Microwave Ovens – Table Top Models



Microwave ovens have been common in homes since the 1970s either as table top models also called counter top models, over the counter models or built in models. The table top models are by far the least expensive, some as of today as low as $50. Installing over the counter models and built in models are much more expensive especially considering construction costs, although they do have more features, but for basic microwave cooking or reheating of foods which is what a large number of households use them for, the basic table top microwave does a good job and has enough features to make owning one worthwhile.

Emerson Microwave Oven

Microwaves cook by means of microwave radiation which a non-ionizing form of radiation which means that it doesn’t interact with the food, but passes through. The energy from these waves are absorbed by foods that contain water or fat, this is how water boils in a microwave.



One of the drawbacks to cooking or reheating food with a microwave is that they don’t brown foods. The rotating table insert was created to solve this problem. One of the things that microwave ovens do well is to heat water and foods that contain water.

The basic oven has high, medium and low settings for heating and reheating foods and other settings for cooking foods, they can also defrost frozen foods, and they can also pop popcorn. They often have preprogrammed settings for certain types of foods, and general timed settings that can be used however you wish, there is also one nice feature on many modern microwaves that is a built in kitchen timer.

When cooking in a microwave, plastics and glass designed for this kind of oven are best, metal and aluminum foil should never be used in a microwave since they can spark and start a fire. There is wax paper that is designed now to be safely used in microwaves and microwave safe plastic wrap that can be used as well.

When choosing a microwave there are many sizes from mini microwaves to large capacity microwaves, depending upon the counter space that you have in your kitchen, the features that you want and of course your budget.


How to Use a Microwave —powered by eHow.com


For some additional information on microwave ovens and their use click on the link to ehow.com


For some great sections on cooking equipment, some great references are:

• The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2010 by the editors at America’s Test Kitchen



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