Sunbeam SGS90701B-B 0.7-Cubic Foot Microwave Oven, Black 
- 700 Watts of cooking power with 10 adjustable power levels
- 6 auto cooking/one touch menu options
- Express cooking and weight defrost
- Digital timer and digital clock, LED display
- Product Built to North American Electrical Standards
- Removable glass turntabl
Microwave oven
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaA microwave oven, often colloquially shortened to microwave, is a kitchen appliance that heats food by bombarding it with electromagnetic radiation in the microwave spectrum causing polarized molecules in the food to rotate and build up thermal energy in a process known as dielectric heating. Microwave ovens heat foods quickly and efficiently because excitation is fairly uniform in the outer 25–38 mm of a dense (high water content) food item; food is more evenly heated throughout (except in thick, dense objects) than generally occurs in other cooking techniques.
Percy Spencer invented the first microwave oven after World War II from radar technology developed during the war. Named the "Radarange", it was first sold in 1947. Raytheon later licensed its patents for a home-use microwave oven that was first introduced by Tappan in 1955, but these units were still too large and expensive for general home use. The countertop microwave oven was first introduced in 1967 by the Amana Corporation, which was acquired in 1965 by Raytheon.
Microwave ovens are popular for reheating previously cooked foods and cooking vegetables. They are also useful for rapid heating of otherwise slowly prepared cooking items, such as hot butter, fats, and chocolate. Unlike conventional ovens, microwave ovens usually do not directly brown or caramelize food, since they rarely attain the necessary temperatures to produce Maillard reactions. Exceptions occur in rare cases where the oven is used to heat frying-oil and other very oily items (such as bacon), which attain far higher temperatures than that of boiling water. The boiling-range temperatures produced in high-water-content foods give microwave ovens a limited role in professional cooking,[1] since it usually makes them unsuitable for achievement of culinary effects where the flavors produced by the higher temperatures of frying, browning, or baking are needed. However, additional heat sources can be added to microwave ovens, or into combination microwave ovens, to produce these other heating effects, and microwave heating may cut the overall time needed to prepare such dishes. Some modern microwave ovens may be part of an over-the-range unit with built-in extractor hoods.
Choosing the Right Microwave Oven
By Helen ZeeMicrowave ovens are easily one of the biggest appliances in the lives of many. People both young and old around the world use microwaves to reheat food, or to simply cook food quickly. Microwaving is one of the most popular ways to cook food, which would explain why nearly everyone has one. There are multiple different ways to choose a microwave, and there are multiple types of microwaves to choose from.
Types of Microwaves
There are multiple types of microwaves that you can choose from. These different microwaves are created in different ways; some of them are simply to change the aesthetic view of the microwave, whereas others aim to change how the microwave ovens work. These changes help the microwave ovens to cater to the specific cooking needs of the person who is buying it.
One of the biggest changes for microwave ovens was the advent of the over-the-range microwave. Over the range microwaves manage to fit the small home appliances in with the rest of the regular appliances. Instead of taking up counter space, the above the range microwave gives ample space for other counter uses.
One of the other major changes to the small appliances is the strength of the microwave. While certain microwaves will have different strengths of their own, some microwaves will simply have higher strengths than others. This turns some microwaves into major appliances, as some microwaves can heat things in a faster and more efficient way.
What to Look For in Microwave Ovens
If you are looking to purchase a microwave oven, there are certain things that you need to take into account. While the look is a big portion of the microwave (to make sure it fits in), this is simply one of the many important facets of the appliance. If you want to make sure that you have the best microwave oven for you, there are a few things that you should consider and look for.
The first thing that you need to look for is the strength of the microwave. There will be microwaves that are too powerful for your needs, and there will also be microwaves that are simply too weak for your cooking needs. Those who work at a place that sells microwaves will be the best to ask about the strength that you need.
Once you know which strength, you need to understand what features that you need in your microwave. While some people just want simple features, others may want a specific rotating platform, or specific number controls. If you know the extras that a microwave can come with, you will know exactly what you want, and can figure out which microwaves have those extras.
After you have figured all of this information out, you simply need to look at the prices to decide exactly what you can afford, and what fits in your budget. For many, this is what will ultimately decide their microwave purchase decision.
The Look of Microwave Ovens
The last and final step to microwave ovens, which often is decided before the microwave is chosen, is the look of the microwave. Some people will want a black microwave, while others will want white, and others will want stainless steel. All of these colors make for interesting microwave ovens that fit in with the other appliances, such as the dishwasher and the oven.
How to Find Microwave Ovens
If you are looking for microwave ovens, you should really look in two different places. The stores will allow you to see the microwave, understand how it looks, and help you to figure out exactly what you want. Looking for the same microwave online will allow you to compare prices for the same microwave ovens. Searching in different venues will help you find the exact microwave you want for the lowest possible price.
Principle Behind Microwave Oven
By Fredrick JoyFood is the elixir of life. So, care should be taken to have hygienic and nontoxic food. Microwave oven stands there for that purpose. It is a kitchen appliance that cooks food by using microwaves in the electromagnetic spectrum. For shorter wave lengths, there will be more energy in microwaves. This energy in microwaves is ample to vibrate the organic molecules in the food and thereby produces heat. Microwaves judder approximately 2.5 billion times per second. Microwave ovens heat food without affecting the container. Containers made of plastic, paper, glass, ceramic can be used for cooking in microwave ovens, as they are impervious to microwaves as well as they allow the waves to pierce them.
These waves are reflected by metal facades. Because of this, the microwave oven has metal coating inside so as to reflect the microwaves produced by magnetron to pass through the food again and again. Ceramic cook wares are largely preferable. The cookware should be kept open.
Microwave oven requires high voltage transformers for supplying current to magnetron which in turn ignites electrons to produce microwaves of desired frequency, inside the oven. There will be a micro-controller and a cooking chamber to facilitate cooking.
Inspite of having microwave ovens in your kitchens,a good number of you may be unaware of how it works.
It commences its work by passing microwave radiations, which are non-ionizable, through the food item, at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. These microwaves are generated by magnetron, the tube of electrons which is to be had inside the oven. By means of dielectric heating, water, sugar, fats etc. in the food absorb energy from the radiation. Since the microwave ovens use non-ionizable radiations, there won't be any risk of having cancer. Heat is said to be the movement of molecules. Many polarized molecules in the food like water have both positive and negative charges in them.
Based on the alternating electric field produced by the microwaves, the charges tend to align themselves which leads to the movement of molecules whose collision leads to heat. This heat cooks the food. As the microwave energy is immediately converted into heat, there is no harm of radioactivity in the cooked food. Food with more water content is cooked against the clock in comparison with those with less water. This technique causes the outer layers to get heated up first and foremost and from there, the heat is conducted to the inner layers.
The intensity of penetration of microwaves depends on the frequency and food composition. The lower the frequency, the greater is the rate of penetration.
In conservative ovens, the cooked food and the cookware will be at the same temperature which is not seen in case of microwave ovens. Here the cookware will be cooler than the food, because, the microwaves penetrate the cookware and heat the food first and from that one, the cookware is heated indirectly. The microwave oven expends less energy than conventional ovens, as it cooks faster only the food but not the cookware. These ovens don't trim down the nutrition value of the food as it cooks more rapidly.
As it depends on the amount of water used, steaming vegetables in microwave oven results in retaining 77% of nutrients, when compared with heating in stove.
Microwave ovens are used in restaurants, homes, industries, as they are both energy efficient and time efficient, supporting good quality. These microwave ovens are normally used for preparing food and reheating old stuffs in few minutes. Microwave ovens have some limitations, as they are not suitable for flavor-enhancing reactions, browning etc. Sometimes, bacterial destruction is not possible if it doesn't reach the appropriate temperature. This may lead to illness. Apart from these limitations, the role played by microwave oven in day-to-day life is highly appreciable.
Microwave Ovens and the Healthfulness of Microwaved Food
By Debra Lynn DaddMicrowave ovens do have benefits. They are certainly convenient. They
are more energy-efficient than other cooking methods. But are they
safe? And do they produce food that contributes to the health of our
bodies?
While there is not enough evidence to require warning labels on
microwave ovens, or to remove them from the market, there is concern
both about the safety of our exposure to microwaves and the
healthfulness of microwaved food.
THE DANGERS OF MICROWAVES
Even microwave ovens that are functioning perfectly emit microwaves.
Safety standards set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
allow microwave emissions of up to one milliwatt per square centimeter
(1mW/cm2) when the oven is purchased, and up to 5mW/cm2 after the
oven has been in use. Studies on industrial exposure recommend that
daily exposure should not exceed one milliwatt for more than one
minute. Average home use of microwave ovens far exceed this.
Workers who are exposed to microwaves on the job experience
headaches, fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbances and other symptoms.
HOW MICROWAVES AFFECT FOOD
Advocates of microwaved food claim that it is healthier because it
retains vitamins, but the University of Minnesota disagrees:
"Microwaves ... are not recommended for heating a baby's
bottle...Heating the bottle in a microwave can cause slight changes in
the milk. In infant formulas, there may be a loss of some vitamins. In
expressed breast milk, some protective properties may be destroyed....
Warming a bottle by holding it under tap water or by setting it in a bowl
of warm water...is much safer".
If heating formula in a microwave can cause it to lose vitamins and
protective properties in breast milk to be destroyed, then it can do the
same to the foods we eat. While the effects may not be immediately
observable, a regular diet of microwaved food may have long-term
health consequences.
Two Swiss researchers found that microwave cooking changes food
nutrients significantly. Blood samples taken from eight individuals
immediately after eating microwaved food revealed, among other
things, an increase in the number of white blood cells--often a sign of
poisoning.
Safety tips for using microwave ovens
I personally have never had a microwave oven in my own kitchen and
am finding that it had been difficult to get people to give up their
microwave ovens. Some of the generation who grew up with microwave
ovens apparently don't know any other way to heat food (really!).
If you choose to use a microwave oven, Consumer Reports magazine
suggests you stay as far as possible from the oven while it is in
operation.
In addition, operate and maintain the oven in ways that minimize
leakage:
* make sure the oven door closes properly
* prevent damage to hinges, latches, sealing surfaces and the door
itself, and make sure these are in good working order
* make sure no soil or food residues accumulate around the door seal
* avoid placing objects between the sealing surfaces.
For peace of mind, test your oven for leakage. Testers can be purchased
online.
When cooking in a microwave, use heat-resistant glass, not plastic. The
Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) of the USDA warns against using
foam trays, plastic wraps, and cold-storage containers such as
margarine tubs, whipped-topping bowls and cottage cheese cartons.
According to the FSIS flyer "A Microwave Handbook," these containers
"are not heat stable at high temperatures. They can melt or warp from
the food's heat, possible causing chemicals to migrate into the food."
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