Microwave oven, or microwave, is almost an indispensable attribute of any Russian cuisine. Why is this household appliance so common? The point is its speed - the heating time in the microwave is measured in seconds, while on the stove it will take much longer. Convenience also plays an important role - the microwave is small in size and will fit even in the smallest "Khrushchev". And if there is no stove and there is no way to put it? The microwave can replace it in many ways!
How the microwave came into being
The American physicist Percy Spencer is considered to be the "father" of the microwave oven. He developed microwave emitters, and during his experiments he noticed that organic matter is heated under the influence of microwaves. How exactly this happened, history is silent, but there are two most common versions: according to one of them, he absentmindedly forgot a sandwich on the appliance, and when he remembered it, he was already very warm. The second version claims that Spencer carried a chocolate bar in his pocket, which naturally melted under the influence of microwave frequencies.
Use inlife
One way or another, having discovered the "food" properties of microwave radiation in 1942, already at 45, the physicist received a patent for his invention. And two years later, in 1947, the US military warmed up their breakfasts, lunches and dinners in the microwave. Whatever the microwave did, the principle of operation of its mechanism did not bother the military - the main thing was that it gave a quick result. True, the microwave in the 40s was still "not the same" - the weight of the device exceeded 300 kilograms!
Further, Sharp took over the business - already in the 62nd it released the first model of a consumer microwave oven "to the people". She did not cause a special surge of interest, because the use of microwave radiation scared away buyers. Later, the same company invented the "rotating plate", and in the 79th - the electronic control system.
What is a microwave oven made of?
A microwave oven consists of several essential parts:
- Transformer.
- The magnetron in the microwave is actually a microwave emitter.
- Waveguide, due to which radiation is transmitted to an isolated chamber.
- Metalized chamber - the place where food is heated.
Additional elements of the microwave are: a rotating stand for more even heating of food, electronics to control various modes, a timer, a fan.
How does a microwave heat food?
Despite the seeming"magic" that the microwave has, the principle of operation is absolutely scientific and logical. Almost any food contains molecules of water and other elements that have both positive and negative charges. In the absence of a magnetic field, the charges in molecules are arranged randomly, randomly. A strong magnetic field instantly organizes electric charges - they become directed strictly in accordance with the course of the magnetic field lines.
The peculiarity of microwave radiation is that it "flips" dipole molecules not just quickly, but unimaginably - almost 5 billion times per second! Molecules move in accordance with the change in the magnetic field, and the highest speed of "switching" literally creates a friction effect. It is thanks to this that food in the microwave is heated in a few seconds.
Types of microwave ovens
What are microwave ovens and how do they differ from each other:
- Solo oven, or ordinary microwave. It belongs to the most budgetary models and is intended only for defrosting and heating food. As a rule, such microwave ovens have mechanical control and are quite reliable, since there is nothing special to break.
- Microwave with grill and convection. These functions of the microwave come both together and separately. The grill is an additional heating element, which is located most often under the ceiling of the chamber, and a rotating spit. Convection is the circulation of hot air inside the chamber, which providesadditional and more uniform heating of food. Such microwaves, as a rule, belong to the middle price category and work on both mechanical and electronic controls.
- Multifunctional microwave ovens. Many modes, of course, convection and grill, a steamer function, as well as a whole range of culinary solutions for your kitchen. Of course, such serious household appliances are expensive and controlled by sophisticated electronics.
Despite the difference in details, the $20 microwave oven is the same as the $200 microwave oven. The principle of operation is the same.
How else are microwave ovens different from each other?
- Volume. Household microwave ovens differ from each other, but not too much. But industrial microwaves are completely different - they can heat up several dozen servings at once.
- Grill type. It can be ceramic, quartz or heating element. With the same semantic load, they differ in details: for example, a quartz grill heats up more evenly and spends less electricity, but a heating element can work more intensively and is also easier to clean.
- Method of coating the inner walls. There are also several of them - enamel painting, durable enamel and special coatings (bioceramic and antibacterial). Painting is the cheapest and most short-lived, enamel is already better, although prolonged and intensive use also makes it unusable. Special coatings can be called eternal. The disadvantages include high price and fragility in relation toshock loads. And yes, there is also stainless steel - a great option for those who are not ready to fork out too much for a microwave. Durable, reliable, great-looking coating easily withstands long and intense heat. The disadvantages of stainless steel include difficulties in laundering - several cleanings with abrasive agents create a network of micro-scratches on its surface, into which burnt fat "clings" with all its molecules.
- Types of control. There are only three of them - mechanics, buttons, touch panel. The mechanics are cheap, easy to use, reliable, the disadvantage is the accuracy of setting the time. The buttons break a little more often, but you can set the time to second to second. The disadvantages include dirt accumulating on the controls, which requires additional time for rubbing. The sensor is beautiful, stylish, dirt does not accumulate, you can program the cooking process. Disadvantages - breaks more often than others, costs significantly more. Repair of microwaves, especially expensive ones, is not a cheap service, so you should think: is it worth taking with a sensor?
- Microwave oven operating modes. They can be from 3-4 in cheap models, up to 10-12 in the most expensive ones. Of the main modes, the following can be distinguished: full mode - frying meat, roasting vegetables. Medium-high, 3/4 power - fast heating of undemanding foods. Medium - cooking soups, cooking fish. Medium-low, 1/4 power - defrosting food, "soft" heating of food. The smallest, about 10% of power, is designed for defrosting"whimsical" foods like tomatoes, and keeping warm foods that are already hot.
Additional functions of microwave ovens
One of the most interesting extras for a microwave oven is hot steam. This addition does not allow the products to dry out, and they also cook much faster. You can also add airing the chamber here - despite its seeming insignificance, this function has become a lifesaver for many housewives - now their vegetables do not smell like fish, and fish - like apples.
Camera dividers. Various racks allow you to cook several portions at the same time. The disadvantages of this function include the lack of rotation, which makes the heating of food less uniform.
"Crisp" - a special plate for the microwave, allows you to cook in it just like in a frying pan. Made of heat-resistant alloy, it "holds" the temperature up to 200 degrees.
Mica. Why mica in the microwave? It protects the waveguide from various contaminants, and increases the service life of the device.
Double emission function. How does a microwave oven work? The device and principle of operation of such a microwave oven differ only in the presence of two sources of high-frequency radiation. This allows you to achieve better and more even heating of food.
Built-in cookbook. Not a cheap feature, but for those who like to eat delicious food without spending a lot of time and intellectual effort on it, this is it.
Necessary rulesmicrowave safety
Quite often, ordinary people are concerned about the question of whether a microwave oven is dangerous to he alth. Its principle of operation, of course, is based on microwave radiation. But there is no need to be afraid of this.
A fully functional microwave oven poses no greater danger to the consumer than a computer or TV. Contrary to persistent myths, the radiation from the microwave is not radioactive or carcinogenic, and the microwave does not start to "radiate" after a couple of months of operation.
Microwave radiation can really cause a serious burn, but to achieve this from your home microwave, you have to sweat - even the cheapest models are equipped with multi-level protection. And, for example, sticking your hand into the switched on device will not work - the automation will immediately turn off the power.
What kind of dishes should I use in my microwave oven
It is best if the microwave plate you are going to use in the microwave oven is specialized, with the appropriate marking. This includes, for example, heat-resistant glassware sets. If you don’t have one at hand, then pay attention to the following recommendations:
- Glass. Great microwave material as long as it's not too thin and no cracks or chips.
- Porcelain and faience. Suitable materials, provided they are fully glazed and not painted with metallic paint. Again, porcelain or earthenware should not havemechanical damage.
- Paper. Suitable material, but with assumptions - the paper should be thick, not colored, and it is better not to use it for a long time.
- Plastic. Yes, but only specialized. Today, many companies produce entire lines of plastic containers for heating in microwave ovens. Ideal for the office worker who doesn't want to splurge on business lunches and cafe trips.
The most unsuitable microwave plate is metal. From high-frequency radiation, it begins to spark, and this will soon send you to look for an institution where microwave ovens are repaired.
How to care?
The instructions for the microwave will help you with this. It indicates what special detergents it should be cleaned with. There is no shortage of them, but it is worth buying them right away, with a microwave. Do not delay cleaning - you will have to scrub the repeatedly heated and compressed fat on the walls of the chamber for a painfully long time, cursing everything in the world, and daily cleaning will come down to a few light movements with a rag. If you nevertheless achieved the formation of "ancient deposits", then before washing, put a glass of water in the oven for a minute and turn on the maximum mode. Grease and dirt will swell and wash off much easier.
A little humor…
A lady in the US won a lawsuit after she "dry" her cat in the microwave. In the statement of claim, she indicated that she did not know that "cats cannot be dried inmicrowave".
Despite the well-known fact that raw chicken eggs explode in the microwave, enthusiasts around the world are trying to figure out a way to get around this problem - pierce a hole in the shell, wrap it in a special film. But despite their best efforts, the eggs still explode.
Recently, a fake message exploded on the Internet that a new iPhone model can be recharged from a microwave. It is not known how many smartphone owners fell for this prank, but dozens of photos with ruined iPhones speak for themselves.
