When microwaving food, do you stop too soon and have it still cold or do you stop too late and have to wait? - eviltoast

Too cold to enjoy or too hot to eat?

  • evasive_chimpanzee@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Using low power on a microwave almost feels like cheating. For anyone unaware, a microwave can only be on or off, so setting a microwave to 50% power really just makes the microwave run for only half of the total runtime. A minute at 50% will be on for 10s, off for ten, etc.

    It cooks way better, especially things like stews or other semi-liquidy things that tend to get hot and cold spots.

    • Threeme2189@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      That used to be correct. I bought a microwave with an inverter and it can actually heat constantly at different power levels. Curiously, it has a 0 Watt power level as well 🤷🏻‍♂️

    • emptiestplace@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      No, pretty much any microwave by Panasonic actually lowers the power. The difference is dramatic. Look for their “Inverter” logo. I’m not sure about other brands.

      • GrayBackgroundMusic@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Most microwaves have a dial to set Wattage. Is that a lie?

        I’ve never seen this. The power setting on every microwave in my life has modified duty cycle. 30% power is 3s on, 7s off.

      • evasive_chimpanzee@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I’ve never seen a dial set to wattage, but just a “power level”. Either way, though, changing a microwave to only be on half the time will cut the average watts in half.

        Here’s GE’s explanation of it. There are probably some fancy newer models that can do some different things, bit for the most part, it’s just on or off. You can even hear it click on and off if you listen to it run.

      • maze@infosec.pub
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        1 year ago

        Wattage as averaged over a second, yes it’s a lie. Wattage as averaged over a minute, it might be true. ;)