Can I Live Without a Microwave?
Well of course the answer to that question is yes. My grandmother lived without one, my mother didn't have one until I was in high school, and there are millions of people around the world living today without a microwave. I could feed my family without a microwave. The real question is, do I want to?
About three years ago my oldest two children fried my microwave when they put crayons in the microwave to melt, in plastic cups, for ten minutes. I was doing laundry in the basement. They put the crayons in and came down to the basement too. We all quickly returned upstairs at the sound of the smoke alarm, and found the crayons melted and the plastic cups on fire. The end of one microwave.
For some reason we had an extra older microwave in the basement. That one came to West Virginia with us. A few short weeks later child #2 decided to make her own oatmeal. She forgot to take the spoon out of her bowl. The end of another microwave.
We got gift cards for Christmas so we could buy another microwave; one with a child lock. Today I was heating up leftovers in the microwave. Two dishes warmed up just fine. When I started the third I heard a strange zapping noise, and soon saw smoke coming out from under the microwave. No children or metallic objects involved this time. The end of our third microwave in as many years.
After going through three microwaves in three years, I have to wonder if buying another is really wise. We do have gift cards from Christmas we hadn't decided what to do with yet. Trust me a new microwave was nowhere on the list of uses for those Christmas presents! Do I really want to use gift cards or draw from other money in the budget for something that will probably be ruined again in two years?! Couldn't I live with out one?
I was convinced I could...
until I went to heat up my afternoon cup of coffee! Then I thought about making the kids' oatmeal in the morning, and heating up leftovers for lunch. And what do I do with the leftovers from dinner? Put them in a container? Leave them in the pan? Oh, the endless changes I'd have to make if I had no microwave.
I am forced to admit I'm addicted to the convenience of the microwave. Are there rehabs for that? A microwave is not a need. It is a high priority want in this house. One I apparently am not prepared to go without.
Photo courtesy of flickr
23 comments:
Watch for a sale at a local "home improvement" store. We found a small microwave on sale for under $25. and it works great. With your luck in microwaves, this small investment wouldn't hurt quite as much. Good luck!!
It isn't nearly as hard as it seems. We have horrible luck with microwaves, too. (Which kills me! My mom still has the same microwave we had when I was in school - the first one we bought! The thing is huge, but works like a charm.) After the last one died (about 4 months ago) I just decided that enough was enough.
Leftovers go into a container in the fridge and are heated in the oven or stove, depending on what it is. For oatmeal and hot drinks, I bought a $6 whistle tea kettle. It takes a few minutes, but not so long that it is uncomfortable. We pour coffee into a coffee carafe to keep it warm.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
We've been microwave-less for almost a year. We did a trial run first by placing an almost dead 10+ year old microwave in the garage to pull back out if we REALLY needed it. It was out there for over a month and I'd kind of wanted it once and hubby kind of wanted it twice... not enough to bring it back in or to purchase a working replacement. I do the same thing as krista with leftovers- a pot on the stove. I do miss heating up coffee but to combat that I've just started putting leftover coffee from the morning into a thermos and it's still warm enough when I want a cup in the afternoon.
And I love having my counter space back!
I just got a microwave about 3 years ago (it came with the house). Before that, I used the toaster oven a lot. Also the steamer basket, tea kettle, and the frypan for a quick reheat of leftovers.
I just got a new job and will soon have to get a cell phone.
I haven't gotten too dependent on the microwave, and hopefully I won't use the cell phone too much.
I feel like I'm moving backwards!
We haven't had a microwave for a few years, and we finally had to tell our folks we didn't want one! They kept trying to buy us one as a gift!
I have a Hamilton Beach 12-cup brew pot (no caraffe) that I use for water in the morning. Great for instant coffee, tea, hot cocoa and oatmeal! Just keep it out of reach of the little ones - the button is a huge draw.
We use a lot of pyrex storage, and pop leftovers into a pot on the stove or directly into the oven.
It takes a little bit of getting used to, but we seriously see the microwave as not worth the space it takes up in our small kitchen.
Girl, what in the world is up with your microwave luck???
Buy another but don't buy a "good one" I find that the cheapo ones are better!
Wow Ladies you really are giving me something to think about. I already have the coffee carafe. That would work wonderfully. Hot water in a teapot doesn't take that long. The biggest hand up though is leftovers.
I like to set them all out and have the kids choose then heat up their plate of choices. . .
But the counter top space. . . could always use more of that....
Things to think about.
Krista
Me too! my parents have had the same one for over ten years and moved it to three different states and it still works great! GRR!
What are you ladys doing to your microwaves? I got a Litton on 4-13-1979 still works great. And i use it for all kinds of things could not do without one..
Maybe the older ones are better. We keep thinking ours is going to die any day now but it's working great. Not sure what I would do if it quit. Dad would have to find a new way to make popcorn!!!
Linda (Mom)
I know that the one my mom has is a lot more sturdy than any I can find now. Maybe that has something to do with it?
We have leftover meals, too. The key is to just have them more often (so there isn't as much) and just go ahead and heat it all up. Everyone chooses what they want from what is available.
It just takes some practice. :)
Wow, I never thought about getting rid of the MW. It would free up a lot of counter space. The only down side would be using the oven to warm up leftovers which may cost more in utilities.
We have a smaller one, just big enough for a dinner plate. I use it for heating leftovers, making my hot tea water, and re-warming coffee which I leave out and forget about! I have to hide my coffee cup in the morning or the little one tries to drink it...in between all the morning activities it gets cold. I turn off the coffee pot for the same reason...I'll forget about it. Maybe a thermos might be a good idea. Cool topic. :)
I love my microwave. We now have an over-the-stove one that frees up so much space. My old one (which is about 12 years old) is at my son's apartment and is still going strong.
I never cook in my microwave, but we eat lots of leftovers and I use it to heat those up all the time. In the long run, for me, it is much more cost effective than heating up my oven to warm things up, or heating the stove, then trying to cool down the house.
Just recently I was thinking about getting rid of our microwave. I don't really use it that often (I mostly use the timer since my oven doesn't have one)...although I did reheat my coffee this morning. My thing is the space issue. It would free up quite a bit for me. I guess I want to wait and see where we end up and what our "new" kitchen looks like space wise. If we do decide to get rid of it I will send it your way (just in case you need a space some day!).
Well, you've all got us thinking. I think we've decided to give it a trial run without a microwave. Perhaps keeping our eyes open for a super bargain in the meantime. I'm already loving the extra counter space and have decided if we do get another it is going on a platform on the wall. (no room under the cupboards or over the stove in my kitchen, but there is wall space available.)
Thought I'd chime in as another "microwave free" household. Ours died about 3 yrs ago and we've never looked back! We eat a lot of leftovers here. What I did was buy a few single-serving size ceramic baking dishes that I found at the dollar store. Two of these fit perfectly in our toaster oven side by side. We just put our individual servings of leftovers in the dishes and heat them up (as a bonus, the food stays hot much, much longer than when you nuke it!) As for my coffee, I've learned to drink the whole mug while it's still hot :) although in a pinch I've reheated it in a small saucepan on the stove.
Our old Sharp has survivived since the early 90's encounterning moves to 3 different states. The led display got destroyed during the move to Florida, but this old baby survived years of usage in group homes with up to 8 kids. We thought about buying a new one and giving you the old beast but you've got me believing that older is better. (I knew that, after all I get better the older I get.)
You can install an over the stove one in your house. I saw a damaged one at Home Depot the other day for $79.00.
Papaw
Older is obviously better. Our microwave went kaput a couple of months ago. It was five years old! Grrr! We ended up replacing it with some money my mom had given us "for the house" -- lived without it for a month while we were waiting for the new one, but it radically changed my meal plans because I actually *cook* several things in the microwave, not just reheat. (See all the Reiman Publications Quick Cooking compilations for some great microwave recipes.)
I have a convection microwave that works like an conventional oven, a microwave or a combo of the two. I absolutely love it! They are more expensive, but well worth the money! The combo feature allows me to bake a casserole that would normally take 30 mins in about 12-14!
You can bake anything in it (as long as it fits) just like in the regular oven!
You can do it!! I killed our microwave a couple of years ago while drying herbs (I overworked it, poor thing). We never got another and it's really not a big deal. Think of it as extra counter space!
I see everyone else already made the counter-top comment. I too miss being able to make popcorn. I would love to buy one of those stove-top poppers but just haven't yet seen it as necessary.
You can make popcorn in a pot on the stove – you just have to watch it. One of my senior neighbors (depression/dust bowl era child) taught me. A little oil & some kernels in a pot on the stove with a lid. I’ve had my best luck with medium heat although it takes longer I have fewer un-popped kernels.
Someone busted the glass on our microwave when we moved last spring & I haven’t looked back. I’m a single parent & simply didn’t have the spare cash to buy a new one. I warm up leftovers on the stove or in the toaster oven although my son insists some things like veggies taste better cold (boys can be weird at times).
I just turn the burner to the coffee machine on to heat up coffee in the afternoon and during the summer I made homemade iced coffees instead. Like anything else in life if you want to go without it you’ll find your own way to make do. Just make sure there’s a lid on the stove top popcorn :-)
LOL! Sorry about the microwave crashes. Sounds like this is yet another appliance whose manufacturers have started building in planned obsolescence. My first micro, a Sharp carousel that I got free as a come-on to buy carpets, ran for over 15 years. Refrigerators used to last the lifetime of a house, and a dishwasher could be expected to run at least 15 or 20 years. No more!
My secretary cremated our office microwave by putting her lunch in it, punching 10 minutes instead of 1 minute, and then wandering off and forgetting about it.
When she noticed smoke billowing out of the back office (where the micro resided), she tried to pull the burning debris out but couldn't touch it. So she ran back to her desk, got her purse, ran back to the micro, and scraped the burning ex-food into her bag. Now she runs down the stairs with her flaming lunch and throws it into the atrium fountain!!!!!
The resulting geyser drew some attention, as you can imagine, from the passers-by.
Facilities Management, after they de-smoke-damaged our office, asked that we please not get her another microwave.
Happily, this worthy recently quit--come the 15th, she's gone. Our staff intends to wave good-bye to her after her ceremonial lunch and then race to my car, grab the new microwave out of the back, haul it upstairs, and plug it in.
Hi, I just found your blog & thought I'd comment. We just recently moved to a home that didn't have a built in microwave and we chose to go without. It's really been no inconvenience. Things really only take a few minutes to reheat even in the oven or on the stove top!!
Good luck!!
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