Why There's Simply No Need For A Microwave Anymore

In the late 1970s, microwaves were an essential component of every luxurious, high-tech kitchen. Equal parts technological novelty and practical appliance, microwaves could feed you a full and flavorful meal in minutes, or sometimes even just a few seconds. In fact, we found them so useful that they've become a standard fixture in the majority of U.S. homes, with the appliance even outselling full-sized traditional gas ranges by 1975.

However, recent innovations in kitchen appliances have heralded a downward trend in microwaves' seemingly endless popularity. Many of us have begun choosing the air fryer over the microwave for reheating leftovers and a bunch of other tasks, as well. The microwave might be a great way to make "baked" brie in a pinch, but you can also make gooey, delicious melty brie in the air fryer — and it may just be better. One big reason why we're abandoning microwaves in favor of other appliances and cooking methods is that they simply don't produce high-quality results.

All of us are familiar with the struggle of trying to get a microwave to heat food evenly, only to be faced with a soggy, lackluster meal even when it does. Conversely, air fryers, steam ovens, and smart ovens all offer many of the advantages of a microwave with the added benefit of consistently delicious results. For many, this may mean that finding the right bowl for a DIY double boiler for melting chocolate or making fondue may be worth eschewing microwaves in favor of other appliances.

When it comes to heated rivalries between appliances (pun intended), the air fryer is clearly the microwave's biggest competition. It can do almost everything a microwave does, do it better, and can also do much more. As mentioned, air fryers are popular for reheating leftovers because they produce evenly heated, flavorful results while also restoring a crisp texture to things like fries and roasted chicken. Plus, air fryers can help you hack your sandwich game by producing incredible toasted sammies, while no one would expect a microwave to be up to the same task.

However, if the air fryer just doesn't do everything you need it to, you may want to invest in an affordably priced countertop steam oven. These little ovens are essentially a cross between a conventional oven and an air fryer with the added benefit of adjustable steam heat to produce everything from beautifully moist cakes and mini lasagnas to leftovers that almost taste better than fresh.

Additionally, if convenience is what you crave, a smart oven may be the ultimate kitchen appliance for you. Equipped with Bluetooth that allows you to control certain functions from your phone, smart ovens also often have intuitive designs with things like multiple cooking chambers with individual temperature settings, burners designed for specific tasks, and even built-in air fryers and steam features to give you the capabilities of multiple appliances in one, allowing you to cut back on your kitchen gadgets for a more efficient space.