Are you neurotic like me with the microwave?

[synodog]

I love my power levels on the microwave. Everyone else says it’s voodoo but it’s actually magic.

seems like I was the only one that could set the time on old VCRs too instead of blinking.

[jfmorris]

I've got a stack of old VCR's on a shelf in my office. I need to plug them in and watch all that blinking commence! Actually, I need to plug them in, test each one, and toss most of them in the trash...

[synodog]

jfmorris that would send someone with serious OCD to the loony bin if you turned them all on at the same time with all that blinking

[Smoker_Boy]

Just tried setting multiple times and power levels.
It works!

[scottranda]

Welcome to microwave neuroticism

[Smoker_Boy]

scottranda - I have used the Power Levels for a long time, but had no idea about stringing the times/powers together. This will really come in handy when I make / re-heat cheese and beans dip.

[fzxdoc]

I like fiddling with power levels too. They can make a difference between an edible or a Very Chewy plate of food. Plus softening butter or cream cheese is much more predictable when dropping the power level.

That said, I still cover the food with one of those plate covers, usually. All it takes is a splatter of spaghetti sauce to result in a full blown cleaning session. Ugh.

Kathryn

[Mosca]

Yeah. Since I’m the guy that cleans the kitchen, microwave stuff gets covered. Mrs Mosca sometimes lets her oatmeal go to long; cleaning the plate is easy, but cleaning the walls and microwave ceiling is a royal PITA. I usually steam a bowl of vinegar, and use my insulated rubber gloves.

[Panhead John]

+1 on using the microwave covers. Melting butter always results in a big “pop” and splatter before it’s done.

[STEbbq]

So, uh, have we discussed microwaving eggs yet? And microwave egg placement? Asking for a friend.

[Oak Smoke]

Be careful microwaving eggs. The results can be explosive. I’ve told that story here before.

[scottranda]

Who is your friend that sounds neurotic like me??

[STEbbq]

Adnar ttocs

[Prof Bunky]

When I was growing up, I was always taught to put a paper towel over the bowl or plate in case the food got too hot and splattered (or exploded).

At some point in my young adult life, I realized you could input Power Levels. Essentially, it doesn't send microwaves (to heat it up) 100% of the time. But, if you put it on Power Level 5, it would only send microwaves 50% of the time. So, 1 minute at Power Level 5 would be 10 seconds on, 10 seconds off, until it reached 60 seconds.

Is this exactly the way all microwaves are programmed? Probably not, but you get the point. It heats up to the point of potential food-splosion, but then stops the microwaves. In that time, the hotter parts (outside) have time to warm up the cooler spots (inside) of the food.

I realize that I no longer need to put a paper towel over every bowl or plate I heated. I just had to use the Power Levels and time appropriately. I'm so neurotic about it, but I'll tell you what... I almost never have any splatter (unless I make a bonehead mistake of forgetting to use the Power Levels) and my food is heated much more evenly.

Here's my method:

1. Judge what needs to be heated
2. Make my unscientific yet experienced judgement of how long it should get AND at what Power Level
3. Whack "Start"
4. Judge how hot it is after the first time in the microwave merry-go-round
5. Stir or cut open (if necessary)
6. Judge again how much more time is needed at what power level
7. Whack "Start"
8. REPEAT as necessary until it's satisfactory heated to your liking

It usually takes longer this way, but everything is heated evenly and I DON'T have splatter or explosions.

Are you as neurotic like me? Please tell me I'm not alone...

Ours has a DIAL. No other settings.

[scottranda]

Whoa. I don’t know how to respond to this, other than the fact that I feel young (I’m 40 by the way).

[Santamarina]

That’s what my family had when I was a kid. Crank it and take food out when it was done…not really sure how long it took, just kept checking.