TheSaneWriterFor the Love of God, Stop Microwaving Plastic
TimwiHot take: you don't need a microwave oven at all. I've been living without one for 12 years now and I don't miss it. It's surprisingly rare for the instructions on food packaging to require a microwave; they almost always have options for ovens or stoves, too.
snooggumsYou don't even need a heat source if all you eat is take out!
Not having a small and convenient way to heat food is nothing to be smug about. Microwaves are convenient for heating some types of foods in a small and efficient way. Like leftovers.
LifeInOregonI get the convenience of microwave ovens, but they are, like a lot of things that are convenient,
a sacrifice of quality. I’ve never found something that could be reheated in a microwave to taste better than something I reheated in a toaster oven or on the stove top, and both of those options are only marginally slower than a Microwave for significantly better results.
Microwaves are just quicker and more convenient. That’s their whole selling point
Melted cheese, refried beans, breadsticks, and a ton of other stuff is extremely easy to reheat in the microwave with lower power settings and a wet paper towel. Most people just blast microwaves on high, which is like turning the stove all the way up. A little bit of technique and a microwave will heat food more evenly than a stove top while leaving it in the ceramic or glass container it is stored in.
It takes a little knowledge, just like a stove or oven. Most people just treat microwaves like magic and get terrible results.
As a bonus, when staying in a hotel that has a microwave but no stove I get conveniently reheated food that still has good texture and taste!