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Why every microwave sucks these days

moth.monster

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Re: Why every microwave sucks these days

#361

Post by smaudet »

aembleton wrote: post #309
smaudet wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think you read the article and are probably new at life, or just out of touch. Microwaves should last for decades, this is the same type of thing that you may have heard your parents complain about "I had a can opener that I got from my mother and it just broke, the five new ones I bought same price all broke within a year". There is really nothing complex about one. It's a timer connected to some voltage equ…

> every time you use it it fries its own cheap water based glue, and the thing falls apart every 6 months. Which brand has this happened to for you? I've never seen this, but I've only ever had a supermarket own brand which will just be Midea and a Panasonic. > but what matters is not all money Then buy a commercial one which last longer and cost more.

1. This was an illustration of how to make an exceptionally cheap microwave that will work a bit before it fries. I don't often buy microwaves (I'm lucky and have an old one), I'm sure you could find something in China like this, though. 2. Not reasonable for most people. Yeah, sure buy everything at $$$$, just sacrifice a life/kids/house. Good luck not going into life-long debt/slavery at 40k$ a year.

Re: Why every microwave sucks these days

#362

Post by crazygringo »

Zarel wrote: post #345
SAI_Peregrinus wrote: post #322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but I'm not sure you can really make a knob that works accurately for both 30 seconds and 30 minutes. Not terribly difficult. An encoder and software to handle "acceleration". Move the knob slowly, and it steps by a small amount (say, 30s). Move the knob quickly, and it jumps by more per degree of change. My main camera lens's focus works like this, and it's great. This does require care in implementation, getting…

Yes, most microwaves with dials do in fact work like this. Compare the the distance between 0 and 1 with the distance between 5 and 6 on this microwave: https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-NE-1025F-Silver-Commercial-...

That only goes up to 6 minutes though.

30 minutes involves a much more extreme change in distances... and then of course in the speed of the knob as the timer runs back down.

Re: Why every microwave sucks these days

#363

Post by marssaxman »

Waterluvian wrote: post #22
ForkMeOnTinder wrote: post #11

As a chronic comparison shopper, this is a first-world problem that's near and dear to my heart. I think the reason microwaves (and appliances in general) suck is because comparison shopping is so hard. I wish I could get a list of all microwaves and filter by criteria such as: - Does the +30 seconds button start cooking immediately, or do you have to also press "start" afterwards? - Does it beep every 30 seconds aft…

I just want a microwave with an analog dial for time and a switch for low, med, high. They can keep the computer.

The break room at my last job had a microwave like that: the interface consisted of one big knob, which worked like a wind-up timer. It was the best microwave I've ever used.

Re: Why every microwave sucks these days

#364

Post by SAI_Peregrinus »

rrr_oh_man wrote: post #205
tzs wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've also got one, although mine is the larger NN-SN946W model. It has had one odd behavior that has me quite puzzled. I was regularly having for breakfast a microwaved frozen breakfast sandwich and a couple hash browns cooked in a toaster. The hash browns took 10 minutes, and the breakfast sandwich 1 minute. I'd program the microwave for a 9 minute timer stage, followed by a 1 minute cooking stage, and then start th…

What... is a "frozen breakfast sandwich"? I googled it and it looks like... a regular sandwich that needs to be put in the oven for some reason?

A "breakfast sandwich" is usually a food item containing eggs (pre-cooked, scrambled or fried), cheese, two slices of bread, and possibly sausage or bacon. The other ingredients are placed between the slices of bread, often this bread is some sort of roll but it may also be a pastry like a croissant. Miscellaneous foods placed between two slices of bread is known as a "sandwich", and the first meal of the day is known as "breakfast". So a "breakfast sandwich" is a sandwich containing foods typically eaten at the first meal of the day!

A "frozen" food is one that has been frozen, usually sold from the "frozen foods" aisle of a grocery store. Sometimes people will prepare meals in advance and then freeze them for storage. These items must be "defrosted" before eating, usually also heated to a desired temperature. This takes substantially less time than making the meal from scratch.

A "frozen breakfast sandwich" is a "breakfast sandwich" which has been pre-prepared, and then frozen. That saves the eater time & effort in the morning, since they only have to heat up the sandwich before eating, not go through the whole process of frying the egg, cooking the bacon, assembling it into a sandwich, & heating that. Even if the eater is also the preparer, it still saves time in the morning (at the expense of preparation time on a different day). For people who don't like getting up early or with long commutes, having pre-prepared frozen breakfast sandwiches can be a significant benefit.

Re: Why every microwave sucks these days

#365

Post by lazide »

thfuran wrote: post #356
lazide wrote: post #325

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect for electric ranges they've historically used relays instead of solid state triacs or the like? [ https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/279752/why-a... ] If so, relays have significant switching times and limited cycle counts due to arcing - especially under load. Enough that sub-second switching times will wear them out pretty quickly, and also be annoyingly loud. At the power levels we're talkin…

SCRs are used for industrial stuff with much larger loads than a consumer stove. Regular relays definitely are the wrong thing to use for high speed switching though.

Thanks for the pointer - a quick google showed SCRs in the 30+ AMP 240 volt range (minimum useful for even a small range) at well over $1k. That sound about right?

Re: Why every microwave sucks these days

#366

Post by thfuran »

lazide wrote: post #365
thfuran wrote: post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

SCRs are used for industrial stuff with much larger loads than a consumer stove. Regular relays definitely are the wrong thing to use for high speed switching though.

Thanks for the pointer - a quick google showed SCRs in the 30+ AMP 240 volt range (minimum useful for even a small range) at well over $1k. That sound about right?

I don't think so http://quantumscr.com/s2pa30.htm

Re: Why every microwave sucks these days

#367

Post by stevage »

graywh wrote: post #315
stevage wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My ideal microwave would have two buttons. 1: The first two times you push it, it sets the timer to 0:30 and starts cooking. The next time, adds 0:30. Each time after that, it adds 1 minute and starts cooking. 2. Reset the timer to 0. And a door latch which stops cooking. I don't need power levels, or more precise timing, or any of that other stuff.

but power levels are amazing for reheating (around 50%) and defrosting (around 25%) and I would argue these are two of the major reasons to use a microwave

Does cooking for 4 minutes at 50% really yield a significant difference to compared to 2 minutes at 100% then waiting 2 minutes? I'm curious.

Re: Why every microwave sucks these days

#368

Post by lazide »

thfuran wrote: post #366
lazide wrote: post #365

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for the pointer - a quick google showed SCRs in the 30+ AMP 240 volt range (minimum useful for even a small range) at well over $1k. That sound about right?

I don't think so http://quantumscr.com/s2pa30.htm

Thanks! The current control one is $210. Still a large percentage of a range's cost (typical equivalent relays would be $30-50).

Re: Why every microwave sucks these days

#369

Post by skeaker »

harel wrote: post #30

As soon as you open the site in Chrome it complains that my browser is stalking me (I know and don't care) and that this site does not work with it. So I closed it. More annoying than my browser's stalking habits is the assumption that one knows best and can decide for others what they should be using. This is the first time I see something like that. Hope it's the last too.

Funny, since this is something that HN recommended websites begin doing after Google began pushing WEI [1]. Your frustration is intended in this case, the theory being that you'll be pestered into switching browsers. Annoying for some but you have to respect it in a way, what with how it's giving Chrome a taste of its own medicine.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36877524 - Quick example from a search.

Re: Why every microwave sucks these days

#370

Post by neuralRiot »

emchammer wrote: post #29
ForkMeOnTinder wrote: post #11

As a chronic comparison shopper, this is a first-world problem that's near and dear to my heart. I think the reason microwaves (and appliances in general) suck is because comparison shopping is so hard. I wish I could get a list of all microwaves and filter by criteria such as: - Does the +30 seconds button start cooking immediately, or do you have to also press "start" afterwards? - Does it beep every 30 seconds aft…

I could do without the clock. How about if I do not set a time on the clock, then do not display 12:00 or anything when not in use.

I can call myself lucky then, I bought the cheapest uW because all the “fancy” ones were all huge, I believe it is Black & Decker branded, if the clock is not set it will stay in timer mode indicating 0:00 (not blinking) if you press just the start button it will run for 30 seconds it also has an uncomplicated kitchen timer function. It’s small, underpowered and will overheat if run for more than 12min straight but i paid $50 for it.
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