The microwave oven was invented in (drum roll) 1945! And the first commercial microwave was sold nine years later. It was another 13 years, in 1967, before they were put on the market to households. And another dozen years before they started to become widely popular. Today, microwave ovens are in 90 percent of all U.S. homes. Fortunately, they are virtually trouble free. When they are not, here are some things you can do about it.

How Does It Work?

A microwave oven is an appliance for heating and cooking food more quickly than a conventional oven. A magnetron inside the oven produces a beam of electromagnetic waves, called microwaves. The beam is reflected throughout the microwave to heat the food. The magnetron is powered by a transformer, capacitor (dangerous!), and diode, which convert household AC power into the high-voltage DC power that the magnetron needs. Controls tell the magnetron how long to stay on and at what power setting.

What Can Go Wrong?

Fortunately, microwave ovens are nearly trouble free. Many of the problems can be fixed by the owner. For example, the power cord can be damaged, the interlock switch, thermal cutout, fan, turntable motor, temperature probe, or light bulb may need to be replaced, or the door may not close properly.

Caution!

Never attempt to service the magnetron in a microwave oven. It is extremely dangerous.