This is why I can't have nice things

[james_davis_nicoll]

Bus went missing. A bunch of us at the Stanley Park Mall split on a cab. That got me a few blocks from my place. Slog home, put a snack in the microwave, the power dies before I can hit on. I put the frozen snack back in the freezer, wait the power cut out. Power comes back on. I turn on the microwave.

White smoke comes out. See, I forgot to put the food back in before turning the microwave back on....

Fuck fuck fuck.

At least I didn't burn the house down.

Well, I know what my next major purchase is....

Any recommendations for cheap, reliable brands of microwave ovens?

Comments

[kithrup.livejournal.com]

Empty microwave ovens destroy themselves? (Also, still beats my day -- $1200 to replace a shower faucet.)

[lostwanderfound.livejournal.com]

Microwaves are pretty much disposable electronics these days. Just grab whatever recognisable brand is on special; this is how I got my Panasonic one for about $100 a few months ago.

We like our Panasonic model

[dragonet2.livejournal.com]

it was purchased for a main reason that a 9x13" pan would go around okay on the turntable, it's a champ that we''ve had for almost 10 years.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

I can wait to hit a good sale, I think. The microwave is convenient but I can make do without it.

[montoya.livejournal.com]

I also had a really great experience with a Panasonic that I owned for a decade. Vastly better than the antique Amana I had before that, or the Kenmore I have now.

[matgb]

Our current microwave was a cheap nobrand that cost us £25. I've no idea what that translates into $CAN, but it's nothing. It was bought when I started visiting (in 2007) as I can't live without one as it's how I learnt to cook. It still works fine and does everything I need.

Essentially, if you just need a basic microwave feature, you should be able to get something so cheaply it matters not.

[refugee50s.livejournal.com]

I have never experienced a failure with the magnetron (or associated high voltage components) in any brand. Even control panel failures have been with ancient mechanical timers.

If you do real cooking, or even warm pastry, you'll want to be able to run at different power levels, especially if you get a 1200 or 1500 watt unit. In practice, since in most models the magnetron always runs at 100%, this means diddling with the duty cycle. Older units have cycle times of ten seconds or more; this means, for instance, that a muffin being warmed at 50% for ten seconds gets nuked at full power for five seconds, then just sits there spinning on the turntable for the rest of the time.

Some more modern units run very short cycles, a second or less. Some Panasonic models use an "inverter", which apparently actually controls the power level. Either way, it heats more evenly, which keeps pastry icing from getting blasted and keeps stews and the like from spattering so much. (I have not purchased a microwave since this feature became available, but the next time I get one, it will be a requirement.)

[mr-mediocre.livejournal.com]

I was just looking for a replacement for the turntable roller (little Y-shaped thingy under the glass plate) for our small GE microwave. It's a 2004 model that cost ~$50US. The turntable doesn't work now because the little wheels have gotten flat. Just a few weeks ago I accidentally ran it for about two minutes with nothing inside. No damage as far as I can tell.

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

Our 20-year-old microwave died from a popcorn fire. We did a whole bunch of research -- and concluded that no brand of microwave has a good reliability record now. Full story at http://auriaephiala.livejournal.com/232102.html

We ended up with a Panasonic Genius with a turntable and an inverter. It works well -- for now.

[agoodwinsmith.livejournal.com]

Do you have London Drugs in Ontario. They are our go-to place for small appliances (can you carry it home from the store? yes? then it is small). Most recent is about 3 years ago. Oster. Around $100.00 Our previous cheapy developed bad door closure. This one recently appeared to die all over, and then returned to life about 12 hours later. It is still working now, but who knows. We'd be willing to buy the same brand again when the time comes, but we always look at the sales.

Based on the actions of our DVD player from the hour of its purchase (about 8 years ago), I wouldn't have a Phillips anything, not even as a present.

[narmitaj.livejournal.com]

Surely the big news is that a bus is lost.

Anyway, apologies for sounding smug and all that, but one way to avoid Microwave Empty When Turned On Smoking Syndrome (MEWTOSS) is to get into the habit of leaving a mug of water in it all the time. Take it out to cook something, put it back in immediately. It gets automatic, like putting on a car seat belt*.

*I am assuming you use a seat belt when in a car.