What do microwave symbols mean?

Squiggly lines indicate that your container is microwave safe. This symbol can vary a lot, sometimes showing an image of a microwave, or sometimes a dish set below radiation waves, but the squiggly lines are a constant. Squiggly lines mean you can reheat that sucker with ease.

What does the diode do? The microwave diode converts the alternating current (AC) power output of the transformer to direct current (DC), doubling the voltage to nearly 5,000 volts. This high voltage powers the magnetron to heat the food or beverage placed in the oven cavity.

While most microwaves are good for reheating and defrosting foods, a combination microwave is also great at grilling and baking. So, whether it’s rice, kebabs, tandoori chicken, brownies, bread, or pizza you’re after, a combination microwave will cook and bake it all to perfection.

There are three types of control panel types, namely Mechanical, Tact Dial Type, Feather Touch. Mechanical, Tact Dial usually comes in low-end models and can handle rough usage. Feather Touch panels add the design of your microwave. It can sense your fingers, just like a touch-screen phone.

Microwaves with a single dial usually feature a cooking menu printed on the control panel, to make it easier to choose the right cooking time based on the food you need to heat.

Microwaves are available with either digital or manual controls. Digital microwaves tend to have more advanced settings, whereas manual models are less fancy, with simple rotary dial controls for ease of use.

Aluminium trays can be used in the traditional oven and in the microwave.

On most models, the initial microwave time can be set in 15 second increments. Once the microwave starts running, however, any turn of the dial change the time by 5 seconds (clockwise increases, counterclockwise decreases). For example: To heat something for 20 seconds, turn the dial to 15 seconds.