The 7 Best Microwave Ovens of 2021. Conscious Eating Top 10 Best Inverter Microwaves for 2020.
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If you are like most of us, you use your microwave oven to boil water and cook leftovers.Wouldn't it be great if you could use your microwave instead of taking up a lot of space in your kitchen?
The magnetron, the element that cooks the food in most microwaves, can only deliver full power, making it difficult to cook food successfully in a microwave.The microwave oven goes through cycles of delivering 100% power, followed by a period of no power when it's set to 50% power.
Imagine if you had a regular oven.Instead of cooking a roast at 350 degrees, you would cook it at 700 degrees for ten minutes, then take it out and repeat the process over and over again until the meat is cooked.Good luck with that!
Panasonic and GE have microwave ovens on the market with something they call "inverter" technology, which aims to solve the problem.The level of energy being transmitted by the oven can be changed.When you set 50% power, you get a steady stream of power for the entire cooking time.The result is more evenly cooked food, as well as the ability to keep food warm until dinner.
We spent a few weeks with Panasonic's NN-SD688S, a counter top model with 1300 watt, to see how it worked out.We made hollandaise sauce, fruit crisp, corn chowder, barbecued pulled pork and some other fun dishes using recipes from Panasonic's site.
When it came to dishes that required slow cooking in moist environments, such as the hollandaise sauce and pulled pork, the microwave inverter performed surprisingly well.We didn't like moving large bowls of boiling liquid in and out of the oven and corn chowder would have been just as easy on the stovetop.The fruit crisp was a flop, with a soggy, raw-tasting topping and fruit underneath.
During busy holiday times, when we are trying to cook many dishes at once, and keep everything warm until serving time, we could easily see using an inverter microwave in addition to our standard cooktop and range.It is a fast and clean way to cook things like steam vegetables, melt chocolate, or do any other occasional kitchen tasks that don't require a lot of cooking.
If you are buying a microwave, we recommend that you consider the inverter models.The Good Housekeeping Seal provides a two-year limited warranty against defects for all Panasonic models.
The remaining brand of choice for this technology is Panasonic.In our Best Microwave Oven review, the Panasonic NN-SD945S was the winner.Learn about our opinion on whether Panasonic's new "cyclonic wave" inverter oven technology is worth the extra cost by reading the article.
The design flaw with all microwave ovens was revealed in our experiment with microwave recipes.It turned crumbled bacon into charcoal and ruined our first run of hollandaise.The nonsensical decision to use a scale of 1 to 10 to set the power level is the culprit.
The power scale is an issue with microwave recipes because it requires the cookbook author to assume a certain amount of power in developing the recipe.Microwave ovens vary in watt from 700 to 1400.A 1400 watt oven will take twice as long as a 700 watt one to cook the same amount of food.The cook needs to convert those times for her own oven.
This assumes the cook knows what the original wattage was when she wrote the recipe.Don't look on the oven if you do not know your wattage.Many manufacturers don't bother with the wattage on their ovens.Talk about making things difficult for cooks.It's not something that should be required in the kitchen.
The solution to this is simple, however, and just requires one manufacturer to make the common-sense leap forward to allow all of their ovens to be set based on wattage delivered.This is the same logic that allows us to set our regular gas and electric ovens to 325 degrees, not around the blank dial.It would be easy for a cook to apply for any oven from any brand if the microwave recipes were written as "Cook at 800 watt for five minutes".
It is interesting to read your call to manufacturers.I stayed in Paris and we had a microwave with a 700 watt switch on it.We noticed that the microwave recipes on the packaged foods described the cook times along the lines you suggest, e.g., cook at 700 watt for 10 minutes.
It was difficult for me to see this for the first time because of the unfamiliarity with concept and the numbers.I am used to thinking about cooking at 350 degrees, but it was strange to think about 700 watt cooking.
It will be great to not have to guess which end of the spectrum one's microwave is on, if there is a lot of uniformity around 700 / 1400 watt in both the microwaves and the recipe descriptions.
Why is it necessary to press the Power Level button nine times to get to the lowest level?When a user wants to change the power level, it is usually a lower setting than full power.Direct entry of the desired power level is possible with other non-inverter brands.I have to press a button 9 times to get to 10% on my Panasonic MW.
To get to power level 1 on a Panasonic, you don't need to press the power button 9 times.To reach the desired level, press and hold.It is that easy.
Thanks, Jay.They already do that in Europe.There is no technical hurdle preventing manufacturers from implementing it in the U.S.
As a cook, using wattage as a measure is more natural for me than an arbitrary 1-10 scale.
Panasonic's inverter technology should allow you to get consistent delivery of any watt level from 100 to 1400 watt.Magnetrons can only control power through cycling on and off, so other manufacturers may have less flexibility.It's better than what we have now.
Excellent article about microwave inverters.I came across this new technology while looking for a new microwave and it sounds great.
I have only seen a few microwaves using this technology, such as Panasonic.You mentioned Panasonic a few times in your post.Is the Panasonic one the best Microwave on the market right now?
I noticed that the article was done a while ago, so are there any new developments on this type of technology?
Panasonic holds a patent on the technology and the only other manufacturers that have it are Panasonic and GE.
The technology has been around for a long time.We wrote about it because we think more should be done because of its cooking advantages.
I would like to see more development around the idea of allowing microwaves to be programmed by wattage, rather than the arbitrary 1-10 power.Consistency and simplicity could be brought to microwave cooking by that.
What do you prefer, "True Cook Plus" or "Inverter Technology" on Panasonic and GE?I am in the market to buy one and am leaning towards Inverter Technology because of the defrosting.It messes up the food when I cook meat or fish the edges.
Your thoughts on the post "an open call to Manufacturers" are wonderful.I would like to see all 3 ideas incorporated into a microwave.It would make life simpler.I would be happy if we could only get these products made in the USA.
You should ask about TruCook Plus, we did a story on it.
The two technologies are very different.Prepackaged foods with the TrueCookPlus label are mostly helpful.It ensures proper reheating by setting the time and power level for your oven.The underlying cooking technology is the same as a normal microwave - the oven cycles on and off at full power.
It is possible to produce consistent low level power, when needed, with the help of the Inverter technology.It makes it easier to cook any food, not just Lean Cuisines, because it doesn't require a TrueCook label.
When in a rush, I like to use a pot ofluke warm water to thaw my meats.The water should be refreshed if it gets too cold.It works fast and there is no risk of cooked edges like with the microwave.Press out the air to make sure you have contact with the water.
I have purchased a microwave but I can't find any cook books that use that style of cooking.
The recipes on Panasonic's site were created by the Culinary Institute of America.
I thought I would have a hard time converting recipes with the new microwave.It's easy because of your link.Ciaopeter.
This technology has been in KitchenAid microwaves for a long time.They named it because it allowed them to get a premium for their microwaves for a long time.The enabling mechanism is what Panasonic referred to when they ran with it in a big way.Panasonic can make internal components of certain GE ovens if they have a related process patent.It has been similar to the CVT transmission in cars.It is the perfect concept.It has been around for a while.Reliability has been hard to get on par with conventional methods.If you are offered an extended warranty, you should take it.The inverter board, the microprocessor board that controls it, and the magnetron are the things that go bad.It does less for you to have the magnetron covered.I had the best track record and it went 4 1/2 years without an issue.It is the only kind you can do a decent job of cooking with.Don't even think about a microwave if you are always making coffee and popcorn.
I like the idea of standardizing power levels.Even if watt is not the answer, a standard that measures cooking power would be perfect.It would be huge for the industry and consumer.
Jack, thank you for the feedback.I was familiar with the complaints about the reliability of the boards.The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, which automatically extends the warranty to two years, made me recommend the Panasonic.
In 1988 Panasonic introduced its technology.Kitchenaid didn't make microwave ovens at that time.They didn't make fridges until 1986.
The internal components in their microwaves are the same as in KitchenAid's, except they call it AccuWave.The KitchenAid has high-end construction, user interface, and cooking features.It has the same reliability issues as the technology.
The microwave broke.I bought a new one.I made popcorn in a bowl.7 minutes is how long it took to pop.Scary!I talked to Panasonic.I was told the bowl wouldn't work in the microwave.AACCHH!The inverter was bought by mistake.The popcorn bowl was set for 3 minutes.Half of the kernals popped.Popcorn can't be popped in a bowl in the microwave.I went to the internet to find a solution.I ordered a Pampered Chef Classic Batter Bowl.My husband thinks the microwave needs oil to pop popcorn.I hope so.
I am not sure why your microwave wouldn't be able to pop popcorn.The microwaves coming from an inverter-based microwave are the same as the microwaves in a standard microwave, it is a different way of controlling the amount of power.An inverter on high should work the same as a regular microwave, with both kicking out continuous full power - oil or not.
Have you tried heating other things?Is it possible to see if they get hot quickly by putting a glass of water in the microwave?I would return the microwave and get a new one.If they do, I would try a higher setting on your microwave with the popcorn bowls to make sure things don't get burned.
Thank you for your informative post.I'm looking for a Panasonic.Also need the feature.I have chosen the one at www.panasonic.ae.
The spec says it is a convection oven, but it doesn't have a heating element or a rear fan.Not on the top or bottom of the oven.I don't understand how this can be achieved without a fan or heating element.
The Panasonic site has some recipes.All of the recipes are cooked in the microwave.The Panasonic microwave is a substitute for the convection microwave.
I don't know what that model is.I assume there is a heating element hidden behind the interior walls that doesn't interfere with the microwave function because it's listed as having a 1515W convection heater.
A microwave is not a substitute for an oven.Anything you want to cook in a microwave will not work.Some jobs that work well in the microwave, such as melting chocolate or heating soup, are not appropriate for a convection oven.
My Panasonic Inverter Microwave seems to bechoosy about what it will cook.Water is heated in a mug well.I put a bowl of rice in the oven on high and after two attempts at cooking it for 15 minutes each, I was left with water and raw rice.I tried cooking a cob of corn in the husk, but it didn't work out.The one after 6 minutes was raw and cool.Any thoughts?
Problems with the inverters have been a problem for Panasonic.This could cause the microwave to shut down and not heat up at all.Panasonic support can help with the issue.You can find out more about warranty coverage from Good Housekeeping here: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/history
The purchaser feedback on Panasonic is so poor that I will not honor them with a purchase.
My pan cooks popcorn well.It has never let me down.I have been on one for over 30 years.
I wanted to replace my 14 year old microwave with something new.Ultra Wave was the only feature I had to have.I don't like unevenly cooked food.No one knows what I am talking about when I go to the various appliance stores.I can't find anything on the internet that has this feature.My search is about to be over after Jack mentioned that it was sold by Whirlpool.Thanks for the article, Josh.I would like to see cooking evenly done.
People have said that the microwave will create radiation.Is this statement true?I already own a Panasonic microwave oven.Please help.
In terms of radiation, Inverter microwaves are the same as standard microwaves.The only difference is that the microwaves have a circuit board that controls the amount of power delivered.
There is a lot of confusion about microwave radiation.Non-ionizing radiation is generally harmless.Non-ionizing radiation includes radio waves, heat energy and even visible light waves.
Radiation can damage the DNA of living organisms.There are x-rays and gamma rays.There are examples of ionizing radiation.Ionizing radiation is produced through nuclear reactions and emits from radioactive materials, such as plutonium.
There is a little bonus for you.When you look through the window at food cooking, the microwaves do not fry your head.The wavelength of a microwave is usually measured in inches.The metal mesh on the door is very small.Microwaves can't escape, while visible light waves can.
p.s.If you change your website structure, use 301 redirecting so the old links to your site are not broken.Website design 101.
I'm looking for information about Inverter Technology in microwave.Thanks for sharing.Future and new product launches will be helped by this technology.
I have used the panasonic microwave for 12 years.The magnetron has stopped working.The parts seem to work, but I think it's time to replace them.This is the only microwave I have ever owned that could make a stick of butter from end to end, even out of the freezer.
My MW died.I have an older oven, which is on its last legs, that is great for cooking small pieces of red meat or fish, or a chicken breast, and it toasts 2 pieces.Dinner for 2 with veggies and rice is a great idea.I haven't used the oven in my range for a while, but I like it that way.Storage is great.
Is there one unit that can do the combined functions?How about roasting my meats, making my toast, and boiling water for tea, along with the other quick things I use the MW for?
My kitchen is small, but a challenge for space.
GE's Advantium line has some very fancy cooking technology, and there are ovens that combine microwave and oven functions.These ovens can't toast.
The Microwave/Toaster oven that was made by LG a few years back is no longer made.
The ability to cook beans at a lower power level makes them less likely to explode.
The intensity of the microwaves delivered can be controlled by an inverter, which is the same thing as a standard microwave.It can heat coffee in a mug the same way a microwave can.
There is a chance that the coffee is not getting hot.If she is using the automatic heat mode, it may turn off when it senses the coffee is hot but before it starts boiling, as that's too hot for serving beverages.
The Panasonic Inverter MW has been with me for about 2 1/2 years.I love it.I can make a stick of butter without it turning liquid in spots.I only heat my coffee water to 175 degrees F, so I can boil water for tea.I fix canned soup at level 2.It does not burn product around the edges like it does at higher power.In the biggest bowl I could get into the MW, I heated 3 quarts of water to a ROLLING BOIL.I will replace it with another Inverter MW within 24 hours if it dies.!
There is a tab for the owner's manual on the Panasonic site.You can search the Panasonic site or check out Retrevo.com for products that are no longer sold.
My Accuwave microwave has a stop heating feature.If not, it runs the same.Do you think it will be worth fixing?
It has not a big foot print so it can fit in your small kitchen and it has the best performance to cook, heat, reheat, and defrost.
The reviews of that Panasonic model can be found on Amazon.The doors go bad and the units emit radiation.No thank you!I will let you know about the Panasonic models.
Some of the Panasonic models have problems.There have been no reports of radiation outside the units.microwaves work by emitting radiation within the unit.Given how microwaves are constructed and the nature of the microwaves themselves, it would seem very unlikely that any meaningful level of radiation would be able to escape from a consumer microwave.
I am confident that you knew what I was talking about.The context told you that I meant outside the unit.The unit would not be an issue inside.It is a problem as they do leAK radiation when the latch is compromised.
A friend gave me a 2010 Panasonic for free to replace a microwave that stopped heating last weekend.Thanks for explaining the technology, I came here to find out.Despite being bigger and more powerful, the Panasonic is much lighter.I am suspicious of the build quality.You are keeping this entry up to date six years after you wrote it.Thanks again.
I didn't realize it had been that long until you pointed it out, so I try to keep that other 10% current.
I don't know enough about microwave internal parts to answer your question about the weight.If I had to guess, it would be the heating components that weigh less, rather than being plastic.
The power supply is the subject of the Panasonic technology.The Panasonic uses an inverter which can provide multiple levels of power to the microwave generator, instead of using a heavy transformer-based power supply.Panasonic benefits from more interior per exterior size and lighter weight because the inverter is smaller and weighs less.