Cooking can be a long and tiring ordeal and the best way to make things simple is to opt for a microwave oven. Cooking is faster and tastier and doesn’t take more than a few minutes to cook. A microwave oven saves time, energy and minimizes the mess in the kitchen. A microwave oven cooks and heats food by the process of dielectric heating. This is achieved by the use of microwave radiation to heat water and other molecules within the food. The Principle behind its function:The main principle is that the microwave oven functions by passing non-ionizing microwave radiation at frequencies about 2. 45 gigahertz and wavelength of 12. 25 centimeter. This radiation provides energy which is absorbed by the food in a process known as dielectric heating. There is however a misconception that a microwave oven cooks food from “inside out” which is not true. The energy from the microwave radiation is absorbed on the outer layers of food similar to heat energy from other sources. Cooking in a microwave oven is better because the penetration depth of microwaves is much higher than the conventional methods. In comparison to conventional methods, a microwave oven ensures quick and hassle free cooking. While choosing a microwave oven, the ones with low microwave frequencies and higher penetration is always better. Choosing the right microwave oven:There is a gamut of microwave ovens and choosing an ideal one can be quite a task. The distinction is mainly on power levels and the defrosting levels. Most microwave ovens are similar in that the intensity of microwave radiation is same while the magnetron is turned on and off in cycles of several seconds at a time. This is specifically of significance to airy foods that inflate during heating phases and deflate when the magnetron is switched off. The magnetron is pushed by a linear transformer which can be either completely switched on or turned off. The latest gadgets which are equipped with invertors’ power supplies make use of pulse width modulation for continuous low power heating. This type of microwave oven is ideal for all kinds of cooking. The miscellany and accessories to enhance the cooking effect:The cooking chamber of a microwave oven is known as the Faraday cage. This enclosure prevents the microwave from escaping into the environment and the glass panel door enables easy viewing. The heat is maintained with a layer of conductive mesh. The size of perforation on the mesh is lesser than the microwaves’ wavelength. Conventional microwave oven has a variant in the convection microwave which is a combination of a standard microwave and a conventional oven. Food is cooked quickly and getting them browned or crisped is now so much easier. They are however more expensive that the conventional microwave oven. They are often used for cooking prepared dishes. Another recent variation is a microwave oven with high power quartz halogen bulb which utilizes the high intensity halogen lights at the top of the microwave to deposit huge amounts of infrared radiation to the surface of the food. Accessories like browning tray, pop corn bags etc may accompany the microwave. Consumer microwave oven from leading brands like LG, Kenstar, Onida, and Electrolux may be bought either from online stores or a physical shop. Online shopping is an easier and convenient option especially if you want to gift it to someone. So, waste no time, in adopting the microwave-mode of cooking. Opt for an ideal microwave oven and get started with hassle free and efficient cooking.