4 ms·

Dare I ask why? Analog dials for time are imprecise, frustrating, and I've seen far more of them break than any electronic component in home appliances.

kevincox 3y ago
Very quick and easy to turn it to where I want and precise time isn't very important on a microwave. Idealy the scale wouldn't be linear so that you have more accuracy under 1min and more range available.
- Krutonium 3y ago
  Disagree. The perfect amount of time to cook my favorite brand of Hot Dog in the Microwave is exactly 12 seconds. Shorter and it's too cold, longer and it starts to split.
  - dTal 3y ago
    For such a short amount of time, you could count the seconds - or note how far the turntable rotates in that time. Even with a digital dial, I doubt I would take the time to input 12 seconds - I'd just whack the +30 second start and stare at it for 12 seconds.
    - Arainach 3y ago
      >Even with a digital dial, I doubt I would take the time to input 12 seconds - I'd just whack the +30 second start and stare at it for 12 seconds. ...which is far easier and more consistent than trying to counting seconds in my head. It's also more repeatable and transferrable when someone else is cooking the same thing and asks me how long I heated it for.
photonbeam 3y ago
Humans aren’t digital, dials have a feel that you get used to. My toaster oven has a dial, I have no idea of the values, just how far I turn from muscle memory. I love it
theshrike79 3y ago
It really doesn't matter whether you heat your food for 28 or 32 seconds.
- dagw 3y ago
  No, but 10-15 seconds vs 30 seconds is a huge difference in some cases. 15 seconds will take butter from fridge temp to room temp. 30 seconds will take butter from fridge temp to melted.
  - b112 3y ago
    While I know this is a bit crass to say, there was a time where people just knew how long things took, via internal clocks. It's a skill like any other, which of course has vanished, much like reading maps and math in head.
    - Arainach 3y ago
      Much of the progress of civilization has involved tools that turn things from skills which require focus into things that are automated. It frees the mind to focus on other, more important things. I could also just have an "on" button I have to hold, count seconds in my head, and stop when I think it's done, but thankfully no one is advocating for regressing UI quite that much....yet.
  - eekwatersrising 3y ago
    And 33 seconds is boiling molten lava. I love how microwaves work, there’s a real art to it. 25 seconds , everything is cold but 40 seconds is boiling. 25x2 seconds , with a very short break in between the two, is not equal to 50 seconds. Making these numbers “up” but anyone who has used a microwave with skill and attention will understand me. Also, free tips: 1- put a moist paper towel over pizza and bread to keep it from hardening like a rock later on. 2 - microwave stale bread for a second life.
    - theshrike79 3y ago

kevincox 3y ago

Very quick and easy to turn it to where I want and precise time isn't very important on a microwave. Idealy the scale wouldn't be linear so that you have more accuracy under 1min and more range available.

Krutonium 3y ago
Disagree. The perfect amount of time to cook my favorite brand of Hot Dog in the Microwave is exactly 12 seconds. Shorter and it's too cold, longer and it starts to split.
- dTal 3y ago
  For such a short amount of time, you could count the seconds - or note how far the turntable rotates in that time. Even with a digital dial, I doubt I would take the time to input 12 seconds - I'd just whack the +30 second start and stare at it for 12 seconds.
  - Arainach 3y ago
    >Even with a digital dial, I doubt I would take the time to input 12 seconds - I'd just whack the +30 second start and stare at it for 12 seconds. ...which is far easier and more consistent than trying to counting seconds in my head. It's also more repeatable and transferrable when someone else is cooking the same thing and asks me how long I heated it for.

photonbeam 3y ago

Humans aren’t digital, dials have a feel that you get used to. My toaster oven has a dial, I have no idea of the values, just how far I turn from muscle memory. I love it

theshrike79 3y ago

It really doesn't matter whether you heat your food for 28 or 32 seconds.

dagw 3y ago
No, but 10-15 seconds vs 30 seconds is a huge difference in some cases. 15 seconds will take butter from fridge temp to room temp. 30 seconds will take butter from fridge temp to melted.
- b112 3y ago
  While I know this is a bit crass to say, there was a time where people just knew how long things took, via internal clocks. It's a skill like any other, which of course has vanished, much like reading maps and math in head.
  - Arainach 3y ago
    Much of the progress of civilization has involved tools that turn things from skills which require focus into things that are automated. It frees the mind to focus on other, more important things. I could also just have an "on" button I have to hold, count seconds in my head, and stop when I think it's done, but thankfully no one is advocating for regressing UI quite that much....yet.
- eekwatersrising 3y ago
  And 33 seconds is boiling molten lava. I love how microwaves work, there’s a real art to it. 25 seconds , everything is cold but 40 seconds is boiling. 25x2 seconds , with a very short break in between the two, is not equal to 50 seconds. Making these numbers “up” but anyone who has used a microwave with skill and attention will understand me. Also, free tips: 1- put a moist paper towel over pizza and bread to keep it from hardening like a rock later on. 2 - microwave stale bread for a second life.
  - theshrike79 3y ago