Tuesday 15 April 2014

Minus a microwave again

Another microwave bites the dust. Yesterday the turntable stopped turning and today it just stopped working altogether. I have a very poor record with microwaves, having had at least 6 over the last 30 years. The most common problem has been rust, which I attribute to living next to the sea in Kommetjie (you should see what the sea air does to the inside of a computer!) and I stopped cooking rice in the microwave many years ago due to the amount of moisture exacerbating the problem.

I don't actually cook anything except the odd sauce, and only use it to heat up a plate of food or warm up cold coffee or make Milo. It's never on for longer than it takes to defrost a piece of chicken and then not on High, so I can't say I overwork my microwave. Perhaps that is the problem - short bursts instead of prolonged usage. I have never been able to persuade myself that food cooked in a microwave is beneficial, so it is really the loss of the convenience factor that is irksome. I can still heat up on the stove, but that involves running the risk of a severe steam burn as you lift the plate off the boiling water.

Of course, it is a few months out of guarantee - electrical appliances are cunningly crafted to last slightly over that period - the very idea of having a fridge that lasts for 60 years is laughable in this day and age of throw away consumerism! So tomorrow it looks as though I will be out looking for a new one again. It won't be easy - a basic warming up model isn't big enough to take a dinner plate so the minimum size (which is far too big to be attractive) will be at least R1 000. Quite a price to pay for warming up HWCFA's (except a microwave) dinner.

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