Microwaves
Just reading through comments on the new glamping pods and their cooking equipment which includes a microwave got me thinking....
I returned to work about 34 years ago when our youngest of three was about six years old. With my first months wages I went out and bought a microwave. They were heralded as the saviour in the kitchen, microwave cookery books proliferated and I joined in with a variety of attempts at microwave cookery. Anaemic looking sponge cakes were my speciality. 
Since then I've always had one and also have one in the present motorhome.
My efforts have dwindled. Mostly now using it to heat up milk for coffee. Make porridge and heat the occasional ready meal.
So what do you use yours for or do you happily manage without? 
Comments
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We have a microwave in our caravan, it is stored under the seat so is a pain to get in and out, I think we have used it twice in two years and even then hubby complained that he didn't like his tea warmed up in plastic bowl. So not really sure why we have it but maybe one day I will be grateful we have
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On a day to day basis ours is mainly used for heating milk for coffee and Margaret does her porridge in the mornings. We do have the occasional ready meal. It's good for anything that just needs heating. I don't like vegetables cooked in the microwave. We do have a wonderful microwave rice cooker which produces excellently cooked rice. Margaret also makes really good casseroles in the microwave. We obviously use it a lot more than I think!!!
Slightly different in the motorhome where it is used less but still handy. It tends to cut out on longer cooks and I wonder if it is getting enough ventilation.
David
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I will admit that when we got our first van with a microwave I didn't think I'd ever use it as I don't use ours at home much.
However I have found it useful when away. I use it for cooking jacket potatoes and other vegetables, also the occasional ready meal. I sometimes buy the packets of microwave rice which cook in 2 minutes, very handy.
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Microwaves are useless to a surfer. Having said that, we use our mainly to heat ready meals.
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Occasionally ready produced products. However, ours gets used most for cooking vegetables. However, not jacket potatoes, those are horrible and soggy in the microwave. In the van we have a lightweight plastic microwave steamer, which does not let much of the steam escape and is great for broccoli, cauliflower, beans and asparagus, to name but a few. Apart from that OH heats her porridge and I use it for my baked beans.
Like brue when we first had one we tried most things. Some said they were good for fish, but personally I think it alters the texture, and not in a nice way.
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Can I claim the prize for the oldest microwave still in everyday use? ...It's a 'Moffat', is 38 years old, enormous, and built (in USA) like a tank. Not a single fault since new.
We have only ever really used it for defrosting/reheating. Wife does insist on giving her baked potato a burst before putting it in the ordinary oven......but I agree with SteveL and insist mine only goes in the oven.
(P.S. Just realised our dishwasher (a 'Currys Special' Zanussi) beats it at 41 years old and also still going ....though seldom used just for 2 of us
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We have taken them out of our previous caravans and used the space for an extra cupboard. However the new van has more cupboard space and Mrs WN does like the occasional porridge for lunch (never breakfast) and I admit to using it to finish off those pre cooked rice packages. Saves gas and time, although I did use to just add some boiling water to a small pan and give them 5 minutes.
At this moment in time it is being used to store a large Butterhead lettuce as fridge is full!
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We use ours in the caravan quite a lot. Jacket potatoes - microwave first then put into the oven or on BBQ to finish off cuts down on use of gas - rice (very good), some vegetables if only doing one lot otherwise use a steamer over the electric ring, softening the butter I've forgotten to take out of the fridge (!). Not a substitute for a conventional oven but useful nonetheless.
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At home we have a combination oven, Briliant! Use it for defrosting, baking, roasting, in fact everything a normal oven can do or a microwave. Can be used as a convection or a microwave and has may combination programmes. Also a god send as a second oven at Christmas or when family come to stay.
Had microwaves in vans before but not in the latest. Keep searching for that very smallest one but they tend to be quiet expensive.
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I batch cook as it's only the 2 of us and find that the sistema range of boxes fabulous for meals for 2 managing 8 meals for the 2 of us fit in the ice box of fridge, they are reheated in the microwave. I make potatoes boulangerie in micro, then finish under the grill. At home i use Delias way to make rice but in caravan use sistema red rice cooker, which does not boil over and it is brilliant for pasta. I'm not a buyer of ready made meals and at home would bake in microwave as well but a bit much for a caravan. Vegetables work for me in a steamer, I think it depends how you manage at home but slow cookers and air fryers are not what I take in the caravan. I like experimenting plus it's a combination microwave.
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