microwave

Not just hot air: A convection microwave

Loyal readers of the blog know that we're fans of the dual-purpose appliances. So when LG unveils an appliance called DuoChef, you can bet we're all over it.

The DuoChef MC8088HLC was just announced last week at the IFA--that's the Internationale Funkausstellung in Berlin, of course, the world's largest consumer electronics trade fair (according to the Web site, anyway). And what two features does the DuoChef combine? Well, it's a combination oven and microwave--the first convection microwave oven with a double convection system, which uses two fans to improve baking and defrosting performance.

The two … Read more

"Novel" receiver to protect electronics against electromagnetic pulse attack

A Malibu, CA company is developing a new system to protect military communication gear from high-power microwave weapons, nuclear blast generated electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and the mythic, directed-energy "e-bomb".

One nuclear airburst can unleash the EMP equivalent to 100,000 volts per square centimeter, frying computer, radar and communication equipment within hundreds of miles. It's possible to protect electronic circuitry from EMP with something called a Faraday cage, or covering it up with 1 inch mesh, grounded, copper chicken wire as they've done with FEMA headquarters; problem is-nothing gets out either, which defeats the purpose when … Read more

Mobile microwave for fast meals on the go

OK, I take back everything I said the other day about the Mini Fridge-Warmer. Or rather, I take back half of the things I said about it. Specifically, the half extolling the virtues of having a portable food warmer plugged into my car for road trips. It seems there is a better way to cook food on the go.

With the In-Car Microwave Oven I can cook whatever want, whenever I want, wherever I want. Suddenly I am free from the tyranny of once-cooked foods. Now, with this mini-mic if I want to heat up some soup or cook a … Read more

A microwave in a drawer?

The microwave has become a key appliance in American cooking, but there are still many kitchens--especially older ones--that just don't have counter space for a microwave. The standard solution has been to put the microwave about the counter, attaching it to the bottom of a handy cabinet. But why not go below the cabinet?

I've heard plenty of horror stories about microwaves falling off the wall, and a below-the-counter option might be an easy remedy. Something along the lines of the Sharp Insight Pro Microwave Drawer might prove ideal. The Microwave Drawer installs into your cabinetry below the … Read more

See what's in drawer No. 2

Appliances have made their way off counters and floors and into a place that's far less conspicuous: drawers. Drawer freezers and fridges have made their way into savvy cooks' kitchens because they make reaching items easier, they blend in under countertops, and they're handicap-friendly.

But the drawer is a space that has great potential outside of the realm of cooling. If you haven't seen it yet, you should take a moment to check out Dacor's Millennia Microwave-in-a-Drawer. Granted, the microwave in a drawer was first released in 2006 by Sharp, but one important lesson to learn … Read more

Mini-mic mimics useful microwave

Have microwaves really become so large and unwieldy that we need to make specialized miniature models? SkyMall, which never seems to disappoint (at least on long flights), is offering up this teeny tiny mini mic, ostensibly for cubicle related emergencies.

Measuring up at a measly 10.5 inches tall by 12 inches wide by 10 inches deep, it's safe to say that the Iwavecube Personal Microwave is probably one of, if not the, smallest little block of microwave on the block. I don't have a bag of microwaveable popcorn at the ready, but I'm not convinced a … Read more

Emerson brightens kitchens

Microwaves always seem to come in boring colors: black, white, gray, and the occasional brown. If you're interested in microwaves with style, fake wood grain has been the fanciest choice available. That's changing, though. With large appliances in every color, it's getting easier to find microwaves that can contribute to a bright color scheme in your kitchen. Emerson has several stylish microwaves on the market, but plenty of them are black or gray. Their 700-watt model, however, comes in candy apple red--a color guaranteed to catch anyone's eye. At 0.7 cubic feet, it is not … Read more

Microwave and oven, all in one

Sure, microwaves are much faster than your conventional oven. However, there are some drawbacks. The two appliances just cook food differently. LG has a solution, though: the Light Wave microwave. This unit combines microwave and conventional oven technologies to get an amazingly high quality microwave oven.

The Light Wave guarantees a speedy dinner: it cooks food at much higher temperatures and can cook meals up to three times faster. It's a countertop appliance that can heat food to more than 500 degrees Fahrenheit in less than five minutes. The Light Wave uses LG's Mega Heater System: light waves … Read more

Jenn-Air's 30-inch microwave is a roomy over-the-range option

With this Jenn-Air 30-inch microwave oven you're paying a little more than rival models for more features and a roomy interior for cooking larger dishes.

This oven, model JMV8208BAB, doesn't have speed cook or convection, but it offers a generous 2.0 cubic feet of cooking space and lots of functionality.

The oven's features include a halogen work surface light so you can keep an eye on food as it cooks, preprogrammed one-touch electronic buttons, more/less pads for adding or reducing cooking times, and a warming mode. A 30-second pad lets you heat in short increments. … Read more

LG microwave is big on function

I have four small kids, so when we plan a large dinner with friends, I do as much cooking as possible ahead of time. But I also live in Houston, so running the oven at 170 degrees to keep the food warm until we sit down to eat doesn't exactly thrill me. I've tried microwaving cooked food, but it delays the start of the meal, because each item has to be placed inside and heated. When I cram in several dishes at once, the turntable sputters, and I end up with spills all over everything.

LG's new … Read more