When and why did microwave ovens become so popular? The answers are not hard to imagine as microwaves brought with them revolutionized the concept of easy cooking which was unfortunately synonymous to unhealthy eating before their advent. Bachelor pads became more enticing, recipes found sub-recipes, food became more delicious and thus new microwave models popped up like mushrooms.

There are the regular basic microwave ovens that just heat pre-cooked meals and then there are the more advanced microwave ovens in which an entire meal can be cooked similar and along the lines of a regular cooker. Generally, microwaves come in two varieties.

With respect to placement and portability, microwave ovens come in two broad categories. The more common ones being the counter-top ovens that can be placed anywhere depending on their size and power needs. However, the kitchen ovens or the in-built microwaves are fitted into your kitchen cabinet for handy use and space conservation. So first thing you need to decide before you, go scouting for microwave ovens is which kind do you need. The answer, you will find, is in your kitchen. Can you make room in your cabinets for a microwave oven? Alternatively, do you prefer your oven to be more portable because you tend to shift positions too many times?

A standard microwave cooks the food using variable wattage to change the heat intensity. The range of foods that can be cooked in a cheaper microwave is not very large and might not be the perfect choice for you, if you regularly cook cordon bleu meals. You might then go for a larger, expensive model with more settings and features available and are conducive to cooking a variety of foods effectively. A large electric microwave can typically cook larger quantities of food faster as it cooks the food at higher temperatures.

Also when using a regular microwave, the user might have to mix the half-cooked foods so that the heat can reach the food at the core. This could be a disadvantage when cooking large meals since it could be a time taking process. Therefore, unless, you never tend to entertain at your place, you might not prefer the standard microwave with minimal number of functions. The larger microwaves, however, have functions like the rotisserie that ensure that all those large chunks of meat are properly cooked to the core.

What looks like the perfect microwave to meet all your needs in the store might not be the one for you after you come home. The best way to ensure that the microwave is suitable is to carry a plate along to the store to check the space availability as it can be misleading sometimes.

Choose a microwave keeping your cooking patterns in mind. Paying a huge amount of money for features you might never use is not a smart option. Look through the numerous models available in the market, before zeroing on what works best for you. Choose wisely, as the microwave oven is the man?s new best friend.