Microwave oven range is quite vast and varied with major brands adding more automation features to their units. Microwave ovens now come with increased capacities without any changes in the overall size by making use of smaller electronic equipment, recessed turntables and by shifting controls to the door.
Microwave ovens are of 2 basic types – the countertop model and the built in variety. Countertop models are the less expensive and are best suited for kitchens with a lot of counter space. Here again, the microwave oven range is of 3 sizes – compact, medium capability and huge capacity.
The compact microwave oven is portable, small in size and costs very little. It is the most widely used model and dominates the microwave oven market. It can handle less than 28 liters in capacity and is used for reheating purpose, preparing microwave food and popcorn. It is not meant to handle larger quantities of food. Its cost is typically below 100 USD.
The medium capacity or the family sized microwave has depth and height similar to the compact variety but is wider and requires 1000 – 1500 watts power to run. It has additional features such as auto cook, convection oven heating elements and grill.
The huge capacity microwave ovens are designed for cooking large meals. They can handle 25x35cm casseroles utensils and can cook tall foods such as turkey breasts and roasts. They usually have a wider range of features including auto cook and precision temperature control technology. Their capacity is over 60 liters and they require over 2000 watts of power to run.
The medium and large capacity models require more space than the compact ones.
The other type of microwave ovens is the over-the-counter one that can be useful when you need to make optimum utilization of limited counter space. They can be fitted into cabinet or even mounted over the cooking range. They are combined with exhaust fans and require the services of an electrician for installation above cook tops. They are the high-end variety and combine convection cooking, top browning elements and rotisseries for more consummate cooking. Ovens usually come with white enamel interiors. However, the top range models are quite often made of stainless steel.
The prices of microwave ovens range from 70 USD to over 1200 USD for the high-end ones. The costs depend on the technology, convection cooking elements and higher wattage rankings that the microwave ovens possess. The more additional features they have, the higher their costs.
Manufacturers are adding more and more features such as speed cooking technology to make them more attractive to customers today. When thinking about investing in an oven, you need to evaluate the microwave oven range and think about the conveniences that you will actually require.