How to Grill Food

If you have only used your microwave over for warming and defrosting, then it is time that you take a look at what is now available in microwave ovens.

Many of the early models of microwave ovens were not suitable to do much cooking. They were great at defrosting mats or reheating meals. You could even get away with cooking a hot dog in one. However, try to cook a chicken breast in one and you came up with a misshapen white hockey puck. It was rubbery, tough and tasteless.

Microwaves of today are totally different. Now they can cook an entire dinner. You can have meats that have actually been browned on the outside and are crispy. On the inside they are still tender and flakey. Vegetables are moist and tasty. In fact the meal is just as good as if you had cooked it in or on your range.

To get all these features, you may have to pay about one hundred dollars more that for the simple reheating or defrosting model, but in the long run, you will save money. This is because a microwave uses less power than a standard oven and cooks in less time. If you get a microwave that is full function and avoid use of the range oven, the savings on your utility bill can pay back the initial cost in only a few months.

First you will want to decide on either the countertop model or the over the stove model. If you have enough counter space, countertop models cost less and are more convenient. They are also available with the biggest selection of features and options.

If your kitchen is small, then opt for the over the stove model. They may require professional installation and are somewhat more expensive initially, they do free up counter space. Additionally, many models also offer a vent hood over the range to keep the kitchen free of cooking odors and smoke.

Some microwaves offer a convection oven combination feature that comes in handy when cooking a full meal. Hot air is circulated around food in order to speed up the cooking and give the food a crispy crust. Convection cooking is perfect for baked goods as well as roasting meats. Other models use a quartz or halogen heating light in the microwave that browns food when needed.

Another feature that is becoming popular is the sensor cooking. This feature senses infrared heat or steam off the food to know when the food is done as well as when the oven should turn off. This feature may be especially helpful to children learning to cook in a microwave.

If you think that microwaves are only for defrosting or reheating, you should take the time to walk down the microwave aisle. Look to see what is being offered in the newest of microwave ovens.

Reese Cook writes microwave reviews. She has tried many microwaves and likes to use a small microwave for defrosting. In her blog there are recommendations for the best compact microwave or small microwave.