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BLOOMER
WhatToLook
For When You
Buy a Microwave
If you’ve never owned a
microwave, how do you buy one?
What should you look for? Who can
you ask? If you are replacing an
old microwave, should you get a
convection? (And what is a con
vection, anyway?)
These are all questions to be
answered if you are planning to
buy a microwave. Here are some
of the answers to help you shop!
For more information and brand
ratings, check Consumer Reports
magazine. The current issue
(November 1986) includes ratings
of very small ovens (.4-.6 cu. ft.).
Back issues contain ratings of
larger ovens. These reports in
WINTER TIRE SALE
STEEL BELTED
RADIAL M&S
STEEL BELTED RADIAL
REVENGER
• 2 Steel Belts
• Polyester Body Plys
• Raised White Letters
• M&S Rating
• Serrated Black Letters On
BlackwallSide
HURST TIRE SERVICE
1 Mile West of Blue Ball on Route 322
(717)354 4931
| Mon &Fn 7.30-8 30; Tues , Wed., Thurs. 7:30-5, Closed Saturdays MEjBBII
elude outside and inside
measurements, which may be
helpful if size is a problem.
How much you spend on a
microwave will depend on the
features you want in it. For $2OO to
300 you can get a really good
microwave with all the basic
features needed. “Extras,” like
automatic cooking or convection
heating will quickly raise the price
to $5OO or more.
(By the way, forget those tiny
little microwaves you see ad
vertised for $89.95. These
“disposable” 400 watt microwaves
are fine for campers, or a student
in a dorm, but are useless for
cooking!)
The three most important
features to look for are: Digital
FIBERGLASS
BELTED M&S
• 2 Fiberglass Belts
• Polyester Cord
el Belts
ester
ds
• Pinned For Studs
led For
SIZE
P165/80813
PlB5/80813
P195/75814
P205/75814
P215/75814
P215/75815
P225/75815
P235/75815
STEEL BELTED
M
DUAL BITE
NYLON
LR
SIZE
700-11
750-16
700-14
700-15
H7B-15
controls (more accurate than
dials), 600 to 700 watts of
magnetron power (less power will
be slower), and five or more power
levels (to adjust cooking speed
from fast to slow).
These next two features are
useful conveniences, but not
essential; memory: (lets you set
oven to turn itself up or down or to
beep to remind you to stir, etc.)
and temperature probe, (useful for
reheating leftovers and cooking
roasts. Should signal end of
cooking).
Before you go shopping, decide
where you will put a microwave
and measure the space. If possible,
locate a microwave near your
stove, where it will be handy for
quick jobs.
Microwaves vary a great deal in
size now, both in the outside
measurements and the
measurements and shape of the
inside cooking area. Even in mid
size ovens, with about a .8 cubic
foot capacity, there is a big
variation. Size may be the
determining factor in which brand
you buy.
Dealer service and the
manufacturer’s warranty also
vary greatly. Make sure you can
get a microwave serviced locally
before you buy it. The manufac
turers’ warranties on the
REVENGER RV RADIAL
COST
33.00
38.50
37.50
40.00
41.50
43.00
48J50
SIZE
750R16
800R16
iRI6
9.50R11
215/85R.
235/85R:
Ice Studs For $lO Per Tire
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F.E.T.
COST
TAX
74.50
NO TAX
54.50
NO TAX
63.00
75.50
magnetron (the expensive part of
the oven which makes the
microwaves) vary from one to ten
years!
If you don’t want to spend any
time learning to cook in a
microwave, look for an oven with
automatic cooking features. Ovens
with automatic cooking are
programmed to pick the cooking
time and power level when you tell
it what you are cooking.
Automatic cooking features add
$lOO to $l5O to an oven’s price, so
these ovens are usually the more
expensive, top-of-the-line models.
(Just like on washing machines, a
model with permanent press and
delicate cycles costs more than
your basic scrubba-dubber.)
If you want automatic cooking
features on your microwave, look
at as many different brands as you
can before deciding which to get.
Each manufacturer has its own
automatic system. You may find
one brand easier to use than
another.
A good way to compare
automatic ovens is to pick one food
that you cook frequently (such as
chicken parts) and see how to set
each oven for that food.
STEEL RADIAL
I*
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 15,1986-89
Automatic Cooking
Features
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Convection
Microwaves
These are advertised as “the
microwaves that brown!"
Micro/convection ovens have one
or two heating coils in them,
similar to those in range ovens. A
fan blows the hot air around inside
the oven, causing food to get brown
and crispy on the outside.
These ovens can be used three
ways. Without turning the heat on,
you have a regular microwave.
Without turning the microwaves
on, you have a convection oven. Or,
you can use a combination of both
microwaves and heat together.
The big advantage to com
bination micro/convection cooking
is that you can cook meats and
casseroles more quickly than in a
range oven and the food gets brown
and crisp. Combination cooking is
faster than regular range oven
cooking, but slower than plain
microwaving (a point many
salesman don’t mention!).
If browned and crispy foods are
important to you, and you don’t
usually need the fast speed of a
microwave, a micro/convection
oven would be a good choice for
you. However, there are three
disadvantages to micro/con
vection ovens:
First, these ovens are harder to
keep clean, since the heat bakes on
food spatters. You need to keep the
oven wiped out. Spray oven
cleaners damage the oven.
Second, these ovens are small
inside, when compared to range
ovens. So don’t expect to bake
large foods or quantities in them.
They are good for baking smaller
quantities or items.
Third, each brand works dif
ferently from other brands. You
don’t find micro/convection
recipes in newspapers or
magazines. Look at the cookbook
that comes with the oven carefully
before you buy. Unless you are
willing to experiment with your
own recipes a lot, you will be
limited to the cookbook’s recipes
for combination (microwave and
hotair) cooking.
Don’t confuse the tiny “toaster
oven microwaves” that came out
last year with the bigger
micro/convections. The two types
are very different!
Happy shopping!
Copyright 1986 Lam Bloomer
A & J Fencing.
All kinds of fence
Please Write To:
261 Wolf Rock Rd.
Paradise, PA 17562
Barry Garber