# My microwave oven is 17 years old **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 16, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601 "2003-11-16T22:35:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/21 "2003-11-17T04:50:35Z")
Yum! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/22 "2003-11-17T04:54:36Z")
Well, our 18 year old microwave died last year and we got a new one. I fix things, got a new cap. for it and it’s going again. But still in the basement. The new one is more compact. Oh well. This “Hey, you can throw money at a new piece of garbage!” logic escapes me. If it works, use it. Older electronics are actually worth owning. The new stuff is awful and then some. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/23 "2003-11-17T05:13:53Z")
hmmmm So far, my mom has you all beat. Her microwave goes back to 1977 or 1976. (And it’s an Amana that she keeps in the utility room off the kitchen, so she’s probably not going to die of microwave burns any time soon.) ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/24 "2003-11-17T05:17:33Z")
My VCR is about 17 years old… God I’m glad I didn’t choose Beta! ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/25 "2003-11-17T06:08:40Z")
How many watts is this microwave? i’d assume 600 tops. ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/26 "2003-11-17T06:24:43Z")
My 700 watt nuker has been going strong since the end of 1979, and even though the temperature probe stopped working years ago, it still cooks things pretty well – and yes, I have cooked an awesome roast beef in it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/27 "2003-11-17T06:39:15Z")
My parents bought a microwave right when they got married, which was in 1976, I think. We still use it every day. ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/28 "2003-11-17T08:43:07Z")
Our Amana was bought in 1977. Still use it everyday. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/29 "2003-11-17T09:04:09Z")
I wonder how many of you have an Amana Touchmatic Radarange? [http://pages.tias.com/6692/PictPage/1920884380.html](http://pages.tias.com/6692/PictPage/1920884380.html) I know of at least 4 that are older than dirt and still going strong. They are actually kind of valuable, because many customs kitches had a nook built for them, and modern MWs just don’t fit right. So people will pay a decent bit of cash to get a working radarange that will fit in their hole. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/30 "2003-11-17T11:53:09Z")
My microwave belonged to my aunt, who bought it in 1985 right after my parents bought theirs. It’s the same make, just a smaller model than the one my parents bought. When my aunt and uncle sold everything they didn’t need before moving to Florida (circa 1993), my parents bought it from them and gave it to me; at the time I was a student and couldn’t afford much of anything. It still works wonderfully. So my microwave is 18 years old. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/31 "2003-11-17T12:25:35Z")
Our microwave was a wedding gift in 1984. It’s a huge beast, but it’s never needed repairing. OTOH the built in’s that came with the two houses we’ve lived in during all this time both had to have the doors replaced in a few years. ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/32 "2003-11-17T15:30:41Z")
Embarrased grin Duh Our Amana microwave,mfg aug 1977 is a GE. Embarrased grin ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/33 "2003-11-17T15:38:45Z")
Mine usually get a little bit of rust inside after ten years or more but it doesn’t spark. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/34 "2003-11-17T16:28:29Z")
Just be careful, next year it’s old enough to smoke. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/35 "2003-11-17T17:01:52Z")
My grandmother has an Amana Radarange from the late 60’s / early 70’s. It has two dials and three buttons, much like the one **Johnny L.A.** described above. It still works, though the lights inside and on the dials burned out a few years ago. I keep telling her she should sell it on eBay and buy a few new microwaves with the money. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/36 "2003-11-17T17:42:35Z")
I bought my microwave in January of 1985 for $88. I took it to college, then thru 4 apartments, and now it sits behind me at work. Light doesn’t work but I really only use it to heat water for tea, anyway. When it dies, I’ll probably just get an electric kettle. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/37 "2003-11-17T17:55:11Z")
[QUOTEIt was made in September, 1986. \*\*[/QUOTE] Congrats. Now you can _legally_ have sex with it :eek: ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/38 "2003-11-17T18:07:57Z")
I’m three months older than your microwave. For some reason, this makes me feel very old. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/39 "2003-11-18T00:01:38Z")
My parents still have a microwave that was made in March 1986. Works great, only was in the shop once to replace a fuse after a lightning strike blew it out. I had one that was from 1984 until earlier this year when it was starting to die. That sucker weighed about 80 pounds and had been moved about 7 times. My new one weighs less than 10 pounds and cost about $28.00, but I bet I won’t still own it in 2020! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601/40 "2003-11-18T04:29:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by if6was9 \* > My VCR is about 17 years old… > God I’m glad I didn’t choose Beta! My oldest continously in use VCR is a 1984 Beta. I’m very glad I choose Beta. I’m down to “only” 7 working Betas now. Sold off a couple for big $s to get even better (but cheaper) ones. I’d like to see someone sell their 15 year old basic VHS craporama on eBay for $300. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-microwave-oven-is-17-years-old/213601.md?page=3)