I just destroyed my microwave

[emortis13]

I just moved out on my own 6 months ago. The microwave I have is the one the foster family I lived with has had since 1985. They gave it to me because I’m “just a friggen cutie pie” and I just destroyed it.

The story:

So, I was going through the craft closet trying to find some glue and instead I find a plastic ice-cream container 1/4 filled with glycerin soap. It was the most wonderful smelling concoction. I remembered vaguely about dragon’s blood oil and some nice lotion.

I grinned to myself and busted out my soap molds. I ran gleefully to the microwave and moved my ghetto 80s dale to 2 minutes. I then resumed my search for glue. The microwave goes ding. I grinned and went to the microwave only to discover that the plastic container had melted and the soap is on every inch of the microwave. I stared in shock. I remained motionless as I watched the green clear goop drip down the front of the bookcase, all over my beloved cookbooks and on to the floor leaving a path of destruction. The sweet smelling soap was now an evil concoction of doom.

I spent an hour scrubbing at the microwave trying to get this crap off. I have failed. Time for a new microwave. One that’s from 2007 and has buttons not dials. One that goes beep not ding.

I know nothing about microwaves. I want to be happy with this 30.00- 50.00 purchase. Very happy.

What brand is best? Are there any common problems like plates not fitting? Is there anything weird about a certain type of microwave that I should steer clear of?

[emortis13]

I have decided that I am not going to buy a new microwave. I am going to be anti consumer about this. The microwave takes nurturance out of food, and I never use it anyways. If I just use the stove and oven things should be fine. I don’t need a microwave. I would rather send 50.00 to my credit card or by some extra groceries so if something bad happens again I will have food.

Microwave bad.

[emortis13]

hahaha, and now the meat eating, microwave loving, fast food consuming partner has decided that the microwave is a gift to mind kind. {I’m a vegetarian heath nut} So, we are going to get a microwave after all. Ug, such drama!

Bad, bad microwave.

So, same question as the first message.

[jinx]

I really like having a microwave. I have a small one. when we needed a new one I decided to buy a smaller one to replace the huge one we had.
The new one is small enough to fit on the counter, but will still fit a dinner plate. I only paid around 60.00 on sale, that is a kemmore brand and it is fine. Any of the name brands should be okay. I would stay away from the reconditioned ones that some discount stores/outlets sell. Although I know reconditioned products are supposed to be just like new, a reconditioned micro scares me.
I would keep checking stores like walmart, target, best buy,sears. If your like my family, who basically just warms stuff up a small one would do. I would suggest get one that has the turntable that rotates the plate when heating, that makes the food warm up evenly.

[JustJoy]

emortis13.... I feel your pain...lol About a year ago I was making a bag of microwave popcorn and I mistakingly punched in 20 minutes instead of 2! Needless to say by the time I realized something was wrong there was smoke pouring out of the microwave and the popcorn burned to a crisp! The inside of my microwave is now coated in a lovely brown color which try as I might...there is no way it's going to come clean. The microwave still works fine, so I'm holding on to it until it croaks.....which I'm hoping is soon....LOL!

[sixfreds]

I have one but to be honest it is just an expensive popcprn popper, we only use it to make micro popcorn.....once in a great while if my husband is really late coming home from work he will heat up supper but that is it I have never really cooked in it.

I would just get a basic model you can find them cheap (on sale) I would just make sure it would fit a dinner plate, incase you need to warm up a dinner you can :~)

Eileen

[jamie79]

I have a G.E 1100 watt microwave I got at Walmart for $55. Its a nice size without taking up alot of room. Works well

[TheRootedNomad]

I would check freecycle in your area. Lots of people get rid of thier counter top Micro's when they redo thier kitchen and put in an over the stove one.

Not much help on brands. I'm not even sure what brand mine is (it does have buttons) but I think it's from 1991. Haven't had to shop for one in a long time.

[YankeeMom]

We had to replace our microwave after a fourth cross country move. It was a Sharp and it was VERY old. About 20yrs old, like yours...with a dial & everything lol. When we went shopping for a new one, we got another Sharp, and are hoping it will last as long as the first one. Our youngest son (before I figured out how to use the ChildLock) set fire to some hot wheels in a paper bag inside it, I have exploded microwave candy (think hardening sugary syrup ALL over the inside of the microwave) and it's still going strong.

This is the one we have: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sharp-R-308KK-1-Cubic-Foot-1100-Watt-Microwave/dp/B0009WO7Z8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_8/002-0595522-5411251?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1175773907&sr=8-8"]Amazon.com: Sharp R-308KK 1-Cubic-Foot 1100-Watt Microwave Oven, Black: Home & Garden[/ame]

[YankeeMom]

Can't Edit:

We did try to do without one right after the first one died. After about 2 weeks without it, we realized just how much we really do use it.
-for heating up single cups of tea (rather than turn on the gas stove)
-reheating cups of coffee
-cooking the frozen veggies for dinner EVERY SINGLE NIGHT
-heating up frozen sauces/gravies saved from leftovers & put in the freezer for future use
-thawing meats when I've forgotten to take something out, rather than just saying the heck with it and going out to dinner
-heating up leftovers for lunch the next day. Do you know how hard it is to heat up sauce-less spaghetti without making it dry & crispy or soggy & overcooked without a microwave?

And many many more things I can't think of because I have a microwave LOL.

[pkellyc]

I have an inexpensive Samsung microwave that replaced my 1980's microwave and it's works beautifully. In fact it's better than the old, humongous, super duper one.

[Katybird]

The only advice I have is to make sure that you get one that has enough power to actually be useful. We had a small $30 one for a short time and the wattage was so low that it would take extra time to even heat up food and for defrosting it took so long that it was not much help.

[Missy]

we have a mid sized hot pink one. why hot pink? funny you should ask. a "friend" of ours at the time didn't like our normal person black one. So they did a "appliance makeover" ala HGTV and ...surprised us...yeah...surprised...us with a brand new modern spiffy hip hot pink one. never did find out what happened to the one i LIKED. sigh. that was almost 8 years ago. and no matter what i do to this one, i can't kill it. don't think i haven't tried.

it's a gold star eye chef

[halloweenfreak]

hahahahahah sorry, but that sounds exactly like something i would do. i have a cheap 30 dollar sunbeam from walmart. sure it has a little less wattage, but ive not had a problem with it taking too long to cook or defrost.

[Marie78]

I hope you find a new microwave that works for you, I am excited at how inexpensive microwaves are now. Almost 10 years ago when I got mine, I think it was around $80-$100. I would have gotten a cheaper one if I could have found one. I love my microwave, I use it to heat up veggies, side dishes, thaw meat from the freezer, heat up freezer meals that I have frozen myself, heat my cup of tea or coffee, popcorn, heat soup, reheat leftovers from the fridge, make oatmeal in the morning. I am sure I am forgetting something. I don't know how I would survive daily without one, it would be tough!