post off: do you have a microwave?
According to Treehugger, Alice Waters doesn’t have a microwave. I don’t know if that’s shocking or not because we don’t, either. We donated our ancient college-years leftover when we moved more than two years ago, and we never got around to purchasing another. The only time I think one might come in handy is when my coffee goes cold. It wasn’t a matter of saving energy for us; it was just one less thing to have to move. What about you? Do you rely on a microwave, or could you live without it? –Mary T.
Photo by John Lee
March 31st, 2009 at 7:01 am
We have one. We use it to warm stuff. However, I much prefer foods to be warmed in the toaster oven. I would be more than willing to give up the over-the-stove microwave in exchange for a real exhast vent.
March 31st, 2009 at 7:05 am
Nope. My kitchen really doesn’t have the room, anyway.
March 31st, 2009 at 7:18 am
This was a huge debate when boyfriend and I moved in together. I was anti- he was pro. His grandmother gave him a microwave at the 11th hour (she was downsizing, and it was brand new and stainless). I begrudgingly let him have his way- it gets used maybe once or twice a week.
Not that good of usage considering the square footage its using in our kitchen!
But i have bigger arguments in our house right now (like converting the guest bedroom into a new studio for me!) than to bicker about the stupid microwave. Someday he will see the error of his ways!
March 31st, 2009 at 7:21 am
I’ve been living form almost a year with out them due to pure laziness… and it hasn’t been so bad! The only time I miss them is when heating up leftovers over the stove/in the oven. Yes, sometimes it turns out delicious, but the lazy person in me wants it to be done QUICKLY.
March 31st, 2009 at 7:35 am
I still have my college years one, but having been introduced late in life (this year) to the toaster/convection oven I am struggling with wanting one/self-imposed ban creating waste and consuming more.
My microwave gets regular use, reheating leftovers, making popcorn, boiling water, etc.
March 31st, 2009 at 7:37 am
I never thought I’d be able to live without a microwave, but I’m going on two years now. Sometimes I miss it, but generally I do just fine!
March 31st, 2009 at 7:38 am
I was in the exact same situation–moving and not interested in lugging my dirty, ancient microwave. It’s been 6 months now with no microwave and I have to say there are moments where I really miss it. Cold coffee, cold leftovers, nothing heats those up as efficiently and easily.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:12 am
we have a micro. it came with our place. my best friend heats her coffee up in it when she comes over (she has 3 kids so it takes her quite a while to get through that cup). and we use it to cook my daughters annie’s microwave mac & cheese and popcorn. other than that, not much, mostly use the toaster oven. i worry about the waves part of microwave, what are those anyways?
March 31st, 2009 at 8:24 am
I’ve been considering giving mine up for a year now. I have 6 total foot of counter space and my little tiny microwave takes up about 15 inches of it. I use it weekly for popcorn and reheating coffee but part of me thinks “isn’t that gross to nuke cold coffee?” And wouldn’t air-popped or old-fashioned skillet popped popcorn be better for me? Even Jiffy-Pop would be more fun.
I’m going to unplug it today and see what life is like without it. More counter space, here I come!!
March 31st, 2009 at 8:30 am
I’ve never had one. I even won a microwave once and sold it. Margaret Fox, formerly of Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino, doesn’t use one, either.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:35 am
I haven’t had a microwave in about three years and I don’t miss it at all. I don’t trust microwaves so I’d rather just heat stuff up on the stove. Plus its nice not having it taking up space in a small kitchen.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:38 am
I have one, but it gets used for only two things…I use it to melt chocolate when making candies or for decoration, and I use it to “bake” the eggshells leftover from my cooking. The baked eggshells are much easier to crush into crumbles, which get added back into the oystershell and grit that are a supplement for my hens. (Hens need the extra calcium to form strong eggshells)
I use my convection/toaster for almost all other baking, but these two tasks are actually better done in the micro.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:40 am
Microwave ovens are actually more energy efficient than toaster ovens, teakettles, and stovetops for certain uses:
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/appliances/index.cfm/mytopic=10040
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven#Efficiency
We use ours for reheating leftovers and cold coffee, but also for “baking” sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash and the like. Eight minutes in the microwave uses a lot less energy than thirty to forty-five minutes in the oven.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:40 am
I lived for a long time without one, and then realized I was trying to live the microwave life (eating on the fly, no time for real supper with kids’ sports schedules, etc.) anyway. So I bought one. It’s been fine, though now I use it only for reheating things and softening butter. I probably could live without it, now that my kids have grown up.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:50 am
I’m microwave free as well. When our old ancient one died a few years ago, we were planning a big move and the microwave wasn’t a priority. we never replaced it, and honestly, I don’t miss it. The counter space it sucks up could never be worth it’s limited use.
I don’t think they’re terrible, however. I have regular customers that would starve without one.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:16 am
We haven’t had a microwave in our house for about 10 years. I honestly don’t know what I’d use one for. We don’t eat boxed food. I hear their neat for cooking CDs. They make lightening or something … I’d like to see that, I guess, but I don’t really have CDs anymore either.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:30 am
I haven’t had a microwave in almost 10 years and I don’t miss it except on the rare occasion when I need to melt chocolate. I have a bad ass toaster/convection oven that takes the place of a microwave and I use it almost every day. The funniest part of not having a microwave is convincing the family they don’t need to buy us one for Christmas!
March 31st, 2009 at 11:34 am
I have a microwave and find it handy at times. However I wouldn’t be overwhelmed with suicidal despair if it hissed its last mid-lasagne.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:57 am
It’s hard to imagine living without a microwave although I did it as a kid. I was reading (I think in the Times) about people who do without refrigerators. That would be quite a bit trickier . . .
March 31st, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Well, I guess I’m the dissenter.
We lived without a microwave (but with an otherwise complete kitchen) in one of our college apartments. Our roomates were asian, and we used the rice steamer for reheating leftovers. However, we frequently missed having a microwave, mostly because the steamer and the oven were not ideal solutions for single-servings of leftovers. We had a rotating dinner schedule there, and did a lot of ‘real’ cooking.
When we moved to our own place, we did purchase a microwave.
As an aside, I talked with someone from Germany once, and she stated that microwaves were not at all common there (Europe in general?) and as a result, they did not often eat leftovers. Can any Europeans confirm or deny this?
She further hypothesized that the resultant ‘clean your plate’ culture could be unhealthy.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:34 pm
NO microwave! It is wonderful. I don’t trust them!!
March 31st, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I have a microwave and use it quite frequently…nearly everyday. I use it to cook veggies in a steamer (from Tupperware) and it does a great job. I’ve got the timing figured out so my veggies come out perfect every time – and not overcooked. I also use my microwave to heat up leftovers, melt butter, pop popcorn…etc. I’m sure I could live without it, but for now, it’s a useful appliance in my kitchen!
March 31st, 2009 at 12:41 pm
I’m living in the Netherlands and microwaves are pretty popular, but the Dutch are kind of no fuss/no muss in the kitchen. This is the only place I’ve ever lived that has a multitude of different types of peeled, cut and cooked potatoes next to the bagged lettuce. A lot of people have ovens that are kind of convection/microwave hybrids here. I miss my nice big American appliances. I haven’t had a microwave for several years and mostly don’t miss it, except for reheating leftovers.
March 31st, 2009 at 2:13 pm
I couldn’t live without my microwave and toaster oven. I love that they use much less energy than heating up a full oven or cooking things for a longer time on the stove. I rarely do real cooking in the microwave but I do use it to heat water more efficiently for pasta or reheating our leftovers. In the toaster oven I cook everything from meatloaf to salmon start to finish.
March 31st, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Since the late 70’s (or whenever the first one came out) I have had one except for maybe a brief period of dorm living in college (but then I did have an espresso machine). We do big batch cooking, and I’m not patient whatsoever so I could not live without one for reheating. We all use the one at work almost every day. I’ve never owned a toaster oven, and every time someone at work uses it something burns and stinks up the place. I just can’t imagine living without one, ever.
March 31st, 2009 at 3:16 pm
You know…we have a microwave, but never really use it except to quickly melt butter or as an oversized timer. Perhaps this is something that we could get rid of in the coming month…
March 31st, 2009 at 3:48 pm
I’ve done both. I have gone many years without a microwave, but I have one now and I use it all the time.
I’m a stay-at-home mom, and I find it very handy for warming up my single serving of leftovers at lunch time (which I used to do at the office) and heating my coffee/tea back up. And it’s handy for cooking squash and potatoes.
I also love to prepare a single serving of hot cereal in the microwave. Saves me the washing of the crusty pot.
March 31st, 2009 at 4:02 pm
I’ve been without a microwave for about 5 years, and I don’t miss it at all. I generally don’t like the texture of foods reheated in the microwave, so I prefer to use the toaster oven or stovetop.
When I had one, I only used it for boiling water and melting butter and chocolate. We now have one of those fast-boil teapots and a butter warming pan, which both get a lot more use than the microwave ever did.
March 31st, 2009 at 4:56 pm
I don’t have a microwave. I don’t really trust them.
March 31st, 2009 at 6:03 pm
We don’t. I don’t totally trust them, either, like the other Jen. Also, I don’t have one built in (that space is dedicated to a second oven–yay!) and I don’t like stuff on my counter. I have a large kitchen with lots of counter space, but it makes me happy when I walk in every day and see nothing but a knife block and a jar of spoons on the counter. I don’t want the clutter of a microwave.
March 31st, 2009 at 6:32 pm
We haven’t had one for almost 10 years for a number of reasons. 1) food doesn’t taste as good and nothing gets crunchy (we use a small toaster oven to do small reheats) 2) it would make us lazy when cooking in the kitchen 3) don’t totally trust that they’re okay. I figure we get enough of the unknown from our cell phones.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:25 am
I don’t have one, and never thought we needed one until we had a kid. Still, it really just takes a few minutes to heat anything up on the stove. And who has the counterspace? Not I!
April 1st, 2009 at 4:24 am
My microwave stopped working a couple years ago (except the timer, which I use all the time). It’s over the stove and seems like it would be a hassle to replace. Plus I’m cheap and don’t want to pay the $200 for a new one. It would be nice to warm up leftovers like pasta but not a big deal for me. Seeing all the others who live without a microwave too makes me feel better about my own choice.
April 1st, 2009 at 4:50 am
I could give up the micro about as easily as I could give up the Net. Which is to say, not at all! Baked potatoes are a biggie, reheating leftovers, warm milk for kids in the morning. Just too convenient and too efficient to give up.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:11 am
My initial reaction was NO WAY! But when I really think about it (and especially after reading these responses!), I could probably live without it. As a single gal who hates doing dishes and doesn’t have a dishwasher, I do love the simplicity of pulling something out of the freezer or a can and cooking it in the dish I’m going to eat out of.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:01 am
We cook a lot of large batches and heat up leftovers for subsequent meals – it’s essential for my busy, on-the-go household of teenagers, back-to-college mama, and active duty military husband. We are careful not to reheat in plastics, but otherwise I believe they are not harmful to people, do not harm food, and are much more energy conservative than the stove/oven.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:07 am
I don’t have one and never have…and consequently don’t see the need for one! (You get used to how you do things, obviously.) We have absolutely no room for one now even if we wanted one…and my husband is sort of the “I don’t trust them” school. Once, when he was living on his own as we relocated from one city to the next, his corporate housing had a microwave. He decided to heat up soup and set it for 10 minutes! Yes, smoke detectors DID go off!
April 1st, 2009 at 9:22 am
I frankly could not live without one and am surprised by people not having them. I thought they were like toasters these days, in every kitchen and always on the counter. Since we have a huge big apple commute from the ‘burbs, I cook for the week on Sunday, tupperware individual portions and then the husband and I reheat all week. There simply isn’t any other option when you get home around 8 PM each night. It’s that or the famous New York diet of take-out every night.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:39 am
Ours makes the cordless phone buzz, even on the other side of the house. So we’re starting to think it’s a bad bad thing. So here’s my question: what is the worst thing about microwaves? are they indeed dangerous? We think so….
April 1st, 2009 at 4:41 pm
wow – that’s a good question. honestly, i don’t think i could live without it! it’s just the two of us, so we often have leftovers from the previous nights dinner.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I have one, but I keep it on top of the refrigerator so it doesn’t take up countertop space. Like most people, I just use it for baking potatoes or softening butter.
I like my leftovers cold. The microwave ruins the flavor.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:17 am
no microwave, but i have a cell phone so who knows waht kind of jelly it is turning my brain into
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:53 am
I’d get rid of my TV any day, my microwave……..never!
April 4th, 2009 at 8:12 am
I put my microwave down in the basement a couple of years ago because my daughter would use it for everything. I did some reading on how the radiation was going into your food and decided to not use it. I only use it (down in the basement) to heat up my wax for my eyebrows. My daughter thinks we are the only one without one. In the same place where the microwave was I have a coffeemaker, toaster a block of knives and a snack container! My daughter still complaines to her friends that I took it away. I have a convection oven and I use that more than my oven itself! It saves on electric and I don’t have to wait 15 minutes for it to heat up! I don’t miss the microwave at all!
April 5th, 2009 at 7:51 am
No microwave for us. We have the room but don’t feel the need. I think the only reason I could see wanting one is if we have kids and want to use the microwave to sterilize bottles.
April 5th, 2009 at 11:14 am
I hate the fact that I have a combination hood/microwave (do the exhausts on those things ever work properly?), but I find I do use the microwave regularly to heat water and coffee, steam vegetables and reheat leftovers. I’m surprised by how many people say that they don’t have a microwave, but do have a toaster oven.
And Ann- radiation as it pertains to microwaves is all about the energy being transmitted by radiation (as opposed to say, conduction, like in a pan on the stove), there’s nothing *radioactive* about a microwave.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:15 am
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May 7th, 2009 at 10:40 am
I have done just fine without for two years. I noticed I stopped buying frozen dinners and snacks, since they are not reccomended for a conventional oven. I tried it out once, and I can see why. So I put together much healthier meals while creating much less waste. I could use one to reheat my coffee, which is ice cold right now!
May 14th, 2009 at 6:09 am
i have never actually bought one. the past 3 years i have not had one, and only in my new apt now do i have one that came installed in the apt. its above the stovetop, so its nice for the overhead light and the digital clock, which is about what i use it for. could be nice for warming up coffee, yes, but i could definitely live without it. i have a toaster oven that i bought to use instead, food just tastes way better when it hasnt been nuked.
May 16th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Nope. I threw mine out for good and will never purchase another. I don’t miss it one bit. They destroy the nutrients in your food, among other things.
Read this article and you may feel the same.
http://www.ghchealth.com/microwave-ovens-the-proven-dangers.html
June 4th, 2009 at 6:21 am
[...] her waking life online, I must have some Luddite in my background — not only do I not have a microwave, I don’t have cable TV. In fact, I’ve never had it — partially because I never [...]