Your convection microwave oven can be very helpful in the kitchen. But, safety is a concern both from the perspective of cooking food adequately and from using the appliance correctly. Several tips for safely using your appliance are offered below.
First, be sure to use microwave safe containers. If a plastic container is not labeled as such, it would be best not to use it. Even if the dish does not melt, you may be leeching toxic substances into your food. Other types of dishes could shatter which might cause the door to open and someone to be injured along with creating a huge mess. Dishes that have metallic trim or foil pans can create unsafe sparks.
Read the manual for your appliance. Cooking times and settings can vary widely from model to model, and you need to know how to operate your specific oven correctly. Remember that cooking something too long can start a fire, while leaving food in for too short of a period can cause food poisoning.
Prepackaged food often has instructions for preparation. Be sure to note the oven wattage that is listed and adjust accordingly for your appliance s power.
Bagged popcorn can be dangerous. Never cook popcorn unattended as fires can start even if you followed the instructions to the letter. The safest tactic is to cut the cooking time a little short of that recommended on the package to lessen the chance of fire. Be sure to place the correct side down so that the bag inflates properly. Also, care must be taken when opening the bag after cooking as burns can result from the heat.
If you are cooking a frozen dinner, read the package to see if it was precooked. If not, you will want to make sure that the food is thoroughly heated before consumption.
Stir food while microwaving. A turntable or moving tray that comes with some models can also be helpful in distributing heat and making sure that the food is properly cooked.
If your appliance is not working properly, get it serviced before using again. You could have a potential fire hazard or be exposing your family to microwaves.
The outside of some models can get very hot when used as a convection oven. Be sure to put the appliance out of reach from small children, and do not put items on top of or directly beside the appliance as they could melt or be damaged.
Some models have the ability to lock the controls so that children cannot use the appliance. If you have small kids, you will want to be sure that the model you choose has this feature.
Keep oven mitts and trivets handy and use them. If you cannot easily reach an over the range model, use a sturdy step stool to prevent burns or injury from dropping hot foods or liquids.
If you plan to put the microwave on a shelf, take care to anchor the shelf properly since microwaves are fairly heavy. If you are using a cart, make sure that the microwave will fit on the cart with some room to spare on all sides so that it can t easily fall off.
The above tips will help make cooking with your convection microwave oven as safe as possible.
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