Microwave Ovens That Save Energy

Saving Energy

• The American Energy Efficiency Certification Program Energy Star has concluded that when reheating or cooking small qualities of food, a microwave oven is 80 percent more efficient than a traditional oven. Likewise, a study by Brown University has shown that for every sixteen units of energy an electric oven and every seven units a gas oven use, a microwave oven only uses three. There are several varieties of microwave oven in the marketplace.

Microwave Ovens

• Though the process of heating food with microwaves was discovered in 1945, the microwave oven did not come into widespread use until the 1970s. A microwave cooks by heating the polarized molecules within the food, which is why the food cooks so quickly; a potato which would require an hour's baking in a traditional oven only takes a few minutes in an average microwave. Microwave ovens are remarkably energy-efficient.

Convection Microwave Ovens

• A convection microwave is a combination oven, in which air is circulated using a fan to cook more quickly. Convection ovens can be used to brown or crisp food, for example meat or cakes, which a conventional microwave cannot. However, convection microwaves are not so energy-efficient; they can be preheated.

Speedcook Ovens

• A speedcook oven uses both microwave and light technology to cook, meaning that it can broil, bake, grill, fry, steam,and roast food. Manufacturers claim that a speedcook oven cooks four to eight times faster than a conventional oven. Speedcook ovens are more energy-efficient than traditional ovens, but they are rather expensive, with many models retailing in excess of $1000.