I need a new microwave oven

[vavavroom]

I think it's that weird wax coated cardboard insert inside the oven.

Mica is a thinly layered aluminum silicate, a naturally ocurring mineral. It's shiny and you can often see little sparkly flakes of it at the bottom sediment of creeks and also in granite countertops and in concrete. Mica is commonly used as an insulater in electronic components and as a very heat-resistant window material in fireplaces and stoves, and induction ovens have mica slip planes.

https://microwaveexpert.wordpress.c...e-the-waveguide-cover-in-your-microwave-oven/

 

[PimTac]

Cheap Chinese junk work well, too. i think its a matter of looks. My cheap Chinese microwave works better than a Swedish Kitchenaid microwave costing 37 times more.

I didn’t know Whirlpool had a plant in Sweden.

 

[Pablo]

We have a Whirlpool now (built in, came with house) - honestly it's a GREAT unit. Feature rich and they actually must have hired programmers who use microwaves in the USA. Even has a rack (had to order the rack because previous owner took it!!)

We had a Sharp that we put in the last house with our remodel. It worked OK. But the first one was defective (replaced free) - the door would steam up inside and later condensate would drip out. It was a stand up, but used as a built in when I bought this cool install kit from a CA company. Looked sharp in the new cabinetry.

Previous was a GE, eventually died - but before death would blow an internal SB fuse that required faceplate removal to replace. In between we had a low $ Sharp that stood in the old cut out for the dead GE built in. I cut and framed the cabinet hole with oak. Looked ok, custom and all. Wife hated the whole hole concept! But that was like a $89 WalMart buy. It did OK.

 

[Vil_Riker]

My made in USA Tappan from 1989, complete with wood grain finish, still works.

My cheap Chinese junk microwave that works well is Tappan. I didn't know they were an actual brand.

 

[Vil_Riker]

I didn’t know Whirlpool had a plant in Sweden.

Me neither. It's a built in microwave.

 

[zzyzzx]

My cheap Chinese junk microwave that works well is Tappan. I didn't know they were an actual brand.

A simple internet search says:
Though a thriving brand in the 1950s and 1960s, Tappan was eventually absorbed by Frigidaire and then Electrolux. Though Tappan-branded products are occasionally sold, they're typically inexpensive, re-badged white-label appliances aimed at contractors and landlords.

 

[Vil_Riker]

A simple internet search says:
Though a thriving brand in the 1950s and 1960s, Tappan was eventually absorbed by Frigidaire and then Electrolux. Though Tappan-branded products are occasionally sold, they're typically inexpensive, re-badged white-label appliances aimed at contractors and landlords.

Yes, I did that - didn't know about it before the google search. It hadn't been an important thing until I read it here.

 

[vavavroom]

If you look inside the microwave oven you will see a silvery sheet covering the opening behind which the waveguide is located. The sheet is made from mica, a flakey, layered mineral that has dielectric properties. This cover prevents particles from falling into the waveguide. Over time the waveguide cover deteriorated due to moisture from heating food and food particles. The latter will cause shorts that can damage the waveguide. If you hear sizzling noises or see sparks flying inside your microwave oven you better check the waveguide cover for contamination or damage. Even if you prevent food from splashing in the microwave oven by using a cover, after many years of use the cover will eventually deteriorate. It's easily replaceable.

I wrote this while half asleep. I used the term 'cover' for two different things making things unclear. I should have said you should always cover the food you are heating in a microwave oven to prevent contamination of the waveguide cover. However, moisture from vapor and condensation will over time damage the waveguide cover.

 

[Al]

We are on our second "Radar Range" (Amana) First one lasted around 25 years and the second is about that age...lol