# 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:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**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 21, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/61 "2012-09-21T15:58:04Z")
> [@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? It heats up faster because it’s heating a smaller space, and should use less power than a large oven. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/62 "2012-09-23T16:22:16Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > Yeah I have a microwave. They’re so useful. You can cook vegetables quickly and deliciously in them, reheat, save energy when cooking small things and… _defrost things in minutes_! > > I don’t get anti-microwave snobs. Do you think only cooking methods invented before the 20th century produce good results? That food and science don’t match and everything will taste like a horrible diet version of itself before it irradiates your innards and makes all your hair fall out? I mean of course it doesn’t work perfectly for everything, but neither does frying. You don’t throw away your frying pans just because you used one to cook a turkey and it sucked. You keep them for their prowess in producing the most delicious of all eggs - omelettes. > > Do you realize how easy it is to make hot chocolate with a microwave? I mean with milk. Did you know you can make _chocolate brownies_ in minutes with one of these magical devices? > > Oh, and as **Johnny Bravo** wisely pointed out, the popcorn. Totally seconded . Mind you I’m no cook and would probably starve to death without one . ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/63 "2012-09-23T16:55:07Z")
> [@Beastly\_Rotter](#): > > 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. You never see those people other than in front of a TV. You should see them driving. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/64 "2012-09-24T11:21:53Z")
When we moved to Vancouver in March we left our old microwave back in Ontario, awaiting my drive across with my car, originally scheduled for May, then August, now November. (This time I am really going) About a month ago we were offered a free microwave, and we did take people up on the offer. Mostly for my hubby to reheat dinners, (he is fond of making huge portions of spaghetti and reheating) and pizza. (I hate microwaved pizza and will eat it cold if I can’t heat it up in an oven. I’m going to try WhyNot’s method next time though) and I am back to steaming vegetables in the microwave. I really don’t need it for myself, though. But with a family it does become a quicker option. I might start to teach my son to cook some things using this too. Actually, I am moving next week, and a microwave is built in. Now I will have the built in, the one I was given out here, and one in Ontario. I think that is one more thing to sell/get rid of and to Craigslist/freecycle. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/65 "2012-09-24T12:43:34Z")
It has occurred to me from reading this thread that I clearly don’t do much ‘heating up’. Most of my cooking seems to be stove top in pans, unless I’m making a roast or a pie or something. Plus in the UK, we ALL have [electric kettles](http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=electric+kettles&rlz=1C1CHFA_enGB485GB485&aq=f&sugexp=chrome,mod%3D14&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=NlVgUPL6HcKWhQf57YDoBg&biw=1517&bih=1221&sei=OVVgUJTrNaSx0QWf14BY), so heating water in a microwave is an unheard of practice. So, whilst I have a microwave, it probably gets used… once a week? Once a month? Who knows. Mostly for defrosting things. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/66 "2012-09-24T12:46:38Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > 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? Don’t think so, a Breville (brand name – they make other stuff too) is just a [sandwich toaster](http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&pq=breville+toaster&cp=16&gs_id=w&xhr=t&q=breville+sandwich+toaster&rlz=1C1CHFA_enGB485GB485&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1517&bih=1221&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15328341896024541270&sa=X&ei=-FVgUNKjC-el0QX82YDQBw&sqi=2&ved=0CE8Q8gIwAw) which squashes the bread between two hot plates. The sort of things students love but adults put on the top shelf to gather dust. Popular in the 80s. I don’t think I know anyone with a toaster oven. ---
**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 24, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003/67 "2012-09-24T15:03:31Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Don’t think so, a Breville (brand name – they make other stuff too) is just a [sandwich toaster](http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&pq=breville+toaster&cp=16&gs_id=w&xhr=t&q=breville+sandwich+toaster&rlz=1C1CHFA_enGB485GB485&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1517&bih=1221&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15328341896024541270&sa=X&ei=-FVgUNKjC-el0QX82YDQBw&sqi=2&ved=0CE8Q8gIwAw) which squashes the bread between two hot plates. The sort of things students love but adults put on the top shelf to gather dust. Popular in the 80s. > > I don’t think I know anyone with a toaster oven. I stand corrected. I had heard the term and did a Google image search and the first couple of hits I got looked like toaster ovens. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-microwave-oven/635003.md?page=3)