrigerator (if they are used as “storage” for food) - they can withstand such changes. Plastic containers for food storage marked "Thermoplast" or "Duroplast" can become great solution For office employees who prefer to bring home-cooked food from home and heat it up at work.

The shape of the container also matters. By choosing the right cookware settings, you can regulate the cooking time and quality. So, food takes longer to cook in deep dishes than in shallow ones. Round form will ensure the most even heating of food. Beware of dishes with sloped edges - the food will burn around the perimeter, but the inside will still be completely raw.

Foil It is permissible to use only for wrapping protruding parts of food. If you use too much foil, arcing may occur.

Important! When choosing dishes for a microwave oven, immediately purchase a lid of a suitable size (of course, also made of a suitable material). Covering food will retain more moisture and cook faster. So you can use special materials for better preparation food - wax paper, paper napkins, transparent film. Typically, recipes (if you use them and don't improvise them) will tell you how to wrap the food to get the best results.

Thus, choosing the right utensils for a microwave oven will not only allow you to get a guaranteed result, but also improve the taste of the dish, as well as reduce its cooking time.

How to care for your microwave oven

— You need to wash the walls of the chamber with special detergents for microwave ovens, abrasive detergents - only stainless steel.

— If the camera is too dirty, put a glass of water in it and boil for 1 minute. The dirt will liquefy and wash off easily.

— Do not leave the inside of the microwave oven dirty, because... If the area where the door touches when closed becomes dirty, the door may not seal tightly, causing microwaves to leak out.

1. If your electrical network experiences frequent power surges, get a voltage stabilizer or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), because When there are changes, especially in microwave ovens with LCD displays and touch controls, it is these components that fail.

2. When purchasing a microwave, it is better to immediately purchase microwave care products, because... These products are most often sold only in specialized stores, and when caring for a product, it is best to use them.

3. When purchasing, pay attention to the warranty card, because if the store where you purchased the product does not cooperate with a certain service center microwave manufacturer, in the event of a possible breakdown, they may begin to “send” you from one place to another, in search of the truth.

4. When purchasing, pay attention to the tray, which is mainly made of glass. Sometimes he may get stabbed, or with other unpleasant surprises.

5. When purchasing, always, I repeat once again, always open and look at the appearance of the product. The words of the seller, who in a hurry says that the goods have already been checked, and leave everything in it well for others, because often some representatives of the selling company are too lazy to fulfill their duties.

6. Be sure to check the package contents when purchasing. There are times when something is missing.

Video about choosing a microwave oven

Do you want a good mood? Watch a humorous video about a “talking” microwave

Well, that seems to be all. I wish you a pleasant shopping experience and may you get exactly the microwave oven that is right for you!

The microworld is rich in secrets. We talk cheerfully about electrons without knowing exactly what they are. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle is amazing. Scientists, the further they go, the more they begin to marvel at their own discoveries. Einstein's theory is partly untenable, which means that mass does not increase with increasing speed, the speed of light is surmountable. This has recently been proven experimentally. How does a microwave oven work if nothing is known about elementary particles other than unpredictability of behavior? Let's try to look into the world of amazing and incomprehensible phenomena.

Operating principle of an active microwave oven

Electrons and microwave ovens

The technical characteristics of microwave ovens vary; they are based on a common phenomenon - the absorption of electromagnetic wave energy by water molecules. The operating principle of a microwave oven remains the same. They say that the concept was taken away by America from the defeated Nazi Germany. A few words about the operation of a microwave oven.

In physics, the dual particle-wave theory is accepted, according to which an electromagnetic wave behaves like a particle. As the frequency decreases, effects characteristic of seas and rivers emerge: the addition of waves is not quantitative, but takes into account the phase, as a result the interference pattern takes on a bizarre appearance. Light often behaves like particles. Quantum is a piece of light.

One day in the laboratory, scientists decided to check what quanta are. They took a special gun that emits elementary particles. Sequence of experiments:

Scientists have put forward theories: a particle passes simultaneously through both slits, or through a single one. As a result, the electron seems to hit itself, forming an interference pattern. As for the wave theory, something similar is known. They began to say that the particle “knows” about the observation. We are closer to the theory of a YouTube video commentator who said that the telescope takes away the energy of the photon, therefore it is impossible to demonstrate the wave pattern. The screen is not a similar measurement tool, hence the results are different.

The magnetron in a microwave oven works due to the ordered (to put it correctly) movement of electrons. We don’t see any contradictions in the experiment; it’s funny that scientists don’t want to see further analogies with the wave. In a microwave oven magnetron, the process is controlled differently.

Regardless of the nature of the particles, it has been established that in a magnetic field, electrons emitted by the thermionic cathode begin to move in a circle. To create an even tension distribution, two permanent magnet on both sides of the washer-shaped working chamber of the magnetron.

There is a vacuum inside so as not to interfere with the movement of elementary particles. As a result, they came up with the idea of ​​​​making something like a revolving drum, where each chamber is connected to the central channel by a narrow slot. Without thinking twice, scientists calculated the dimensions and created a resonator for the magnetron of a microwave oven. As a result, driven by electricity and controlled by a magnet, electrons began to generate vibrations of various kinds. But only the frequency of the microwave oven magnetron resonator survived; the others quickly faded.

A voltage of 3 kV applied to the cathode with a circuit ground at the anode of the microwave oven magnetron causes rotating oscillations of a given frequency in the chambers. The signal is picked up through a special pin in one of the many. Let us add that to make it easier for electrons to leave the anode surface, two tricks are used:

1. Choose the cathode material wisely: tungsten and thorium.
2. Apply heating voltage (6.3 V 50 Hz) to the filament.

The magnetron of a microwave oven works in a similar way. Please note that nothing is known exactly about the nature of electrons; theoretical physicists are still struggling to solve the problem; practitioners have been using the result for a long time.

How high frequency vibrations are used in a microwave oven

The vibrations leave the magnetron and immediately enter the waveguide. Dimensions of round or rectangular section chosen so that the attenuation is minimal. The wave, moving at an angle to the axis of the waveguide and constantly reflecting from the upper and lower walls, reaches the working compartment. The field strength is high, foreign objects inside will lead to electrical breakdowns in the form of lightning. Except for what is described, the exit of the waveguide into the working chamber is covered with mica cloth, commonly called mica.

The specified dielectric is transparent to waves freely passing into the compartment. The size of the furnace working chamber is selected based on the frequency of the magnetron. But it quickly became noticed: if you leave a motionless body to warm up, the temperature in different areas varies by within wide limits. It's clear that people don't like the fact that the first piece is hotter than the second. The phenomenon is explained by the presence of standing waves. At the nodes the amplitude of the field oscillation is zero, at the humps it is maximum. The result is something like an interference pattern.

Let's explain what's happening. Energy is transferred to water molecules: an oxygen atom, two hydrogen particles stuck closer to one side. It turns out something like a head with two bumps on the sides of the skull. Electric negative point is located in the base area. When this resultant is captured by the field, the molecule is carried away by the lines of force. The intensity of the wave is constantly changing, the structure begins to rotate and fall forward. Then back. It turns out to be a tumbler.

The vibration speed is extremely high.

The magnetron generates at a frequency of 2.45 GHz, 2.45 billion movements occur per second. Excess kinetic energy is generated and quickly transferred to surrounding molecules. Why was the frequency chosen at 2.45 GHz? To create more interference with cell phones and your home WiFi network? No! It’s just that any system has its own resonant frequency.

Amplified many times over, the wave renders the building unusable.

The same thing happens with a water molecule. There are frequencies that do not cause vibrations. The 2.4 GHz area is excellent at transmitting energy to the pair. It heats water in any state of aggregation with shock. The operating principle of a microwave oven is based on this fact. Let's add that the effect of a standing wave is blocked by a rotating table. The food is constantly moving, different areas alternately fall into the minimums and then into the maximums of the wave. This will ensure even heating.

How microwave oven modes are implemented

We talked about generation, told how energy behaves inside the working chamber, and revealed the process of heat transfer to food. Let's consider how the heating intensity varies. The magnetron does not generate oscillations constantly, but is excited by high-voltage pulses. As a result, by adjusting the duty cycle or frequency, acceptable modes are achieved.

Inverter microwave ovens go further. The temperature sensor located in the working compartment informs the system about the state of the food; as a result, the pulse repetition rate is flexibly adjusted, making the mode as smooth as possible. The principle of operation of the sensor is based on receiving infrared waves: the higher the frequency, the warmer the room. To be even more precise, one frequency is taken, but the intensity is measured. With increasing temperature, the spectrum shifts upward. General form is a hill with a single peak. The sensor itself cuts the spectrum constantly at one frequency. At first the mountain slightly creeps with its base onto this line, but as it moves to the right it covers the place more and more. As a result, an increase in intensity is recorded. Cold food does not emit infrared radiation at all.

The inverter mode can be turned off, as a result, correct use of the microwave oven guarantees a positive result if you have gained experience in handling the equipment. We hope the story was interesting, despite the general confusion in physics. Perhaps readers will solve the observer's riddle and post the answer in the comments. And we will petition the responsible committee to award the audience the Nobel Prize.

THE CHOCOLATE MELTED FIRST. THEN THE EGG EXPLODED. WITH THIS FIREWORKS, THE MICROWAVE EFFECT MADE KNOW ABOUT ITSELF!

The physical effect that made it possible to create the “microwave”, which few kitchens can do without today, was discovered (as is often the case) completely by accident! Thanks to the fact that the inventor Percy Le Baron Spencer was very fond of sweets. So much so that he carried candy in his pocket. And at one fine moment, while working with a magnetron (an electron tube that generated very high-frequency radio waves - microwaves), I unexpectedly discovered that the chocolate bar that was waiting in my pocket had started leaking.
Realizing that the reason for this was thermal radiation coming from the magnetron, the engineer continued the experiment by placing it in the microwave field egg, and then... it exploded. Eureka! With this fireworks, a microwave effect previously unknown to science made itself known. Created by electromagnetic ultra-high frequency (microwave) waves, also called microwaves. Hence the name: microwave or microwave ovens. Microwaves are commonly used.
The effect was discovered in 1946. However, household microwave ovens appeared only ten years later - the triumphant introduction into everyday life of a new revolutionary technology for defrosting and heating food, which we owe to an American engineer, was started by the Japanese company SHARP. Then the largest manufacturers of household appliances in Europe got involved. In a word, microwave ovens have been improved (and continue to be improved) by the whole world!

IT SEEMED YOU COULD NOT COOK PORRIDGE

But at first, microwaves were only suitable for quickly heating food. Although they were called stoves, it was impossible to cook porridge in such a stove. But gradually they became more and more skillful. Over time, microwave ovens are equipped with elements of thermal radiation (grill function)... Then they are equipped with a fan (convection function)... They master the art of steam cooking... bread baking... making yogurt...
We can only guess what the coming day has in store for us?! Appliances are becoming so multifunctional that sometimes you simply get lost: what is this, a microwave with a function oven? Or, quite the opposite, an oven, the capabilities of which are increased by the use of microwaves?! The questions are not idle. When choosing equipment, you should always clearly understand what you need first: say, a microwave or an oven? Or, perhaps, a double boiler? And take the equipment in which the function you need is implemented as the main one: additional functions are always weaker than in the equipment where they play the leading role.
The “two in one” offer has a magical, bewitching effect on consumers. And “three in one” even more so! The more “in one”, the better it seems to many. The logic of the consumer is obvious: they say, it’s better to pay more, but you’ll get “all in one”!
But not always, not all consumers who become happy purchasers of multifunctional equipment take full advantage of its capabilities. So was it worth overpaying for functions that turned out to be unnecessary? You need to think about this “on the shore.” It is not for nothing that today the most simple microwave ovens– suitable only for quickly defrosting and reheating food. In the vast majority of cases, this turns out to be quite enough! Therefore, we recommend that you thoroughly understand the capabilities of the microwave ovens on the market in order to make an informed, meaningful decision when choosing.

HOW IT'S DONE

When buying a microwave oven, we want (and should!) be sure that the microwave oven will cope with its functional purpose: defrost and cook food efficiently. But this, of course, is subject to the indispensable condition of its safety: first of all, we must be sure that the device, bought for a lot of money, will not turn out to be a source of dangerous microwave radiation!
If you have decided to “splurge” on a microwave oven, then most likely you are well aware of the wonderful properties of microwaves and the capabilities of microwave ovens due to them. But still. Technically, everything looks like this: under the influence of ultrahigh-frequency radiation, the molecules of water contained in food products begin to vibrate rapidly, and, as a result, the water, and with it the food in which it is contained, rapidly heats up. Moreover, the food is heated throughout the entire volume at once, and not gradually, “from edge to center,” as happens on a conventional gas or electric stove or in the oven. Volumetric, “explosive” heating provides more than a tenfold gain in time!
Another feature: microwaves act directly on the product and do not heat the dishes. Hence, firstly, saving time on cooking and electricity, and secondly, the ability to serve the prepared dish on the table in the same container, without fear of its high temperature.
A conventional microwave oven in its simplest form is designed for defrosting and heating food. Plus, you can boil potatoes and sausages in it, make sandwiches, and more. With the simplest microwave you will always be ready to welcome an unexpected guest with a variety of hot snacks, the preparation of which it can handle no worse than the most sophisticated one.
But speed is not the only advantage of microwaves. And maybe that’s not the main thing. Products in a microwave oven are cooked without oil (which, when burned in a frying pan, not only smells bad, but, what is much worse, becomes carcinogenic), is not boiled or fried, and, therefore, loses much less vitamins and is less caloric . Vitamin C, for example, is retained by 75-98%, whereas when cooking on a conventional stove it remains only 38-60%. It is the dietary qualities of food prepared in microwave ovens that many consider their main advantage.
However, not everyone, even in our time of very widespread passion for healthy eating, is ready to completely limit themselves to “boiled meat” from the microwave. Those who from time to time cannot bear something “hotter”, crispier, and with a crispier crust, can buy a gourmet microwave oven: a built-in grill and convection mode add all the gastronomic delights of a full-fledged oven to the advantages of a “clean” microwave. If you want healthy food, cook in a microwave emitter. And the time has come for the “belly festival” - grill and convection are at your service!

MICROWAVE OVEN WITH GRILL

In such an oven you can fry meat, game, fish... French fries... Cook a steak! The “trick” is that, in addition to the microwave emitter itself (magnetron), these ovens are additionally equipped with a thermal (infrared) radiation emitter. These can be quartz lamps or heating elements (thermoelectric heaters). Moreover, many models implement the possibility of simultaneous, synchronized exposure to thermal and microwave energy. In the synchrogrill mode (that’s what this function is called), the product will not only be fried on the outside, but will also warm up well on the inside and will be ready for use faster. There are stoves with two heat emitters: one is located below, the other - above. There are even three: the third is located on the back wall.
What is better - quartz lamps or heating elements?
Heating elements have their own advantages: by adjusting the position of the spiral, you can select the maximum efficiency mode. The downside is that the heating element coils placed in the working chamber “eat up” the already rather modest usable space and, with their presence, complicate cleaning the chamber.
Quartz lamps do not have this drawback - the tubes with spirals are hidden by the cavities of the chamber. Plus, they are more economical and gain operating power faster than a heating element coil. Cooking under quartz is closer in quality to frying over an open fire.
Pay attention to the design of the grill itself. Most microwave ovens use a flat grill. This is convenient for cooking sausages or sausages. The chicken will have to be cut in half and fried in two stages. It turns out that some, in order to stay warm, are forced to start eating piping hot chicken, while others wait their turn. Frankly speaking, it’s not very convenient.
True connoisseurs of grilling prefer, of course, the classic spit grill: the product skewered on a spit, rotating, is fried as if in its own juice. At least grill the kebab! And there is no need to shred the chicken. Subject, of course, to its capacity in the chamber. But the internal volume of the working chamber (litre) will be discussed below.

CONVECTION MICROWAVES

Convection mode - for true gourmets. Those who cannot imagine a table without classically baked meat, truly fried chicken, and pastries. How is this effect achieved?
In convection microwave ovens, in addition to the microwave effect itself, flows of hot air are directed onto the product being processed using fans, facilitating its circulation in the chamber space. This is convection.
In a regular microwave, the temperature will not rise above 100°C. At this temperature, you cannot really bake, bake, or fry. In a microwave oven with convection mode at a temperature of 250°C, you can even bake pies! No worse than in a real “grandmother’s” oven! But at the speed of a microwave!
There are also combined microwave ovens - “three in one”: microwave radiation + grill + convection. Effective? Certainly!

INVERTER MICROWAVE

But the designers’ thoughts do not stop, and the seller may offer to your attention the development of the latest generation - an inverter. What makes it special? To answer this question, they will explain to you that in a conventional microwave, the magnetron operates with constant power, and its periodic shutdowns and subsequent switching on lead to surges in electricity and sudden effects of the emitter on the product being processed. In an inverter furnace, the magnetron power is controlled by electronics, making its changes smooth. What does this give? Firstly, such furnaces are more economical in terms of electricity consumption. And secondly, the effect on the processed product is more gentle.

MULTIFUNCTIONALS

As we have already said, in the struggle for consumer preference, manufacturers equip microwave ovens with all imaginable and inconceivable functions. Some of them can really make a woman’s life easier and turn cooking almost into pleasure.
For example, a housewife who does not shy away from technology will be inspired to culinary creativity by the opportunity to independently program the oven to prepare her own signature dishes.
Others, who welcome the most simplified control of the unit, will be pleased by the presence of built-in automatic programs for the most frequently used modes and types of products: press the program start button, and no more puzzles for you. There are more and more such proposals.
There are microwaves that can remember frequently used recipes. Many devices have defrosting programs followed by cooking of the defrosted product. Today you won’t be surprised even by the “one touch programming” system, which gives the user the opportunity to launch an entire sequence of operations by lightly pressing just one key (for example, the “PIZZA” button)! Many manufacturers, in an effort to make their products stand out, are improving the “quick start” functions, that is, bringing the furnace to maximum power mode as quickly as possible.

As always, experts advise to be rational and not overpay for nothing: buy a stove with a set of functions that you can and will actually use. Unless, of course, you need a cool, advanced stove, as they say, not only for the interior.
Be sure to check in the store whether you understand the functionality, menu, and instructions? Make sure you find " mutual language» with purchased equipment. You must be sure that its operation will not be a “strain” for you, but a pleasure, otherwise the expensive acquisition is doomed to gather dust in the closet of unnecessary things.

INTERNAL COATING

What a microwave oven looks like on the inside is no less important than how it looks on the outside. Be sure to look inside to understand what material the surface of the working chamber is made of. Most often, ovens with grill and convection are coated from the inside with especially durable, easy to clean and resistant to high temperatures enamel.
Close in characteristics to enamel is ceramic coating- durable, smooth, hygienic. Withstands high temperatures. But... fragile, vulnerable to awkward handling of dishes.
It seems that a stainless steel coating meets all the requirements, but there is a “but” here: it is more difficult to care for a camera with such a coating.
In inexpensive models without grill and convection, the chambers can simply be painted “to match the enamel”. This shouldn't be too much of a concern. Such a coating will serve if you cook dishes that do not require high temperatures and too long cooking times, in a word, without special loads. It is for this operating mode that ovens without grill and convection are designed.

VOLUME USEFUL AND USELESS

The useful volume of ovens is from 18 to 42 liters. The most popular ones are from 20 to 30l. These are the sales statistics. What should you consider when choosing a stove based on this parameter? Firstly, the number of “mouths” you are going to cook for. Secondly, the size of the processed products. For example, if the oven is less than 18 liters, then not every whole chicken will fit in it. To bake a leg of lamb, goose or pig, you will need a forty-liter container.
If you are not going to seriously bother with cooking, and you need the oven to defrost and quickly heat up semi-finished products, you do not need a large-capacity oven. But there is no point in buying a “small car” with a rotisserie grill: it eats up a lot of already scarce space.
If your plans are to please your loved ones and surprise guests with gastronomic delights, then you cannot do without a serious oven (both in capacity and functionality). But desires do not always coincide with possibilities. Often, when choosing kitchen appliances, we are forced to be guided by... the size of the kitchen. Therefore, we must not lose sight of the fact that the larger the chamber volume and the more multifunctional the oven, the larger it is, and the more space will be required for its placement.

SIZE MATTER ALSO

Grill and convection microwave ovens tend to be quite bulky, so before you set your sights on one, make sure you have the space to place it. If the size of the kitchenette leaves much to be desired, it is preferable to stoves that are smaller in size and weight, which can be hung, for example, under a wall kitchen cabinet. It is clear that in this case you will have to come to terms with volume losses.
One of today's trends in the production of microwave ovens is to expand the internal working space without increasing the external dimensions. Some manufacturers have managed to achieve some gains in this direction. So when choosing a microwave oven, you need to be interested in the ratio of size and volume parameters.

NON-ROTATING STAND

What is the first picture that comes to mind when thinking about a microwave? When answering this question, many will probably remember the rotating stand. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a working microwave without continuous rotation of the food being prepared. Therefore, we warn you: do not panic and do not rush to make a claim to the seller if the dish in the microwave you purchased does not rotate, but stands rooted to the spot. It may very well be that the equipment is not broken at all. And this, of course, is the first thing you might think. In innovative systems of the latest generation, it was possible to ensure an internal volume of 30 with the external dimensions of a 25 liter oven thanks to this. that it is not the stand that rotates in them, but... microwaves. In its hot embrace, tightly enveloping the prepared dish. . In such a microwave you can cook several dishes at the same time, without fear that in the process of circling one will push the other off the “dance floor”. With all this, perhaps the main thing is that the waves in this furnace are evenly distributed throughout the entire volume of the chamber, which increases the efficiency and quality of product processing.
However, if a microwave can do more than others, then it can be forgiven for its larger size. If you have space for placement, the bulkiness of the stove should not immediately be completely intimidating. There are models whose large dimensions are justified. These are ovens that combine the functions of a microwave and an oven. Two in one! Such ovens have larger chambers, their dimensions making it possible to accommodate, say, a goose or a piglet.

READY?!

Users often ask the question: how to determine cooking time? If you know how long it takes to prepare this dish on a regular stove or in the oven, then this time per microwave should be reduced by at least three times!
Cooking times for packaged foods are usually indicated on the packaging. But it is necessary to take into account the power of the furnace. In most cases, cooking times are given for a power of 650 W, sometimes for 850 W. If your microwave has a different power, it is easy to adjust the cooking time: multiply the indicated power by the specified time and divide by the power of your oven.
Many models are equipped with automatic menus. But the time indicated in the instructions and even set in automatic menus is not a dogma that should be blindly followed. To achieve optimal results from the device, corrections are essential. Let's say vegetables and fruits change moisture content during the season, and cooking times change accordingly. Cereals, pasta and other products lose moisture over time, therefore, adjustments to the regime are required depending on how long these products are stored. And food products of the same name differ in quality: one piece of meat cooks faster, while another takes longer.
There are technical tricks to gain time: for example, the cooking process will speed up if the dish is covered with a special film for microwave ovens, which retains the moisture of the food and helps absorb steam. An experienced housewife also takes into account the fact that food from the refrigerator takes longer to heat than those that have already been brought to room temperature. Amendments to the cooking program are easily made using the “more/less” button. If you are dealing with a product that is new to you, set a deliberately shorter cooking time and increase it as needed.
SUMMARY: no matter how perfect the technique is, it is nothing without intuition, culinary experience, ingenuity and creativity of a skilled housewife.

ABOUT POWER

Knowing only time is not enough. You also need to be able to set the power correctly. It is desirable that the functionality of the microwave oven allows you to adjust the power for preparing specific dishes.
Due to inexperience, novice users set only the time; in this case, the power is automatically turned on at 100%. In fact, the need for maximum power does not arise very often. It is better to cook meat and poultry at 70 percent power. Fish, dumplings, meatballs - at 50–70%. Meat with fat warms up faster. It would be good to cut tough beef or lamb into pieces and simmer at 50% power. Yeast dough will rise better at 10% power.
If you want to speed up the process, you need to add power. Standard power ranges from 600 to 900 watts. A 500-watt oven will heat up soup no faster than a conventional electric stove. With a power of 800-900 watts, it will be ready for use in four minutes. To fry the chicken and potatoes until crispy, the grill power must be at least 1000 watts. Do not abuse power when defrosting and heating food. Haste here can backfire: dangerous microorganisms are less likely to survive if the products are processed well and evenly at lower power, but for a longer time.
If you do not use the automatic menu, it makes sense to listen to the recommendations:
80–150 W - mode for keeping the finished dish hot;
160–300 W - defrosting and cooking “delicate” foods;
400–500 W - fast defrosting in small quantities;
560–700 W - slow cooking or heating “delicate” products;
800–900 W - fast heating and cooking.
When choosing electrical equipment based on power parameters, do not forget to match the load with the capabilities of the electrical network of your apartment.

STEAM... INSTEAD OF WEIGHTS

To “start the process,” the microwave needs to be given an input based on the weight of the product being prepared. Most often, users determine weight by eye, very approximately, which cannot but affect the result. In premium models, this problem is solved by the steam sensor function. As experienced housewives know, you need to know the weight in order to determine the time to boil. The time from boiling to readiness depends only on the type of product. So in these models, for programming you only need to indicate the type of product: “before the first steam” the product is prepared on its own, and when the sensor detects the active release of steam, it sends a signal to the built-in microcomputer, and it accurately determines the remaining time. And the whole trick.

CONTROL: TOUCH OR MECHANICAL?

Mechanical control is the simplest and most reliable. Entry-level models are equipped with “mechanics”, which are preferred by those who do not have the time to “enter” such concepts as “programming”, “automatic menu”, etc. Touch controls are more difficult. It makes it possible to use programmed recipes: just enter the type of product and its weight on the display, and the oven itself will calculate and set the optimal cooking mode (time and power). Typically, the memory of a microwave oven contains from 3 to 15 recipe programs. During sudden power surges in the network (and we have trouble with this!), the sensor elements “burn out”. Not often, but it happens. Therefore, electronic push-button control seems more reliable. The buttons are convenient, beautiful, and operate with a light touch.
As for the timer, preference should be given to an electronic one. The mechanical timer in a microwave oven usually has a large error. But this is not a problem: it is necessary to determine the actual deviation in comparison with an accurate, “reference” chronometer and subsequently take this correction into account.

MAXIMUM USEFUL CHAMBER AREA

You should know these dimensions in order to understand what sizes of cookware you will need to use in this oven. It may happen that an expensive dinnerware set purchased ahead of time for this purpose will turn out to be too big.

"CRUST"

A function for crispy crust lovers. This effect is achieved using a special metal dish, which heats up to 200 degrees and fries like a real frying pan!

"DOUBLE EMISSION"

In the oven with this design feature The microwave source is bifurcated, which is believed to increase its efficiency.

"DIALOGUE"

Electronic control is increasingly being improved in the direction: “fewer buttons - more functions.” The dialogue mode is carried out using the display: the device tells the housewife what actions she needs to take, helps her choose dishes, and reminds her to cover them with a lid. Talking stoves appeared, voicing instructions displayed at the same time on the display.

DISHES

In a microwave oven, you can use the most ordinary dishes made of porcelain, earthenware, and ceramics. The main thing is that there are no drawings made with metal-containing and therefore electrically conductive “gold” and “silver” paints. Instant foods can be reheated in their own paper packaging or wrapped in napkins, paper towels, or wax paper. The most practical dishes are made of refractory glass or special plastic, specifically designed for microwave ovens.

OTHER “LITTLE THINGS”

An important detail is the stand on which the prepared dishes rotate in an electromagnetic field, thereby ensuring uniform exposure of the microwaves to the product and, therefore, uniform heating. It is advisable that the set of devices include a multi-level grill: you can heat food in several plates at the same time. When purchasing a microwave with a bread maker function, check whether it comes with a special form with rotating blades for mixing dough. A special set of dishes (a container with a sieve for storing food and a tray for water) should be included in the set of a microwave with a steamer function.

ABOUT ELECTRICAL WIRING

Let us repeat, when choosing a microwave whose maximum power consumption is somewhere from 1.5 to 3 kW, you need to know the capabilities of your electrical network. Keep in mind that grill and convection each increase power consumption by 1.5 kW. To power a three-function oven—microwave, convection, and grill—you will need at least 10 amps of wiring. Only newly built houses can boast of such wiring.
Now about the length of the power cable. Consumers, as a rule, do not pay due attention to this “trifle”: if the length is not enough, we will extend it with an extension. But it is unwise to count on this. A powerful extension cord - and for this you will need exactly one! – is always the “weak link” in the electrical circuit and threatens with unpleasant surprises.
Therefore, when buying a microwave, you should decide ahead of time exactly where it will be placed. If there is no power outlet in the intended location, we strongly recommend installing one. Moreover, the wire must be copper and of sufficient cross-section. But it’s much easier, of course, to make sure that the selected oven is equipped with a sufficiently long cable.

• To avoid damage to the oven, never turn it on idle, without a microwave receiver placed in the oven. For those who are absent-minded, it is recommended to keep a glass of water in the microwave.
• Remember about the egg explosion that we talked about in the “first lines”? Please be aware that hard-shelled foods and tightly sealed containers can cause serious damage to equipment if they explode when overheated. It is recommended to pierce sausages, tomatoes and similar products.
• It is advisable to lower a glass spoon or rod into the heated liquid so that it does not “run away”.
• When defrosting food, it makes sense to drain the resulting liquid in the middle of the cycle, otherwise, as it heats up, it causes defrosting to proceed more slowly and unevenly.
• Place a plate under the grill grate to catch any dripping fat.
• Keep the surface of the chamber and the door clean (difficult to remove grease stains are easier to remove if you first boil water in a glass in the chamber for 5-15 minutes (depending on the degree of contamination). If you also place a lemon slice in the glass, this will help eliminate unpleasant odors.
• The glass turntable should be washed with dishwashing detergent. Dishwasher safe.
• Before serving, the prepared dish must be stirred and allowed to settle so that the temperature is equalized throughout the entire mass.
• Do not heat food in metal containers or with metal cutlery placed in them. Plastic utensils can only be used if they are intended for this purpose (the corresponding labeling must inform about this).

HOW MICROWAVE TESTS ARE PERFORMED IN ROSTEST-MOSCOW

When buying a microwave oven, we want (and should!) be sure that the microwave oven will cope with its purpose: it will defrost food efficiently and prepare them well baked, browned, with a crust... But this, of course, is subject to the indispensable condition of its safety: first In all, we must be guaranteed that the device, purchased for a lot of money, will not turn out to be a source of dangerous microwave radiation! These criteria, you see, cannot be called exaggerated. Such requirements are reasonable sufficiency! – and the test organizers are guided by the following when formulating the test program:

• Check each oven for microwave leaks
• determine the actual microwave power of each oven
• estimate:
• food defrosting quality
• quality of cooking
• ease of use

MICROWAVE RADIATION SAFETY TEST

We live in an age of various kinds of phobias. And perhaps one of the most common is the fear of invisible harmful radiation surrounding us. If we are talking about a microwave oven, then users are correspondingly wary of microwave radiation.
“Microwave leakage shall not exceed 50 W/m2 (5000 µW/cm2) at any point 50 mm or more from the external surface of the appliance.”
This is the GOST requirement regulating the microwave safety of microwave ovens. In everyday life, such measurements, of course, cannot be carried out. Therefore, if you decide to buy a microwave oven, in order to be sure of its safety, you must unconditionally trust both its manufacturer and seller.
In new stoves of well-known brands, as the experience of expert studies of Rostest-Moscow shows, dangerous leaks, as a rule, do not occur. The risks increase as the furnaces are used - with the inevitable appearance of cracks in the casing, damage to the integrity of the seals, etc.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO FOLLOW TO MINIMIZE THE RISK FROM MICROWAVE RADIATION

• The oven door must be securely closed when operating to prevent microwave leakage.
• Check the integrity of the door seals and adjacent areas of the housing
• Keep door seals and their sealing areas clean. Check from time to time whether the door fits tightly and whether the insulating seal is worn out. Leakage can be caused by food residue sticking to the gasket.

MICROWAVE OUTPUT TEST

This technical characteristic essentially determines the functionality potential of the microwave: the higher the microwave output power, the greater the actual operating power of the oven, and therefore the faster it copes with the defrosting and cooking functions.
But so important characteristic not included in the documentation for the device! And in its absence, the consumer has no choice but to focus on the output electrical power. But it's not the same thing. Electrical power certainly affects the functionality of the microwave, but not directly. Microwave power output is another matter. It is measured precisely by how quickly a given furnace heats the water load to a certain temperature. Essentially, the microwave power output is the actual power of the microwave.

WHAT IS A GOOD DEFROST?

The product should defrost as evenly as possible. Otherwise, individual parts of the defrosted piece are still frozen into ice, while others, having already defrosted, begin to cook... However, ideal microwave ovens that would produce a product defrosted to a uniform temperature throughout the entire mass of the product have not yet been invented. The problem is that there are always parts of the product that freeze more deeply. In chicken, these are the thickest parts, as well as those closest to the bones and those located under the wings and thighs. It is clear that they defrost much more slowly. So the temperature difference at individual points of a defrosted piece cannot be avoided in principle - the question is in amplitude: the smaller the “dispersion of degrees”, the more uniform the defrosting is considered, the better the oven!
How does the defrost test work?
To ensure equal “starting opportunities”, and, strictly speaking, the convergence of test results on the operation of furnaces, chicken carcasses for testing are selected from one product lot.
The weight of the piece must exactly correspond to the instructions of the manufacturer of the oven in which it was prepared for defrosting.
For furnaces with the same volume of the working chamber, identical pieces should be selected accordingly.
The pieces selected in this way are frozen simultaneously in one freezer, on one shelf at a temperature of -20 degrees for 24 hours.
Frozen pieces are placed in the oven in identical glass containers specially designed for microwave use and defrosted using the automatic defrost program. If there is no such program, then heating is set manually.
At the end of the defrosting program, the chicken is removed from the oven, brought to condition for 5 minutes, after which an assessment is made of how well it is defrosted: the uniformity of defrosting is assessed not only by taste and appearance, but is also measured instrumentally - using a thermal imager and pyrometer.

COOKING TEST

The purpose of this test is to find out how quickly and, most importantly, how efficiently food is cooked in the ovens being tested.
How does the cooking test work?
The quality requirements of the testers are such that they will satisfy the most demanding gourmet: the dish must be baked evenly (and not in parts!), without undercooked or burnt areas, with a browned surface and the formation of a crispy crust!
Pieces of “experimental” chicken, portioned according to the same rules as for defrosting, are kept in one refrigerator, on one shelf at a temperature of +5° for at least 12 hours. Then the pieces, as it should be in cooking, are salted, seasoned with spices and placed in the oven in a glass container intended for this purpose. During the cooking process, testers perform all manipulations (turning, etc.) recommended by the oven manufacturer in the documents attached to it (operating instructions, recipe book, etc.).
At the end of the program, the chicken is removed, cooled for 2 minutes, after which control measurements of the temperature of various parts of the carcass are made using a thermal imager and pyrometer. The parts that are most difficult to defrost – the thickest, closest to the bones, under the wings and thighs – must be monitored.
The final verdict is made taking into account external examination and, of course, tasting. The main thing is that the dish turns out tasty and looks appetizing!

USABILITY TEST

Volunteers, that is, ordinary consumers, are involved in this test. Those who must “try on” the microwave and, based on the test results, answer the questions:

• How visible, readable and understandable are the instructions on the control panel?
• Is the door easy to open and close?
• How convenient is it to select and install the required program using the control panel symbols?
• Isn't switching buttons and other devices, their relative positions, etc. too complicated and difficult?
• Are the operating instructions clear?

YOUR OWN EXPERT

As for special “fennecs” and “bells and whistles”, here experts are in principle not inclined to set priorities: ideas about what is convenient and what is not so convenient, what is really necessary and what is just a “money scam” are very subjective. " It's up to the consumer to make their own decisions. Some people prefer a stove with a handle on the door, others prefer a groove holder, and a third finds it inconvenient to open the door using a key. This is where the principle triumphs: you are your own expert!
The main thing for the consumer is to be fully informed about the capabilities that certain microwave ovens provide and about their features.
Leading engineer of the Household Appliances Testing Center Igor Chekryzhov: - We constantly urge consumers to strictly follow the operating instructions for household appliances. This is a guarantee of safety, a guarantee that the product will last longer. But the trouble is that often unclear, confused and carelessly written (and translated!) instructions can only confuse the user. There is confusion even with such concepts as “heating” and “cooking”: as a result, both operations require... the same time!
Our advice: find out, as they say, on the shore, do you understand the instructions? It also happens that a copy of the instructions for another modification, often very different, is attached to the device being sold. It is better to refuse the purchase if the manufacturer’s attached instructions do not contain text in Russian and you are offered an insert with a translation by someone unknown. Trading organizations still approach the legislative requirement for consumer information in Russian formally and attract such unqualified translators that they completely and irrevocably confuse everything.
ATTENTION!

• Buy an oven only with a door lock.
• DO NOT turn on the oven if the door, lock, or glass is damaged.
• DO NOT push the microwave into a corner as it will overheat.
• DO NOT run the microwave oven idle. To prevent accidental activation of the magnetron from damaging it, it is recommended to keep half a glass of water in the chamber.
• DO NOT use metal utensils or utensils, as well as utensils with designs made with metal-containing paints.
• DO NOT microwave oil as it may ignite.
• DO NOT boil or heat eggs in their shells: they may “explode” (“Foods covered with peel and shell are also explosive: liver and vegetables should be pricked, and meat and fish should be cooked wrapped in a special film or in a plastic bag with several slits).
• DO NOT heat food in hermetically sealed containers: baby food in bottles, canned food in jars. Remove nipples from bottles.
• DO NOT use for other purposes - for drying clothes, medicinal plants, sterilizing baby diapers or jars intended for preserving homemade preparations.
• DO NOT place hot food on the turntable and, conversely, do not place cold food on a hot plate.

October 8th marks 65 years since microwave oven technology was patented.

A microwave oven (microwave oven, microwave oven) is one of the most popular household electrical appliances and is designed for quick cooking, heating food and defrosting food. Its creator, Massachusetts resident Percy Spencer, patented his invention on October 8, 1945.

According to legend, the idea of ​​​​creating a microwave oven came to his mind after he stood near a magnetron (an electron tube that generates microwave electromagnetic radiation) and discovered that a chocolate bar in his pocket had melted. According to another version, he noticed that a sandwich placed on the switched-on magnetron became hot.

The first microwave ovens, intended for army canteens and large restaurants, were cabinets 175 cm high and weighing 340 kg. More compact home stoves began to be produced in 1955.

The first mass-produced household microwave oven was released by the Japanese company Sharp in 1962. Initially, the demand for the new product was low. In the USSR, microwave ovens were produced by the ZIL plant.

The operating principle of a microwave oven is based on the processing of a product placed inside the device with microwaves (microwave radiation). These waves heat the food.

Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic energy, as well as light waves or radio waves. These are very short electromagnetic waves that travel at the speed of light (299.79 km/s).

Food contains many substances: mineral salts, fats, sugar, water. To heat food using microwaves, it must contain dipole molecules, that is, molecules that have a positive electrical charge at one end and a negative one at the other. There are plenty of similar molecules in food - these are molecules of both fats and sugars, but the main thing is that the dipole is a molecule of water - the most common substance in nature. Every piece of vegetables, meat, fish, and fruit contains millions of dipole molecules.

In the absence of an electric field, the molecules are arranged randomly. In an electric field, they line up strictly in the direction of the field lines, “plus” in one direction, “minus” in the other. As soon as the field changes direction to the opposite, the molecules immediately turn over 180 degrees.

The magnetron, which every microwave oven contains, converts electrical energy into ultra-high frequency electric field frequency of 2450 megahertz (MHz) or 2.45 gigahertz (GHz), which interacts with water molecules in food.

Microwaves bomb water molecules in food, causing them to spin millions of times per second, creating molecular friction that heats the food.

This friction causes significant damage to food molecules, breaking or deforming them. Simply put, microwaves cause breakdown and changes in the molecular structure of food through the process of radiation.

Microwaves operate only in a relatively small surface layer of food, without penetrating deeper than 1-3 cm. Therefore, heating of products occurs due to two physical mechanisms - heating of the surface layer by microwaves and subsequent penetration of heat into the depth of the product due to thermal conductivity.

When choosing a microwave oven, you should focus on its main characteristics, including chamber volume, type of control, presence of a grill, power and some others. The volume of the chamber is determined by the number of products that fit into the microwave oven.

There are three types of controls in microwave ovens - mechanical (the simplest type of control), push-button and touch.

Depending on the functions they perform, microwave ovens are divided into three types: microwave ovens, grill ovens, and grill and convection microwave ovens.

As for the additional functions of microwave ovens, the most common ones include the functions of double radiation (for uniform cooking of the product by volume) and auto-weight, which means that electronic sensors will weigh the product and select the cooking time.

Some models of microwave ovens have an interactive mode, when recommendations are displayed on the display while cooking a dish.

There may also be a microwave oven with built-in cooking recipes. To start the cooking process, you need to specify the type of product, quantity, and recipe. Ready-made programs make it possible to choose the optimal mode and exact cooking time.

Some models are equipped with a communication port for Internet access. This makes it possible to download new recipes and receive information about its calorie content.

Microwave oven accessories may include a multi-level plate rack, which allows you to heat several dishes at the same time, and a grill rack.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Microwave or ultra-high frequency (microwave) ovens have long been a part of every family’s life, allowing them to save time. Microwave waves do not destroy the structure of biological molecules and very quickly heat up any product. Microwave:

• quite compact,
• easy to operate,
• preserves the nutritional value of foods,
• cooks quickly.

Using a microwave you can heat, stew, bake and defrost food. Some models also allow you to cook fried foods.

Our advice will help you understand the intricacies of this device and get acquainted with the rating of microwave ovens 2018-2019.

Based on functionality, there are the following microwave ovens:

1. Solo oven. It is not expensive and runs a small range of programs. Basically, this is heating, baking, stewing and defrosting. The speed of this device is moderate, but sufficient for a small family.
2. Microwave plus grill. This miracle stove can cook grilled chicken and other similar delicacies.
3. Grill and air convection: A fan is added to the grill to distribute hot air inside the chamber. This microwave oven perfectly stews meat and bakes excellent pies.
4. Inverter microwave oven. This device is equipped with an additional heating regulator.

The microwave oven is controlled using:

• electromechanics;
• buttons;
• touch buttons with indicators.

A mechanical microwave oven does not have an electronic display and is controlled by handles. It saves money on purchases, is quite reliable, but does not have the same accuracy as electronics.

Push-button control is connected to electronics, allows programming, and makes the stove look impressive.

A touch microwave is the most modern and has a beautiful design, but you need to know how to handle it. Such microwaves are more expensive and easier to clean. Today, most buyers prefer this type.

Manufacturers offer built-in and free-standing microwave ovens.

It is worth focusing on devices equipped with a grill. Modern models of microwave ovens are usually equipped with a heating element, quartz, or ceramic grill.

• Quartz grill It is easy to clean and heats up quickly. Microwaves with such a grill consume relatively little electricity, since its power is not high.
• Heater grill It is more difficult to clean, but heats the food more intensely. Often such a grill can be moved by changing its position in the cooking chamber. Sometimes there are two such grills in the microwave. A heating element grill cooks food faster than a quartz grill.
• Ceramic heating element- the most powerful of all named. It uses infrared radiation, so it cooks quickly. In addition, a microwave with a ceramic grill helps retain moisture in food.

How to choose a suitable microwave?

When choosing a microwave, you should start by choosing its external size and volume.

First, think about where to place your purchase. And what volume do you need:

• If you are buying a microwave for yourself and your cat, a model with a capacity of up to 15 liters is quite suitable for you.
• Two people are usually content with a microwave oven with a capacity of 15 to 20 liters. Even a saucepan will fit in it.
• A housewife cooking for four will be happy with a microwave oven with a capacity of 20 to 30 liters.
• For large families, manufacturers have microwave ovens with a capacity of up to 40 liters!

Wattage is the second most important variable when choosing a microwave. Experts recommend stoves with a power of up to 600 W. Such an oven does not overload the network and retains enough moisture in the products. However, it also cooks more slowly than a more powerful appliance. The choice is yours. Of course, here you should pay attention to what volume of the chamber is affected by this power (W per volume in cubic meters).

A set of functions of modern microwave ovens

It may happen that you spend money on a model with a grill, but only use the microwave to warm up sandwiches. Or vice versa: guests have arrived, but you can’t cook grilled chicken in this stove. Therefore, immediately decide what you will require from your stove. A microwave oven with grill plus a convection system will not only defrost the fish, but fry it. She will also bake a rosy pie.

The following equipment may be sold complete with a microwave:

• multi-level grill (allows you to cook two dishes at the same time);
• frying disk (a device that heats up to 200 degrees and works like a frying pan);
• spit or grill grate;
• disk for steaming dishes.

A timer with sound alert and a child lock will also be useful.

When choosing a microwave model, pay attention to the material of the inner chamber. Coverage can be:

• stainless steel,
• ceramics / with enamel,
• bioceramics.

Stainless steel is simple and reliable. Ceramic is modern, but delicate to clean. Bioceramics – ceramics with an antibacterial coating.

We believe that you have already imagined your future microwave oven in your imagination, so we ask you to familiarize yourself with the best microwave ovens of 2018-2019!

5th place: GORENJE MO20MW (RUB 3,849)

The GORENJE MO20MW microwave oven for RUB 3,849 came in 5th place according to customer reviews.

• The model is equipped with backlight, end of cooking signal and timer.
• Chamber volume – 20 l,
• Microwave power – 700 W,
• The door opens with a button
• Camera coating – enamel,
• Weight – 10.5 kg,
• Height – 26.2 cm,
• Width – 45.2 cm,
• Depth – 36.2 cm.

The advantages of the GORENJE MO20MW microwave oven include:

• low cost,
• ready sound signal,
• ease of control.

The disadvantages of the model are:

• overheat.

4th place: Electrolux EMM20000OK (9990 RUR)

4th place in the list of consumer preferences is occupied by the Electrolux EMM20000OK solo microwave oven model for 9990 rubles.

This stove has a beautiful Rococo design. Good with five power levels and convenient switches. The timer can be set for half an hour, and the degree of readiness can be checked using the camera light.

• Control type – mechanical,
• Chamber volume – 20 l,
• Microwave power – 700 W,
• The door opens with a handle,
• Camera coating – enamel,
• Weight – 10.5 kg,
• Height – 26.2 cm,
• Width – 45.2 cm,
• Depth – 35.8 cm.

Advantages of the Electrolux EMM20000OK model:

• high quality cooking,
• convenient and easy to wash,
• design,
• 5 work programs,
• compactness.

Disadvantages of the model:

• no “keep warm” mode
• expensive, given the limited functionality,
• no recipe book.

3rd place: Samsung MC28H5013AK (RUB 9,990)

This oven is equipped with a powerful heating element grill with a grate, which significantly expands the range of dishes that can be cooked. The model also attracts attention with its fermentation mode for yoghurts and dough. 24 auto programs include traditional Russian cuisine. The developers have equipped the camera with a bioceramic coating, which will help keep the device clean. The coating has low thermal conductivity and increases the cooking speed. The timer can be set to 99 minutes.

• Control type – touch,
• Chamber volume – 28 l,
• Microwave power – 900 W,
• The door opens with a handle,
• Chamber coating – bioceramics,
• Weight – 17.5 kg,
• Height – 31 cm,
• Width – 52 cm,
• Depth – 48 cm,
• Odor removal mode
• Yogurt mode
• Grill + convection mode,
• 6 defrosting modes.

Advantages of the Samsung MC28H5013AK microwave oven:

• design,
• excellent set of functions,
• good assembly,
• ease of control,
• uniform baking,
• speed of work,
• presence of a book with recipes,
• odor removal,
• protection from children.

Flaws:

• overpriced,
• Sometimes in the “convection” mode the grill turns on automatically; you need to set the time and power correctly.

2nd place: solo microwave Bork W702 (RUB 29,990)

The Sensor IQ technology that this model is equipped with will allow you to heat a dish to a certain temperature without manually adjusting the power. Smart sensors will do it for you! The defrosting mode of the model is also special and is automatically adjusted. The quick cooking function is another automatic find for the housewife. All she has to do is choose a dish. The control panel is user-locked to prevent children from pressing the buttons. The model has 13 automatic programs and a built-in clock.

• Control type – electronic/touch,
• Chamber – 34 l,
• Microwave power – 1100 W,
• The door opens with a handle,
• Chamber coating – stainless steel. Steel,
• Weight – 16.15 kg,
• Height – 31 cm,
• Width – 51.9 cm,
• Depth – 41.8 cm,
• 5 defrosting modes.

Pros of the Bork W702 model:

• power,
• camera cover,
• ease of use,
• design,
• white backlit buttons,
• comfortable handle,
• three sound signal volume levels,
• excellent touch system,
• multifunctional,
• big camera,
• the dish heats up evenly.

Cons (according to user reviews):

• high price,
• menu in English.

1st place: LG MW23R35GIH (from RUB 9,490)

The main advantage of the model is the Smart Inverter inverter magnetron, which ensures uniform heating and defrosting of food. The manufacturer claims that this part will consistently serve for at least 10 years. The oven is equipped with many basic and additional modes, including frying, baking, and making yogurt.

LG MW23R35GIH is easy to control, has good backlighting, sound notification and child lock. The easy-to-clean EasyClean coating prevents the camera from scratches and grease sticking to its walls, and also has antibacterial properties.

• Control type – electronic, touch,
• Chamber – 23 l,
• Microwave power – 1000 W,
• The door opens with a handle,
• Camera coating – LG EasyClean bioceramic enamel,
• Weight – 9.4 kg,
• Height – 27.2 cm,
• Width – 47.6 cm,
• Depth – 34.6 cm,
• Sound signal,
• Backlight.

Advantages of the LG MW23R35GIH microwave oven:

• number of modes;
• powerful;
• convenient touch control;
• high quality defrosting;
• does not overheat;
• uniform heating;
• good chamber depth;
• light;
• design;
• a reminder about the modes on the case;
• key lock;
• cleans well.

Buyers note the following disadvantages of this model:

• price;
• no convection;
• no grill;
• low information content of the display;
• The sound cannot be turned off.

Microwave oven Samsung GE88SUB (RUB 8,160)

New for 2019, released by one of the market leaders - by Samsung, has a power of 800 W at optimal size chambers of 23 liters.

As befits the brainchild of such a renowned manufacturer, the oven has electronic control and a number of pleasant additions to the basic functionality. For example, the upper grill expands the capabilities of the stove and allows you to distribute microwaves evenly, the chamber lighting helps to monitor the readiness of dishes, and a sound signal notifies the hostess about the completion of cooking.

Button control is rather a plus of this model, since some users of other similar devices complain about touch control.

This model may surprise you with how easy it is to clean the camera and the odor removal mode.

Specifications:

• Control type – electronic;
• Chamber – 23 l;
• Microwave power – 800 W (6 levels);
• The door opens with a button;
• The chamber coating is bioceramic enamel;
• Weight – 12 kg;
• Height – 27.5 cm;
• Width – 49 cm;
• Depth – 34.4 cm;
• Sound signal;
• Backlight.

Clear advantages:

• decent power;
• volumetric chamber;
• there is an upper grill;
• uniform heating;
• removal of odors;
• easy-to-clean interior coating;
• push-button switches.

Notable disadvantages:

• high price;
• no convection.

Let's sum it up

For a family living in a modern urban rhythm, a microwave is a good help. And this smart device won’t hurt at the dacha. According to user reviews, the main thing for most of them is that the microwave oven heats food quickly and efficiently. When buying a microwave, most users pay attention to the price. However, a very expensive model with a large set of functions takes second place in the ranking. Touchscreen models with a high degree of automation are gaining popularity and becoming customer favorites.

But for cooking, modern housewives are increasingly choosing not a traditional stove - but a convenient and often automatic one. A high degree of automation, on the one hand, does not allow you to interfere with the process, and on the other hand, it does not allow you to spoil the result. But there is one unwritten rule for any cooking: not only the food, but also the water must be of high quality: our ordinary tap water is usually not clean enough, it is recommended.

Updated January 2019