I Don’t Own a Microwave, AMA

According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics (my favorite bureau!), 90% of American households own a microwave. But as Quartz reports, sales are down and microwaves simply, “aren’t cool anymore.” Generation Z and their highly-involved breakfasts attest to this, I suppose!

Where do we stand on this issue?

I cannot speak for my co-editors, but as for me, I am on the right side of history. If by history you mean overly-paid trend forecasters as cited on Quartz.com. My kitchen in my last apartment had a built-in microwave, so I threw my busted $30 one out, and in this apartment there is truly about six inches of counter space so I don’t know where I’d put one if we had it. *shuffles to stand in front of the KitchenAid mixer, crosses arms*

What do I miss? Maybe instant oatmeal but I just use a kettle for that. Popcorn? We just make it the old-fashioned way (fewer chemicals, but obviously not as GOOD). Reheating leftovers in a skillet usually makes them taste better, and encourages you to add new ingredients and be all Tamar Adler-y. Day-old pizza goes in the toaster oven and it’s even better. And what else is there, anyway?

Actually, no. Amy’s burritos, I will grant you, take way too long to heat up in the oven. Oh and nuking potatoes before you cook them, to make things go faster. That I miss. Boiling them on the stove and then trying to move them onto a pan with a spoon that’s too small and I end up flinging hot water on myself and somehow the potato goes rolling across the kitchen? Almost as uncool as microwaves.

Photo: bcmom

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