Wear and Tear on Microwave Concern From Host

[babywings76]

My friend hosted a show for me last month. She made a comment right at the end of our conversation the other day when we were closing her show. I was really tight on time and so I wasn't thinking clearly on what to say, so I'm wondering if I should address her concern now or not. What she said was something along the lines of, "Remember at my party when you said you can cook a whole chicken in 30 minutes. Well, my husband said that's really unnecessary wear and tear on the microwave." I did my nervous giggle and honestly don't remember what I said in response. I just remember not really addressing it and just trying to hurry so I wouldn't be late doing whatever it is I had going on that morning..I can't remember exactly.

So anyway. She emailed me tonight asking for the DCB recipe file, so I was wondering if I should make some sort of remark putting her at ease that it's okay to do the 30 min. recipes. But I don't want to make it sound like I know more than her husband, KWIM? Do we have some sort of info from a technical standpoint that says it's okay?

 

[wadesgirl]

Kind of reminds me of my husband complaining about how many miles I put on the car - isn't that what the car is for - to put miles on it?

 

[MLinAZ]

Because you made me curious, I went and did some research...Microwaves have a life expectancy of about 10 years. Magnetrons (that's what is used in a microwave) have a life expectancy of about 2000 hours. So, if we think it about it, she'd have to make the chicken 4000 times to use up the life of the magnetron. Or, make the 30 minute chicken every day for 10-11 years. I also looked at conventional ovens vs. microwaves. The typical microwave today is what, 1000-1200 watts? A conventional oven is over 3000 watts. So it uses 3 times the power and is used 3 times as long. I'd say the "unnecessary" wear and tear on the microwave for a whole chicken still outweighs the traditional oven method, and probably won't be noticed in the lifetime of the microwave either.I'm not sure I'd tell her all that so I guess I'm not really helping you!

 

[Sheila]

LOL, that last sentence was funny Michelle!Amanda, I'd probably just send her the recipe book & maybe comment something like: I know you mentioned that your husband wasn't fond of using the microwave for extended time periods, so keep in mind that any of our microwave recipes can also be done in the oven if you two prefer. Remember though that microwave times are shorter and some recipes might take 2-3 times as long in the oven. You'll need to adjust your cooking time if using the oven.

 

[chefliz]

Although men tend to like numbers and facts so maybe he would like that information???

 

[gailz2]

Kind of reminds me of my husband complaining about how many miles I put on the car - isn't that what the car is for - to put miles on it?

Reminds me when someone mentioned not wanting to use the air conditioning in their car as it would wear down the battery.

 

[babywings76]

Well, I chickened out and didn't mention anything in the e-mail. My hope is that she'll see the official 30 Min. chicken recipe I attached (the PDF HO made with 6 or so recipes on it) and realize the company was endorsing the recipe, that it wasn't just something I made up. I sent her the huge DCB recipe file, so she'll have lots of recipes to use or she can look at the DCB Cookbook she bought and see the conversion chart in the back.

 

[cincychef]

Reminds me when someone mentioned not wanting to use the air conditioning in their car as it would wear down the battery.

Or the time I was in a friends kitchen doing dishes and she said "we don't use the garbage disposal because it might wear it out or break it."

 

[chefsteph07]

Is that like "don't use the washing machine because your clothes are too dirty"?

I'd much rather use my microwave and have to worry about the wear and tear since they are so inexpensve these days to replace. I'd HATE for something to happen to my stove...so no, to me personally, excessive use of my microwave is worth it to me to not have to run my oven every night for an hour...and that's with a 15 min preheat time w/ NOTHING in it, just waiting for it to come to temperature!

 

[esavvymom]

I'd be more concerned about the excessive use of my microwave from the EMFs and effects of cooking your food all the time with radiation, before I'd worry about wearing the thing out.I wish (and even asked) Test Kitchen would provide the alternative cooking directions for stove/oven use for the microwave recipes...for those like me who don't want to cook in the microwave all the time. I try to avoid it as much as I can- especially for things more than a few minutes.

 

[Sheila]

I'm with you Bobbi. I used my microwave all the time until after coming back to TX. Now I don't even melt butter in there. Everything for me & the kids is now done on the stove and/or in the oven. Someone had loaned me one when we first arrived, but it's still just sitting there. I had planned on returning it, but hubby about had a heart attack when I mentioned it to him. He can't fathom life without one in the house. (I did remind him that he's technically just a "visitor" here and doesn't have to live with it full time just yet. He has plenty of time to adapt but he's 11 months into this 28 month separation, so he better start working on it! LOL

 

[Jennie50]

I'd be more concerned about the excessive use of my microwave from the EMFs and effects of cooking your food all the time with radiation, before I'd worry about wearing the thing out.

I wish (and even asked) Test Kitchen would provide the alternative cooking directions for stove/oven use for the microwave recipes...for those like me who don't want to cook in the microwave all the time. I try to avoid it as much as I can- especially for things more than a few minutes.

Bobbi, do you have any resources that discuss the issue of microwave cooking? I sometimes get a face from guests, when I discuss cooking meat in the microwave, and I'm not aware enough of the concerns to respond to them intelligently. As babywings said, I just give my "nervous giggle" and say they can use the oven instead. Am I poisoning my family by serving them microwaved pork tenderloin or chicken a couple of times a week?

 

[MLinAZ]

http://www.microwaveovenfacts.com/index.asp?sid=4They have links to FDA/USDA information about standards for radiation, etc. etc. And no, your food has no radiation, the microwaves stop as soon as the power is turned off and they do not remain in the food.Cooking foods in the microwave actually retains a lot of nutrients compared to stove top cooking because it cooks faster so there's less time for it "leech" out, and you are using less liquid to cook in which would also leech out nutrients. Even Dr. Oz approves LOL

 

[raebates]

Unnecessary wear and tear on the microwave? Funny. You're using it in the way it was intended to be used. As for cooking in the microwave, people generally have their minds set one way or another. Nothing I have read has convinced me that it's a detriment to me or my family. Funny story. I had a host who, when I mentioned the micro-cookers at her show, made a big speech about how unhealthy it is to eat food cooked in a microwave. This same host excused herself four times from the show to go outside and smoke. And, when I went to close her show she was warming up quiche in the microwave. LOL! No, I didn't say a word.