Microwave Wattage & Usage
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Why Choose Microwave Cooking?
Microwave cooking is a great way to prepare and reheat food with little wait time. It’s important to consider wattage and frequency of use before choosing a microwave. There are three duty levels you can choose from: light, medium and heavy. For best results, be sure to choose a wattage level that corresponds to your daily usage.
Don’t be turned off by the myths surrounding microwave cooking. Microwaves deserve a spot in nearly every commercial kitchen or foodservice operation. But which one is best for you?
Light Duty
up to 1000 Watts
If your business currently uses a residential microwave, you may want to consider switching to a light duty model to increase speed and productivity. Light duty microwaves are ideal for restaurants who use the microwave 60 or fewer times a day. These microwaves are typically used for warming desserts, bread, beverages or soups. Convenience stores, break rooms, and small cafes can benefit from these units.
Medium Duty
1200-2000 Watts
If your establishment is using the microwave 50 to 100 times a day, a medium unit is better suited for your restaurant. The higher wattage allows for increased cooking speeds. These units are ideal for back-of-house, where cooking and reheating time is limited. These units work best for warming larger volumes of soup and sauces, appetizers, frozen meals and sandwiches.
I once put instant coffee in a microwave and almost went back in time.
- Steven Wright
Heavy Duty
2000-3000+ Watts
Heavy duty microwaves are the fastest and most durable units. These microwaves are designed to be used upwards of 200 times a day. They are best suited for steaming vegetables, defrosting and reheating large portions of food, and melting chocolate or cheese. Quick-serve and fast-casual restaurants benefit most from having heavy duty microwaves.
When buying a commercial microwave ensure that the inside cavity is large enough to support the dishes and food you are reheating. As you move up in wattage the actual size of the microwave will increase as well.
Hybrid/Combi Microwaves
High-speed hybrid microwave ovens come with many great features such as touchscreen controls, impinger plates, panini trays, and stay-cool doors, all of which enhance the functionality of your unit. Hybrid microwave ovens are ideal for concession stands, food kiosks, convenience stores, or other foodservice establishments that lack space for a full-size commercial oven. These microwaves can perform multiple different tasks which make them ideal for smaller establishments. The best part is that they are faster than traditional ovens so your guests won't have to wait, especially if they are in a hurry. Menumaster is combining various cooking elements into their hybrid ovens. These include microwave, convection, radiant, infrared, impingement, and steaming.
High-end Menumaster Combi ovens come with built in wifi. Menumaster's programming interface lets you program all your machines from a centralized location. You can also use the software to analyse your daily usage of each machine for easier reporting.
