# Do you have a microwave oven? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 17, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003 "2012-09-17T20:28:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/41 "2012-09-18T15:13:18Z")
I just heated up leftover cornbread in the microwave so I could drizzle it with butter & honey for breakfast. I’m not sure how I’d do that without a microwave - putting it in the oven or toaster would dry it out, and it would burn in a pan or skillet on the stove before the whole thing got hot. The microwave made it perfect. Nice and moist and gooey, ready for my butter and honey. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/42 "2012-09-18T15:18:58Z")
I like my coffee hot, so I reheat half a cup of coffee all the time. Also, the dog gets frozen beans in her food to make it more filling, and I like to run them through the nuker to soften them up. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/43 "2012-09-18T15:24:17Z")
I have one and it’s the most used heating method for food in my house. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/44 "2012-09-18T15:53:37Z")
The people I bought my condo from claimed to have never cooked in the stove, but to have done all their food prep in the microwave (which, to be fair, is an [Advantium](http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=PSA2200RBB), so it slightly more than “just” a microwave). ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/45 "2012-09-18T16:10:20Z")
When I moved to where I currently live, I bought a microwave a little bit on the cheap side that did not last very long. I decided to go ahead and shell out for a nicer model the second time around and ended up with a big, 1250-watt machine. It’s been a pretty satisfying purchase thus far. I get a charge every time I look at the heating instructions of my food and see how much time I am saving compared to if I had a less-powerful one. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/46 "2012-09-18T16:29:45Z")
I’ve owned two microwave ovens, both came from my brother when he upgraded to better, shinier newer ones. The current one is at least ten years old and it just won’t die. It gets daily use heating up the cat’s food (he likes his canned food slightly warm and a bit sloppy) and nuking leftovers or defrosting something. In the summer, when it’s hot inside and out, I’d much sooner toss it in the microwave than have to turn the oven on. Also good for heating milk to go on my shredded wheats or for hot chocolate. One dirty dish and no pot to scrape burnt milk off of. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/47 "2012-09-18T16:35:10Z")
When I was in college, my Mom bought me a TV as a gift for my birthday. I hadn’t watched TV for a couple of years at that point, so after talking it over, I returned it and got a microwave instead. That thing lasted me for about 10 years, but since it died I haven’t owned a microwave. I’m not sure what I’d even use one for. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/48 "2012-09-18T17:44:40Z")
I do have one, but I find I use my Breville convection/toaster oven more because crispy is usually desirable in what I am cooking/reheating. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/49 "2012-09-18T18:03:26Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > So how do the posters who’ve mentioned here (or not mentioned it yet) that they don’t have microwaves do leftovers? Do you ever find the use of the stove inconvenient? How do you reheat pasta? Or do you just not have leftovers (a state I’m sure those with a reasonable number of family members probably encounter reasonably often). We usually cook enough to have left overs. You have to heat everything up in separate pots or skillets, or in the oven depending on what it is. So much easier to spoon everything onto a plate, put the cover on it and zap it for a few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/50 "2012-09-18T18:20:23Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I’d like to have a microwave, but I don’t have counter space for both that and a toaster oven, and I opted for the latter. A slight hijack, but what is a toaster oven for? As far as I know, they don’t exist in the UK… Looking on google, it seems to be like a miniature electric oven. Why own one if you have a proper oven in your kitchen? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/51 "2012-09-18T18:25:23Z")
> [@Kiyoshi](#): > > Why own one if you have a proper oven in your kitchen? They’re smaller and thus heat up much faster and use less electricity. If all you’re doing is toasting a sandwich, heating up a full-size oven is overkill. I think in the UK y’all call them brevilles? ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/52 "2012-09-18T21:09:03Z")
> [@Kiyoshi](#): > > A slight hijack, but what is a toaster oven for? As far as I know, they don’t exist in the UK… Looking on google, it seems to be like a miniature electric oven. Why own one if you have a proper oven in your kitchen? They heat up quicker and don’t heat up the whole kitchen. I could live without it faster than living without a microwave. It was nice when we didn’t have a wide slot toaster. ---
**Author:** ![geneb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e4f/32.png) [@geneb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geneb)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/53 "2012-09-18T22:20:02Z")
For the longest time, like many here, I couldn’t dream of living without a microwave. Then the microwave stopped working and we haven’t found a reason to get another one. Food tastes so much better when cooked/reheated on a proper range. Coffee is just as quick and easy to reheat in a pan. Popcorn tastes better when made on a stove top (I never would have guessed this one). The only thing I miss are Hot Pockets. They’re all hard and crunchy when made in an oven. Terrible. I also don’t understand the need for a toaster. My grandparents got me one when I first moved into my current place and I couldn’t fathom the use so I asked them to take it back and get their money back. Same with a toaster oven… Never understood the use, especially since I have a perfectly functional regular oven that would be sitting right next to it. I don’t think the 5 minutes I’d save waiting for it to heat up would be that useful. It’s not like I have to stand there and watch it. I couldn’t live without my charcoal grill, though… You’d have to pry that from my cold, dead hands. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/54 "2012-09-18T22:27:12Z")
> [@geneb](#): > > The only thing I miss are Hot Pockets. They’re all hard and crunchy when made in an oven. Terrible. Wrap 'em in foil, first. ---
**Author:** ![geneb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e4f/32.png) [@geneb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geneb)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/55 "2012-09-19T15:25:26Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Wrap 'em in foil, first. It’s probably best that you didn’t tell me that. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/56 "2012-09-19T15:55:05Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > I _can_ remember what life was like before microwaves. > > I can’t imagine doing without one now. It’s so much easier to put a plate of leftovers in the microwave than to pull out a bunch of pots and pans to heat up dinner. > A lot of veggies taste better cooked in the microwave. > > When one of my clients goes away I stay at her house. She has no microwave and no toaster. > A friend of mine house sat at a house with no microwave but they did have 5 VCRs (obviously this was a while back). She was baffled, why would you have 5 VCRs and no microwave. > > I prefer to make quick, easy meals when I stay at a clients house. It’s not so far from home that I don’t go back and forth a bit, but when I wake up it’s nice to be able to toast a bagel or heat up some leftovers. Microwaves were just starting to become common in my teens and early 20s. My DH considers them such essential kitchen equipment that we once had to do a desperation search for an open store that carried them on Christmas Eve because he couldn’t wait two days to replace the one that had conked out. :rolleyes: I mostly use mine for reheating leftovers, melting butter/cheese if needed for what I’m cooking, popcorn, frozen meals, thawing frozen meat quickly, or heating soup or vegetables. I’m not fond of cooking in it, and don’t much care for what it does to bread-type products. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/57 "2012-09-19T15:59:47Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > For me it’s the uneven cooking/warming part. > > When I heat on the stove I know each bite is going to be exactly the same temp as the next. > > I DO likes my MW though. I just don’t use it as often as the average person. The unevenness is a major reason I don’t use mine more than I do. I use the skillet method for reheating pizza, if I decide to bother reheating it (cold is fine too). Wouldn’t even consider doing a casserole, roast, etc., in the microwave because of the uneven heating problem. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/58 "2012-09-19T16:02:23Z")
> [@Kiyoshi](#): > > A slight hijack, but what is a toaster oven for? As far as I know, they don’t exist in the UK… Looking on google, it seems to be like a miniature electric oven. Why own one if you have a proper oven in your kitchen? I find a toaster oven convenient for small batches where it seems silly to heat a full-size oven for such a small amount. It also seems to throw less heat into the room, which was very important living in an apartment with poor air conditioning and hot summers. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/59 "2012-09-19T20:45:47Z")
> [@geneb](#): > > It’s probably best that you didn’t tell me that. Sorry! (You’re welcome. 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/60 "2012-09-20T10:50:29Z")
No, I don’t know how some people can just turn them on when they come home and sit slumped in front of them for hours, dribbling in slack-jawed vacancy. There just isn’t enough worth watching enough to justify buying one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003.md?page=4)