Popcorn, Potato, Pizza, Frozen Vegetable, Rice, Beverage, Dinner Plate . . . .

[Unsuspicious]

Reheat, Weight Defrost, Warm, Mute, Lock, Sensor Cook, Power Level, Meat/Poultry, Kitchen Timer, Melt, Soften, Frozen Entree, Fresh Vegetable, Baked Potato . . . .

Does anyone actually use all of these extra buttons on their microwave?

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by Unsuspicious

Reheat, Weight Defrost, Warm, Mute, Lock, Sensor Cook, Power Level, Meat/Poultry, Kitchen Timer, Melt, Soften, Frozen Entree, Fresh Vegetable, Baked Potato . . . .

Does anyone actually use all of these extra buttons on their microwave?

Just timer and start.

[Bill]

By the time I replaced my original, builder grade microwave after about 20 years, the only button that still worked on the keypad was the 'popcorn' button, so I had to use that and stand around and just watch the timer and stop it when my stuff was ready. Replacement new keypads were not available, and I found one locally, used, for, I think, $ 70, no warranty. Prior to Brandonflation, new replacement, builder grade microwaves were running around $ 200+, so I figured I'd just get a new one. Ended up finding a year old model on Craigslist from a woman who lived close....it was her builder grade white microwave and she wanted new stainless steel appliances. Picked it up for $ 45 plus another $ 5 or so for mounting hardware from ACE.

On the plus side, builder grade GE mass produced microwave tech seems to have advanced, so my 'new' microwave has a rotating turntable AND a feature to add 30 seconds of cook time, which is nice.


Compare and contrast to a high end KitchenAid stainless microwave/convection oven I bought for another house that had an odd size built in location. In less than a year, the keypad on that failed, bigly. Very expensive, small, and from what I have read, the keypads go out on all of them. Meanwhile, my builder grade GE gets used multiple times daily and is running fine.

I use the quick 1-6 buttons for 1-6 minutes of cook time, and the add 30 second feature. The rest is useless, although I know people that do use the defrost function on theirs.

[LATB]

[PLRX]

Frozen foods..6 minutes, shower, come back ready to go.

Frozen lasagna..15 minutes

Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches, thawed, 23 seconds

None of those buttons satisfy my desires.

[Unsuspicious]

I could literally get by with a single button, and actually do.
The start button also adds 30 seconds, but it only works when there's still time on the clock, so I usually take out my food before it hits 0 and leave time on it.

Does anyone bother using different power levels? I never use it to thaw but that's the only scenario I can see an item caring about a lower power level

[Rodnok1]

Yes I use the power level all the time, frozen burgers and the like.
Defrost button never.
Best button on micro is the 30 second button.
My last countertop had a rotary dial and just push it to start. It was the shiznit.