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Kitchenware -
Microwave
Ovens
A guide to choosing and
buying microwave ovens and how microwave ovens work
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A little History
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How do they
work? |
Are the Safe?
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Benefits
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Buying
Guidelines |
Safety Tips
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Cooking Tips
Once considered a luxury gadget, today a good
proportion of households own a microwave oven. They are an invaluable kitchen
appliance to many people's hectic lives and are especially effective in cutting down the amount of time spent
preparing meals. This guide to microwaves will tell you everything you need to
know to understand, choose and use this useful appliance.
History of Microwave ovens
Although some believe the principal of microwaves for
cooking food was first discovered in the 1940s by an American electrical
engineer called Percy Spencer during his experiments with a magnetron for use in
radar, others attribute the discovery to Marvin Bock who actually worked for
Percy Spencer. It would seem to be six of one and half a dozen of the
other, in that Percy Spencer put Mr Bock to work on designing a prototype of the
first microwave oven, which he managed to do . . . . even though the unit was
over 5 feet tall. Stories of how Percy had a melted chocolate bar in his pocket
which led him on the path don't seem to be substantiated, but it makes a nice
tale.
By 1965 the first domestic countertop version was on sale
and by 1975 the sale of microwave ovens exceed those of gas ranges in the USA.
Microwave ovens use radio waves at a frequency of 2,500 mega hertz (MHz) to heat
food. When the waves are absorbed by water, fats or sugars, they�re converted
into heat.
Unlike conventional cooking methods in which heat is
conducted from the outside of the food, the microwave�s radio waves agitate the
water and fat molecules throughout the food thereby heating the food evenly
throughout. However, because the oven operates at room temperature, no crust or
browning will form on the food unless you have a microwave with a
grill.
A microwave oven gives
you:
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Faster cooking times
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More nutrients remain in the
food because the cooking time is shorter so fewer vitamins and minerals
are leached out
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Save money on energy by
needing less cooking time
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Requires fewer pans and less
clean-up
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