from Hacker News

Do you use a microwave or oven to reheat food?

by rishirishi on 4/21/19, 1:05 AM with 4 comments

I grew up heating and reheating food and drink in a microwave. After moving in to my own place, I opted to use a small oven over a microwave. The food heated in an oven tastes superior to food heated in a microwave.

How is that the microwave became ubiquitous? Generally speaking, a minute in the microwave would require 8 minutes (+ 3 minutes for preheating) in the oven. So is it simply a matter of time savings? "Save ten minutes and eat food that tastes worse?"

  • by externalreality on 4/21/19, 1:30 AM

    The food doesn't just taste worse its unsafe since microwave technology has be shown not heat food uniformly and can leave cold spots.

    Also microwaves somehow change the texture of the food. A pizza in a microwave undergoes some alteration that makes the cheese get a rubbery texture.

    I don't use microwaves much anymore. I rather just wait. Its not going to kill me - but cold spots might.

  • by mindcrime on 4/21/19, 1:31 AM

    I could go either way, but lately I tend to use the conventional oven for re-heating. About the only thing I use my microwave for is heating up a bowl of canned soup, or heating any kind of frozen "tv dinner" type packaged meal. And of the latter, I try not to eat those terribly often. Campbell's Chunk Soup on the other hand, I eat moderately often.

    Anyway, as to whether or not there's a noticeable taste difference... I don't know. Never really thought about it. For re-heating (as opposed to initial cooking) I wouldn't expect there to be much difference, but who knows?

  • by thrusong on 4/21/19, 2:01 AM

    I haven't owned a microwave in 10 years and I do not miss it. It changes the texture and taste of my food while not heating it all the way through consistently. Microwaves are a gateway to processed junk foods. I don't mind waiting for food to warm up in my oven or a frying pan.

  • by simonblack on 4/21/19, 4:05 AM

    both. If it doesn't need to be 'crisp' then a microwave is good enough. Other wise the oven is slower but better.

    With both methods, the various technique(s) used can make a lot of difference to the final palatability of the end product.