4 ms·

https://johnlewis.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/233182566?$prod_exlrg$ https://johnlewis.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/233182566?$p... One knob for time, other

https://johnlewis.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/233182566?$prod_exlrg$ https://johnlewis.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/233182566?$p... One knob for time, other for power. All other UIs feel just wrong after using this. Microwaves usea to have this kind of UI when those came to market.

BoppreH 9y ago
I find it interesting it's time per gram. Does it have a scale inside? Combined with the easy-to-understand knobs, this does sound much better.
- mrob 9y ago
  It's not "per gram", it's an dual function dial, used for both time and weight. If the lower dial is switched to defrost mode (2nd position) then the upper dial is switched to weight input. There is no scale inside.
- ThePadawan 9y ago
  The label means "time or grams", where "grams" only applies for defrosting. Defrosting x grams typically takes y seconds, which is just a table lookup. As defrosting most typically involves leftovers (rather than pre-packaged meals or ingredients), you will probably only know their weight, not how long it will take to defrost off the top of your head.
  - panic 9y ago
    I think a small improvement to the design would be to use words (COOK TIME / DEFROST GRAMS), with the "DEFROST GRAMS" text colored to match the defrost option on the bottom (which should also use the word, "DEFROST"). This would let you figure out what the dial does without having to think as much about it. You could also change the screen backlight color in DEFROST mode to reinforce the mode change.
  - TeMPOraL 9y ago
    > As defrosting most typically involves leftovers (rather than pre-packaged meals or ingredients), you will probably only know their weight, not how long it will take to defrost off the top of your head. How would one know that? Do people routinely put leftovers on a scale before putting them into a microwave?
kyberias 9y ago
How do you start it though?
- mrob 9y ago
  It starts automatically a few seconds after entering a time.
  - dmitriid 9y ago
    A second after you stop dialing the time
    - mrob 9y ago
      As best I can measure it, it's slightly over 1.5 seconds, although I suppose there may be multiple firmware versions out there with different timing.
- tscs37 9y ago
  I have an older, non-digital one but it has the same UI. The Microwave starts when you close the door.
mrob 9y ago
This is almost a good design, but there's a potentially dangerous flaw. Although it's not obvious in the picture, the dials have skeuomorphic fake machining marks. These marks can make reflected light look like lines radiating from the center. And the indicator mark is only a shallow depression, which is low contrast under some lighting conditions. The reflections on the fake machining marks can camouflage the indicator mark and make it hard to see. If you mostly use the microwave on full power, that's what you'll expect to see, so it's easy to miss it if the power setting is actually lower. This could result in food being heated less than you expect. It might be warmed instead of cooked, resulting in fast bacteria growth. This can easily be fixed by coloring the indicator mark with a black permanent marker.
- nnq 9y ago
  oh c'mon... there's an LCD/OLED display showing the time clearly. This is so much better than ANY alternative that any critique is nitpicking. (Though, to be honest, I have a very old white with black marks microwave that avoids the problems you mention... but it also had an ugly design that doesn't fit most modern kitchens :P) Translated to web, you're basically saying "all websites should use a high contrast serif font at >16pt. to avoid people committing dangerous mistakes when reading instructions online" :)
  - mrob 9y ago
    The display shows only the time. The power setting is shown by the indentation on the lower dial. This can be hard to see under some lighting conditions, specifically because it's designed to trick people into thinking it's made of metal. The analogy is more like web pages using scanned images of hand writing, which I'd also say is bad design.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
- watt 9y ago
  FWIW here's a perfect microwave. I bought it around year 2000 I think. https://imgur.com/JMaM70x https://imgur.com/JMaM70x
tedeh 9y ago
The last time I bought a Microwave (about four years ago) I remember specifically looking for two knobs just like this. I remember the first microwave I used in the nineties and it worked similarly - just like an oven (also two knobs normally) everyone knew how to operate it almost instantly. The one I eventually found was also the cheapest one and almost the only one. The more expensive models were usually designed around a button interface and had plenty of features like thawing, grill, and so on. Of course all these extra features amount to little more than switching the magnetron on and off according to a programme. Go figure... My mom (who has since taken over it) was very confused about the one second delay between adjusting the time and the microwave starting (just like the linked one there was no start button). She had obviously been accustomed to pressing buttons to get it to operate how she wanted. Which just maybe goes to prove that what is "simple design" is not necessarily the simplest interface but the interface most aligned to the users' previous expectations on how this particular item should work.
kuschku 9y ago
And how do you choose if you want the integrated heating coil (after all, it also doubles as oven) to run? And at what temperature? And if you want to cook in stages? We have at home a programmable one from the 1980s. We constantly use it for stuff like "unfreeze 2 hours, then microwave 1 minute at 800W, then heat at 230C for 20 minutes, then keep warm at 40C"
smsm42 9y ago
This is not bad, but has one problem. How many watts I have to use to heat up my dinner? Watts are not a natural thing that any human knows how to relate to any experience. Of course, with some trial or guidance, I could figure it out. But even then watts are useless for me - I just know 600w means "dinner", but it could as well say "37 zzq" and be as useful as "600 w".

BoppreH 9y ago

I find it interesting it's time per gram. Does it have a scale inside? Combined with the easy-to-understand knobs, this does sound much better.

mrob 9y ago
It's not "per gram", it's an dual function dial, used for both time and weight. If the lower dial is switched to defrost mode (2nd position) then the upper dial is switched to weight input. There is no scale inside.
ThePadawan 9y ago
The label means "time or grams", where "grams" only applies for defrosting. Defrosting x grams typically takes y seconds, which is just a table lookup. As defrosting most typically involves leftovers (rather than pre-packaged meals or ingredients), you will probably only know their weight, not how long it will take to defrost off the top of your head.
- panic 9y ago
  I think a small improvement to the design would be to use words (COOK TIME / DEFROST GRAMS), with the "DEFROST GRAMS" text colored to match the defrost option on the bottom (which should also use the word, "DEFROST"). This would let you figure out what the dial does without having to think as much about it. You could also change the screen backlight color in DEFROST mode to reinforce the mode change.
- TeMPOraL 9y ago
  > As defrosting most typically involves leftovers (rather than pre-packaged meals or ingredients), you will probably only know their weight, not how long it will take to defrost off the top of your head. How would one know that? Do people routinely put leftovers on a scale before putting them into a microwave?

kyberias 9y ago

How do you start it though?

mrob 9y ago
It starts automatically a few seconds after entering a time.
- dmitriid 9y ago
  A second after you stop dialing the time
  - mrob 9y ago
    As best I can measure it, it's slightly over 1.5 seconds, although I suppose there may be multiple firmware versions out there with different timing.
tscs37 9y ago
I have an older, non-digital one but it has the same UI. The Microwave starts when you close the door.

mrob 9y ago

This is almost a good design, but there's a potentially dangerous flaw. Although it's not obvious in the picture, the dials have skeuomorphic fake machining marks. These marks can make reflected light look like lines radiating from the center. And the indicator mark is only a shallow depression, which is low contrast under some lighting conditions. The reflections on the fake machining marks can camouflage the indicator mark and make it hard to see. If you mostly use the microwave on full power, that's what you'll expect to see, so it's easy to miss it if the power setting is actually lower. This could result in food being heated less than you expect. It might be warmed instead of cooked, resulting in fast bacteria growth. This can easily be fixed by coloring the indicator mark with a black permanent marker.

nnq 9y ago
oh c'mon... there's an LCD/OLED display showing the time clearly. This is so much better than ANY alternative that any critique is nitpicking. (Though, to be honest, I have a very old white with black marks microwave that avoids the problems you mention... but it also had an ugly design that doesn't fit most modern kitchens :P) Translated to web, you're basically saying "all websites should use a high contrast serif font at >16pt. to avoid people committing dangerous mistakes when reading instructions online" :)
- mrob 9y ago
  The display shows only the time. The power setting is shown by the indentation on the lower dial. This can be hard to see under some lighting conditions, specifically because it's designed to trick people into thinking it's made of metal. The analogy is more like web pages using scanned images of hand writing, which I'd also say is bad design.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
watt 9y ago
FWIW here's a perfect microwave. I bought it around year 2000 I think. https://imgur.com/JMaM70x https://imgur.com/JMaM70x

tedeh 9y ago

The last time I bought a Microwave (about four years ago) I remember specifically looking for two knobs just like this. I remember the first microwave I used in the nineties and it worked similarly - just like an oven (also two knobs normally) everyone knew how to operate it almost instantly. The one I eventually found was also the cheapest one and almost the only one. The more expensive models were usually designed around a button interface and had plenty of features like thawing, grill, and so on. Of course all these extra features amount to little more than switching the magnetron on and off according to a programme. Go figure... My mom (who has since taken over it) was very confused about the one second delay between adjusting the time and the microwave starting (just like the linked one there was no start button). She had obviously been accustomed to pressing buttons to get it to operate how she wanted. Which just maybe goes to prove that what is "simple design" is not necessarily the simplest interface but the interface most aligned to the users' previous expectations on how this particular item should work.

kuschku 9y ago

And how do you choose if you want the integrated heating coil (after all, it also doubles as oven) to run? And at what temperature? And if you want to cook in stages? We have at home a programmable one from the 1980s. We constantly use it for stuff like "unfreeze 2 hours, then microwave 1 minute at 800W, then heat at 230C for 20 minutes, then keep warm at 40C"

smsm42 9y ago

This is not bad, but has one problem. How many watts I have to use to heat up my dinner? Watts are not a natural thing that any human knows how to relate to any experience. Of course, with some trial or guidance, I could figure it out. But even then watts are useless for me - I just know 600w means "dinner", but it could as well say "37 zzq" and be as useful as "600 w".