Microwaves are a staple in modern kitchens, and sensor microwave ovens make up an increasingly large amount of the number of microwaves that are in use today. Sensor-cooking microwaves represent a vast improvement over traditional microwaves: instead of having to estimate the time needed to cook your food, you let them know what you're cooking and the sensors take care of the cooking time and strength for you. They can be used for both sensor reheating and sensor cooking, making them a powerful tool in your kitchen's arsenal. The experts at Appliances Connection are proud to provide an explanation of how sensor microwave ovens work and what you can use them for.
How Do Sensor-Cooking Microwaves Work?
Microwave ovens use electromagnetic radiation to heat the food within them. With a traditional microwave, that radiation is emitted for a set time period, at a power level that you manually set. This risks burning or dehydrating your food, since the radiation is emitted even after your food is properly cooked. Sensor-cooking microwaves, on the other hand, have built-in moisture and temperature sensors and are able to stop working as soon as your food is done. In order for this to work, they need to know what you're cooking, so they have separate settings for red meat, fish, vegetables, and even popcorn. Many of SHARP's sensor microwaves can even be used to melt and soften butter without scorching it. Some SHARP sensor microwaves even have convection cooking, allowing you to roast, bake, and brown your food as well.
What Meals Are Ideal for Sensor Cooking?
Sensor cooking is useful for a wide variety of foods, but it's ideal for frozen meals and simple ingredients. When cooking meat and seafood, for instance, the humidity sensors stop cooking before your food is dried out, preserving not only the taste of your meal, but the nutrients within it. Vegetables tend to have less moisture, but cooking them with a traditional microwave can still break down the vitamins within them. Sensor cooking lets you heat or reheat them to perfection. You can even use sensor cooking on frozen, pre-packaged meals: although these often have multiple, complex ingredients, most sensor microwaves are capable of reheating them without burning them. Viking in particular makes a variety of sensor microwaves that let you effortlessly switch between types of food, making it easy to select the specific food you're heating.
Can You Sensor Cook Complex Meals?
Sensor cooking is a great innovation in today's kitchens, but it does have its limits. If you're cooking large, complex meals with lots of different types of ingredients, a sensor microwave oven may not be up to the task. Likewise, sensor microwaves aren't ideal for foods that require precise, manual controls. If you want to experiment with sensor microwaves with this kind of food, we recommend trying it with a drawer microwave: these often have capacity and cooking power similar to a wall oven, giving you the best chances of success.
Related Questions
Is a sensor microwave oven worth it?
Because of their high efficiency, sensor microwaves are nearly always worth the investment when you're cooking simple meals or defrosting frozen food.
Do all microwaves have sensor cooking?
Many microwaves have basic temperature sensors that shut the microwave down in the event of food burning, but that isn't the same as full-on sensor cooking. If you want a microwave with sensor cooking, it's best to look for one that has it specifically as a feature.
How do I tell if my sensor microwave is working properly?
A simple test for your microwave is to fill a 2 qt. glass bowl with a quart of water. Measure the water's temperature, then heat the bowl on High for exactly two and a half minutes, then take its temperature again. If the water's temperature has gone up between 28° and 40° F (15° to 22° C), your microwave is working well.