Capacity
The higher the capacity, the more food can be cooked at once. A microwave oven with a volume of up to 20 litres is suitable for heating one plate. In a model with a volume of more than 28 litres, you can already put a whole pan.
Design
The retro design imitates old kitchen appliances. Retro microwaves often are equipped with unusual, frilly-shaped parts; brass, bronze and other similar materials are widely used in them. At the same time, in terms of functionality, such models are modern and match the classic microwave ovens. Note that retro design is not cheap, so it makes sense to pay attention to such models only if the appearance is fundamentally important and you are ready to pay extra for it.
Power
The higher the power of the microwave, the faster the food is heated. The vast majority of models provide the ability to adjust it. It is believed that for comfortable cooking you need to purchase a model with a power of at least 900 watts. If you plan to use the microwave oven exclusively for heating food, you can get by with less powerful models.
Turntable diameter
The larger the diameter of the table, the larger dishes can be used in the oven. This spec directly depends on the volume of the microwave oven.
Power levels
It is the number of fixed power levels provided in the design of the microwave. The more such levels, the wider the capabilities of the device because different tasks require different heating intensities.
Features
— Steamer. The possibility of using a microwave oven as a steamer. For this, the corresponding accessories are included in the box of supply.
— Inverter. Inverter technology provides better and more uniform heating. In such ovens, the heater operates at the power set by the user constantly. Whereas in the absence of the inverter, the heating power is regulated by periodically turning the heater on/off. This function will be useful for those who plan to use the microwave oven for cooking complex dishes.
— Grill. Device for cooking, for example, frying meat. In microwave ovens, the grill usually has the form of a separate heating element installed in the working chamber (most often from above). Usually, it is possible to use the grill both separately and in combination with microwaves.
— Convection. Microwave ovens with convection are equipped with an additional heating element and a special fan, the task of which is to evenly distribute heated air, which results in some analogue of an oven. Convection microwave ovens cook more evenly.
— Custom programme. The ability to create your modes of operation and make changes to existing ones. Only advanced and, therefore, expensive models have such an ability.
— Defrost. The presence of this mode allows you to quickly defrost food without overheating and unnecessary hassle.
— Autoheat. It is a function that allows you to automate the process of heating cooked food....Just set the type and weight of the product, and the microwave will choose the optimal time and power for heating it.
— Autocooking. In this case, the microwave oven determines the best mode, the most suitable power and the optimal cooking time. The user only needs to indicate the products used and their weight.
— Auto-defrost. The function is useful when defrosting food — you need to specify what product is defrosted and set its weight. Next, the microwave oven will automatically select the most optimal defrosting mode and duration.
— Deodorizer. An operating mode is designed to eliminate unwanted odours in the microwave oven, which can affect the taste of the dishes being cooked. Usually, manufacturers recommend using the deodorizer after cooking foods with a strong smell, as well as in case of strong smoke.
— Temperature sensor. A sensor that allows you to determine the temperature of the food being cooked. This feature makes it much easier to monitor the cooking process. However, it is not cheap.
— Delayed start timer. With this function, you can pre-load the ingredients for cooking or ready-made food for heating into the microwave and set the time for the automatic start of the programme so that it ends at the most convenient time. For example, by the time you wake up or return from work.
Door opens with
- Handle. The door of the built-in microwave oven opens and closes with a handle while fixing in the closed position is provided by a spring latch. To open such a door, you need to pull it by the handle, overcoming the resistance of the spring latch. The handle on the door is common in capacious microwaves, as well as models with a downward opening door.
- Button. The door opening mechanism automatically ejects the door at the push of a button. To close the door back, the user needs to press the edge of the door against the lock. As a rule, the open button is used in built-in microwaves with a capacity not higher than average. The push-button opening mechanism is relevant only for models with a sideward door opening. The button allows you to get rid of the handle, which in some cases can spoil the overall interior of the kitchen, but the weak point of such a mechanism is the lock device itself, which is subject to mechanical wear.
Display
The presence of the display makes it easier to handle the microwave oven, allowing you to show information about the time, mode, etc. It is present mainly in electronically controlled models. However, mechanical ones can also have a display. And advanced models can be equipped not with a classic LED display but with a TFT display that can display not only letters and numbers but also images.
