Capacity
The higher the capacity, the more food can be cooked at once. A microwave oven with a volume of up to 20 litres is suitable for heating one plate. In a model with a volume of more than 28 litres, you can already put a whole pan.
Controls
The main type of control elements in a microwave oven.
— Rotary knobs. Mechanical rotary knobs most often are used in the simplest low-cost models: one knob sets the heating power, and the other — the operating time. The accuracy of such adjustments is not very high; this is especially true for the operating time. However, there are also quite advanced microwaves with similar controls — they may provide other ways to use rotary knobs, as well as additional controls (for example, buttons).
— Push-buttons. Control using buttons, usually, implies the presence of a display — otherwise, it would be difficult to control the operation. This option allows you to set the parameters more accurately — in particular, the timer in push-button models is usually electronic. In addition, it is well-suited for models with predefined recipes, special modes, etc. Therefore, buttons are a sign of a model with advanced features, the functionality of which is not limited to constant heating at a certain power.
— Rotary knobs + touch controls. Controls include both rotary knobs and touch controls. The main features of both are described above. Such controls, as well as purely touch controls, are found mainly in fairly advanced models. On the one hand, rotary knobs are more convenient for some tasks (for example, adjusting power or selecting an operating mode). On the other hand, they somewhat complicate the design of the control panel and make it difficult to cle...an. Therefore, this option has not received much popularity.
— Touch controls. Another type of control, similar to the buttons described above, with one difference — the role of the buttons, in this case, is played by touch sensors. Touch controls look more advanced than push-buttons, are easier to operate, and have no protruding parts, making them less dirty and easier to clean. The disadvantage of touch controls can be called a higher cost, which is why this option is found mainly in expensive models.
— Pop-out knobs + touch controls. Pop-out knobs are a variation of the rotary knobs described above, in which the knobs can be recessed into the control panel. Usually, pop-out knobs are designed to stay outside only during the direct setting of the operating mode. And for the time when the oven is not in use or works in one mode, they can be hidden. It gives the unit a neat appearance, reduces the places where dirt can accumulate, and makes the front panel easier to clean. And touch controls complement the style of the device and underline its premium performance.
Turntable diameter
The larger the diameter of the table, the larger dishes can be used in the oven. This spec directly depends on the volume of the microwave oven.
Door opening
The opening direction of the microwave oven door.
- Sideward. It is the classic option to open the door to the side (usually to the left, so that it is convenient to unload/load dishes with your right hand). It is found in the vast majority of free-standing microwaves. As a rule, microwave ovens with a sideward door opening have a volume no higher than average, up to 25 litres. It is because horizontal doors tend to sag, and doors in long and wide microwave ovens will sag especially strongly.
- Downward. Opening the door forward is similar to a conventional oven. It is used mainly in built-in devices, as well as in some free-standing devices. Downward opening doors are typical for large and capacious microwave ovens, with a working chamber volume of 23-25 litres and more. The hinges of the door are not subject to sagging, as is the case with large microwave ovens with a sideward opening of the door. In advanced models, the hinged door is often equipped with a mechanical, gas or hydraulic spring, which allows the door to be held by a canopy.
