Some people use microwaves to store bread, heat up wheat bags, or sterilize bottles. Others use them for reheating leftovers, defrosting food, or making scrambled eggs. Some people think that air fryers have replaced microwaves, while others still use them regularly.
These are some of my reflections after recently sharing on social media my observations about saying goodbye to my microwave oven.
Our first microwave was back in the early 80s. Back then, it was a HUGE BEAST, and I vividly remember cakes would come out lopsided, as you needed to manually turn them around. They were also freakishly yellow, as the oven lacked a browning facility.
I don’t remember when I bought my most recent microwave, maybe 20 years ago, but I remember it served me well. Until I stopped using it regularly, which was probably ten years ago. That’s when it became something I stored the bread in, and would occasionally reheat a meal. And so when my microwave recently stopped working, I decided I no longer needed it, and would therefore not replace it.
I mentioned this on social media, and here are some of the responses I received about the modern-day relevance of the microwave.
Person 1 used their microwave to store bread and reheat dinners before they had children. Now that they have children, they use it to sterilize bottles.
Person 2’s family also uses their microwave to store bread.
Person 3 uses their microwave every day to reheat leftovers for lunch.
Person 4 uses their microwave to heat up wheat bags for muscle pain or cold nights.
Person 5 and their spouse are moving to a new place that doesn’t have a microwave. They plan to buy a new one for $50-100 because they use it for minor tasks like reheating, defrosting, and making scrambled eggs.
Person 6 thinks that air fryers have replaced microwaves.
Person 7 bought a new microwave 4 years ago but has only used it once.
Person 8 uses their microwave multiple times a day to sterilize bottles, heat up solid portions of food, and reheat meals that they have made ahead.
Person 9 uses their microwave to defrost and reheat food.
Person 10 hasn’t had a microwave since they got married 23 years ago.
Person 11 uses their microwave two or three times a day to heat up oat milk for their coffee.
I suspect the microwave will soon be going to the way of many other previous appliances.
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