anyone NOT got a microwave? can you tell me how you manage pls? !

pthompson

Don't know how I'd manage without a microwave. How else would I explode eggs, steam-propel grapes, spark CD's....

http://apache.airnet.com.au/~fastinfo/microwave/

:-)

AnnaV

I've had one in previous places but DH and I have just moved into a new flat and I really can't see the point. The only good thing is making really fluffy scrambled eggs in them. Otherwise everything can be done on the hob or in the oven. You just have to remember to take things out of the freezer in advance, but then I never trusted defrosting in the microwave anyway.

Pink.

overdrawn wrote:

hi ,
thanks to all of you who replied.
i always cook in my gas oven or grill but i can never time it all to cook together and as there are 7 of us at the mo,it's tricky to get a hot meal on the table all in one go!!!!!!!

I'm usually only cooking for five, but I rarely use the microwave for cooking main meals and usually only use it for reheating.

The thing I find invaluable when space on the hob is scarce is my steamer. It's a three tier and allows me to boil potatoes in the bottom and steam two different veg on top. I can't remember what it cost, but it has paid for itself many times for sheer convenience.

Pink

MATH

I cook for 5 and often 6/7. The last thing I would allow to be taken from my kitchen is the micro. 20 years old, bashed and battered it may be but I use it all the time.

It is great for speeding up conventional recipes and then finishing them off in the oven to colour. Rice and pasta cook great in the micro and no scouring of pans. Things that take an age to cook and prohibit you going out such as steamed puds can be done in less that 10 minutes. If I forget to put the slo-cooker on or am running too far behind to use it I can casserole including dumplings in the micro in under and hour and you can't tell the difference.

I've even made flap jack in the micro when pushed (our oven at the other house is [email="cr@p"]!!!!!![/email]) and it turned out better than shopbought.

I don't think I have made a sauce, gravy or custard on the hob since 1986.

It's good for defrosting and reheating too (so I'm told);)

Bargain_Rzl

ancasta wrote:

I heavily use mine..... as a shelf. It houses my kettle toaster and spice rack. :rotfl:

LOL! I use mine as a cupboard. If I've done a big pot full of pasta & sauce or casserole, then taken one portion away for my dinner, I stash the remainder in the MW to keep the cats away!

Seriouslt tho', I do most of my cooking in large freezable batches so find it invaluable for reheating pasta dishes, casseroles and soups. I usually do rice in it too, and often peas. It's great for steamed puds, especially Christmas pud cos it gives you one less thing to remember several hours in advance of Christmas dinner! Don't like using it for custard (it's very satisfying to make it in a pan and have it thicken up before your very eyes!) and also find there are certain things which are not as microwave-friendly as the packet instructions suggest - with fish (especially trout and salmon) you get miniature explosions on the surface of the steak/fillet which leave the MW stinking of fish, and new potatoes tend to go a funny texture.

I wouldn't be without it though, as I work long hours and have a busy social life, so when I get home at 11pm it's nice to be able to throw in a HM ready meal and have it ready in 3 1/2 minutes.

sallypurple

Mine's just died too so I cann really sympathise with this, The worst thing is that last winter I ditched our manky hot water bottles and treated us all to lovely new microwavable teddies ! I think I'll have to head to Teescos if this cold snap continues!

moneysavingplumber

Hi overdrawn,

I'd be interested to know exactly what you use it for. For the first time in my life I had one for a couple of years as we inherited it, and it just got in the way frankly. I know people generally scramble eggs, cook beans, jacket potatoes and defrost stuff in them, but I found the defrosting would begin to cook foods (very dodgy), scrambled eggs wasn't the same and so it was relegated for jacket potato with beans that I have.......well.....never now I don't have the microwave anymore. The only other bit I remember about them was when I worked in a bar in Mallorca in the nineties and mums would come in and ask us to put the bottle of milk on full power for 20 seconds!

limey_2

I've got a combi, it was invaluable when we were rebuilding the kitchen, we lived from it for a couple of weeks. Now its relegated to making custard and heating up beans as i have a huge range cooker with an oven that would hold an ostrich !!

skintchick

I have a very small kitchen, and the microwave takes up more space than I can afford.

We hardly ever use it - I sometimes use it to defrost things and occasionally to heat up leftovers as a ready meal, but that's about it.

We have the smallest we can find - it is 45cm wide, but I really could do with the worksurface space now I cook properly more and have a slow cooker, food processor, steamer to live on the worktop (no room in cupboards).

What i want to know is what do people use instead of a microwave? Are there other ways of deforsting/heating things quickly? Or do you just have to think ahead?

We don;t mind spending money on a new gadget if it will take up less space (and I mst admit I have stuff on top of the nuker at the moment which would need a new home).

greenbee

I have to admit that I hardly ever use my microwave, and as I'm lucky enough to have a utility room have now relocated it. I don't even use it for defrosting (I plan ahead :rolleyes: ), just for stuff like heating wheat packs, melting chocolate, heating up leftovers. Apart from the wheat packs I can do all of this using the hob & oven if pushed (e.g. during the 6 months the MW was in the garage). If you don't use it much, then get rid of it. Alternatively, make it work harder for the space it takes up.