Welcome to our site which is here to try to help you to know about Stainless Steel Microwave Ovens available in the UK.

You only have to take a look in online store to realise that the choice of microwave ovens out there is immense. So how do you go about picking one which is going to be right for you? Well, I can’t tell you which is the one you should pick, but I can tell you that there are a couple of key questions you need to ask yourself that will help you choose which microwave ovens you should consider more closely.

What am I Going to Use my Microwave Oven for?

The first question is the most important for narrowing down whether you should consider standard microwave ovens or models with additional features. Most people only use their microwave to heat up food rather than actually cooking whole meals from scratch. For this, standard microwave ovens are definitely sufficient. If you were planning on using it for more diverse tasks you might want to look at combination microwave ovens which can also function like a normal convection oven.

This question will also help you to narrow down the microwave choice further by helping you think about the size of microwave you are going to need. If you live alone then a small microwave will probably be fine, but if you intend to cook for a whole family then you will probably want to look at bigger models.

What Type of Features Would I Find Useful?

Most models of microwave will come with a list of features, and for some the list can seem pretty immense. This doesn’t necessarily mean that those with more features will be better for you though. Extra features are only worth paying for if you think they will be useful to you. One of the first you should think about is the auto-program functions which are available. If you are quite lazy then it may be quite appealing to get one where you can just press one button to automatically set the time and the power level. As well as saving a few seconds, this feature is also really useful if you are a novice with the microwave and you aren’t really sure how long and at what power things should be cooked - it can save quite a lot of extra time that you would spend looking these things up.

An extra feature that many microwave ovens have is an auto-defrost feature. This lets you key in the weight and the microwave calculates the power and time needed for defrosting - again a handy time-saving device which saves you looking it up.

If you have a slightly higher budget you might want to consider a model which has sensors which will stop the microwave oven when they sense the food is cooked. Again, this is probably especially useful for all those novice microwave cooks out there.

Am I Getting the Best Value for Money

Finally, there are just a couple of things which you should know to make sure that you get the best microwave in your price range. Most microwaves come with removable plates and turntables as standard, but this is definitely something that will make your life easier, so choose one with removable parts over one with a fixed turntable if possible.

The power of the microwave (e.g. 700W/800W/1000W and so on) is an indicator of how fast it cooks. Make sure that you pick the highest power microwave you can within your budget, as even 100W extra can make a big difference in cooking times.

And Then You Are Left With…

So if you follow all of these tips then you should be able to narrow down the list of microwaves which are right for you. The only thing left to do then is choose the one which you find most visually appealing and that will fit in your kitchen.

There are many benefits of using a microwave when cooking:

• Speed: You can slash the time it takes to carry out many cookery operations by using a microwave. This includes, but is not limited to, melting, baking, poaching, thawing and boiling.
• Cost: Compared to conventional ovens, microwaves are relatively cheap. This applies not only to the initial outlay when purchasing the item, but also to the ongoing running costs, with a microwave running at around 75% less power than an oven.
• Space Saving: Microwaves are ideal for people with limited space in their kitchen.
• Safety: Due to the fact that the outside of the microwave remains cool during the cooking process, there is a reduced risk of accidental burns. As they are relatively light they can also be put at a suitable height so that they are out of the reach of children, but at a comfortable height for adults.
• Easy Cleaning: It is easy to clean the inside walls of a microwave with a damp cloth. The turntable can also be removed and cleaned separately. Due to the fairly compact size of the device it also takes a lot less time and effort to clean than a conventional oven.

LG MC 8087 ARS Combination Microwave Oven

The LG MC 8087 stainless steel combination microwave oven will not only look great in your kitchen, but will generally cope well with being used as a conventional oven if you prefer the speed, convenience and cleanliness of your microwave.

Before buying do check that you have sufficient space for it - the dimensions are 42.7 x 53.3 x 32.2 (H/W/D) cm.

It has a large turntable and is ideal for baking, roasting, browning or reheating. The model has a 30 litre internal capacity and can take a small / medium size  roast dinner if you want to use it for that. Unlike most
models at this price it also has a fan assisted oven - no waiting for it to heat up.

It’s currently only available from Amazon which offers it at a particularly good price this month.

• 750g fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• pith from 1 lemon
• 2 cups sugar

Method

1. Put two small plates in the freezer.
2. Hull and quarter the strawberries and place in a microwave proof bowl with the  lemon juice.
3. Place the white pith from 1 lemon onto a square of muslin, tie securely with string and place in the bowl.
4. Cook, uncovered, on high for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is soft and pulpy, stirring  twice.
5. Cool slightly then add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
6. Cook, uncovered, on high for 15-20 minutes, or until the mixture reaches setting point (105 degrees).
7. Test for setting point a couple of times during cooking.
8. Discard the muslin bag. Carefully pour the very hot jam into clean, warm jars and seal.
9. Turn the jars upside down for 3 minutes, then invert and leave to cool.
10. Label and date.

• 1 tin mango pulp
• 1 packet small meringues
• 1 crushed aero
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• whipped cream

Instructions

1. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
2. Add half the sugar and beat until dissolved.
3. Gradually add the rest of the sugar and continue beating for 3 minutes. Mix in vinegar and essence to taste.
4. Place baking paper on microwave turntable and spoon the meringue onto this, spreading into a large circle 1 cm thick.
5. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
6. Open microwave door and let it stand for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
7. Place waxed paper on top of meringue and on top of this place a baking tray. Turn over.
8. Remove baking paper and allow to cool thoroughly.
9. Spread the mango pulp over meringue and then top with whipped cream and sprinkle with crushed  aero and roll up.
10. Slide the roll onto a serving dish and spread with more whipped cream and sprinkle with  aero.
11. Chill before serving.

Firstly you’ll need to think about where you’ll want to keep your oven. Very often a microwave is just kept on a kitchen work surface. As an alternative they can be wall-mounted or kept on a shelf. A further option is to have your oven built in. This is more expensive to install and involves a rethink of your overall kitchen. On the plus side a built-in microwave can look very professional and complement other appliances. In addition the work surface area freed up will always come in handy.

Secondly, what oven type?

Microwaves can be classed in one of three categories.

Basic ovens.

These are the most common. This category is will be very capable of performing straightforward cooking tasks including re-heating soups and meals, and cooking vegetables and TV meals. Basic microwaves are easily moved around and are especially liked by smaller households including the elderly and newly married couples. Often a turn-table is included. This can ensure that the food is cooked evenly and thoroughly.

Combination microwave ovens

This type is recently much more common. This type can have the advantage of being able to use conventional cooking methods as well as microwaving - in the same oven at the same time. There is no problem in choosing to cook by the usual or microwave means on their own - or to decide to apply both methods if you wished. Quite a few types of combination ovens are able to cook by various extra methods - such as by a grill, having an oven that has a fan to ensure an even temperature, or by controls that automatically determine how much conventional and microwave power to use.

Grill ovens

These combine the advantages of a grill to brown the food being cooked - to ensure a more attractive look - with the speed and other advantages of microwave cooking. This category will have a rack to place the food on to keep it near to the grill when being browned.

Dimensions

Allow enough space around the microwave to get air to vents and open the door fully. Think about the number of people that the microwave will need to be used for. Do think about the size of dishes you might want to use and make sure that the microwave you’re buying will accommodate them.

Power

Your food will get cooked faster with an oven with higher power consumption (wattage). Microwave ovens have wattages that can vary from 500W to over 1600W. Top of the range microwaves will permit you to vary this , depending on the power you need for any task. Microwaves in the UK have energy ratings from A to E. You’ll find that E is common - ranging from 741 to 800 watts.

Design issues

There are so many styles. You are unlikely not to find one you like. White, silver and black are the colours that are most in demand. Often doors are push opening. Another option is one with an ordinary handle. A few have drop down doors - taking up slightly less space.

Control-styles

Most have a digital display, with keypad controls. This type allows for different cooking options to be picked very speedily. Often their are setting to cook things like jacket potatoes or a particular weight of meat that can be chosen with the push of a button.

Functions

A variety of functions may be available:
* Auto reheat - allowing you to enter the weight of the food - the oven will then calculate how long it needs to operate for.
* Automatic defrost - the same idea, working out how long the microwave needs to be used for a given weight and type of food.
* Steamer - for steaming vegetables. This may be tricky to use initially, but,is worth persevering with as it is a healthy way to cook.
* Crisper - this device will crisp the underneath of food - ideal for pizzas Bacon is great cooked on a crisper

These waves are then reflected, pass through materials or are absorbed by other materials. These types are reflected back by a metal. This is why non metallic utensils should be used in a microwave. Glass, china, pottery, paper, and a lot of plastics allow them to pass through. They therefore make perfect cooking utensils. The fat, water, and other materials in the food absorb them, leading the molecules to vibrate very fastmillions of times each second, actually. The name for this is dielectric heating. Many molecules (including water) have a negative charge at one end and positive one at the other. They as a consequence rotate very rapidly as they try to get lined up with the alternating electric field of the microwaves. This method is more effective} on liquid water than on other food materials, and also works well on frozen water. The heat produced thus cooks the food. This can be compared to rubbing sticks together to make a fire. It is widely believed that microwave cookers cook from the inside out. This is not the case.
What happens is that, depending on the water content, microwaves rapidly penetrate several centimetres into the food. On the other hand conventional cooking will only have an immediate effect on the outside of food.
This method is obviously different to conventional cooking, where energy is passed along a length of molecules until the food is completely hot and thus gets cooked. Microwave dishes remain less hot and timings are greatly reduced.
A variant is the convection or combination microwave. They are ideal for cooking prepared dishes, particularly if browning is wanted. Many recent types have a high power halogen bulb which aids rapid browning. It is also possible that an accessory browning tray is used made of porcelain or glass. This allows the outside layer of food to be oxidised until it changes to brown.
All microwave models have much the same design. They have a cabinet, a magnetron vacuum tube, a wave guide, wave stirrer, controls, and power cord and supply. Many also have extra features such as automatic defrost, variable power, a turntable, a built in thermometer, or browning elements.
There is metal lining inside the walls and base, which stops the microwaves from getting out , and reflects them back to ensure everything is thoroughly cooked. The frame have specially made seals that is designed to make sure that the microwaves remain in. Also there will be a device that ensures that the microwaves will stop whenever the door is not closed. The door itself is usually a transparent panel for good visibility, with a layer of conductive mesh to maintain a barrier. The hole sizes in the mesh is smaller than the wavelength of the microwaves, so the radiation can’t escape from the door. Whereas light (with a much shorter wavelength, can make it through.
Many types allow several levels of power to be chosen, often with a power level that defrosts. Usually this doesn’t mean that the magnitude of the microwaves differs - just that they’re switched on and off at certain regular intervals.