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Guide to Microwaves

A Microwave is now seen to be an essential appliance for the modern home as it is key to stress free, fast cooking. Follow this simple guide to help you purchase the perfect model.

Type

• There are 3 major types of microwaves, examine your cooking needs to find the best one for you:-
• Standard – The standard microwave is the most basic model but usually perfect for the average individual who merely requires a microwave to defrost, cook and reheat.
• Standard plus Grill – The Standard microwave plus grill again defrosts, cooks and reheats but also has an internal grill allowing you to crisp and brown food.
• Combination Oven –The combination oven combines all the features of the previous model but also has a convention (hot air) feature allowing you to bake and roast food also.
• Decide how much space you have in your kitchen for your microwave and where you would like it to go.
• Measure the area accurately – make sure you take all measurements including height, width and depth – make sure also that you will have enough room to open the door.
• You also need to ensure that you have enough space to place the microwave somewhere where the vents will not be covered.

• You first need to decide whether you would like a countertop microwave, a microwave which is hung on the wall using brackets or an in-built integrated microwave.
• If an integrated microwave will look better in your kitchen the cheapest and easiest option is to place the microwave behind a panel or cupboard door.

• You need to consider how much space you will need inside your microwave in relation to how much you are likely to cook.
• Microwaves tend to come in 2 main sizes, firstly, the compact size which is the standard size and appropriate for most households. You can also get a family sized microwave which has a larger turntable and a more height enabling you to cook more items at once.
• The power of Microwaves is measured in Watts and ranges from 600-1100W. The higher the wattage the faster the cooking time.

• Added features on your microwave can include a Multiple Sequence Cooking option which allows you to cook in the most efficient time possible. You can also have a Sensor feature which adjusts power levels for you during cooking and a Chaos Defrost feature which significantly reduces average defrost time.

• You will find that there is an energy efficiency labelling scheme on most appliances you buy including fridges.
• The energy scale ranges between A and G with A being the most efficient.
• An appliance marked A uses approximately half the energy of one marked G.
• It is said that you can save up to £50 a year buy switching to an appliance marked A.

Saving Money and Hidden Costs

• Make sure you shop around before purchasing your microwave to ensure you get the best and most competitive price. Make sure too that you compare brands, many of the top brands including Goodmans, LG, Panasonic and Sharp have a wide range of microwaves at varying costs.
• Make sure you know about your warranty, whether it is included in the price of your fridge of whether you will be charged extra. You should also check how long it will last, what exactly it covers and whether you can renew it.
• You also need to ask about delivery costs.