Microwave Ovens in Comtemporary Society

The technology I have chosen is the microwave oven. The microwave oven is a personal technology that can and is easily shared. The most recognized place for a microwave oven is at home but they are also prominent in offices, schools and stores. This is due to its highly popular primary function, heating up food. The device is small, heats up food quickly and easy to use. Simply place the container inside, select the duration of the heating, close the lid and press start.
“Cooking up Faster, Cheaper Microwaves” from Consumer Reports is a “smart buyer’s” guide to microwaves. It gives brief descriptions of microwaves, their features and prices as well as some tips to buyers. In the beginning, it states the new Kenmore 6633 priced at $144 was the top scoring midsized countertop microwave. One of the reasons being the microwaves’ TrueCookPlus software, which allows the user to cook certain dishes by entering a code found on certain food packages. It was one of the model’s main selling points despite the concept being fairly new. While not directly stated the article shows the microwave is becoming more and more of a cooking appliance rather than just an appliance. Nowadays multitasking devices are immensely popular. It seems that trend is finally starting to take a strong hold in the kitchen. The article features models with seemingly unusual features such as an electric broiler but had a price tag of $600. The article then suggested a model that costs $250 that didn’t have the broiler but a convection mode that simulated the same browning effect. The microwave cooks much faster than conventional ovens, uses less electricity and costs much less. With features such as a broiler some meals could be cooked from start to finish. By comparing high end models and similar, cheaper models the article shows that people want faster and cheaper alternative to cook their meals. It’s also an indicator of the fast paced lifestyle that is dominant today. A fast oven equals “fast food”. The article isn’t unfairly bias as it is a consumer report, it suggests items to buy based on consumer trends.
Being a purist cook, I feel this trend of cooking with the microwave to be absolutely disgusting. In my view the microwave is meant to heat up and defrost foods but never under any circumstance be used to cook. The microwave just doesn’t produce the same results that a stovetop and conventional oven can. The main reason I’m against microwave cooking is passion and love, the lack of it. I know from experience food the best food is those that are prepared with care. Where is the cook in a frozen meal? The Kenmore 6633 can cook baby back ribs with a touch of a button. A dish that is supposed to take hours of hard work and care can now be made with minutes by a child. No need for recipes or experience. I feel this will reduce the number of people who know how to cook. Only three of my friends know how to cook freely without being tied to recipes, the words instant or frozen and cans. We all take pride in that fact but “with these new microwaves why even bother? Sure it doesn’t taste as good but good enough considering it’s from the microwave.” Which is another disturbing thought, many of my friends like frozen foods and consider them good. Good enough to eat daily. I in fact do eat frozen foods for their convenience and have found some to be exceptional considering it was an ice block five minutes prior. But if I were to serve it to my family, I would consider it absolute garbage much like how I see margarine. I believe that people’s palettes have been taken over by frozen and instant foods where fresh foods are no longer enjoyed as often. Personally I link this to the rise of unhealthy diets. “It’s pasta, it’s just frozen it’s got all the same ingredients.” When I cook I have control over what goes in and what doesn’t. All frozen foods come from a factory and due to it being a commercial product food additives are bound to be included. Even on frozen foods I have found names of preservatives when the label said otherwise.
With all the new features in microwaves now available, I do think that people won’t have to learn the art of cooking and also be derived of good palettes. Kitchens might become smaller as microwaves can be a fan, stove and an oven. But ironically a I think the very traits that might make microwaves the dominate kitchen appliance will also keep it in it’s current state. Say the microwave does become the kitchen and produces better results than traditional methods. People would lose their ability to cook the old way and probably their incentive to. What should happen if the microwave broke? Cooking would be impossible unless repairs or replacements were handled. A power outage a few weeks ago enforced my idea. The only devices that worked where those that weren’t electric or ran on batteries. A gas stove would work under those circumstances but not a microwave and what if the kitchen only had a microwave? It can’t act as a stove without electricity. Also the microwave can be a dangerous appliance when used inappropriately. Grapes for example conduct electricity in a microwave. There would have to be warning manuals saying what can and can’t go into the microwave. So every dish has to be planned out with caution and some foods might not be able to be enjoyed or in the time it takes to find out the dish is safe and cook it takes just as or longer than cooking with traditional methods.

LJWorld.com

(2009, Janurary 28),  Faster, cheaper microwaves working better than ever.

Retrieved Feburary 6, 2009, from:

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/jan/28/faster-cheaper-microwaves-working-better-ever/