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Placing objects on top of a microwave oven

Hi,

I have a question about microwave ovens which probably sounds a bit silly, but here goes...

Prior to purchasing a small microwave from an online store, I needed to check whether it had vents on top of the unit, as in my small kitchen it would be on a benchtop and I wanted to use this space for resting light objects. I've never actually seen vents on the top of any microwave, but the manual was non-specific and suggested there may be, so I thought I'd better check. The manufacturer's respresentative, who'd just returned from speaking to technical support to get an answer to my question about the vent location (they're on the side), very strongly warned against placing objects on top. Even small objects, I asked, like cooking utensils? "No, no, no way! It might blow up".

Now, I understand these companies have liability issues to worry about and will warn against pretty much everything. Common sense tells me that placing a teatowel on the top surface (in such a way that it doesn't over the edges and cover vents) and resting light objects like clean cooking utensils on it should not be a problem, but I'm not up to speed on electronics so perhaps there's a technical issue I'm not considering. Is any technical reason why I should not place light objects on top of a microwave?

Ed

Reply to
Ed Masters
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---------- No, he's as uneducated as you sre, he's just covering his ass. Remember him the next time your ignorsnce leads you to cover YOUR ass.

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Reply to
R. Steve Walz

"Ed Masters" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com...

Ed,

Vent openings should - off course - never been covered. But a microwave that blows things that are placed on top of it is a very dangerous appliance. It sure does not fulfil the safety regulations and is not allowed to be sold in most countries. So I think that representative did not know where he's talking about like most salesmen often do. The only accident I ever met was fatal for some pottery placed on top of the microwave. Due to the vibration caused by the turntable the pottery walked to the edge and beyond...

BTW. Microwaves *never* should leak out of the oven. As fat and grease tend to conduct microwaves, you have to keep your oven clean. Especially the door and posts.

petrus bitbyter

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Reply to
petrus bitbyter

WARNING WARNING WARNING!

The TOP of your microwave oven could be dangerous, but not for the reason anyone thinks.

In some ovens (like mine!), the light bulb that illuminates the inside of the oven is very close to the metal top. In normal operation this causes little problem. However, if you leave the oven door open for many hours, the light stays on, and the metal top becomes extremely hot. Plastic bags fuse to the paint. Candles turn into pools of liquid wax. I doubt it could start a fire, but it certainly could destroy a CDROM left up there.

Reply to
William J. Beaty

Have you seen the CD inside the oven? Now THAT destroys it. gg

Reply to
Glenn Gundlach

Can someone explain why we worry about door seals on microwaves leaking, when the door has a metal grill that I can see through!

Peter

Reply to
Peter Andrews

Because the holes are smaller than the 1/4 wave length of the frequency in use, so for all intents at the 2.5GHz or so the oven is using the grill is a solid piece of metal.

Reply to
James Beck

I wonder what size of hole would cause problems? In my old oven, the 0.25" hole I drilled in the top had no measureable leakage. At the same time, there were a few mW/cm^2 at one corner of the door, and the door was NOT damaged or even dirty.

PS

Drill a hole in your oven wall! It lets you reach in with a plastic stick and poke at sizzling sample-objects. Or stick an NE2 bulb in the end of a soda straw and explore the 3D hotspot pattern.

Reply to
William J. Beaty

Microwaves are by no means - my specialty, so my assumption here could be wrong.... But I'm wondering.... the hole on "top" of the microwave maybe being "above" the main oven components - was still "shielded" from the "active" parts? Where as the door was inline with the deflected microwaves? Just a guess.

As to placing things on top of the oven, I do and have been for a while. No big deal as most of my cooking time is less than 10 minutes. Now, if it were to be say an hour, I'd probably move the stuff as I have noticed that the oven "starts" to get a little warm at the 10 minute mark. And no - the vents are not blocked. They're out to the sides and rear. There is sufficient space on the sides and rear to allow for it.

Reply to
OH YEAH

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