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If you are new to the world of convenience-forward cooking, you may want to learn about the various types of microwaves. The best microwaves, after all, are not created equal, and many boast unique designs to suit different consumers. So what are the types of microwaves, and which is best for you? Keep reading to find out.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Before you answer why a metal rack rests in your microwave, you need to learn about the various oven types. There is your standard microwave oven if you are comparing an LG vs a Bosch microwave oven combo. There are also smart inverter microwaves, which is an interesting design. Some microwaves even go above the oven if you are comparing a Bosch vs Kitchenaid over-the-range convection microwave.
Insider Tip
No matter which type of microwave you choose, clean it regularly to ensure longevity.
Here are the many microwave types out there, so you can get going on conducting an LG vs a Panasonic inverter microwave review, among others.
This is your standard microwave oven of the type you have likely been using your whole life. They sit on a counter. There is a spinning plate inside. You put bowls of leftovers inside, push a few buttons, and voila. You know the drill.
There is a reason this standard design has remained so popular throughout the decades. These microwaves are easy-to-use, budget-friendly, and offer little-to-no difficulty when installing. They also excel with a large variety of ingredients and recipes, though they have some limitations compared to some of the more advanced combo units.
This is essentially a solo microwave oven that is designed to fit atop your oven range. Beyond that, the features can differ wildly depending on how much money you spend. Your average OTR microwave offers a bare-bones feature set in line with a standard oven, but you can find grill microwaves, convection microwaves, and other types that fit atop the range.
Space saving is the obvious purpose of over-the-range microwaves, but they also offer increased ventilation to remove heated air from the home and move it outside.
As the name suggests, this type combines the functionalities of a standard microwave with that of a convection oven. The end result? A microwave that excels with basic cooking tasks and also convection-related cooking. Convection cooking involves moving ultra-heated air throughout the chamber to prepare ingredients quickly. You have heard of an air fryer, right? That is a convection oven.
This drastically increases the number of recipes you can cook, transforming your microwave from a simple leftover machine to something much more nuanced.
Warning
Some microwaves draw a lot of power and can short circuits. Perform research ahead of time.
Inverter microwaves offer a significant refinement of the standard magnetron-based technology found with regular microwave ovens. Consider these a modern take on the 1960s design, as inverter technology provides even power for long periods of time. Regular microwaves, you see, constantly turn on and off during use, though you do not notice.
Why go for an inverter microwave? The technology is on the newer side and somewhat future-proof. Additionally, you will eliminate some of the negatives of traditional microwave cooking, such as unevenly prepared recipes.
STAT: The most common types of microwaves include built-in, over-the-range, countertop, under-counter, wall oven, and microwave combination, smart and convection microwaves. (source)
This is another combo design, but instead of offering convection cooking, this type adds a grill to the mix. That’s right. Use this type of microwave to heat up leftovers and toast bread, cook oven pizza, and even grill meats. Anything you used to use a grill or even a toaster oven for, you can do with these.
Just like convection microwave ovens, this type ships in a variety of sub-categories, such as OTR ovens, low-profile ovens, built-in ovens, and more. Also, grill microwaves are relatively new, so look for many to include smart features.
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