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wrote:
> The Ranger wrote:
> > After a decade of daily use, my GE convection-microwave crapped
> > out. We're looking for another to take its place. In hitting the
> > different appliance stores and local dept. stores, all we saw were
> > vent/exhaust-microwaves and carousel microwaves. Do they no longer
> > make non-carousel microwaves? If so, is there one that's durable
> > enough for daily use like models or yore?
> >
> > Many thanks for any leads.
> >
> > The Ranger
>
>
> The poorest performing nukes use a stirrer and no turntable. A stirrer
> is a rotating metal flapwheel either in the ceiling or floor of the
> machine, and it bounces the radio waves around at various angles.
>
> These machines are best avoided. They require turning the food by hand
> during cooking, and produce the highest incidence of food poisoning,
> due to giving the least even cooking. They are also quite prone to
> stirrer failure. These machines were popular in the 70s.
>
>
> The next best type uses a turntable to rotate the food. Better results
> than the stirrer, but you cant put as big a dish in. In practice one
> can sometimes turn the turntable upside down so it doesnt turn, or on a
> few of them swtch it off, and use the space fully. But heating tends to
> be very uneven like this, and its not recommended.
>
>
> The best machines use both stirrer and turntable. If you can afford a
> good microwave, ensure it has both stirrer and tt. These really are
> much better than the usual turntable types, but for some reason theyre
> quite a bit more money.
>
> If youre extra lucky, you might even find one where you can switch the
> tt off and use large dishes, but you will get more basic performance in
> this mode.

Most folks don't actually cook with their microwave oven, mostly they
heat and reheat small quantities. The typical microwave oven user
dosen't need any super-duper high priced commercial unit as you've
described and are typically found at restaurants. No body needs a
three hundred dollar nuker to reheat a slice of pizza or a cup of
cawfee. For those who actually cook at home with their microwaves the
best buy are the multi-function units, those that also include a
conventional convection oven function. Prices have come way down on
microwave ovens over the years but the commercial types are still
rather costly for what they are and for typical home use are totally
unnecessary.

Sheldon