Two Simple Microwave Repair Tips

Because microwaves are quick, easy and convenient to use, they are often the most popular cooking appliance in many households. Because of this, they can be susceptible to breakdowns. Instead of taking your microwave to an expensive repair service when it is not working, you should follow these two tips first. Perhaps you'll be able to save yourself time and money if you are successful in fixing your microwave yourself.

Simple Repair Tip #1: Test Your Fuse and Replace If Necessary

If your microwave is not functioning, the problem could be with your fuse. The fuse acts as a safety device which monitors and prohibits the flow of electricity to the microwave when the current is too strong. The fuse has to be in working order for it to pass the electrical current on to the microwave, so failure here is a common culprit for a non-working microwave.

Unscrew and remove the outer cabinet that houses the microwave, and locate the fuse by following the power cord inside the unit. If you see burn marks on the fuse or it is completely black, it is most likely blown and will have to be replaced. If you happen to have an ohm meter handy, you can test the fuse by seeing if current can pass through the fuse. If the meter reads zero ohms, then current is passing and your fuse is okay. If it the ohm reading is infinite, then no current is flowing through and your fuse failed the test.

To remove the fuse, just simply remove it from its holder. You can snap it in or out easily. You can call the manufacturer to get the right part number for the fuse, then order a new one online or call a local electronics or appliance store to make sure they have one available for you to pick up.

How much are fuses? Typically they range as cheap as $5-$20.

Someone who is halfway handy could have removed the fuse in 5 minutes and ordered a new fuse in another 5 minutes. If purchased locally, a half hour later they could have the new fuse installed and the microwave in working condition. If you took it to a repair shop, you would have waited at least a day or two for the repairman to get around to it and been charged as little as $50 if you're lucky.

Simple Repair Tip #2: Test the Door Switch and Replace If Necessary

The door switch is another part that acts as a safety device, not allowing the microwave to function if the switch is triggered (i.e. the door is opened). A non-working switch will prevent your microwave from functioning.

First make sure the latch inside the door itself is not missing or damaged. The latch activates the switch when the door is in the closed position. The latch looks like a prong or hook, so make sure it is there and does not look damaged. Otherwise, it will most likely need to be replaced professionally since it can be difficult to remove the inner seal off the door, or the door itself may need to be replaced.

If your latch and fuse are fine, then most likely your door switch is the problem. This is the most difficult and last thing you should check. You'll find your door switch mounted on a bracket where the latch would make contact. To test the door switch, you will need an ohm meter. First remove the wiring harness leads from the terminals, and then test the switch for continuity. To help you with this, let's look at the anatomy of a door switch. It has three terminals and they are labeled as follows:

• N.C. Terminal - Normally Closed

• N.O. Terminal - Normally Open

• COM Terminal - Common Terminal

First test the resistance between the COM and N.O. terminals - you should have infinite resistance. You'll see a little actuator button and if you press that down (which simulates the door closing), then the resistance should go down to zero, indicating current is flowing. Repeat this test between the COM terminal and the N.C. terminal, but the results should be the opposite. You should have zero resistance at first, then when you press the actuator (simulating opening the door) it should jump to infinity, indicating no current or power. If one or both of these scenarios doesn't happen in your test, then the switch is broken.

When you replace the switch, be sure to use the same type of switch as the original - call your manufacturer to get the correct part number and purchase the same replacement part. Remove the bracket that houses the switch from the microwave, and remove the old switch from the bracket and replace with the new one. You should be able to find a new switch for less than $20. If you took it to a service shop you would probably pay at least $100 between diagnosis and repair.

So these two tips will hopefully save you from an expensive trip to the repair shop, so you should at least attempt to fix a non-functioning microwave yourself first. You won't do any further damage to it, and remember, always make sure the microwave is unplugged before operating on it.

There's still a lot of thing to learn about microwaves. Please visit http://www.thebestkitchen.org to know everything about microwaves, toaster oven reviews, cooking tips, and Helpful Kitchen Tips. We provide the most important info that you need to know before buying a kitchen appliance.

Microwave Cooking Tips - Cooking Microwave Meat

As a busy individual, the least that you would focus your spare time to is cooking your meal. Going through drive-through fast foods will not usually equal the home-made cooking that you can get. If only you have sufficient time to attend to the busy preparations in cooking. As you know, cooking meat can be a really taxing work especially if you lack adequate time for this thing. So what is the microwave doing? Don't just let your microwave oven sulk in one corner of your kitchen. Make use of it and cook your meat!

Cooking meat in the microwave oven? This can be a big NO for most people. They will oppose to this idea, so to speak. Their reason will usually be the same as their usual claims that the chicken meat can eventually end up feeling like a rubber and that the ground beef will not be entirely cooked. But these things can be a myth after all! Why so? Because if only you know of the microwave cooking tips for meats, you will not say the same thing. The secret i know the right types of cooking utensils to be utilized!

There are clamors against the use of plastic materials in cooking food inside the microwave. Yes, there are those unsafe plastic utensils which may be harmful for the meat that you cook. It is because some of the plastic containers include certain chemicals in their overall make-up which get triggered due to a high rate of heat in the surroundings. In turn, these chemicals will get mixed up with the food inside the microwave oven. Again, as emphasized earlier, one of the effective microwave cooking tips for meat is to employ only the proper utensil. There are basically containers which are obviously designed for microwave cooking.

One safe microwave cooking utensil to be used is the Tupperware. If you are sure that the container which you are about to employ is fit for microwave use, then you can be guaranteed that no sorts of chemicals can get activated although there is too much heat inside the microwave oven. One utensil again, the Oval Cooker, is particularly styled in a way that the meat moisture is kept so that the meat does not end up to be rubbery and dry.

When you are cooking beef remember to cook each pound beef for about 6 minutes, and let the meat wait a few minutes before you take it out. When cooking a whole chicken the cooker must be filled in with half cup of water in the bottom part, and like the beef it take about 6 minutes for each pound. This time can be different in some microwaves depending their power.

As opposed to the prevailing opinion that it's not possible to cook food in microwaves, you find out that you can, but there is a few cooking ways & instruments that can help you achieve this goal, try it first with small amounts of meat and after a few times you will be able to cook the meat exactly in the way you like it. From this point it will be easy for you to make your meal using this tip and impress all you friend and family.

Microwave Meat Cooking and Meats Microwave Cooking advice and Tips can be found at: http://microwave.zupatips.com

Microwave Ovens Can Be Dangerous - (9 Simple Tips For Keeping Your Kids Safe)

New technologies are certainly taken in stride these days, in fact they are expected, and who better knows how to make them work than our kids, so it is easy to unwittingly put them in harm's way by allowing them to use appliances that they can operate, but may not fully understand.

As parents, we probably have gotten a call at work from one of our kids when they got home from school asking us what they can eat. We may be parents who have no choice, but to leave the kids at home to fend for themselves for a couple of hours from time to time.   It's a reality for many, no need to apologize; it however can create a very dangerous situation.

When we get that call, or leave a note that starts with, 'when you get home from school,' our most frequent suggestion for hot snacks is to heat them up in the microwave.  After all, microwave ovens are easy to use, even our young kids know how, and there are a variety of snacks already microwave packaged.  There is nothing wrong with this, we're busy and they are hungry, but don't assume that they know the proper way to cook with a microwave oven. Inform them of the dangers and teach them the proper cooking methods that will keep them safe.

Before the age of the microwave oven parents would lovingly admonish their kids with, 'be sure to turn the burner off and remember it's hot.' Excellent advice for sure, but it is absolutely inadequate when speaking of microwave cooking. This is why.

First, solid foods and liquids react differently when heated in a microwave oven than they would on a stove top or in a standard oven creating a variety of dangerous situations. Second, how the solids and liquids are packaged or even what type of containers you may place them in can impact what conditions will exist when they are heated.

The Biggest Dangers

The two biggest dangers come from steam and actual explosions of liquids. Steam is the easiest to understand with the dangers typically caused by the packaging. When discussing prepackaged food, bags of micro wave popcorn come to mind for what could be the most frequent threat. Kids love popcorn. Most microwaves are programmed to cook popcorn at the push of a button, so it is easy even for very young children to use. The popcorn is cooked in a sealed container trapping steam which is created as the kernels pop. When the bag is opened the steam is quickly released. Another situation which creates a danger from steam is when leftovers are heated up. They have been repackaged into whatever container is to be used for heating. Often these containers are covered by plastic wrap or sealable lids. If the cover is improperly placed steam may become trapped and then released in a blast.

Heating liquids, such as water for hot chocolate, may very well be considered the most dangerous use of a microwave. Microwaves heat very quickly and can superheat liquids. Superheated liquids are liquids that have passed the boiling temperature without bubbling or off gassing. The smoother the container's surface the higher the likely hood of super heating occurring. Liquid in a new ceramic cup with glazing that has not been scratched is more apt to super heat than liquid in an old scratched up plastic travel cup. The surface of the smoother cup has less porosity making it more difficult to form the bubbles we all recognize to mean boiling. The lack of bubbling does not mean the energy created while heating the liquid is not present. It simply means the energy has been unable to break the bonds of the surface tension allowing it to dissipate. This is a dangerous situation.

When Things Goes Wrong

Common microwave accidents include: Eating unevenly heated food. In this case one side may be palatable with the other hot enough to easily burn the inside of your child's mouth. Another potential accident is when heated food spills onto the user while removing the container from the microwave. This typically occurs with what is known as an over the range microwave or over the counter microwave. The OTR microwave, as it is commonly known, also functions as a hood vent above the range or cook top. They are typically mounted at 72 inches above the floor. When a microwave is mounted under a wall cabinet it is referred to as an OTC microwave and mounting heights vary, but seldom will it be lower than 54 inches. In either application the mounting height puts the appliance above the eye levels of many children making it more difficult to safely use. 

The more insidious accidents, the ones that have the greatest potential to cause extreme harm, have already been mentioned and they are burns caused by steam and explosively hot liquids. Typically, steam burns occur when a container or a popcorn bag for example, is opened too soon after completing the cooking cycle. The pressure in the container has not released and a blast of steam may occur when the package is opened. Steam blasts are capable of causing serious burns. Injuries from super heated liquids are also cause for great concern. Microwaves heat quickly, allowing liquids under certain circumstances to heat beyond boiling without off gassing, or bubbling. In this situation the energy has not dissipated, it is being held within the liquid and it is explosive in nature. When the liquid is disturbed, by moving it for example, it can literally explode onto the user with devastating results. Please query super heated liquids on your favorite search engine and you will find many scientific explanations for this occurrence. As interesting as the explanations are, the only thing that you truly need to understand is that the risks are real and for the most part preventable. 

9 Simple Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe

1. Never tightly cover a container that you place in a microwave oven. Always leave a small vent to help prevent pressure from building up during the cooking cycle.

2. Do not open heated containers towards yourself. Even when a container is vented steam may still be discharged when uncovering it.

3. Never remove a heated container from a microwave if you cannot see into it. This is primarily in reference to using OTR and OTC microwaves, but this could also apply to a counter top microwave if being used by a small child.

4. Let heated items stand for one or two minutes after heating. It not only helps food to cook thoroughly, it gives steam which was captured a chance to escape.

5. Always put something into a liquid that is going to be heated. It will help prevent the conditions that allow super heating to occur. Buy a box of wooden stir sticks. They work great.

6. Make a rule that liquids are never heated for more than 2 minutes.

7. Never reheat a liquid that has been forgotten in the microwave and is still warm. It is much easier for super heating to occur during the second heating cycle!

8. Review the cooking instructions on all microwave ready packaged foods that you keep in your kitchen with your kids. Make an agreement with them on a list of the foods they can prepare.

9. Have your kids cook with you. This is the best way to teach safe practices.

Take the time to teach safe practices to your children, as well as, their friends when at your home. No one else may be teaching them. Don't assume a child knows how to use the appliance or is too young to learn. When they have an unsupervised moment they may very well try. Most microwave cooking accidents result in burns, which can easily be 2nd or 3rd degree.

Microwave ovens are not dangerous, the improper use of them is. Establish, teach, practice and monitoe safe cooking practices in your home.

Fred B. Thompson [http://www.eXprzit.com]

Microwave Turntable—Why You Need it

The ease and convenience that a microwave offers can't be denied in any way. That is the main reason as to why the device has become a staple in every modern kitchen. It is able to cook food quickly less the hassles of using fire. In fact, even your children can be trusted to use it without having to worry that they will get hurt provided of course that they are of the right age and they know how to properly operate it. However, there are times that the food doesn't get even microwaves and so it turns out half cooked or half heated. In such case, you need to use a microwave turntable.

What is a microwave turntable?

The microwave turntable is the apparatus that you must place inside which then turns around slowly so that the food gets evenly cooked. That means saving you the time and effort of pushing the stop button to rotate the food container inside every couple of minutes.

How helpful is the turntable?

In many cases, the use of the turntable is too helpful because it doesn't only let you save time to heat or cook the food but it likewise ensures that the item receives even distribution of microwaves. It is also safer because it saves you from possible injuries than if you turn the food inside manually.

It is highly advisable that you make use of the turntable so your food doesn't taste ridiculous and that nothing is wasted.

How do you clean the microwave turntable?

All cooking utensils and devices should be cleaned after use. Why? It is for the very basic reason that you put food in them or that you use them directly in cooking your food. Therefore, it only follows that their cleanliness are ensured. In the same case, the turntable should also be maintained clean. It is important that it is dirt-free and unsoiled so no bacteria will find their home in it. After all, it is the turntable that comes mostly in contact with your food.

To clean the turntable, you should take it off the microwave. This will also clear the space so you can clean the inside of the device with a clean and damp piece of soft cotton cloth. Just be sure that it is not hot when you hold it. If the turntable is made of glass, you can simply soak it in the sink and normally wash it with soap and water.

Use warm water to soften the tough stains or food residue. Scrub it with a sponge and trustworthy dish detergent.

Make sure that it has completely dried before you place it back to the microwave oven. Have it air-dried or use a kitchen towel. Just ensure that it doesn't contain water as you put it back.

Take note that the use of glass cleaner isn't recommended on your microwave turntable. This will only contaminate the food you cook or heat and compromise your health.

These days, most of the manufactured microwave ovens come with their turntables already attached inside. Many of them are made of glass while some look like a plate or a tray. It always depends on the brand of your choice. In case the one you bought doesn't have it or if your old one has been broken, you can always find the right turntable to buy.

The microwave turntable comes in a variety of materials, designs, and sizes. You can also search the Internet for the great deals that you can grab.

Choosing The Right Microwave Accessories

The invention of the microwave oven may have been the greatest kitchen invention especially for mothers who do not have the luxury of time to prepare hot food for their families. Microwaves ovens have made food preparation a breeze not only among home kitchens but also in restaurants and other fats food joints.

It has become one of the most useful and popular inventions that it may even rival the television in terms of its presence in every American home. Americans use the microwave several times a day for almost all purposes that they already feel helpless without a microwave oven.

Take the case of a family where the mom has to hurry every morning not just to prepare for office but also to prepare the breakfast of her family. A mom can quickly heat the food she prepared last night or even during the weekend just by using the microwave oven.

Office workers who are already late but who need their morning fix can just stop by the grocers, buy a ready meal and then make use of the grocer microwave oven to heat his fill of hot food enough to wake him up for the long day ahead.

Microwave ovens are really a very good aid in food preparation because they heat food efficiently and fast. However, microwave ovens require the use of accessories to make the food preparation more efficient and healthy for every user.

There are cheap microwavable plastics being sold anywhere and a person who relies on the microwave oven for his daily meals should get these plastics by the bulk. Why spend more time washing the microwavable plastic for a second use when several plastic can be bought and then used for storage at the same time.

There are also plates or containers made of porcelain that are safe for microwave use provided they do not have gold or even silver decorations. It is also advisable to buy microwavable glasses for that extra hot coffee in the morning when you have to wake up after a long night.

Microwave ovens require special accessories because these machines are supposed to heat only the food and not the containers. If a container heats up easily then it is not safe for microwave use. The best thing to do is to look at the instructions on every container or glass that will be used in the microwave.

Some people commit the mistake of using ordinary plastics or porcelain plates in their microwaves. While such will not automatically burn the food or damage the microwave oven, it can be unhealthy for the person who heats his food using accessories not intended for microwave use.

Tray to find the right microwaves accessories that can help you protect you health and make a better use with your microwaves, remember that this accessories can save you time when you most need it.

Learn more about the Microwaves Accessories that can improve your usage - http://www.microwave.zupatips.com

Cooking Food Using a Microwaves Tips

Microwave ovens have become a part of every household kitchen today. In the presence of a busy lifestyle, the microwave oven provides an effective alternative because it lessens meal preparation time by about two-thirds as compared to the traditional method of preparing and cooking food.

Although it heats up your food, there's really no guarantee that your food will turn out to be well cooked once you take it out of the oven. "Cold spots" or uncooked sections might still be evident because of the uneven way the microwaves enter the oven. Because of the irregular flow of waves, the food will also absorb the heat unevenly.

Defrosting

Food that was readily bought out from the supermarket's freezer must be removed from its plastic wrapper first before putting it inside the oven. The same goes for those that were packaged using foam trays. The heat will melt the wrapper and will transport its chemicals to the food, thus making it already unsafe to eat.

Do not forget to cook the meat or poultry once you're done defrosting it in the oven. Although the defrosting process has also begun heating some parts of the meat, not all of the parts are fully cooked. Harmful bacteria are still present on some of the portions that didn't absorb regular amount of heat.

Cooking

As what was mentioned a while ago, the microwave oven does not spread out the right amount of heat to every part of the food. If you will be cooking your food inside the oven, it is recommended to arrange your food according to its size.

For example, put large pieces of meat all together inside the oven, and then put the oven in medium heat first. Do not cook it in high power right away. The best thing to do is to keep it in medium heat and just prolong the time of cooking so that the heat would be gradually distributed in all parts of the meat.

Also, you can rotate your food once in a while to prevent the occurrence of cold spots.

Reheating

If a food has already been cooked and will just be reheated, remember to put it in a covering or a container that is microwave-friendly. These include cookware such as glass, plastics and ceramic containers that are labeled as good to be used on microwave ovens.

Do not use containers that are intended for refrigeration because this will just melt once it is put inside the oven. An example of this is margarine or a butter tub. Chemicals present in this kind of container will just contaminate your food.

Once the food to be reheated is now in the oven, do some constant stirring to even out the heat. Always remember to put back the covering of the container every time you're done with the stirring.

Follow these tips to ensure that your food is safe to eat. Also, keep your microwave oven manual handy so that you can always refer to it every time you have concerns about food preparation and cooking times. Remember, microwaves are cool, if you know how to use them.

If you want more information about microwave ovens then check out this great Microwave Combination Ovens website for some great advice or perhaps if you are after a particular type this Microwave Oven Grill reviews site will be better suited.

Five Unusual Uses For Your Microwave Oven

Here is a short list of things that you may or may not have realised that you can use your microwave oven for, some bizzarre and some very practical. If you try these please be very careful as they may cause fires and or other damage to your microwave ovens.

1. You can sterilize garden soil in your microwave ovens. This can be used then for planting seedlings. This though is not a practical way of producing a growing medium for your plant seedlings, as you can only really do about half a pound at a time and there is no real guarantee that it will work. It is recommended that the soil is blasted on full power for 90 seconds or until it is steaming.

2. To sterilize kitchen cloths, rinse them with clean water, and put them into your microwave oven damp, then blast them for thirty second on full power. There are a couple of draw backs to this though. If the cloths are dry they will catch fire very quickly and the damp cloths generate a a large amount of steam and get very hot, so make sure they are left for a couple of minutes with the microwave off before removing them from the microwave.

3. Get more from lemons by heating them on full power for twenty seconds. This appears to produce more juice. I do not know why and there is probably some very good scientific reason, but it does work!

4. Ladies you can life out of your old dried up mascara by putting it into your microwave oven and cooking it on full power for 15 to 20 seconds. Put a cup of water in the microwave with it for safety reasons as the mascara may explode.

5. Dry herbs in your microwave. Wash the herbs first and then spread them over a piece of kitchen roll and put another piece of kitchen roll over the top. Cook them on full power for about forty seconds and they will be dried and ready to use however you want. This is a quick and easy way to preserve some of the herbs from your garden.

http://everythingmicrowaves.com/

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Install an Over-the-Stove Microwave

Installing an over-the-stove microwave will serve two purposes. The specially designed over-the-stove microwave will also serve as the range vent. An over-the-stove cupboard is a must to install the microwave. There needs to be at least 45" between the cupboard and the stove. There should also be a 30"w x 12"d space for the over-the-stove microwave to fit into. This is a heavy task. Asking a friend to help during the installation is recommended.

Prepare to install the over-the-stove microwave by pulling the stove out of position to allow more room to work. Remove any molding from the bottom of the cupboard where the microwave will be installed.

Remove the microwave from the carton by opening the box. Removing instructions, and installation parts.

Fold the lid flaps out and carefully turn the box upside down, letting the microwave rest on the packaging. Slide the box off of the microwave and remove the packing material.

Unscrew the 2 screws on top of the mounting plate that is attached to the bottom of the microwave. Remove the mounting plate. Save the plate and screws for use later in the installation.

Locate the wall studs in the wall the microwave will be installed on. Mark the studs with a pencil. The mounting plate needs to be installed into at least one stud.

Measure the depth inside the front overhang on the cupboard. Draw an horizontal line on the wall even with the overhang.

Locate the center of 30" and draw a vertical line from the cupboard to where the microwave will extend and an horizontal line along the bottom. Using the provided template, drill 5/8 holes, following the template, along the bottom. Drill a 3/16 hole if drilling into a stud.

Attach the mounting plate with bolts and nuts provided, to the wall using the holes drilled in the previous step. Use the provided toggle bolts if not screwing into a stud. Tighten all bolts and nuts.

Tape the provided cupboard template to the bottom of the cupboard. Drill a hole large enough for the electrical cord to fit through.

Lift and tilt the microwave forward. Slide the four lower tabs of the mounting plate into the holes in the microwave. Tip the front and press against the bottom of the cupboard.

Attach the supplied, self-aligning screws, through the holes drilled into the cupboard. Turn the screws with the screwdriver 2 complete turns. Insert and completely tighten the center screw. Return to the outer screws and finish tightening them.

Insert the provided grease filter into the slot on the bottom of the over-the-stove microwave.

Kat Oakley, Grandma, F5MC Support, Article Writer, Blogger

I have been an unemployed Grandma for 2 years. I have devoted my time to caring for 2 of my grandchildren full time and babysitter duties for the other 5 as needed. I am freelance article writing in my spare time and just love it! I was a stay at home mom for most of my children's lives. It would have been great to have this venue to earn a living at while my children were growing up!

http://kat-grandparenting.blogspot.com/
http://grandretirement.blogspot.com/

Easy Microwave Cooking Recipes And Tips | For Times You Want Something Quick...

The best microwave cooking recipes all have a common strand running through them. And that is, that they take advantage of the unique characteristics of the microwave oven.

Now here's the thing.

A microwave is just another way of getting heat into food, but it does so in a way which is unlike any other method of cooking.

All other methods of cooking rely on heat traveling into the food from somewhere outside the food.

But a microwave works by generating heat within the first 1" to 1½" below the food's surface. It does this by making the molecules of water, sugar and fat spin rapidly, until the friction of their increased movement generates heat.

We explain this fully in our page, "How do microwave ovens work?".

This means that the conventional slow cooking recipes that require much higher temperatures above the surface of the food, such as baking, roasting and grilling, do not work in a microwave oven.

However, recipes that required some kind of wet cooking, such as steaming, stewing, casseroling, poaching, braising and so on, will all work well.

Start with our page on microwave cooking tips, which has 10 useful Top Tips.

We also feature quick cooking recipes that highlight certain areas of cooking, such as

In the vegetable section, we show you how to microwave asparagus. And because it is such a weird vegetable, we also tell the story in pictures of how it grows, and where it comes from.

Our page on a microwave baked potato, shows you how to choose the right potatoes to get those white fluffy insides, and why it is so difficult to get the same results as you would get using a conventional oven.

And our sweet corn page has the quickest, easiest, and cleanest way of making microwave corn on the cob. You can also find out how to tell which is the freshest corn in the supermarket, and which cobs to avoid because they are getting old and stale.

Microwave cooking recipes for sweet corn

Our eggs section is full of information covering everything you always wanted to know about cooking microwave eggs. We go over basic techniques like

how to poach an egg, how to boil eggs, and how to make scrambled eggs

and then look at some more unusual egg recipes, like

how to make deviled eggshow to make egg saladan egg drop soup recipeand your own egg foo young recipe. Deviled eggs microwave cooking recipes

The sweet side doesn't get forgotten either. Take a look at our page on microwave candy recipes!

You'll see the principles behind candy making, and even a sugar temperature chart that shows what candies are made at which temperatures.

And for those of you in a real hurry, our microwave fudge recipe has a couple of videos that show you how to make lip smacking chocolate fudge in 5 mins or less. Microwave cooking recipes for chocolate fudgeThose of you who are partial to something that is not so quite so soft - (and without that mind numbing meltiness you get with chocolate fudge) - you can find out how to make microwave peanut brittle here. Microwave cooking recipes for peanut brittle

You absolutely must use good food. And by good food we mean preferably fresh unprocessed produce. Something that doesn't come out of a packet or from a freezer. There is an old saying in the computer world which is "Garbage in, Garbage out". That saying could just as well be applied to microwave cooking. Eating ready made pre-processed food from a packet is not the same as eating fresh produce, no matter how many "Gourmet!" and "Luxury!" labels the food manufacturers place on the packaging. And it will cost more than regular food! You need good tools. Get yourself a good dish or set of dishes you are happy cooking with. There are some very low cost dishes of microwave cookware on the market. Don't take timings literally. All ovens have different power magnetrons. And recipes very rarely state what power was used to make that perfect dish. If the recipe was put together using one of the most powerful microwaves on the planet, you will get completely different results than if you are cooking with an 800 watt Panasonic compact microwave oven. Vegetables and fish are the simplest to cook. Beware eggs as they can easily exploded unless the yolks have been punctured. Meat cooks better in smaller chunks, and at lower power. When in doubt cook for less time and at lower power. It is easy to add more cooking power. You can't take it away so easily. Let your food have some standing time. This lets the heat get right to the centre of your food.

And remember.....you will not get it right the first time.

Microwave cooking has never been about just following the recipes. If it was that easy, there would never be good cooks and bad cooks. And everybody would cook the same, lol.

But you know and I know, there are some people who are good cooks, and make a success of most things they try. These are the people who look at the food as it is cooking, who test it and gauge it, to see if it is how they want it to be.

That's what to aim at.

And as a last note, Indian food culture is awash with microwave cooking recipes. Microwaves are big in India, and the culture is strong on creative uses of vegetables, fish and meats. The names are unusual to Western ears, but the food is fabulous. We will try to feature more Indian cooking recipes from bloggers in the sub-continent, and hope to set up a page just for them.

Contact us if you are interested in featuring your recipe on these pages!

View the original article here

Macro Benefit With Microwave Resistant Dishes

A microwave safe cooking dishes are specialized apparatus which can be used in microwaves and ovens for cooking or heating. Such dishes are safe apparatuses that restrict any hazard by allowing the heat and waves to pass through them and enter food. These dishes are not only restricted for use in ovens but can also be used for freezing and cooling.

The Right Dishes

After launch, the microwave became a rage among the working class who soon found that the usual plastic or aluminum dishes were not safe in it. Hence there was a need to introduce heat-resistant dishes. When such heat resistant dishware is kept in a microwave, it remains at a normal temperature while the food absorbs the majority of the heat.

However, there are a few metal dishes, which can be used in a microwave as they possess reflecting properties. The shallow dishes give better results when kept in a microwave as they allow equal heating of the food from all sides.

Plastic makes an ideal material for the dishes as it is non-breakable, stain-resistant and can be refrigerated also. However, one must be very careful while opting for microwave resistant cooking dishes, as they may also be of inferior quality.

Before using the dishes, test them. Filling the dishes with cold water and then increasing the temperature of the microwave to the highest level, proves the credibility of the dishes. If the dishes remain cool and the water heats up, they can be safely used in a micro-wave but if the dishes heat up along with the water then it is advisable not to use them.

Microwaves and their associate dishes are a necessity in each household worldwide. They are available in different shapes and sizes and make good collection display crockery for everyone.

Modern Dishes For A Modern Gadget

Microwave has taken the place of gas enables burners in most households and is used for heating and cooking almost everything. The microwave dishes make the preparation easier and quicker. These dishes have rendered a new definition to cooking. They help to prepare the food without much labor and expertise and even enhance the taste. The dishes are now available as a complimentary accessory along with the microwaves.

Tips to choose and use the micro-wave resistant dishes:

· Aluminum foil can be used to shield the food from excess heating.

· Melamine dishes are not recommended as they crack or scorch after a few minutes of heating.

· Wooden dishes have natural moisture and fats and so they absorb the waves leading to drying and cracking.

· Glazed glass ceramic dishes may break when heated as they may take up the waves.

· Unglazed glass ceramic dishes are non-porous and don't absorb the heat waves making them the most suitable for use.

· One must not hold the dishes without wearing gloves, as any uneven heating of the utensil may cause skin burn.

Julie Casper considers herself and expert on Casserole Dishes and blogs about the exciting subject on her own website! Come and visit sometime to discuss the finer aspect of kitchenware at Dishes Cottage.

How Do Microwave Ovens Work? | We Tell You In Detail How Microwaves Work

Here, we'll answer "Just how do microwave ovens work?" by looking at the science involved in cooking with microwaves. We have sections on

why is the magnetron an important part of the microwave?what are microwaves?how do microwaves make food hot?why is standing time always recommended?

Questions such as

why is there a turntable?how does the door stop microwaves from escaping?what is a stirrer?how is the power controlled?- these questions are answered on the next page "How does a microwave work? - the appliance."
Watch this video for a quick 1 minute overview of microwave cooking. More detailed explanations are given below the video.

How do microwave ovens work? - The magnetron

How does a microwave oven work?
Click on the thumbnail to see a larger picture.

Essentially, a microwave oven is a metal box with a door on the front, and a magnetron bolted on the outside of the box. The magnetron's job it is to feed radio waves into the box, which is also called the oven cavity. Without the magnetron, the oven is just a tin box with a glass door on the front.

A magnetron is made up of electric wires wrapped around a tubular metallic shape that includes two large magnets. When a high voltage current is passed through the wires, radio waves are given off. These waves are channeled down a metal pipe called the waveguide, and into the oven cavity.

Because the radio waves are quite small, relative to most radio waves, they are called microwaves. The radio waves can be absorbed by some materials, such as food and vegetables, and their energy is converted into heat. However, they bounce off other materials, like sheets of metal.

Percy Spencer, the man who invented the microwave oven, found that if food was placed close to the source of the radio waves, enough heat could be generated to cook the food. Luckily, he also found out that the thin metal walls of an oven would be enough to stop the radio waves spilling out to the surroundings, and traveling all over the kitchen.

How do microwave ovens work? - What are microwaves?

Microwaves are part of a broad range of radiation known as electromagnetic radiation. These waves travel at the speed of light through space and are present at various intensities throughout our planet. Like waves in the sea, the wavelength is measured as the distance between peaks of each wave, and tells us how big each wave is.

The illustration below is from NASA. At the left hand end of the spectrum, above the small image of a football field, it shows radio waves with a very long wavelength. Moving to the right hand end, the wavelengths get smaller. The spectrum runs through microwaves, infrared, visible light, and then into the high energy waves such as X rays and Gamma Rays.

How do microwave ovens work?
Electromagnetic spectrum, showing very long waves on the left, and very short waves on the right

Radio waves with very long wavelengths, between 10km and 100km peak to peak, follow the curvature of the Earth, and are used by the military to communicate with submarines traveling underwater. Shortwave radio has wavelengths of between 10m and 100m peak to peak, and is used for long distance communication, ship to shore and so on.

The wavelength of the microwaves used for cooking is about 12.2 cm or approximately 5 inches from peak to peak. There is more information on our page, about microwave oven radiation.

How do microwave ovens work? - How microwaves make food hot

Food contains water molecules. These molecules have a positive charge at one end of the molecule, and a negative charge at the other end. As the microwaves move through the oven cavity, they generate rapidly changing magnetic fields. The water molecules spin over rapidly from end to end, trying to stay in line with the magnetic fields.

This spinning happens 2.45 billion times per second. That is a lot of spinning.

How do microwave ovens work?
Water molecules rotate as the magnetic fields change direction

When the spinning water molecules bump into other molecules, this causes heat. Enough heat is generated to cause the food to start cooking. This process also happens with the fats and salt in the food, but water is the most "excitable" molecule.

How do microwave ovens work? - Why is standing time recommended?

The radio waves only manage to get about 4 or 5 cm, or about 2 inches, into the food before the majority of their energy is absorbed. This is a surprise to most people, but it is true. There is only one way for heat to get to the center if your food is thicker than this. The heat must travel through the outer layers of food to the center. This is exactly the same as all other forms of cooking we use, roasting, baking, broiling and so on.

This is why all manufacturers recommend "standing time" in their recipes. This allows the heat from the outside of the food to penetrate into the center and cook the food there. It is also why it is difficult to defrost thick foods, like whole turkey or chickens. The water molecules are held fast in an icy structure, and prevented from spinning. Only when the molecules change from ice to water can they get "excited" enough to produce heat.

Most regular ovens heat the air surrounding the food. Because it takes time for the heat to travel to the center of the food, the outside of the food is exposed to more heat than the center. This extra exposure of the surface gives foods, particularly meat, the characteristic flavor and browned appearance. The air in the microwave does not get hot, so the outside of the food cooked in a microwave does not brown or take on the roasted or grilled flavors.

To see more explanations about features in modern microwave ovens, go to "how does a microwave work?"

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Microwave Cooking - The Basics

Do you feel that you don't have time to cook? Do you like using technology in cooking? Are you a health freak? If yes, this is what you are looking for. Microwave Cooking - The wonder of technology making life in the kitchen easy, healthy and beautiful! As everyone, even I love cooking with a microwave not only because it is easy, but because I have bought one recently. Not every one knows how to use a microwave. I have an aunt who got a microwave as a gift which she uses only to roast 'Papads'. But it is not designed only for that. Microwave is a gift to cooking. Even I am not an expert when it comes to Microwave Cooking. After some researching, I came up with this mini guide which may come handy and will be useful.

Why use Microwave?

As you might be aware of Microwave cooking is

-Easy

-Healthy, as the nutrients are preserved.

-Quick, hurray! we have more time.

Not all food can be prepared using Microwave. Only few Microwaves well i.e. cooks well. Using food that are not suited for microwaving can not only spoil the recipe, but also damage the microwave oven itself! It is a costly mistake.Take care!

Food that can be cooked in Microwave:

-Fish

-Whole fruits and Vegetables

-All Poultry

-Sauces and custard

Food to avoid:

-Do not try to hard boil eggs. That is not going to happen with microwave oven.

-Batters and Pancakes

-Roasting large turkeys/Hams as it will get cooked unevenly

-Do not try to deep fry!

Cleaning:

This is one of the most important and the most easiest work as far as this appliance is concerned. You can clean in minutes.

-Use Soft Sponges or cloth to clean

-Use dish washing liquid

-Deodorize by keeping the door open for some time and cleaning with baking soda dissolved in warm water.

-Another simple way to deodorize (Which I normally do) is by using the below recipe.

1 cup of water

2 slices of lemon OR few mixed spices (like cinnamon stick,bay leave etc)

Heat on high for 2 to 3 min or until the water is boiling. Now remove the water

and you are left with a fresh smelling new microwave.

Cooking Equipment:

Every time when I use a vessel in microwave oven, I get worried if I am using the right one as using the wrong dishes might spoil your oven. Here are a few you can use,

-Glass-ceramic

-Porcelain

-oven proof glass bowls and dishes

-Casseroles

-Plastic containers which are marked oven/dishwasher safe

Do not use:

-any metal container

-recycled paper

-Plastics that are not marked as oven safe.

Now a days we have even cake pans, loaf pans and baking molds suitable for microwaving.

Mostly round containers are preferred to rectangle or square shaped containers for microwave cooking. The corners get more microwave energy than the center so round is the best shape to cook evenly.

Test your container:

Are you still skeptical in using your container for microwaving? Then do the following test,

Fill the dish/vessel you want to test with cold water

Heat on high for 1 minute

Now check,

If the water is hot and the dish is cold - The dish is safe

If the Dish is hot and water is still cold - No way! Don't use this vessel

General Microwave cooking - Tips and Techniques that can used to cook any food.

- Cover the food while cooking. It helps in cooking evenly and faster.

- Wrap bread with absorbing paper to avoid moisture on the top.

- Arrange the food so that the center has food that needs less heat to cook and the corners have parts that need more heat to cook.

- Pierce the food with toothpick so that it helps in cooking faster.

- Stir the food occasionally as directed in the recipe.

- Always under cook as food still gets cooked during the standing time.

- Always follow the recipe.

Few How to :

You might be wondering for what else we can use Microwave oven. Do not worry here comes my favorite part which makes our work easy,

How to Peel Tomato:

Pour 2 cups of boiling water in a microwave safe bowl. Add 2 tomatoes and heat on high for 45 - 60 sec till the skin splits. Cool them and peel the tomatoes with ease.

How to Garlic:

Place 2 -3 cloves on oven floor and heat on high for 15-30 sec. Remove and peel with ease.

How to cook beans:

Pre soak the beans as usual and cook them in a large container, giving space for them to expand.

How to Steam vegetables:

Place them in a bowl with little water, they get cooked with the help of the steam. If you use closed bowls, it gets cooked fast.

To Dos for cooking conventional recipe using Microwave:

We generally go with the same recipe for our favorite food and cooking with microwave needs some modification for the taste to come out right.

- Use less water than you will use generally. For example if your general recipe

needs 1 cup of water, for microwave cooking, use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water.

- Add more spices

- Add salt after the food is cooked

- Reduce the cooking time by at least half.

This is just the basics. There are a lot more to learn for mastering the art of microwave cooking, which , I strongly feel, comes only with practice. So why wait? Buy a microwave oven, cook and enjoy!!!

Iam Sangeeth Raghunathan. I am a software engineer who is now a full time homemaker. I love blogging,crocheting and cooking. My Food Blog helps and tries to inspire people to cook and I also share my views on other topics through Scribbling Scribe, my new blog.

What To Consider When Choosing A Microwave Oven For Your Home

Buying a microwave oven is very much like buying any major home appliance – you don’t do it often. So before you go to the appliance store to get a microwave for your home, there are several factors to consider so that the unit you’ll buy will satisfy you and won’t make you regret your purchase. Make a list of these factors and bring it with you to the store. This will make you easily compare product features and will help you make an informed decision.

Among the things you must put into consideration are:

• What you Cook

If you’re planning to use the microwave for light tasks such as melting, reheating and cooking popcorn, you can go for low-cost units since you don’t actually need to get models with advanced features. But if your microwave will be used to prepare the family’s entire meals, then you have to prepare good amount of money to pay for latest models with modern features. If you allow your kids to use microwave, you also have to consider ease of use as well as the unit’s safety features.

• Size

For large families who use microwaves regularly, large units are advisable. While smaller models are also for general use, they are really not that great for cooking food like casseroles, poultry dishes, and many others. When deciding on the size of the oven, you should also think about the place in your house where you want to position it. If you’re going to place it on the kitchen countertop, compact or portable microwave ovens are ideal.

• Power Consumption

You can cook faster on units with higher wattage. Most microwaves available in the market come with power rating ranging from 600 to 1200 watts.

• Type of Microwave Unit

There are two main types of microwave oven – the countertop and built-in microwaves. If there’s a place allotted for the microwave in your countertop, then go for standard countertop models. These units are way easy to use; you simply need to plug them in and you can start cooking. Some recently released microwave units have their controls installed on the door to add its capacity without actually adjusting the unit’s dimensions.

• Features

You will be astonished by the advanced features most microwaves have nowadays. Among such are preprogrammed cooking, sensor cooking, programmable cooking, and combination convection and microwave ovens. So list down the features that you want and consider them in choosing the unit you’ll buy.

• Budget

Of course, money considerations matter. So it is important to determine how much you’re willing to spend for your new microwave and if possible, stick to it. Stand-alone microwave ovens cost less than other types of microwave. Built-in or over-the-range microwaves are priced higher not just because of their features but also because of the installation costs. Such units need to be installed on the wall and they also require proper venting.

• Design

It is good if you’ll choose a design that matches the style, paint color, and theme of your kitchen. Doing so is very important especially if you really want your visitors to be impressed with your house.

By taking such factors into account, you sure will be able to find the microwave that’s perfect for your needs and for your kitchen.

Microwave Safety Tips For Kids

As most parents know, kids often take it upon themselves to try new things that they have seen their parents or older siblings do. While this is often a great way to learn, it can be dangerous if a child tries to operate equipment like a microwave just based on what he or she has seen, instead of knowing how to properly use the machine. Teaching your children a few simple microwave safety tips can prevent injuries and damages in your home.

Basic Guidelines to Follow


Don't use plastic. Explain to your children that plastic is unsafe in the microwave. Show them the plates and bowls that they can use in the microwave and put them where your child can reach.
Don't use metal. Any metal utensils or metal products like aluminum foil are dangerous in the microwave. They can spark and damage the microwave or start a fire. If your child wants to cover their plate or bowl, tell them to use a paper towel.
Watch out for steam. After cooking something in the microwave and opening the door, hot steam may initially escape. Tell your child to stand back when he or she first opens the microwave door and let the steam escape before taking the food out. If they are going to cook popcorn, let your kids know that the ends where the steam escapes can get extremely hot.
Use pot holders. Show your kids how to properly remove hot food from the microwave using pot holders to avoid burns.

Recommendations to Encourage Safe Use

To help ensure that your child uses the microwave safely, you can reinforce the safety guidelines listed above with a few simple actions:


Leave instructions next to the microwave or on the refrigerator that tell your child step by step how to cook a specific food. You can make a list based on the foods that they most commonly eat.
Give your kid his or her own "microwave kit". This could include a microwave safe plate and/or bowl, small pot holders, and paper towels that they can use to cook their food. Put all of the items together in an easy to reach place.
Keep unsafe items, such as plastics and metals, out of reach. This can help to prevent any microwaving injuries or damages in case your child forgets which items he or she can use.

Enjoy!

Microwaves are a great way for kids to heat up leftovers or after school snacks and may be a safer method for them to use than an oven or hard-to-reach stove top. Once they know the safety rules of microwaving, they can safely cook a variety of foods. Additionally, teaching them how to cook something for themselves can give a child a sense of confidence and self-reliance.

For more safety tips and fun recipes that you and your kids can enjoy, visit CD Kitchen here.

Joseph Devine

A Few Microwave Oven Safety Tips For You

Since its invention in the early 1980′s, the microwave has become a common household kitchen appliance. As with any other appliance, there are safety and maintenance procedures that need to be followed to ensure the device remains safe to use, so let's take a look at the full gambit of all the safety and maintenance tips you and your family should always follow with your microwave.

Out-Of-Operation Maintenance and Safety Tips

There are certain safety and maintenance procedures you need to follow even when your microwave is not in operation. This will help ensure safe operation while in use, so keep these generic safety tips in mind for your microwave:

• Read the manufacturer's manual for safety and maintenance instructions.

• Ensure your microwave complies with emission limits set by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration).

• Periodically (maybe once per year) get your microwave checked for leaks at an authorized service station.

• Keep your microwave clean on a consistent basis.

Microwave Materials Safety Tips

You want to avoid putting certain materials in the microwave that could be harmful. I'm sure you've heard it's a no-no to put anything metal in the microwave, but there are additional items you should be concerned about as well when it comes to cooking or heating food in the microwave. Avoid microwaving anything that is placed in the following types of containers:

• Plastics (plastic bags especially).

• Metals (aluminum, tin foil).

• Styrofoam.

Plastics contain toxic chemicals that are housed inside them, but as long as they remain inside the plastic it is no big deal. However, if released, they can be dangerous, and guess one of the ways these toxins can be released? You got it - extreme heating in the microwave. These toxins can go right out of the plastic, into your food and then into your body after you consume the food. So to be on the safe side, never place any type of plastic material in the microwave.

This is especially true for plastic bags (versus Tupperware) as the softer and less sturdy the plastic, the easier it is for the toxic chemicals to be released. Styrofoam has the same toxic concerns as plastics. To play it safe, always use glass, ceramic or microwave-safe paper containers.

Microwave Cooking Safety Tips

When it comes to cooking with your microwave, the main concern is keeping free from burns and not overcooking your food. This will be no problem if you follow these appropriate cooking tips:

• When heating liquids or foods that contain liquid, make sure the container is covered but vented.

• Follow the recommended heating instructions for packages that have them.

• Be wary that the container itself may be very hot after cooking - use an oven mitt to remove the container from your microwave after cooking.

• Make sure microwave-cooked food has sufficiently cooled prior to eating (sample a very small piece with a fork first).

Don't Be Concerned About Microwaves Causing Cancer

When standing close to an operating microwave, who doesn't think about the possibility of the emitting microwaves causing cancer? Well, this is nothing to be concerned about since there has never been a link between microwaves and cancer. The radiation from microwaves is actually non-ionizing, which is the opposite type of ionizing radiation that does cause cancer and other conditions. So cancer is no threat as far as microwaves are concerned.

So these are the microwave safety tips you need. If there are any children in the household, make sure they are aware of all these tips as well. Be following all the routine safety and maintenance tips and instructions, your microwave will be a safe and enjoyable cooking appliance for many years to come.

There's still a lot of thing to learn about Microwave Ovens. Please visit http://www.thebestkitchen.org to know everything about toaster oven reviews, cooking tips, and Helpful Kitchen Tips. We provide the most important info that you need to know before buying a kitchen appliance.

Microwave Ovens | Microwave Oven Reviews, Ratings, Recipes, & Repair

Our microwave ovens reviews and ratings guide is designed to help you find your way around the world of the modern microwave. Think of it as a reference book that you can consult whenever you have a question.

Perhaps you want to know about a particular Panasonic model - or perhaps you want to find out about the history of microwave popcorn. In the top right corner, we have a Google search box. Whatever page you are on, type your query into the box, and, if we have discussed it, Google will come back with the relevant pages on this site.

The idea for microwave ovens was first born out of work done developing radar during the dark years of World War ll. Today, they are one of the most universally recognized kitchen appliances in use across the globe.

But buying one is still a fraught and confusing experience. There are literally thousands of models on the market today, and more appear every day. They have confusing names, like the Panasonic SD377S, the Sharp R-420LW or the Haier MWM0701TW.

Here, we make the names more understandable. We show you the the difference between the various models, and how newer models have been improved over their older cousins.

We show you how to narrow down the field and then zero in on the one that suits you the best.

We show you how the microwave developed into the kind of cooking appliance it is todaywhat features are built into modern microwave ovens what the major brands include in their microwaves, such as GE, LG, Sharp, Panasonic and otherswhich ones can used as a built in microwave oven, or as under cabinet microwaveswhich ones are countertop, and which ones are Over the Range microwave ovenswhich ones are good outside the home as portable or rv appliances.

Then, once you have got your microwave, you'll naturally want to know what cookware you can use - from a microwave egg cooker to microwave popcorn popperswhat foods you can cook - from microwave peanut brittle to tasty Chinese chicken and spinach dumplingswhere to get information on repairs, manuals, and microwave replacement partswhere you can get microwave trim kits.

We also have a section where you can write your own reviews. Let us know about your best microwaves, and the ones you wished you'd never bought. If you had a terrible experience getting repairs done under Warranty, write in so that others can share and learn from your experiences.

And to get those taste buds flowing, we have a link for a FREE download of the Panasonic Gourmet cookbook. This has some pretty good microwave recipes - a favorite is Asian Citrus Beef followed by the Grand Marnier Chocolate Fondue. You can find the link up in the top right column.

All this and more, can be found by using microwave-oven-guide.com.

If you like what you find, click on the Facebook Like button, situated at the top of the left hand column, just above all the Navigation buttons.

And, please, don't hesitate to contact us using the Contact page if you have any questions we can answer.

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How to Take Care of Kitchenaid Microwave Ovens

Kitchenaid microwave-ovens are an essential part of households and you should know how to take preventive steps in order to properly maintain the microwave oven. This article talks about some basic tips to take care your microwave oven.

Tips To Look After Your Kitchenaid Microwave Oven

o Always cover your food placed in the microwave oven with a covering dish, paper towels or wax paper. This would avoid spatters and keep your oven clean. If there are any spills, they should be cleaned at once and you should regularly wash your microwave oven with a mild detergent and water. While cleaning the oven, do not use abrasive products.

o To remove any odor, you can use a solution of baking soda and warm water to clean the interior of the microwave oven.

o Never use your kitchenaid microwave-ovens for deep-frying, boiling eggs or heating of infant bottles.

o Be very careful while making popcorn in the microwave as there is huge heat buildup inside the oven which can even cause a fire. Follow the exact cooking time as prescribed on the pack; it is better to stick to lower range as higher wattage of the oven can cook the food faster.

o It is very important for you to use only microwave safe bowls and utensils. Some kind of plastics tend to melt inside microwave-ovens, so it is better to use glass utensils to heat food that is going to take longer time to heat. Also, not all glass and ceramics are safe to use inside microwave-ovens. You can take a quick glass test - heat the container in a microwave for one minute. If the container remains cool it is perfect for cooking. If it becomes slightly warm then the container can be used for reheating. If the container becomes hot it is not safe to use it inside microwave oven.

o Do not ever operate empty kitchenaid microwave-ovens as it can sometimes damage the magnetron tube.

o If you find that the inner body of the microwave has developed rusting then it is better to get it checked and repaired by a reputable servicing company.

o Always stick to the instruction manual provided by the manufacturer for operating the microwave oven safely.

o There are some concerns over the use of microwave oven by pacemaker patients because some earlier models of heart pacemakers were found to be interfering with electromagnetic radiations from microwave-ovens. Though the recent technologies have prepared safe pacemakers against such interference, it is still be advisable to consult your doctor if you use a pacemaker.

o For uniform cooking of food, it is better to follow the directions included in the recipe and periodically turn and stir the food while cooking. It is also better to let the food stand after cooking which aids in heat dispersion inside the food.

o Try to avoid metal pans and aluminum foils inside microwave-ovens as they can reflect the microwaves and result in uneven cooking.

Follow the above tips to maintain kitchenaid microwave-ovens in perfect manner.

Mr. Albertina Belmont has been a hobbyist writer for the past years. During this free time, he contributes informative articles time to time on various topics like health, health cooking, insurance and finance for websites. You can find microwave-ovens, as well as tips and advice on remodeling your kitchen at Convection Microwave Oven.

Contact us | Microwave Oven Guide

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Panasonic microwave manual download links here!

This page tells you about the kind of information available in a Panasonic microwave manual, and, where you can download microwave manuals direct from the Panasonic Parts and Service web site.

The Panasonic USA web site has a database containing microwave manuals for 837 models. That database covers almost all of the current models that we review on this site, and also many models that are now no longer on sale.

So the chances of finding a manual for your particular Panasonic oven are quite good.

The next section describes the information inside a Panasonic manual. If you want skip this and go straight to the download link, click on the little drawing of the manual on the right.

There is no doubt that reading the manual will enable you to get better use out of your Panasonic microwave.

There is also no doubt that we are genetically wired not to read manuals. But it is worth it!

If you have just taken delivery of your new microwave, my recommendation is to unpack it, plug it in, and then sit down with a cup of tea for 15 mins to read through the manual.

For example, did you know that Panasonic recommend a minimum air space of at least 3" to each side of the oven, and a at least 1" above the oven, in order to maintain a good flow of cool air.
Or that you should not run an oven when it is empty. In normal use, the magnetron produces microwave energy which is absorbed by the food, leading to a rise in temperature of the food. Without food in the oven, the energy is still being produced, and has to go somewhere. The build up of energy can feed back into the cavity magnetron, potentially leading to the dreaded H98 error, ( a code on the display, indicating failure of the magnetron.) Or that Panasonic recommend that the oven is operated on a separate 20 amp 120 volt circuit. The specifications page (see below) shows that ovens generally draw around 13 amps. On start up, the current needed is probably higher than that, so there is very little headroom available for other appliances on the same circuit.

Most Panasonic USA manuals are laid out in the same format, and contain the same categories of information. Safety information

The opening section is full of dire warnings. Most manuals contain 4 or 5 pages, listing do's and don'ts, graded by the threat level each situation poses to the user. Although hard to scan, this section is well worth reading.

This is generally followed by a couple of pages that describe all suitable cookware you can use, together with labeled drawings of the various components in your microwave. An operations section

This tells you everything you need to know about how to use your microwave. It also contains some recipes you can use, and power levels and timings for common everyday tasks such as softening butter, melting ice cream and toasting coconut.

A maintenance section

This covers a couple of areas, such as cleaning, part numbers for spare parts such as the glass tray or air filters, and Warranty information and contact numbers.

Specifications section

Use this to find out facts and figures such as internal and external dimensions, power consumption, weight and so on. In addition, it is in this section that you can find out if you can fit a microwave trim kit to this model, and the right part number for the trim kit.

Here is an example of the specification section for the NN-SD797 series.

Sample specification section with trim kit detailsPanasonic Over the Range microwave ovens

Manuals for these ovens also have a useful diagram showing you an acceptable location for your oven. Here is a sample of one that was included in the Operating manual for the NN-SD277 series, one of the most popular Over the Range microwave ovens.

There is also a set of installation instructions available in pdf format, which show you details of recommended ducting layouts, tools required and so on.

Is a manual worth having?

The answer is yes, very much so.

Is a manual a substitute for a cookbook?

No. Although each US manual does contain recipes, they are no substitute for a cookbook. Panasonic, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America, did produce a Gourmet microwave cookbook, which you can download for free. We have placed a link to this in our right hand column.

The Panasonic USA web site has a database holding 837 Panasonic microwave manuals, which are all available to download in pdf format. Click HERE to go to that page.

When you arrive on the page, look for the words "Show All Rows", written in very light blue text, just above the column heading labeled "File Size". It is quite difficult to see at first, as the contrast with the surroundings is not good.

Click on "Show All Rows" and the layout changes to one long page with, as of today, 837 links laid out in alphabetical order.

Find your model of microwave, and right click the link. Choose "Save Link As", to save the pdf manual to your computer.

In cases where we cannot find the model we are looking for, we will go to Retrevo, who also have a large number of manuals available for download.

And that's it, folks, that's everything we know about Panasonic microwave manuals in the USA. If you want to get in touch, please use our Contact page, or post into the comments box below.

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Safety Tips In Using A Microwave Oven

Clearly, every household now keeps a microwave oven. Why is it so? Well, the main reason is that cooking can be very fast with the use of this appliance. In a matter of minutes, you can already enjoy a very delicious and hot meal. If you are running late, you can simply push on the automatic function keypads and your food can be re-heated in a matter of minutes. When cooking without oil, anything is also possible. All of these are done because of this high technology innovation.

Have you ever imagined your life without a microwave? Surely, that would somehow bring inconvenience especially if you have been so used to finishing things fast and easy. Nevertheless, as you employ this appliance in your home, it is best to know of the safety tips on how to use it. You see, accidents happen when you least expect them. Yet, there are ways on how you can save yourself from the dangers of scalds, burns, as well as exploding food inside.

Below is the list of things to remember when cooking. Thus, read on to find out the safety tips in handling your device confidently.

Read the user's manual before operating this kitchen device. Check out if what you have bought complies with all of the FDA emission limits. Also look at the interior and see if there are leaks, bents, and other defects that may cause you harm.

Never use it when empty. You never know what may happen afterwards.

Keep out of children's reach. Instruct them not to operate the microwave on their own especially if they are still too young to do so.

Heating liquid or water should be done with precaution as overheating can cause the water to explode and give you serious burns and scalds.

Do not overheat foods. The keypad designates the recommended temperature for certain foods.

Cooking inside the microwave must be properly observed. It is best to ensure that you use covered containers so that the splattering of food over the microwave's interior surface will be avoided. When those containers with cling film are used, better poke some vent holes in it with the use of knife to let out the hot steam.

Safely uncover the cooked food. Start opening the cling film or lid from the side. Follow a direction that sides away from your face. Be sure to keep your face and your hands away from the steam or any hot liquid so you will not suffer from a painful burn.

The exploding of food inside the microwave can be avoided by means of pricking it with the use of fork. This is effective to be able to dense the food items that have skins like tomatoes, potatoes, sausages, egg yolks, and the likes.

It is always best to utilize the "microwave safe" containers. Avoid using those with metal bits. Never place metal or foil inside the microwave.

To sum things up, the microwave can do wonders in cooking and can surely be of great help in your household. These safety tips should be borne in mind so accidents will be avoided under any circumstance.

Tips On Cooking Food Using Microwaves

Microwave ovens have become a part of every household kitchen today. In the presence of a busy lifestyle, the microwave oven provides an effective alternative because it lessens meal preparation time by about two-thirds as compared to the traditional method of preparing and cooking food.

Although it heats up your food, there's really no guarantee that your food will turn out to be well cooked once you take it out of the oven. “Cold spots” or uncooked sections might still be evident because of the uneven way the microwaves enter the oven. Because of the irregular flow of waves, the food will also absorb the heat unevenly.

Defrosting

Food that was readily bought out from the supermarket's freezer must be removed from its plastic wrapper first before putting it inside the oven. The same goes for those that were packaged using foam trays. The heat will melt the wrapper and will transport its chemicals to the food, thus making it already unsafe to eat.

Do not forget to cook the meat or poultry once you're done defrosting it in the oven. Although the defrosting process has also begun heating some parts of the meat, not all of the parts are fully cooked. Harmful bacteria are still present on some of the portions that didn't absorb regular amount of heat.

Cooking

As what was mentioned a while ago, the microwave oven does not spread out the right amount of heat to every part of the food. If you will be cooking your food inside the oven, it is recommended to arrange your food according to its size.

For example, put large pieces of meat all together inside the oven, and then put the oven in medium heat first. Do not cook it in high power right away. The best thing to do is to keep it in medium heat and just prolong the time of cooking so that the heat would be gradually distributed in all parts of the meat.

Also, you can rotate your food once in a while to prevent the occurrence of cold spots.

Reheating

If a food has already been cooked and will just be reheated, remember to put it in a covering or a container that is microwave-friendly. These include cookware such as glass, plastics and ceramic containers that are labeled as good to be used on microwave ovens.

Do not use containers that are intended for refrigeration because this will just melt once it is put inside the oven. An example of this is margarine or a butter tub. Chemicals present in this kind of container will just contaminate your food.

Once the food to be reheated is now in the oven, do some constant stirring to even out the heat. Always remember to put back the covering of the container every time you're done with the stirring.

Follow these tips to ensure that your food is safe to eat. Also, keep your microwave oven manual handy so that you can always refer to it every time you have concerns about food preparation and cooking times. Remember, microwaves are cool, if you know how to use them.

Uncanny Advice On Buying Microwaves

Microwaves are the most frequently used kitchen appliance in most homes due to the fast cooking times and specialized features. While that may be true, the choosing of a microwave requires extensive deliberation due to many factors. In this article, we're going to discuss the important points to consider so that you can purchase the right microwave oven that fits your cooking lifestyle.

Wattage and Size

Microwave capacity is measurable by watts. A microwave with high wattage can cook faster. The models that are in high supply are usually those ranging from 600W to 1,200W. If you love recipes that are tailored for microwave cooking, you have to purchase a microwave oven with at least 800W so that the food can be cooked evenly. People who only rely on microwaves for only reheating and defrosting are better off with microwave ovens with wattage that falls between 600W to 800W.

Microwave Functions

There are two types of microwaves according to function. The standard microwave is mainly used for reheating and cooking ready meals. A convection microwave oven, on the other hand, is a combination of a microwave oven and a convection oven. It has a gamut of functions like grilling, defrosting, and cooking.

Size

There are two types according to size and where the microwave is placed in the kitchen. The most common is the countertop microwave, which as the name suggests, is to be placed on the counter. Though this type occupies more space than over-the-range microwaves, there's a lot more space inside to cook food with. If you want to impress guests on Thanksgiving Day, then you would do well to have one of these.

Over the Range microwaves, meanwhile, more than makes up for its lack of cooking space through the amount of space saved in the kitchen. Hence, this one also comes with a hood vent that provides ventilation. OTR microwaves also have more features than countertop microwaves.

Controls

Newer microwave ovens have buttons for operating functions. If you've been to a convenience store, chances are you've already seen one of these. The buttons are very intuitive due to the icons that tell you outright its respective functions. If you prefer the old fashioned way, you can always choose the ones with dial control.

Turntable

The newest models come with a turntable that helps ensure that heat is evenly distributed in the oven. It is entirely up to you, but I strongly advise against buying microwaves without this component. Why pass up a feature that can considerably help you cook your food better?

Design

The design of the oven should compliment the interior of the kitchen and its general motif. You want to make sure that the microwave doesn't stick out like a sore thumb by using some contrasting colors that imbue harmony but are not redundant.

Budget

It goes without saying that you have to choose the one that you can afford. Do an assessment of the features that you can do away with so that you can choose the microwave oven that doesn't have them.

There are a lot of microwaves to choose from. Just take note of the advice provided here and eventually you shall find the microwave oven that fits your cooking lifestyle.