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How to Choose and Buy a Microwave Oven

Here are some hints and tips on some things to consider when choosing a microwave oven.

Types of Microwave Oven

One of the first decisions that you’ll need to make when choosing a microwave is what type of microwave you want. This will depend on what you want to use your microwave for.

If you only intend to use your microwave for heating food up or for cooking ready meals, then a standard microwave will probably be sufficient for your needs. However, if you’re looking for a more versatile appliance, you may want to consider buying a microwave with grill or a combination microwave oven that allows you to microwave, grill and to cook by convection oven.

Freestanding or Built-in Microwave Ovens

You’ll also need to decide whether you want to buy a freestanding microwave or an integrated microwave oven.

Freestanding microwaves can be placed on a counter-top, a shelf or mounted on a wall, and are great if you think you might want to move your microwave to a different position in the future. You can also set them up quickly and they tend to be cheaper than built-in models. If you are planning to wall-mount your microwave, remember to buy the brackets at the same time.

Built-in, or integrated, models are ideal if you want your microwave to blend in with other appliances in your kitchen, and look extremely stylish. You may want to consider buying a built-in microwave if you want to save work-top space.

Size

Microwaves come in different sizes, the most common being compact and family-sized. When deciding on the size of microwave that you want, it’s worth asking yourself the following questions:

• How much room have you got in your kitchen?

Work out where you want to position your microwave and measure the height, depth and width of the space you have available. You can then check the product description of any model that you are considering to make sure that you have enough room for it.

Bear in mind that you’ll need to leave enough space around the microwave to make sure that its vents aren’t covered, and you’ll need to make sure that you can open the door.

• How many people will you be cooking for?

If you will just be cooking for yourself, you may find that a compact microwave is sufficient for your needs. If you are likely to be cooking several people or want to cook large meals, then choose a family-sized microwave.

• Will there be room for your favourite dishes?

If you have any favourite cooking dishes that you like to use, measure them and make sure that they will fit inside any model of microwave that you are considering.

You can find out the dimensions of different models of microwave ovens from the product descriptions in our Top Models and Brands of Microwave sections.

Microwave Power

Microwave power is measured in watts. The higher wattage a microwave is, the quicker it will be able to cook your food, so try to choose the most powerful microwave that you can for the money that you have available. Microwave wattages can vary from 600W to 1350W or more.

Microwaves often have a number of power levels that you can choose from to suit the meal that you’re cooking. Try to choose a model that offers you a range of different levels, but remember that if a microwave is described as, for example, 900W, this is its maximum power level.

Design

Most of the leading brands offer a range of microwaves including models with different styles and in different colours, so you should be able to find one that suits your kitchen style and matches your other appliances. The most common colours are silver and white, but there are also models in colours such as red on the marker.

Some models have doors that open at the push of a button whereas others have doors with handles. You can also buy microwaves with drop down doors, ideal if you are short of space.

Controls

Many microwaves have keypad controls, which are easy to wipe clean and allow you to use functions at the touch of a button. Some have buttons that allow you to instantly cook foods such as popcorn, jacket potatoes or pizzas.

However, there are models available that feature older style dial controls if you’d prefer these.

Features

Microwaves can also offer a wide range of features, so it’s worth considering the features that you’ll need. It’s not worth spending money on a top of the range model packed with features that you aren’t going to use, so be honest with yourself about what you think you need.

You may want to a model with specific features such as:

• Auto programmes – these allow you to cook certain foods at a touch of a button
• Cook or Defrost by weight functions – these allow you to pop your food into the microwave, programme in the weight of the food and your microwave oven will calculate the cooking or defrosting time for you
• Child Lock – gives you peace of mind if you have young children
• Easy-clean interior – look for models with removable turntables and racks
• Sensors – some models have sensors that shut off the oven when they calculate that the food is cooked.
• Crisping functions – some models have functions which are designed to give pizzas crunchy bases or make bacon crispier.

Safety

The microwave oven is one of the most time-saving and convenient kitchen appliances ever invented. However, once you’ve got your new microwave home, it’s important to make sure that you use it safely. Here are our top ten hints to help you to do so. See our top 10 tips for using a microwave oven safely

Budget

Before choosing a microwave, decide on a budget and stick to it. It’s worth shopping around online, as you can get some great deals. Visit our Where to Buy section to find details of some of the leading sites where you can buy microwave ovens.