I’m 35 years old - my family got our first microwave when I was about 7 or 8. So I have very little memory of the work that went into the simple task of warming up leftovers. But I’m constantly amazed at how easy it is to simply warm up that bowl of soup, give that cup of coffee a quick 30 second warm-up when it goes lukewarm, or defrost something out of the freezer. I cannot imagine life without a microwave. Yet, I know people that don’t have one. My ex-girlfriend didn’t have one - said she didn’t want to pay money for something she could do on the stove. I just couldn’t comprehend that.
When I was a kid (shortly after Columbus last voyage) every meal, like 45 minutes before serving time, mom would wrap leftovers in foil and throw them in the oven.
I shudder to think how much electricity we used to do that, when nowadays the microwave is so much more efficient.
Then in 1999 they came to visit for my brother’s wedding, and Grandma discovered how much easier it was to get something Burning Hot for her husband on a microwave than on a stove.
The specs for their microwave were: it must have a “hit once to heat stuff button”. No other functions were needed.
I love microwave bacon and baked potatoes. It’s so unbelievably easy, I thought for the longest time there must be something wrong with the finished product and did it the normal/hard way. The only upside to doing bacon on the stove is to get bacon fat for other dishes.
Had one growing up and for years after moving out on my own. Mine died about two years ago and I realized I hadn’t used it for more than popcorn in years. Got a nice convection toaster oven as replacement.
ive had one in the house since the late 70s when they were monster counter-taker-uppers.
i use one regularly for reheating leftovers, melting butter, heating up drinks, thawing stuff from the freezer and so on.
i agree they do awesome bacon when you have the right toys to do the job, but i don’t actually cook meals like a roast or something in a microwave other than zapping tv dinners in one from time to time.
microwave always grosses food I avoid using it as much as possible but other people in the house use it. Sometimes I use it to boil water to make Jello
I love my microwave. I cook whatever I can in it. I am on my 4th one. I love the way it softens butter for baking and thaws the things I neglected to take out of the freezer in time. And it makes the best hot chocolate from scratch; no watching the pot on the burner. I bought an old Amana microwave cookbook at a tag sale and it has amazing recipes. OK 'nuf gushing.
The last several places I’ve lived, one was there, and I used it. I moved last summer and there wasn’t a microwave. The kitchen is small, so I didn’t buy one.
They’re certainly useful for some things, but I realized that I didn’t actually like anything cooked in a microwave better, it was just faster.
Leftovers taste better heated in the oven, popcorn tastes better popped in oil on the stove, and real food that I’ve cooked from basic ingredients tastes better (and is better for me) than frozen prepared foods cooked in a microwave.
If I’m really in such a rush that I can’t spend any time on cooking, I’ll eat an apple and some crackers and cheese.
I just broke the handle on the door of my microwave. I’m debating getting rid of it and putting in a true hood for my stove. If I get rid of it I don’t think I’ll buy a new one.
A microwave to me is not a means to preparing meals, it’s a means for preparing components of meals, or prepping ingredients for mise en place.
I will always prefer microwave steamed vegetables, which can be made with a bowl & a paper towel, to the energy and time consumption and specialized equipment necessary to steam on the stovetop.
I’m also not going to use the stovetop or my electric kettle to heat water for one cup of tea or one bowl of oatmeal, or use the stovetop to melt butter or chocolate for baking. And I’m not sure how someone could otherwise quickly soften butter or cream cheese, or defrost them when they’ve been frozen either.
And I’m pretty sure that a properly attended microwave is both the fastest and* safest* method of thawing frozen meat or seafood.
Our broke about 3 months ago. At the time it seemed very important to replace it but we couldn’t find one we really liked and then we got distracted by the holidays and now here we are 3 months down the road and frankly we don’t miss it nearly as much as I thought we would.
I agree about the baked potatoes, but we do bacon in a foreman grill. Keeps them nice and flat, fat drains off, cleanup is very easy. You can reserve the bacon fat for other projects =)
I do indeed own a microwave oven, so presumably when it’s on I have a microwave or two in there somewhere.
Still have the first one I’ve ever owned (given as a gift about 12 years ago). It gets three general uses: 1) popcorn, 2) reheating leftovers, and 3) er, making instant mashed potatoes, which I have an inexplicable fondness for.
