6 ms·

Completely agree! The funny thing is the first thing I thought of was an old microwave I owned with a similar setup mainly because the microwave I own, today, i

by mdip 10y ago

Completely agree! The funny thing is the first thing I thought of was an old microwave I owned with a similar setup mainly because the microwave I own, today, is so awful[0]. I have a GE combination convection oven/microwave and it was clearly designed by someone who had their first experience with LSD that day. Every function requires a different, magic, set of key combinations to make it work. Want to set a timer? That's easy, press timer, turn the dial to the right time (which inexplicably increases/decreases the time in 30 second increments). OK, you've done that, now you want to start it. Press "Timer" ... nope. Press "Start" ... nope. Oh, I have to push in the dial... I didn't even know that, too, was a button. Oh, and not once, not twice, but three times is the magic number of times required to start said timer. Starting the microwave with a specific time in mind requires hitting no less than 6 buttons, but there's one button that will start the microwave on high for 30 seconds, so everyone just uses that button and hits it as many times as is required to get close to the desired cooking length. I can hear my wife counting out loud ten beeps for a 5 minute cook time. It's got piles of advanced, useless, features, my favorite of which is a hybrid "microwave/oven cook" mode that manages to bring in the worst of both methods, giving you soggy food, unevenly cooked that takes an eternity to cook. Even the clock is stupid. You punch in the hours/minutes, and thinking you're done, you move on to something else. Later you go to cook something and for some bizarre reason, "AM or PM" pops up on the screen at which point nothing in your previous experience in operating a microwave prepares you to figure out why heating something up requires knowledge of whether it's morning or afternoon. Of course, nothing this microwave does requires knowledge of AM/PM, nor does it display AM or PM anywhere on the screen, but for some reason it just must know. [0] This isn't the exact model but it looks close: https://www.amazon.com/GE-PVM9179SFSS-Profile-Stainless-Microwave/dp/B00EU7AMX4 https://www.amazon.com/GE-PVM9179SFSS-Profile-Stainless-Micr...

dri_ft 10y ago
Holy christ. Horrifying. I can't understand how microwaves are all so bad. Where are the good ones? Isn't it less work to make a simpler (better) interface than the baroque ones we end up with?
- tim333 10y ago
  Trad two knob microwaves are still available and usually the cheapest eg http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Browse?s=Price%3A+Low+-+High&storeId=10151&catalogId=25051&langId=110&c_1=1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome%2Band%2Bgarden%7C33005908&c_2=2%7C33005908%7CKitchen%2Belectricals%7C33007917&c_3=3%7Ccat_33007917%7CMicrowaves%7C33013899&authToken= http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Browse?s=Pr... so I blame consumers for buying the ones with the silly buttons.
  - iofiiiiiiiii 10y ago
    I used to buy the cheap 2-knob ones but they are the cheapest for a reason. After light use, the knobs would inevitably disconnect from the internals. The shop replaced it for free but my time is more valuable than a microwave, so replacements are not really satisfactory.
- ismail-khan 10y ago
  The buyer is usually not the end user. For example, a landlord is biased towards purchasing appliances that looks complex so they can show off all the extra "features" to clients.
  - wattt 10y ago
    You mean real estate agent. Landlords generally get the cheapest shit because otherwise it cuts into the bottom line.
    - jdavis703 10y ago
      Depends on what you're renting. Also they usually splurge on things that look fancy like microwaves, and cheap out on hidden things like recessed lighting that is "secured" with aluminum screws.
- coldpie 10y ago
  Honestly the cheaper ones are just fine. As you add more features, you add more complexity. Mine was like $50 and the interface is great. If you want to set the power, mash that key a few times until it gets to the desired level. Then press Start to go for 30 seconds, keep pressing Start to add 30 seconds to the running timer. If you need a specific time, you can type that in with the number keys, but I almost never do that. That's it. It's a microwave. Fifty bucks. Bought it at Macy's. Cool.
antocv 10y ago
I would not stand that in my housing unit, sell it on craiglist or similar, buy a used older model.
delegate 10y ago
Obviously whoever designed it didn't get the 'good' acid. Had he gotten the real shit, it would have been a musical instrument... with wheels, which also microwaves... inside and outside... Because that's how you get to the aliens. Who wouldn't want his oven to roll around the house improvising some trippy music while the meal is being heated ? While at it, why not also vacuum clean the house ? Just hit the knob a magical 4 times .. You've got the wonder machine right there. I mean hello? Whatever happened to creativity these days ? Experience tells me I have to disclaim this: yes, of course it's a joke.
- DonHopkins 10y ago
  If you happen to run across some really good acid, of even if you're feeling sober and playful, try putting a York Peppermint Patty in the microwave until the alien hatches.
- rubberstamp 10y ago
  Should I take acid to be able to write like you? Its so hilarious
- mdip 10y ago
  OK, you got me there -- just sent milk from my cereal out my nose. For real! It would also be the only microwave on the market that no matter what's cooking, it will make your kitchen smell like the color blue.
kogepathic 10y ago
The Sharp designers of my microwave [0] couldn't even design the clock to keep accurate time. The built-in clock is fast. It will gain about 3 minutes per week. I'm honestly not sure how they managed to screw that up. 32.768kHz crystal was too expensive? Or just too incompetent to keep track of time correctly? [0] https://www.amazon.de/Sharp-Mikrowelle-Grill-Kompakt-Mikrowellengerät-Tageszeitanzeige-Kindersicherung/dp/B007XS5AEI/ https://www.amazon.de/Sharp-Mikrowelle-Grill-Kompakt-Mikrowe...
- paulmd 10y ago
  The worst part is you don't even need a crystal for that. Anything that's connected to line power has a built-in 60 Hz oscillator that is adjusted so that it will never gain or lose more than a few seconds... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_clock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_clock My car's clock is also awful about this - it loses something like 3 minutes per month. But at least there you can blame it on the unknown and varying voltage that the battery and alternator provide...
  - mdip 10y ago
    Do you drive a Ford Fusion with the Sync radio, by chance? The stereo in my Fusion does this -- about 2-3 minutes/month slow, so after a few months I start thinking I'm on time for things when I'm actually a few minutes late. The older Ford Fusion Sync radios (Microsoft variety) are a perfect example of how not to do a UI. I wanted it because my previous car had Bluetooth pairing and I got used to using my phone for music/entertainment and wanted my new car to have the same experience. Of course, being the MS variety of Sync, it has the buggy Bluetooth implementation, so one out of three times I get in the car, my stereo fails to connect. Thank GOD it's got voice commands because I have no idea what combination of buttons is required to actually switch to the Bluetooth input (which is required to be done every time you start the car again regardless of whether or not you were previously on that input). As long as everyone is silent when I hit that magic button to issue my command, and as long as I tilt my head upward toward the mic and speak very clearly, about half the time it switches the input correctly. Who the hell thought it would be a good idea to make a car stereo so complicated that it pretty much guarantees you're going to take your eyes off the road for long periods of time trying to figure out how to change the station when One Direction comes on (I feel the same way about newer cars that just have the "iPad Screen" style interface -- no tactile anything).
annnnd 10y ago
$500 for a microwave??? What does it do, fly? I have an old microwave with two buttons and it works great. Kids can use it too.
- mdip 10y ago
  Unfortunately, it does a whole bunch of things other than microwave (it's got a full, electric, convection oven and a hybrid convection oven/microwave capability). It does all three of it's major functions very nearly as poorly as they could be done. This was also purchased in 2005 or so, and was a relatively new idea at the time that, thankfully, didn't take off terribly well.
- GFischer 10y ago
  You reminded me, mine has an anti-kids "feature", which is that it can't be turned on unless you set it up, press the start button, then open the door, close the door and press the start button again. I don't have kids and I haven't found a way to disable it, it looks silly opening and closing the door twice every time I want to use it, but I've automated the habit.

by mdip 10y ago

dri_ft 10y ago

Holy christ. Horrifying. I can't understand how microwaves are all so bad. Where are the good ones? Isn't it less work to make a simpler (better) interface than the baroque ones we end up with?

tim333 10y ago
Trad two knob microwaves are still available and usually the cheapest eg http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Browse?s=Price%3A+Low+-+High&storeId=10151&catalogId=25051&langId=110&c_1=1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome%2Band%2Bgarden%7C33005908&c_2=2%7C33005908%7CKitchen%2Belectricals%7C33007917&c_3=3%7Ccat_33007917%7CMicrowaves%7C33013899&authToken= http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Browse?s=Pr... so I blame consumers for buying the ones with the silly buttons.
- iofiiiiiiiii 10y ago
  I used to buy the cheap 2-knob ones but they are the cheapest for a reason. After light use, the knobs would inevitably disconnect from the internals. The shop replaced it for free but my time is more valuable than a microwave, so replacements are not really satisfactory.
ismail-khan 10y ago
The buyer is usually not the end user. For example, a landlord is biased towards purchasing appliances that looks complex so they can show off all the extra "features" to clients.
- wattt 10y ago
  You mean real estate agent. Landlords generally get the cheapest shit because otherwise it cuts into the bottom line.
  - jdavis703 10y ago
    Depends on what you're renting. Also they usually splurge on things that look fancy like microwaves, and cheap out on hidden things like recessed lighting that is "secured" with aluminum screws.
coldpie 10y ago
Honestly the cheaper ones are just fine. As you add more features, you add more complexity. Mine was like $50 and the interface is great. If you want to set the power, mash that key a few times until it gets to the desired level. Then press Start to go for 30 seconds, keep pressing Start to add 30 seconds to the running timer. If you need a specific time, you can type that in with the number keys, but I almost never do that. That's it. It's a microwave. Fifty bucks. Bought it at Macy's. Cool.

antocv 10y ago

I would not stand that in my housing unit, sell it on craiglist or similar, buy a used older model.

delegate 10y ago

Obviously whoever designed it didn't get the 'good' acid. Had he gotten the real shit, it would have been a musical instrument... with wheels, which also microwaves... inside and outside... Because that's how you get to the aliens. Who wouldn't want his oven to roll around the house improvising some trippy music while the meal is being heated ? While at it, why not also vacuum clean the house ? Just hit the knob a magical 4 times .. You've got the wonder machine right there. I mean hello? Whatever happened to creativity these days ? Experience tells me I have to disclaim this: yes, of course it's a joke.

DonHopkins 10y ago
If you happen to run across some really good acid, of even if you're feeling sober and playful, try putting a York Peppermint Patty in the microwave until the alien hatches.
rubberstamp 10y ago
Should I take acid to be able to write like you? Its so hilarious
mdip 10y ago
OK, you got me there -- just sent milk from my cereal out my nose. For real! It would also be the only microwave on the market that no matter what's cooking, it will make your kitchen smell like the color blue.

kogepathic 10y ago

The Sharp designers of my microwave [0] couldn't even design the clock to keep accurate time. The built-in clock is fast. It will gain about 3 minutes per week. I'm honestly not sure how they managed to screw that up. 32.768kHz crystal was too expensive? Or just too incompetent to keep track of time correctly? [0] https://www.amazon.de/Sharp-Mikrowelle-Grill-Kompakt-Mikrowellengerät-Tageszeitanzeige-Kindersicherung/dp/B007XS5AEI/ https://www.amazon.de/Sharp-Mikrowelle-Grill-Kompakt-Mikrowe...

paulmd 10y ago
The worst part is you don't even need a crystal for that. Anything that's connected to line power has a built-in 60 Hz oscillator that is adjusted so that it will never gain or lose more than a few seconds... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_clock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_clock My car's clock is also awful about this - it loses something like 3 minutes per month. But at least there you can blame it on the unknown and varying voltage that the battery and alternator provide...
- mdip 10y ago
  Do you drive a Ford Fusion with the Sync radio, by chance? The stereo in my Fusion does this -- about 2-3 minutes/month slow, so after a few months I start thinking I'm on time for things when I'm actually a few minutes late. The older Ford Fusion Sync radios (Microsoft variety) are a perfect example of how not to do a UI. I wanted it because my previous car had Bluetooth pairing and I got used to using my phone for music/entertainment and wanted my new car to have the same experience. Of course, being the MS variety of Sync, it has the buggy Bluetooth implementation, so one out of three times I get in the car, my stereo fails to connect. Thank GOD it's got voice commands because I have no idea what combination of buttons is required to actually switch to the Bluetooth input (which is required to be done every time you start the car again regardless of whether or not you were previously on that input). As long as everyone is silent when I hit that magic button to issue my command, and as long as I tilt my head upward toward the mic and speak very clearly, about half the time it switches the input correctly. Who the hell thought it would be a good idea to make a car stereo so complicated that it pretty much guarantees you're going to take your eyes off the road for long periods of time trying to figure out how to change the station when One Direction comes on (I feel the same way about newer cars that just have the "iPad Screen" style interface -- no tactile anything).

annnnd 10y ago

$500 for a microwave??? What does it do, fly? I have an old microwave with two buttons and it works great. Kids can use it too.

mdip 10y ago
Unfortunately, it does a whole bunch of things other than microwave (it's got a full, electric, convection oven and a hybrid convection oven/microwave capability). It does all three of it's major functions very nearly as poorly as they could be done. This was also purchased in 2005 or so, and was a relatively new idea at the time that, thankfully, didn't take off terribly well.
GFischer 10y ago
You reminded me, mine has an anti-kids "feature", which is that it can't be turned on unless you set it up, press the start button, then open the door, close the door and press the start button again. I don't have kids and I haven't found a way to disable it, it looks silly opening and closing the door twice every time I want to use it, but I've automated the habit.