I've largely moved to using the air fryer / toaster oven to heat things up, but the biggest "life hack" for microwaving is doubling the time and halving the power. That, and stirring halfway through.

People really don't know how to use a microwave.

Have a microwave with a steam sensor perfectly cooked food everytime.

Microwave: just for that, I'm giving it to you BOTH too hot and too cold

skill issue

This https://what-if.xkcd.com/131/ should be helpful to everyone who has these kinds of problems.

May not be on the cheaper microwaves, but the combination of the sensor heating button and inverter technology makes reheating perfect every time.

My only interface complaint with my current microwave is that the turntable doesn't do a full revolution in an even amount of time. That is, it takes about nine seconds to do a full revolution, but since I put the food in for one minute, or some number of 30-second intervals, the bowl, or cup always ends up away from the front of the oven, so I need to reach in to get it. What's needed is a variable speed drive that ensures the cup always comes back to the same point at which you put it in, regardless of time.

But, really, I'd put up with almost anything for a microwave that lasted 20 years, like my old microwave did.

There is an easy solution to this.

Don't put your food in the middle.

whynotboth.gif

Someone has NEVER used the power setting before...

It seems as if there's a large chunk of multiple generations that were never taught by their guardians and teachers how to use a microwave properly.

You wouldn't use an oven the same way as a frying pan and expect the same results. Microwaves are great for some things and not for others, and can easily heat things through evenly.

It's not the fault of people who don't know though, it's a fault of their educators.

I'll give the microwave a pass. It doesn't heat up food evenly but all You have to do is stir it half way through. It's not like You can heat up anything on the stove without stirring.

While on the subject. I have a microwave, electric oven combo. I can use it both to heat things up quickly and to bake. It takes space for only one allowance and is smaller than an average oven so it heats up quicker and I could fit one more drawer into my kitchen. I'm always wondering why they aren't more popular. Whenever I tell people about it, they are surprised that a thing like that exists.

Western society if their citizens knew how to use the power setting:

Wait more than two seconds after the microwave dings before cramming it down your gullett and maybe the temperature will be a little more even.

My wife learning about inverter microwave models was one of the greatest upgrades in our kitchen when the old microwave went out. The shorter pulses for power reduction is such a game-changer over something that puts burning the fuck out of your food on a temporary pause.

90s at 70%, 45s at 50%, then 45-90s at 30% gives us perfectly hot milk that doesn't boil over and no skin ring that's been baked on the inside of our mugs.

My hotplate recently broke, but I successfully used the microwave yesterday to make a simple syrup without relying on short bursts and frequent stirring breaks.

Sensor Reheat

I'm gonna ignore all the microwave oven cook experts comments and just be blunt. They don't do it like they used to anymore, I feel you OP.

I've never lived in a society where a microwave is used for anything other than heating things up—all be it, poorly.

Then I hear of people in some countries use themi cook. What a waste your time, food, and mone?

In the apocalypse; Microwavers.are.day 1 done at best.