AEG MCC 3881 E-M EN - Manual (Page 11)

The advantages of microwaves |
I THE ADVANTAGES OF MICROWAVES
In conventional ovens, heat radiated by electrical elements or gas burners slowly penetrates the
food from outside to inside. On account of this there is a major amount of energy is wasted
heating the air, the oven components and the food containers.
In a microwave oven, heat is generated by the food itself and the heat travels from inside to
outside. No heat is lost to the air, the walls of the oven cavity or the dishes and containers (if
these are suitable for use in microwave oven), in other words, only the food is heated.
Microwave ovens have the following advantages:
1. Shorter cooking times; in general these are up to 3/4 less than the time required for
conventional cooking.
2. Ultra-fast food defrosting thus reduces the danger of bacterial development.
3. Energy savings.
4. Conservation of the nutritional value of foods due to the shorter cooking times.
5. Easy to clean.
How a microwave oven works?
In a microwave oven there is a high tension valve called a magnetron which converts electrical
energy into microwave energy. These electromagnetic waves are channelled to the interior of
the oven through a wave guide and distributed by a metallic spreader or through a turntable.
Inside the oven the microwaves propagate in all directions and are reflected by the metal walls,
uniformly penetrating the food.
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