The History of the Microwave Oven

[@ztl2505]

Not owning a microwave feels right up there with not owning a TV in terms of things people like to get weirdly smug about. It’s just a tool, you can use it to make crappy frozen dinners or help in preparing healthy meals.

[@inyrui]

I use mine to reheat my coffee more than anything haha

[@alukuhito]

Yes. My family was slow to get one. I felt jealous of all my friends and classmates. When we finally got one, it was so fun.

[@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive]

Or not being on social media.

[@scottdoesntmatter4409]

actually, frozen meals tend to have more nutrients due to how vegetables are prepared. Also, a microwave oven is a great way to save on food, since you don't need to toss anything out, you can just heat it up later.

[@alexanderstone9463]

They get a bad rap ‘cause we are now questioning everything that came out of the era in which they were invented. But IMO they are unquestionably one of the better inventions of that era. They are exceptionally energy efficient, one needs only to cook a potato in one, and then in a normal oven, to realize this.

[@MeowO_O]

Sales slowly going into decline since 2006 doesn't mean its popularity is going anywhere. It's just simply because these appliances literally don't break that easily and people just keep their old ones for longer.

[@matthew6414]

Oh yeah at my work they have a 1984 and a 1998 Kenmore microwave and the light still works!

[@arthas640]

True. People used to be pretty rough on them, we didnt used to have microwave safe plastics, many things that looked non metallic like some mugs and cups sometimes used to have a little metal in them and it could wear out the magnotron, and many microwave meals used to leak or splatter and that all meant that old microwaves would get nasty pretty fast. Age 3-15 we went through 3 microwaves but we got a new good quality microwave at age 15 and my dad still has it more than a decade later, so that's roughly 1 microwave every 5 years to one every 10-15 years just since the 90s.

[@neoasura]

THis is true, I bought my first microwave in 2006 actually when I got my own place, and it's still going strong today 16 years later.

[@Mrshoujo]

My mom's Emerson microwave would blow a fuse every few years. It finally burned up while microwaving popcorn one day.

[@dickmelsonlupot7697]

my family's first microwave was bought 16 years ago when I was 12. Hell, it's even still running to this day but my parents replaced it with a new one simply because it has gotten dirty and some rust are visible in some metal parts but the thing still works and the light also still shines like it was nothing.

[@adamtschmidt4303]

Ladies and gentlemen this man was self taught. With only a fifth grade education he has touched everyone's lives. I think a case study on his learning process would help our education system.

[@giraffesinc.2193]

Absolutely!

[@robstanley903]

Americans have spent Billions educating the mind and body, but not educating the Spirit of man.

[@OriginalBongoliath]

This isn't something you can learn. You either have the drive to grind and innovate or you don't regardless of class or circumstance.

[@Neb_Raska]

@@robstanley903 Amen, brother.

[@jasondashney]

Our education system specifically this from happening again. The campaign, to make sure that people associate degrees with intelligence and competence was very effective. These days many jobs require you to have a bachelors degree even if it's unrelated to the job. Employers, don't care if you are an intelligent person who is capable. They care that you took off the boxes as far as education goes. It's sad. You can't get any job these days without some form of formal education. Advertising, construction, all kinds of different jobs now require you to kiss up to gatekeepers.

[@josephgaviota]

I think it was in the late '70s my mom (always an early adopter) got a microwave. After she passed, I inherited it, and took it to my apartment. That thing weighed a TON (well, not a ton, but amazingly HEAVY). Modern microwaves are extremely light, easily carried by one person. Mom's was so heavy, I almost had to call a friend for help moving it. That microwave lasted into the mid 1990s, when it finally gave way.

[@brammachu725]

Kudos for keeping the thing for so long

[@charlie.richardson]

I just bought a new over the range microwave. When the guy was installing it, he needed my help to lift it up and hook it onto the mounts. They’re not all that light these days.

[@arthas640]

Same with my dads stepmom. She had the same microwave from the late 60s/early 70s until she died around 2016 and the thing was the same size and weight as one of those in-wall ovens. I once joked with my dad that it was probably made from old Sherman tanks with the heavy steel construction of the thing.

[@_will795]

For sure. My grandma had one for well over 30 years. Thing lasted forever. Back when they used to make stuff to last

[@josephgaviota]

@@_will795 _Back when they used to make stuff to last_ 💯 🎯

[@markmcdonald6039]

One of the greatest inventions of all time in my opinion! It made life a lot more convenient 💯

[@samwill7259]

A microwave can't exactly do you any harm unless you're sitting in it In which case you sorta brought that on yourself.

[@BakedRBeans]

Remember the TV show TAXI? Louie (Danny DeVito) said," I heard about a guy who got sterilized by one of these, but he must have done this..." Louie jumped up on the counter, and put the microwave between his legs! so funny!

[@josephgaviota]

Speaking of which, my mom always told us boys to face _away_ from the microwave while in use.

[@samwill7259]

@@josephgaviota Remember life back before we could just google things? Yea...didn't it kinda suck in a lot of ways?

[@neoasura]

@@josephgaviota I still do that out of habit.

[@dickmelsonlupot7697]

my question would be......how the fckkk do you fit inside a tabletop microwave? Hell, even if somehow you got inside of it like say you shrank to the size of an ant or something, as long as you're running around and not just standing in place, you'd actually be just fine. You can prove this by placing an ant inside the microwave. The little fckkkrrr won't explode and just be running around wondering what's happening.

[@shalom8858]

Just sitting down to eat my breakfast of microwaved oatmeal and see this in my feed. Thanks Percy! 😂

[@rollout1984]

My mom bought a GE microwave sometime in the 80's (it was huge and had wood paneling on the outside). That lasted for about 16 years. We've probably bought ten since then.

[@crp5591]

I still have my Panasonic that I bought in 1994 chugging along! *and it is now Jan '23. Gotta love the black plastic and wood paneling!!

[@BakedRBeans]

@@crp5591 I had one with wood paneling exterior, but don't remember what brand- Sharp, maybe? My Amana was battleship gray, which I hated. I repainted it light almond,and it looked great. But it never worked right.

[@neoasura]

You must be buying cheap brands, I bought mine in 2006 and it's still going strong today 16 years later.

[@BakedRBeans]

@@neoasura The one I am using now is Daewoo, bought it in 2005 and it still works. I think Daewoo (the company) is gone now.

[@julscatten2640]

Haha, my mother got her first microwave in 1985, and I distinctly recall getting our first new mike in 1999 to replace it.

[@bluecrownvic]

Slight correction at 10:53 The microwaves barely penetrate into the food. So thick items do not cook from the inside out, they still cook from the outside inward. The outside of the food gets hot from the microwaves, but then that heat travels inward like a traditional oven. Setting your microwave too high on thicker foods will evaporate the water in the outer layer and leave it with at classic rubbery texture.

[@lemmonsinmyeyes]

THIS! Microwave is a different type of heat. Oven, impingment oven, microwave, deepfry, boil, steam, direct heat etc, are all different methods of transfering energy to food, but they all have different results

[@mattblom3990]

From a historical perspective, the cavity magnetron used in all small radar systems was the single most important piece of technology in World War II. It was brought to the United States by Britain in a last ditch attempt to give a semi-friendly (at the time) power a technological edge in cases they needed to continue the fight against Germany. The Cavity Magnetron allowed for radar to be smaller and more powerful and then the Americans started making them for everything...Battleship gun rangefinding, anti-aircraft gun aimers, on bombers and night fighters, etc.

[@DPSFSU]

The exact reason why you should always add a little water to whatever you're reheating in the microwave.

[@KaneshaAndrews]

Exactly! I do this very thing when I reheat anything in the microwave, especially leftover meats.

[@CraftyZanTub]

I set a glass of water in the microwave along with whatever I'm nuking, if it isn't coffee. Keeps bread nice and soft.

[@jamesfry8983]

Depends what it is some foods still have enough water left in them, in general it always helps

[@CraftyZanTub]

@@jamesfry8983 Nods

[@frank234561]

Especially leftover takeout fried rice.

[@Jakek200]

Not sure if a decline in sales necessarily can be blamed on 'healthier eating', it could be down to most everyone who wants one already having one and the sales are just for replacement models when old ones break.

[@bruceh4180]

👍was looking for this comment. That would be like saying nobody buys cell phones anymore.

[@elizabethramsey9295]

My parents used to have an Amana Radar range that lasted years. In the late 70s we had a Litton microwave that was big enough to cook a turkey. Our next microwave was a Panasonic that lasted less than two years. Then we bought a cheap off label brand from Home Depot that lasted over 10 years. Sometimes I use our microwave to reheat coffee cake.

[@josephgaviota]

Mmmmm ... Coffee Cake ...

[@MarianneKat]

We had that Amana too, revolutionized our after school snacking options. (GenX wasn't allowed to use oven unless parents home.)

[@bruceh4180]

Yes! Our Radar range had the pull down door like a regular oven. Then the trick was to get the food out without spilling all over the inside of the door. Good times.

[@MarkMeadows90]

My parents bought their first microwave oven in 1988. It was a sturdy Sharp model that we used until the late 90s. My dad kept it in his garage and used it occasionally. They bought a newer Sharp microwave in 1999 and they still use it to this day.

[@lukejposadas]

RIP

[@BuhaiGras]

Sharp is a german brand sold in west Europe, here on east we got anything from Whirlpool to Samsung, and local brands😊 like ARCTIC, Beqo, etc...

[@PlanktonWhisperer]

Please never leave us again Mr. Narrator

[@lolilmu]

I prefer Mr. Narrator over Ms. Narrator

[@shalom8858]

He steps away so we miss and appreciate his glory.

[@SevenHunnid]

I’m a regular hood dude doing food reviews on my KZbin channel 😤

[@sambeck8010]

For real, she is fine. This guy make the content different.

[@OhSoNasty]

@@SevenHunnid that sht lame ASL bro

[@NewMessage]

I dunno.. someone 'breaking into the Navy' sounds like the plot to a Steven Seagal movie to me.

[@giraffesinc.2193]

I remember my parents buying a 'state of the art' microwave in the early eighties. I remember Dad being so proud that it had a rotating function. Nowadays, every single apartment in SoCal comes equipped with a microwave, even though I use mine to heat water (and that's about it). My parents still use theirs very regularly.

[@emaarredondo-librarian]

Greetings. There's a recent short from the SciShow channel explaining the dangers of heating/boiling water in a microwave. It isn't its best use, the water can overheat without showing it is hotter than boiling, and when you put a spoon or teabag inside, it can explode of sorts. Please be careful - and explore other ways to better use that fabulous contraption. Mug cake, maybe? ✌

[@TacoBellMukbangRequested]

Weird History: Bringer of Histortainment

[@RedShiftMusic]

10:51 Microwaves do not heat from inside out. They heat from outside in, with a little bit of the inside at the same time. The microwaves are able to penetrate the food slightly, however the outside will always absorb more microwaves than the inside which is why food can be cold in the middle while the outside is hot. The inside gets hot primarily from conductive Heating and not microwaves.

[@jasondashney]

Yeah that comment he made was insane. Has he used a microwave before? It's like that meme "Beep, beep, beep, here's that hot-ass bowl of cold food you wanted".

[@BrianM_3rd]

Ladies and gentlemen, he's back. The return of the king!

[@FriscoFlame]

I LOVE the fact that when they explain how the microwave works, they use a brief clip from Pinky and the Brain where Brain claims that Nobody knows how Microwaves work and the opposing counsel explains the tech. SMALL blink if you miss it, but this 90s kid appreciated it

[@sarawarren673]

As an X-ray technologist, I absolutely love this! The EM scale is fun to look at

[@bethclark9319]

In the '70s, we had the Arrmana microwave. That thing was heavy, different from what they make today.

[@vertigq5126]

The history I never knew I needed!

[@jessicaweaver6728]

My GE microwave from 2005 finally crapped out. At first kzbin.infoUgkxO_Bc204MGjxDl87cOKcdgaRhzSqGmv_g I was unsure because I was looking for something with the exact same features. Found it with this one. Interior space cavity was large, but the outside was smaller than my old one. I love the one-button push for 1-6 minutes, and the 30 second add or 30 second start. and MOST IMPORTANTLY, I love how you can adjust the power level during cooking. The reviews said it could not be done, but this marked all the other boxes. and happy to say, it does. I can hit 1 minute start, and change the power level from 10 to 5, 30 seconds in, without interruption. my favorite feature!

[@CaptainRScott]

Informative + humorous. Thank you!

[@forfluf]

I just made the tastiest microwave cheese omelet, I can't imagine living without a microwave in my kitchen.

[@MisterOcclusion]

I remember Radio Shack selling microwave leak detectors, and how you were not supposed to stand in front of them. We had one of the Amana countertop models. Built like a tank..

[@BakedRBeans]

I still have my Realistic leak detector! My parents bought two of the Amana RadarRange units like the one shown at 9:08. Somehow, I wound up owning one of them, and my brother was given the other. Very problematic units.

[@bakende1103]

I find that funny. Microwaves have a faraday cage that protects people from the waves.

[@kevinfreeman3837]

microwaves don't produce ionizing radiation, the cage is prevent other interference in other electronic devices and to keep the heat waves contained

[@lerneanlion]

Happy New Year to both Weird History and Weird History Food!

[@markfleser]

Microwaves DO NOT heat from the inside out. How else you explain that hot pocket with a frozen center?

[@m.k.8158]

actually, they DO, BUT since the microwaves don't necessarily penetrate the food all the way to the center, this can result in a cold(or even frozen) center. The easiest way to solve it:use a lower power setting-this gives the heat(the microwaves may not penetrate, but the heat WILL, eventually) to travel through the food completely. Of course, it WILL take longer to heat.

[@markfleser]

@@m.k.8158 you literally just proved my point. Show me a reliable source that shows that they cook from the inside out.

[@m.k.8158]

@@markfleser Inside does not necessarily mean the center

[@markfleser]

@@m.k.8158 🤣😂🤣 why don’t you google it before you say anything else.

[@bakende1103]

I was looking for someone to say this! Yes!

[@NewMessage]

So.. we're just glossing over the zombie hamster, then? A'ight.

[@princesabonita79]

"Here's hot ass plate of cold ass food" - the microwave

[@aldibargainhaulsandthrifty6393]

I love Totino's pizza rolls and Tina's XXL Big Burritos. The microwave has literally saved me hours of meal prep.

[@anti-canon9277]

Sounds just like my roommate, lol. He loves on those things some weeks.

[@neoasura]

I always keep a bag of pizza rolls in the freezer just in case I get the munchies. I always spread shredded cheese on them as well and turn them into a melted cheese pizza roll nacho platter.

[@aldibargainhaulsandthrifty6393]

@@neoasura Yum!! I've got to try that.

[@patrickdurham8393]

I don't eat many store bought frozen foods but I use my microwave to steam veggies and reheat things. It's a handy tool.

[@maryaltshuller885]

Not food-related but please give us a background on the air conditioner - in my humble opinion, the best invention ever! My mom worked in an office from the late 1940s - 1961 and she said their office had air conditioning, which she hated.

[@josephgaviota]

Willis Carrier, Printing Industry.

[@share_accidental]

i’m from singapore & we can’t live without air conditioning! we’re near the equator, & humidity is high. it’s also summer year round, so you can imagine…

[@zeta_8646]

The birth of chef Mike

[@captainyossarian388]

I love it. The addition of the inverter made the microwave nearly perfect.

[@ArcherSuh4721]

I've gone a few years without a microwave. The only thing I really miss is being able to bake a potato in a short amount of time.

[@HisVirusness]

Whoever reheats pizza in a microwave either must hate food, or must hate life.

[@justayoutuber1906]

My aunt and uncle had one in the 70s. It was like owning a Tesla in 2012

[@josephgaviota]

That's almost true ... they were expensive, and very few people had one. My "rich" aunt had a color TV in the mid-'60s, and we kids got a charge out of going to her house to watch cartoons IN COLOR !!

[@ruipacheco2939]

Being from Portugal, microwave ovens was something you could only dreamed of in the late 80's/early 90's. Fortunatelly my mom was able to buy one in the early 90's (after I begged time and time again for one)!

[@neoasura]

We were poor in the U.S. and couldn't get one until the early 90s ourselves. Not all of the U.S. is rich.

[@amysanchealarz3794]

Happy New year weird history

[@Sticky_Ricky]

I think I'm starting to enjoy Weird History Food more than OG Weird History. That is when Mr.Og Weird History Voice is narrating. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the Watch Mojo lady helping out and she's got a great voice, but yours is just so unique and mainly what I think about when I think of these channels.

[@jarekstorm6331]

If your microwave gets dirty inside, boil some water in it and the steam will make it easy to clean. Better yet, if you cover everything you microwave with a paper towel or paper plate, you’ll never have to clean it in the first place!

[@frank234561]

I bought a microwavable plate cover from Amazon. Works wonders.

[@BakedRBeans]

@@frank234561 you are correct- the cover has prevented so many messes for me. Exception: A piece of potato, or a bean can explode with such force, it still blows the cover up a little, but the mess is less. It sounds like a firecracker going off.

[@Animanarchy]

You can microwave vinegar and then wipe down the interior easier than with just water.

[@kyleking284]

Thank God for Percy Spencer!🌹🙏❤👍⭐💃😋⭐⭐

[@bryanparkhurst17]

When I was a kid in the 1980s my parents got a microwave and I thought that we were on top of the world. As time's gone by and I'm now approaching 50, I have reverted in my Technologies to the point where I have actually built an Earthen oven in my backyard. Talk about going full circle on cooking.

[@gx8841]

Going through something similar myself. Haven't used my microwave in months, been using my grandmother's Crock Pot and trying to learn to prepare meals. Darn, I wished I'd paid more attention while she was cooking.

[@mamiemonrovia7654]

i have several rec as gifts. how abt some tips or recipe sites?

[@jonsmith6496]

He’s back!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@amymalski]

If the microwave heats from the inside out then why are the mash potatoes cold in the middle?

[@craigmurphy6135]

Despite what the video claims, microwaves do not heat food from the inside out. That's one of those "facts" that surprisingly still gets repeated.

[@ferociousgumby]

I remember when infrared cooking was "the thing" and the big innovation that would make conventional ovens obsolete. That didn't happen, and you never hear of it now. I also remember when microwaves first came in, there was a flood of cookbooks for things like baked goods, casseroles and meat dishes. There were all sorts of evening classes for microwave cookery. For a while, the "thing" was to cook your Christmas turkey in the microwave, which basically boiled it. Baked things were like sponge rubber. Most people now use the micro for reheating their coffee.

[@lakrids-pibe]

Can Squirrels Eat Chocolate? Squirrels are another animal that *can* eat chocolate. In fact, they love it, if you carry chocolate around in front of a squirrel there is even a chance that they may steal it. However, you should still be vigilant. The chocolate that a squirrel eats should have no more than .5 of a milligram of theobromine. So, if you have dark chocolate, it is best to keep it away from your local squirrel population, as a small 36 grams of dark chocolate with 70% cocoa can actually result in the death of the squirrel. So, much like rabbits, it is wise to consider their weight and size before you allow them to indulge in a chocolaty treat.

[@LassieFarm]

I refuse to own a microwave. Just heat stuff in a pan, gee that's hard ! And yah, you guessed it. I don't have a TV

[@sophiaisabelle027]

Happy New Year. God bless you all.

[@joykoski7111]

Does anyone remember when the big microwave endorsement was in full swing? Probably about mid 80s. Tupperware had stackable microwave cookware that allowed you to cook an entire meal at the same time. There were dozens of tricks and tips to "brown " your meat. Recipes for quick microwave meals. There was even a cake mix that the box served as a microwave safe pan. I think the manufacturers thought or hoped that someday the microwave would replace a regular stove appliance. Years later I have a microwave but still mostly use it for reheating and popcorn.

[@davidpar2]

Yes. Starting in the 50s, manufacturers and companies like Monsanto predicted that microwaves would actually replace regular ovens. And those pushes reached a peak in the 80s, with microwave everything. But the quality of food prepared in them is just not on par with that of food cooked with heat sources, so that was never going to happen.

[@LorenEllisArt]

You missed a VERY IMPORTANT Point. Micro waves the name was changed from something like RadarRange. Microwave a prettier less chemical sounding name. FOOD loses it's vitamin content in a microwave. This is NOT mentioned and why I immediately stopped using an ie. RadarRange.

[@stuffz1757]

I basically survive out of microwaves, fuck cooking.

[@skyden24195]

My cooking abilities are pretty much limited to boiling water and microwaving! I've even developed a few special microwaving "tricks" to help the nuked food turn out better. For instance, if microwaving any leftover meat-stuff, (steaks, chicken, pork-chops, etc.) pour about a tablespoon of water over the meat. This keeps the meat from drying out while cooking as well as adding extra molecules to speed up and even out the heating process.

[@elliottdodson4912]

Is that not incredibly embarrassing? To admit one’s uselessness

[@josephgaviota]

That trick just shows you're a THINKING person! That's good.

[@j.s2k]

two types of people in the world above me

[@skyden24195]

@@elliottdodson4912 I would think so, yet here you are doing it. Trolls can be so stupid.

[@skyden24195]

@@josephgaviota thanks much. Being born a military brat, throughout my childhood my opportunities to learn how to cook conventionally was limited so I had to depend on the microwave to keep me going and that knowledge came in handy when it was time to do things on my own. lol. A creative and intelligent person does what they can with what they know and have to work with. 😄

[@TheGelasiaBlythe]

You could do a video about the GE Advantium ovens, which seem like a cool idea, but also never seem to be in anyone's home (at least, I've never seen one). I still remember the commercials for them in the 1990s (or possibly early 2000s, but I really think it was the late 1990s). Those were innovative, odd, had a lot of parts that could go wrong, and seemed like a smarter alternative to both an oven and a microwave.

[@pamelamays4186]

My favorite microwave treat? Well, popcorn of course!🍿☢️

[@1nkf4ng57]

I'm curious about the history of the Quaker Oats company! Love your content~

[@aaronwoodard1749]

Remember getting one in the mid 1980's as a kid. There still was yet to be a big market for microvable junk food so it was mostly used for heating up left overs.

[@williamwhite2113]

My parents bought an Amana Radarange in the mid 70s and that was a heavy mother but it lasted a good long time til they decided to give it to one of my brothers and they replaced it with another microwave. I have a built in microwave in my apartment and it gets a lot of use from heating sandwiches to dinners. It's the one item I really cannot live without because it makes life so much easier plus I really am lazy about cooking.

[@jasondashney]

My parents bout an Amana to cook my baby food in the last 70's. It ran like a charm into the 2000's. Ours had the touchpad. So simple, but it worked. I was actually sad when it finally crapped out.

[@biancagerade4229]

I've had the same microwave for 20 years now it is a white one every time I use it I wipe it out I wipe it down to say it's spotless is it under exaggeration it looks brand new like the day I bought it that's the way I've kept it, it's an Emerson I love it since I live in a studio apartment I couldn't live without it ☺️

[@FeedMeSalt]

Friendly reminder electromagnetic radiation and nuclear radiation are different things. Once is energy waves, no radiation sickness. Only possibility is burns when exposed directly. It works by making water molecules basically vibrate. The other is the bad kind, you know poison an area for centuries.

[@justayoutuber1906]

I wish they could reverse the technology for a quick flash freezer.

[@technoterrry]

my air fryer has replaced my microwave for many things now 😂

[@btetschner]

A+ video! LOVE IT! What a culturally significant video!

[@zach7193]

I like this. Happy New Year, Weird History Food.

[@davidpar2]

I’ve never used a microwave, because I don’t like the way they “cook” food. In fact, I wouldn’t even know how to turn one on. But I’ve always been fascinated with the tech and history of them, particularly after learning that they’ve been around since the 40s

[@ImperialEarthEmpire]

Yeah, microwave is here to stay...

[@karenchristinewise7833]

My favourite use of a microwave was when I was pregnant with my third child. I perfected heating up custard from pre-made custard and added cinnamon. It was perfection over cake, fruits, Swiss rolls and rice pudding. The only time I used the microwave daily.

[@odinvolk6973]

I'm not even a full minute into the video and I had to comment. Percy Spencer? there's an old cartoon here in Canada (one my dad shouldn't have let me watch when I was 6) called Kevin Spencer and his father's named Percy Spencer. long and short: he's an alcoholic and drug addict whose more proud to be on welfare than as he quotes "having a stupid fucking job" best example is in the 1st season where he hears about a blood bank that pays for donations and says "all I got's to do is lie about the herpies, and I got money for smokes"

[@nixboox]

Oh my god...seeing that microwaved "Lunch Bucket" brought back a core memory that I didn't remember I had!

[@PasleyAviationPhotography]

How can sales decline? I don't know anyone who doesn't own one. When one dies you buy another.

[@CraftyZanTub]

They don't die fast enough.

[@ztl2505]

Microwaves don’t die that often in my experience. Sales are probably down because we’ve hit the point where every household has one and there’s no “new customers” anymore , just replacements.

[@CraftyZanTub]

@@ztl2505 I'm a replacer, but I had a microwave die after just one year, but you're right, they usually last at least 10 years.

[@stinkynacho2362]

How could anyone NOT have a microwave?? They’re so affordable, and incredibly convenient. I don’t really cook much with them, but I do a lot of reheating with them. They’re very versatile!

[@jons.6216]

Ahh, the Amana Radar Range! One of the crown jewels of 70s game show prizes! The very first time I tried to make microwave popcorn I set it for four minutes and you can guess the rest! Hahaha!

[@YesILoveLegos]

Happy New Year Weird History

[@TaraMolohon-lb1zn]

If not for the microwave oven I don't think we would have such a fantastic gift from the universe. Seriously, it really saved the day!!! What a great invention for all of us!!! ❣️🤓

[@64roncess]

Thank you! I have "Citizen" oven, 1993. Still works, amazing quality.

[@blackfirefox666]

My family home had a Tappan microwave for almost 30 years until one of the sensors inside went off and the microwave started to turn on and run when the door opened. Sadly the company that made it went out of business so we couldn't get a replacement part and had to get a new microwave, because they felt it wasn't safe anymore. But the thing still heated food just fine. Still sad I couldn't find a replacement part online.

[@ectofix8447]

For 25 years, I have repaired commercial cooking equipment for a living. During my apprenticeship in the'90s, the story back then was that, when microwaves entered the commercial market, McDonald's advertised that they would NEVER have microwave ovens in their kitchens in order to ensure the best quality product for their customers. A few years later, McDonald's began using Q-ing ovens (made by Amana)...which ARE microwave ovens. Whenever I was called to a McDonald's to repair their Q-ing oven, if I inadvertently called it a "microwave" (which it is), the restaurant managers would always correct me by telling me that it is NOT a microwave oven.

[@greyrifterrellik5837]

I feel like the decline in microwave sales is at least partially due to their lifespan; once you have a microwave, you're pretty much set for several years. So as soon as everyone has a microwave, nobody needs to buy a microwave.

[@FuzzballRenakitty]

Except Amazon don't seem to get the message and suggest you buy things again... What's that? You bought a shower mat a week ago? Hey you should buy... ANOTHER ONE! .... No Amazon... I don't need another one :T

[@ignskeletons]

One of the truly great inventions that felt like a significant leap forward in innovation and convenience. The microwave moved us a step closer to the Sci-Fi Jetsons world.

[@SouthernBelleReviews]

*...Got them microwave ovens - That's the way you do it - and get ya chicks for free!!!*

[@lanacampbell-moore6686]

Happy New Year WHF🍾🥂🎉

[@interwebtubes]

OK then, Back when I was a kid my mother wheeling and dealing in antiques and I was able to see a vintage microwave oven. It was blue all over with white dots. Definitely something very interesting plus I was able to see an industrial bread slicer. Which I will explain, in the factory where loaves of bread were baked, the slicer could be adjusted so that the cutting blades were adjusted to make whatever size of bread slices you wanted. The microwave oven was definitely something that caught my interest. When I got older my parents took me inside a Sears Department store and they were selling these very expensive microwave ovens which had a heating element inside in order to brown food. This also reminded me of they used to run commercials on television where you could stick a temperature probe into your food like a roast and the cord plugged into a jack inside the oven and the temperature probe would report the cooking temperature of your food item and display it on the screen. Some pretty cool stuff I think. And my grandmother had bought an Amana brand microwave oven and it was heavy but movable. Later on when I was an adult, the lady at work bought an extremely cheap microwave oven and inside the microwave oven was manually wind tray or stand. What you had to do was remove the stand from the oven and wind it up properly and replace it into the microwave oven and turn it on to cook your food. Of course since it was at work, there was dried food goop all over it. It was totally nasty. So it really wasn’t worth the price. That was just my observation of days gone by. Be sure to keep your hands clean and washed up at all times. Peace out and enjoy your meal!

[@zone47]

I just sold my 1982 pure chrome Amana Radar range that my grandparents bought brand new. It still worked fine. Two dials; Time and Temperature! That's it, and built like a tank. Heavy as a tank too! I actually replaced it 5 years ago with a new fangled Panasonic Inverter microwave but it died after only 3 months and luckily I didn't haul the Amana to Good Will just yet. I had to apologize to it and then fish it back out of the basement to use for another 5 years. Sadly I did sell it in a recent estate sale and it only brought $5. How sad... it was a faithful M-wave and I hope my new one lasts longer than the last one did. Good story, I didn't know the microwave was around as long as it was.

[@share_accidental]

i’m from singapore, born in 2001. my family has had the same panasonic microwave oven since i was a kid, it’s still going strong in 2024! i doubt microwaves are this long-lasting today…

[@energydude005]

Thanks!

[@jasondashney]

We had one of those AmanaRadarange OG models from about 1980. My parents bought it to heat my baby food. It lasted until about 2005.

[@Coolcarting]

Microwave ovens do not “cook from the inside out”, as many people say. Microwaves actually heat from the outside in, very similar to other heating methods. it would be impossible for microwaves to somehow be emitted from the magnetron and be able to reach the center of the food substance without first going through the outer portions of the food.

[@TheOtherBill]

In my kitchen is a Sharp Carousel II, a vinyl woodgrain wrapped behemoth I purchased in the 80's. It was one of the first to have both a carousel and a convection oven with the ability to mix convection + microwave. The only thing on earth capable of properly reheating pizza. The interior light burned out about 10 years ago and I haven't replaced it for fear of jinxing it.

[@mikeanderson6815]

I love Micheal-waves hahaha

[@robmisener2786]

This narrator is awesome! Great voice and so funny!

[@bethanygriffith7640]

I haven’t used a microwave in 7 years. The only thing I would use it for is reheating food. The toaster oven or stove takes so much longer and creates more dishes.

[@Jasonwolf1495]

Seriously there is no situation nowadays where a microwave isn't helpful. If you're not into junk food its still a better reheating appliance than trying to do that in a pan or oven. I can't imagine any normal person ever actually getting rid of it and actually being better for it

[@ShavinMcCrotch]

We were the first family on our street to get a microwave. It was delivered by a store salesman. The family all gathered in the kitchen (even Grandma came over to watch) while the salesman demonstrated how to use it. When he heated a mug of water and showed us the water got hot while ceramic didn’t, we all thought it some sort of black magic. 🤣

[@johnbrandolini2915]

We bought our first microwave from Sears back in the mid 70s. It cost about $900, had an 800W maggie, and weighed quite a lot. Most of the was due the the transformer used to power the tube. It had a mechanical timer and two power settings full and 50%. The half power setting was achieved by power cycling the tube. To get some semblance of even heating the food had to be moves by hand since the carousel not used in modern microwaves wasn't around back then. One of the major flaws with those early models was maggies back then were not as robust as efficient as they are now and after 2 to 3 years the magnet surrounding the cavity would age causing the current through the tube to rise eventually blowing the fuse. Our last microwave, a Panasonic, lasted around 10 years until entropy took its toll on the tube. Imo, out of all the brands of RADAR ranges Panasonic leads the pack with their inverter technology for power setting. Essentially a technique called pulse width modulation varies the anode voltage duty rather than power cycling the tube. As for its utility, I generally use it to reheat food but also used to blanch or steam veggies. When roasting potatoes for example I soften the potatoes in the microwave and finish them off in the convection oven. By using it to partially cook a whole potato reduces the time for a baked potato to around 30 minutes. I weaned my spouse off of using it to boil water by getting an electric kettle. Time to boil water in the kettle is about the same as the microwave BUT without the risk of super heating the water. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5CyiYBqoteSn5Isi=mQadv5-hSzv2YJHb

[@mindykanitz6255]

I already knew that at the microwave was an accidental invention.

[@The1stDukeDroklar]

We just going to gloss over him mentioning Lovelock and reanimating a frozen mouse? WHAT? Ok, gonna have to look into this...

[@KatzenwagenTV]

I used to be one of the troglodytes who were scared of microwave ovens, thinking it's "nuclear" and may cause food to become carcinogenic through chernobyl-style radiation 😹🤦‍♂️ One day in 2004, at a new job during lunch break, I had to use one coz the lunch I bought was almost frozen. I was already hesitant, but had no choice. However, I thought you use it like a toaster oven, so I heated my lunch for 5 minutes. In the end, it was sooo hot that even after 1 hour, I still couldn't eat it. So I ended lunch break without eating anything 😹☠️ But now, I love microwave ovens and I now know it uses non-ionizing radiation so it's quite safe 😄