# Microwave turntable rotation... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 3, 2001, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-turntable-rotation/74837 "2001-08-03T21:22:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-turntable-rotation/74837/1 "2001-08-03T21:22:56Z")
My second thread about direction of rotation today, you guys are going to start thinking my life revolves(!) around the idea… The turntable in my microwave sometimes rotates clockwise, other times it goes the other way, it’s a cheap device, so I can’t imagine this is a ‘feature’ - I’ve heard that the direction of rotation of some AC motors is unpredictable unless they are given an initial spin, is this what’s happening in my microwave? [sup]please, no answers invoking the coriolis effect[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-turntable-rotation/74837/2 "2001-08-03T22:54:20Z")
Does the spinning alternate consistently? Or is it more like “left, left, left, right, left.”? If the spinning is closer to the latter, it might be a military-issue microwave. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-turntable-rotation/74837/3 "2001-08-04T01:57:32Z")
Do you live near the equator? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-turntable-rotation/74837/4 "2001-08-04T04:54:44Z")
Mine (not a cheapie), 10 starts; CCW = 8 CW =2 I can see, in my mind’s eye, a whole lot of people running their microwaves and noting the direction of rotation. Anything to fight ignorance, eh? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mblackwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@mblackwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mblackwell)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-turntable-rotation/74837/5 "2001-08-04T05:09:31Z")
Mine does mostly clockwise, with an occasional counter clockwise. BUT, if I stop and resume without resetting the timer it reverses rotation every time. Maybe this is related to the feature that makes sure the turntable is in the same position it started in when the time is up. Nah, that can’t be it. ---
**Author:** ![Teach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@Teach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teach)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-turntable-rotation/74837/6 "2001-08-04T05:56:21Z")
Mine does the same thing. Sharp’s [microwave oven FAQ](http://www.sharp-usa.com/products/FunctionFaqs/0,1072,2,00.html) merely provides the following: > [@](#): > > **The turntable in the oven reverses direction. Is this normal?** > Yes. The turntable reverses direction at random intervals. No explanation, but at least we can sleep well knowing that our ovens are normal. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-turntable-rotation/74837/7 "2001-08-04T15:13:45Z")
What _I_ wanna know is this—Why Do The Damn Things Break So Easily? I’ve never owned a microwave whose turntable worked 6 months after I bought it. Why are they so cheesy? ---
**Author:** ![TheRob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@TheRob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheRob)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-turntable-rotation/74837/8 "2001-08-04T18:38:11Z")
My microwace doesn’t have a turntable so I have to cook food halfway then TURN IT. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microwave-turntable-rotation/74837/9 "2001-08-04T19:05:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor \* > \*\*What _I_ wanna know is this—Why Do The Damn Things Break So Easily? > > I’ve never owned a microwave whose turntable worked 6 months after I bought it. > > Why are they so cheesy? \*\* I’ve had my Panasonic oven for over 4 years, and everything still works fine. I highly reccommend that before buying something like this you check Consumer Reports. There are copies in most libraries, or you can subscribe online. The online version has message boards where you can read about regular people’s experiences with products. I do, and it’s paid off many times. I have recieved no compensation for this unsolicitated endorsement. 🙂 Peace, mangeorge