Microwave, yes or no?

**max915** · 09-09-2011, 03:55 PM

I can't remember the last time I used mine...I used to make popcorn in it but since we grew our own the taste of microwave popcorn just doesn't cut it...so I myself would not miss it...rest of the family who knows

**shoiji** · 09-09-2011, 05:29 PM

I constantly use my microwave, especially in the summer time. Cuts down on the amount of heat in the place. My kitchen is small and the microwave sits on a bureau in the dinning area next to the kitchen. I use a heavy duty orange extention cord since the outlet is to far away for the microwave cord.

**mndtrp** · 09-09-2011, 07:11 PM

We reheat a lot of leftovers, as well as cold cups of coffee, water for tea, popcorn, probably several other things I can't think of right now. While we could do all of this with the stove or oven, it would take a lot longer. It would cost more in energy usage, plus it would mean more dishes and pans to clean.

So, no, I would not go without a microwave. It would be something I would replace within a day or three.

**frugalwarrior2** · 09-10-2011, 01:12 AM

We actually have 3. DH has 1 in his office ,1 in the kitch, and 1 in our MIL. Apt.
I love the multi tasking ability. I put meat in to defrost,go flip laundry let the dogs in or out w/ out worries of water boiling over. I like to microwave tea water.make popcorn,ccok veg like green beans. I often use if for baked potatoes while I grill meat and heat beans on the BBq burner.
Now that Ds is at college the need will prob. decrease as he was the consumer of FOOD.

**RaineyDaye** · 09-10-2011, 07:34 AM

When the microwave died... I tried going without one for over a month. I cooked everything on the stove, reheated on the stove. Eventually, I was spending more time cleaning pans because I was reheating everything on the stove or oven

Me too. I tried going without a microwave when mine broke, but had to get a replacement after six weeks of doing without. I make oatmeal in the microwave, in a cereal bowl. I reheat coffee all the time. The microwave saves me so much time, and saves me from washing pots and pans from reheating food.

**Mrs K** · 09-10-2011, 07:50 AM

When ours broke, we thought we fidn't need to replace... Wrong! After two days we bought a new one!
Dh reheats leftovers when I'm not there
I bake potatoes, reheat rice snd even steam fish in those ziploc bag thingies. Especially in the summer it's a great fast heat free way to prep dinner

**Starlight9803** · 09-10-2011, 08:27 AM

If my microwave were to go out, I would probably have to replace it. I rarely use it except for a quick baked potato now and then, but DH uses it to reheat his coffee, and the kids use it constantly to reheat leftovers and make oatmeal, noodles, etc. I'm more comfortable with my kids using the microwave than the stove, not to mention less clean up for me afterwards. I have a cabinet / microwave stand that mine goes onto, but if it were just me in the house, I'd rather have my floor space back, the family just wouldn't go for it lol

**rudypoo98** · 09-10-2011, 08:14 PM

I have had a microwave convection oven for two years.I use it every day.I got it before my old microwave quit it's stainless steel inside and out.Didn't cost much I looked around on the web think I got it from the nerds it was cheaper there than the same one at Walmart.It was 80 some dollars.

**Squidge** · 09-11-2011, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by Lady_V

When the microwave died... I tried going without one for over a month. I cooked everything on the stove, reheated on the stove. Eventually, I was spending more time cleaning pans because I was reheating everything on the stove or oven that I finally broke down and bought one about the size of a shoe box at a garage sale for $5.

I know it's not an issue for you, but my Diva was young enough that I didn't want her touching the stove/oven to make her oatmeal in the morning, or water for cocoa (etc)

Originally Posted by mndtrp

We reheat a lot of leftovers, as well as cold cups of coffee, water for tea, popcorn, probably several other things I can't think of right now. While we could do all of this with the stove or oven, it would take a lot longer. It would cost more in energy usage, plus it would mean more dishes and pans to clean.

So, no, I would not go without a microwave. It would be something I would replace within a day or three.

to the bolded. Personally, our microwave is pretty essential. I don't like having to switch on the oven to reheat food since it takes about 10 minutes to warm up before the food can even be heated properly. Plus, I find it saves a lot of time, both in terms of the cooking and in terms of the cleaning up after it has been used. A good example of this is scrambled eggs; the mess from making these in the microwave is considerably less than from making them on the stove.

**nuisance26** · 09-11-2011, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by Starlight9803

I rarely use it except for a quick baked potato now and then, but DH uses it to reheat his coffee, and the kids use it constantly to reheat leftovers and make oatmeal, noodles, etc. I'm more comfortable with my kids using the microwave than the stove, not to mention less clean up for me afterwards.

~I completely agree. We've gone without for a few months while I looked for a deal on a replacement. I wasn't inconvenienced much but for everyone else it was a need. They want their food fast.
One of our moms(can't remember which)took pity on us and bought us one. So nice.

Since then we've bought a big freezer and I cook and prep things to put in it. The microwave is invaluable to me now when I forget to plan dinner or we have special requests. I can nuke something homemade in 10 minutes. I can defrost meat if I forgot to take it out. And that seems to happen more and more frequently these days. I can get a complete meal of leftovers heated the next day for lunch and only dirty the one plate. I hate doing dishes so the chunk of space my microwave takes up on my 11 linear feet of kitchen counter is worth it to me.
I would choose a microwave over a toaster oven any day because of the heat the toaster oven puts off. Inconvenient in summer and not very safe around children. If I want to put something in an oven I'll use a real oven and make something else, like a cake, at the same time to make full use of oven capacity and energy consumed.~

**eofelis** · 09-11-2011, 06:12 PM

A few years ago our small microwave of 15yrs died suddenly on xmas eve. I'd usually never go shopping on xmas eve but we ran right out and got another small one for $60.

I'm not much of a cook but I do make chili and other freezeable meal foods that can easily be reheated in the microwave for a quick meal. So we use out microwave a lot. Yeah, I wouldn't hesitate to replace it when it dies.

We also do microwave popcorn a lot. We have some special microwave popcorn bowls with lids. I don't know the maker, I couldn't even find them online anywhere. I found another one at a yard sale a few weeks ago for 25c so I stashed it aside as a spare.

We use our toaster oven a lot too. We just have a $20 model. At my work the office manager liked the idea of a toaster oven so much that she got one for the office. I can now have toast for breakfast there. Nice.

**kzhen8** · 09-12-2011, 09:50 AM

I'd say no to a microwave, and yes to a toaster oven. The convenience of a microwave isn't worth the health effects, such as the radiation that's emitted into foods. Hope that helps!