Whether you want to cook a quick meal or need to warm up your last night’s dinner, a microwave oven can be quite handy as it is one of the most useful appliances in the kitchen. However, if you are buying it for the first time or upgrading your old model, I have brought to you some useful tips to be sure you are getting the best microwave oven for your kitchen.
So, let’s start this microwave oven buying guide!
Size
Microwave ovens come in so many different sizes as you can find ones ranging from 0.5 cubic feet to 1.5 cubic feet in size. The most important thing to consider to pick the perfect size is to consider the space available in your kitchen. You need to make sure that the available space in your kitchen can fit the oven securely that you are planning to buy. For this purpose, you may measure the shelf size or the size of the table your microwave is going to be placed on.
Capacity
Another major factor to consider when buying a microwave oven is it’s capacity, which is mostly in litres. It dictates how much food can be cooked in one go. The perfect capacity for you depends on how many members are there in your family.
A large family often requires a bigger microwave oven to cater to their needs. If you have four or fewer members then 15-20 litres will be okay. Families with more than four members generally go for ovens with more than 25 litres of capacity.
Type of Microwave Oven
Nowadays, there are different types of microwave ovens available and each has a different purpose and function. If you ask me the three most popular types in Pakistan, they are solo, grill, and convection.
Now, if you just need to quickly reheat food, cook ready meals, and defrost frozen food then the solo microwave can be the most suitable option for you. However, if you are looking for something robust that can handle a fair bit of cooking, then a convection oven is the one you should go for. As the name suggests, grill microwave ovens have the option to grill the food items which might be handy for people who love bar be que.
Power Consumption
Now, this tip is very important for many people in Pakistan looking to buy a microwave oven. Did you know that ovens with more wattage may cook your food more quickly? Typically, microwave wattage ranges from 900 to 1,200 watts and most microwave recipes need 1,000 watts of power for the best results. So, you may want to consider a microwave model with high wattage when buying a microwave oven in Pakistan.
Design
Well! Choosing the right microwave oven design is very important. If you pick the right design, it will complement your kitchen style and enhance the overall aesthetics of your kitchen. For this purpose, some match it with the paint colour while others match it with the colors of other appliances in the kitchen. If you are someone who is concerned about the interior like me, selecting the right design is critical.
Child Lock
Did you know that microwave ovens can be very dangerous for children, especially below the age of 10 years? And most households in Pakistan do have children. Misuse of the microwave oven can even cause a huge accident. This is the reason why it is important to buy a microwave oven with a child lock to avoid any trouble.
Auto Cooking Features
Modern life requires modern solutions. In such a situation, it is always advisable to use automated cooking options to save time and energy. For this purpose, some microwave ovens with auto-cooking features must be chosen compared to the other conventional form of ovens. This will help you save time and also perfect for all the working people who do not have time to cook food for themselves.
Budget
Lastly, don’t forget to pay attention to your budget while selecting a microwave oven. The most suitable and best microwave oven for many of you is going to be the one that fits your budget and ticks most of the boxes of your requirements. You need to make a list of must-have functions/features and accordingly select the best model that contains most of them and fits your budget. You can get a decent microwave oven in Pakistan for around Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 30 000.
I hope you have found this microwave oven buying guide helpful. Stay tuned to OLX blog for more informative guides like this.
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