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> The cheapest microwaves you can get have two dials, one for temp, one for time. Why not buy one of those?? I imagine two reasons: first, the market seems to

> The cheapest microwaves you can get have two dials, one for temp, one for time. Why not buy one of those?? I imagine two reasons: first, the market seems to have decided that simple microwaves must be small microwaves. If you want to heat anything larger than a bowl of soup you’re gonna forfeit the dials. Second, most of the time the dials also suck. Want to heat something for 2 minutes 30 seconds? Good luck with that on a cheap microwave that shows minutes in 5mm increments with 2.5mm of play in the dial.

akiselev 5y ago
I didn't think of looking at commercial microwaves so I ended up getting the Breville Smooth Wave [1] with its power and time dials. It's ridiculous that the only consumer microwave I could find locally with dials instead of touch controls was also the most expensive one with the exception of the ultra-sleek high end cabinet mounted units. It's 1.2 cu ft which is on the bigger end and much quieter than the microwaves I'm used to with some sort of ventilation system that keeps going until you've retrieved the food. It's definitely more precise than the cheaper commercial microwaves I've seen without losing any of the "smart sensing" features, if you care for those. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BMO850BSS1BUC1-countertop-microwave-Stainless/dp/B085P3GCJT https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BMO850BSS1BUC1-countertop-mi...
- culturestate 5y ago
  I was thinking about the cheap microwaves that use a mechanical countdown dial (like a kitchen timer) rather than just dials as a digital control surface.
tlb 5y ago
Miele makes a large, deluxe unit with 2 dials. I like it. https://www.mieleusa.com/e/built-in-microwave-oven-m-6040-sc-clean-touch-steel-9762410-p https://www.mieleusa.com/e/built-in-microwave-oven-m-6040-sc...
alpaca128 5y ago
> the market seems to have decided that simple microwaves must be small microwaves. Maybe I'm living in the wrong area of the world, I've never seen a differently sized microwave no matter the price category. They all are about large enough to fit a decently sized dish. Sure, the pizza from the local place won't fit, but that's not a microwave problem then. > Want to heat something for 2 minutes 30 seconds? Not really. In the 15 years I've had my ~$35 microwave (without a single issue I might add) I was never in a situation where I'd need much precision. Not to mention with every microwave, no matter the model, you need to have a feeling for how long to heat what in the first place. A lot of precision comes from that rather than beeping second counters.
- culturestate 5y ago
  > I've never seen a differently sized microwave no matter the price category A quick look at the Amazon search filters for 'microwave' will tell this story - there are some that would fit the whole pizza and others that wouldn't even take your dinner plate.
solatic 5y ago
> Want to heat something for 2 minutes 30 seconds? Good luck with that on a cheap microwave that shows minutes in 5mm increments with 2.5mm of play in the dial. No cooking really works like this. Set the microwave timer for 30 minutes and set a timer on your phone for 2 minutes. After two minutes, pull the microwave timer to zero to stop the microwave and check the food. Decide whether or not it needs more time and chuck it back in, pulling the timer to 30 minutes again. After you count off 30-40 seconds in your head, pull the timer to zero and check the food. Rinse/repeat as necessary. The timer isn't there for anything more than a safety to make sure that the microwave doesn't stay on forever if you forget about it.
- culturestate 5y ago
  You're drastically underestimating the most convenient feature of a microwave: repeatability. Once you know how long something needs to be cooked and at what level - say, a mug of your favorite soup - you can just throw it in, put in your usual settings, and have something that's ready to eat when it dings[1]. A few seconds either way can be the difference between "needs more time" and "oh dear god my mouth is on fire." There's a reason one of the first "smart" features microwaves added was customizable presets. 1. This is, incidentally, how microwaves are used in restaurants too. Nobody's guessing.
- aembleton 5y ago
  > After two minutes, pull the microwave timer to zero to stop the microwave and check the food. Just open the door.
kwhitefoot 5y ago
Simple doesn't have to mean poor quality. I have a Moulinex 800 W microwave with a turntable. It has a non-linear timer dial so that short times are easy to set. Five minutes on that dial is 180 degrees but from then on an extra five minutes is only 20 degrees up to a total of 30 minutes. The power knob is continuous and spans 270 degrees (but the actual power regulation is a simple on off duty cycle control). I inherited it from my mother thirty years ago and apart from the internal lamp failing it works perfectly. Moulinex still make microwave ovens with similarly easy controls.
- culturestate 5y ago
  > Simple doesn't have to mean poor quality. No, but "cheapest" usually does.

akiselev 5y ago

I didn't think of looking at commercial microwaves so I ended up getting the Breville Smooth Wave [1] with its power and time dials. It's ridiculous that the only consumer microwave I could find locally with dials instead of touch controls was also the most expensive one with the exception of the ultra-sleek high end cabinet mounted units. It's 1.2 cu ft which is on the bigger end and much quieter than the microwaves I'm used to with some sort of ventilation system that keeps going until you've retrieved the food. It's definitely more precise than the cheaper commercial microwaves I've seen without losing any of the "smart sensing" features, if you care for those. [1] https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BMO850BSS1BUC1-countertop-microwave-Stainless/dp/B085P3GCJT https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BMO850BSS1BUC1-countertop-mi...

culturestate 5y ago
I was thinking about the cheap microwaves that use a mechanical countdown dial (like a kitchen timer) rather than just dials as a digital control surface.

tlb 5y ago

Miele makes a large, deluxe unit with 2 dials. I like it. https://www.mieleusa.com/e/built-in-microwave-oven-m-6040-sc-clean-touch-steel-9762410-p https://www.mieleusa.com/e/built-in-microwave-oven-m-6040-sc...

alpaca128 5y ago

> the market seems to have decided that simple microwaves must be small microwaves. Maybe I'm living in the wrong area of the world, I've never seen a differently sized microwave no matter the price category. They all are about large enough to fit a decently sized dish. Sure, the pizza from the local place won't fit, but that's not a microwave problem then. > Want to heat something for 2 minutes 30 seconds? Not really. In the 15 years I've had my ~$35 microwave (without a single issue I might add) I was never in a situation where I'd need much precision. Not to mention with every microwave, no matter the model, you need to have a feeling for how long to heat what in the first place. A lot of precision comes from that rather than beeping second counters.

culturestate 5y ago
> I've never seen a differently sized microwave no matter the price category A quick look at the Amazon search filters for 'microwave' will tell this story - there are some that would fit the whole pizza and others that wouldn't even take your dinner plate.

solatic 5y ago

> Want to heat something for 2 minutes 30 seconds? Good luck with that on a cheap microwave that shows minutes in 5mm increments with 2.5mm of play in the dial. No cooking really works like this. Set the microwave timer for 30 minutes and set a timer on your phone for 2 minutes. After two minutes, pull the microwave timer to zero to stop the microwave and check the food. Decide whether or not it needs more time and chuck it back in, pulling the timer to 30 minutes again. After you count off 30-40 seconds in your head, pull the timer to zero and check the food. Rinse/repeat as necessary. The timer isn't there for anything more than a safety to make sure that the microwave doesn't stay on forever if you forget about it.

culturestate 5y ago
You're drastically underestimating the most convenient feature of a microwave: repeatability. Once you know how long something needs to be cooked and at what level - say, a mug of your favorite soup - you can just throw it in, put in your usual settings, and have something that's ready to eat when it dings[1]. A few seconds either way can be the difference between "needs more time" and "oh dear god my mouth is on fire." There's a reason one of the first "smart" features microwaves added was customizable presets. 1. This is, incidentally, how microwaves are used in restaurants too. Nobody's guessing.
aembleton 5y ago
> After two minutes, pull the microwave timer to zero to stop the microwave and check the food. Just open the door.

kwhitefoot 5y ago

Simple doesn't have to mean poor quality. I have a Moulinex 800 W microwave with a turntable. It has a non-linear timer dial so that short times are easy to set. Five minutes on that dial is 180 degrees but from then on an extra five minutes is only 20 degrees up to a total of 30 minutes. The power knob is continuous and spans 270 degrees (but the actual power regulation is a simple on off duty cycle control). I inherited it from my mother thirty years ago and apart from the internal lamp failing it works perfectly. Moulinex still make microwave ovens with similarly easy controls.

culturestate 5y ago
> Simple doesn't have to mean poor quality. No, but "cheapest" usually does.