Me again. This time microwaves!

southernscouser

:hello:

:rotfl:

OK, I really don't get them. Grills? Ovens? It's a microwave ain't it?

Any ideas what I need and what to look for? :undecided


Edit: I'm not paying for it either so it doesn't have to be on a budget.

floyd

If you already have a conventional oven with a grill, I wouldn't bother forking out for a micro with a grilling function. Lets face it, they cost a bomb to run if you use the browning function and cost more to buy from the off.

If you will only be using it for simple stuff like defrosting, cooking jacket spuds, reheating leftovers and making custard I would just go with one of the low cost ones that most supermarkets have. They cost around £25-£30 and do the job just as well as the super-powered rocket microwaves.

The really high powered microwaves tend to annihilate things anyway, my Mums is really powerful and I always have to use it on 60% power otherwise it just removes the water from everything before its cooked properly

snoozer

Hi SS,

I have a combi microwave with an oven and a grill. Tbh the grill is a waste of time but I use the oven a lot. It heats up much more quickly than my main oven so it saves on the leccy. I use it as a microwave by itself, an oven by itself and in combination for things like jacket spuds (it makes the skins much crispier than a microwave alone.

If I were living alone I'd definitely get the combination microwave and oven but not bother with the grill.

Stephen_Leak

Having owned and used a microwave since they were new and cost £100s, my advice is - if you've already got an oven with a grille - to keep it simple. It's odd - they never lived up to all the hype about them at the time, yet have somehow become indespensible.

A basic one with just a dial for the power setting and a dial for the time is fine. Personally, I wouldn't even get one with a digital clock - I got so fed up having to re-program our old one after every time it got unplugged by accident or we had even a brief power cut.

jessicamb

I have one of those expensive combi-ovens which is great if you are arsed to learn how to use it. Ive had some really good meals out of it and it does seem to be a lot better than turning the oven on for something tiny. Also my oven came with the house and is a bit knackered so the oven temperature on the microwave is probably more accurate.

If not get a cheap one from the supermarket, but - and this is very important - get one with a digital display rather than the turning dial time control, or nothing will ever cook right in it

edit: just seen that contradicts the above advice. Your decision- but my challenge would be to just think about timing 90 seconds of heating something in a microwave that has a dial timer. Ive counted to 90 elephants before and its not fun

Stephen_Leak

jessicamb wrote: »

edit: just seen that contradicts the above advice. Your decision- but my challenge would be to just think about timing 90 seconds of heating something in a microwave that has a dial timer. Ive counted to 90 elephants before and its not fun

90 seconds is halfway between 1 and 2 minutes. We had a keypad microwave for 20-odd years and I cannot recall ever inputting a time other than whole minutes.

pigpen

I'm a cheap as chips girl too.. in fact I am off to by a tesco value microwave tomorrow.. hubby uses it to make his porridge and I use it to reheat my tubs of freezer surprise.. you do not need anything fancy!

Magentasue

I agree with pigpen. My kids never clean after themselves so the inside of every m/wave we've had has rusted and peeled, and we've just freecycled and replaced. Not very moneysaving but we've had cheap and expensive and never noticed much difference.

Now though, we have NO m/wave for the first time in years because, since moving, we don't have the room. Missed it at first but now, don't think I'd bother again.

Toonie

We have a Woolies, basics microwave and it does the job for me. It has dials for both power and timing, but to be honest, if you need a specific timing for seconds, its just as easy to use a stopwatch (I use the one on my phone).

southernscouser

I should have added from the start (which I'll do now) is I'm not gonna be paying for it!

So do I go for a 'higher spec' one? :think:

sillyvixen

my microwave is a combination oven - but only because someone was getting a new one and offered it to me free...i dont even now how the grill bit works and only use the microwave function. it is a huge heavy thing and takes up loads of space in my small kitchen. i would love to change it for a smaller just microwave model but cant justify the expence as it does the job and i dont use it very often. if i was buying a microwave i would not bother with the combinaton oven unless you dont have a normal oven in the property.