Disney Lilo and Stitch Soft Toy Stitch Mini Bean bag plush

Product Information

If not, they should have standout features, such as one-touch sensor cooking, which works out what's needed for you – all you need to do is put your food in and press the start button – or a built-in steamer. Despite their relatively straightforward purpose, microwaves can vary considerably in terms of the accessories and features they offer. Some models at this price will come with other extras such as delayed start and multi-stage cooking (to automatically switch between heating modes such as defrosting and heating). These combine normal microwave cooking with a grilling element. They can perform all the tasks you'd expect from a standard model, such as defrosting ready meals and reheating leftovers. The grill function can also brown food.

If this seems like too much effort, look for a microwave with auto programs that'll set the time and power level for you. Switch it off at the wall Large door Wide-opening or dropdown doors make it much easier to get heavy or hot dishes in and out of the microwave, especially if you have reduced strength or dexterity. Auto reheat Enter the weight of the food and the microwave automatically calculates how long it should take to reheat. Better microwaves let you select what it is you're cooking, rather than giving one cooking time for every type of food. or Medium High Reheating single-serving leftovers, casseroles, stews, ribs, and foods with cheese. You can also use it to warm milk but be sure to stir it every 15 seconds so you don't end up with a thin film on top.

Bargain Of The Month

These tips will help you to save even more money when using your microwave. Choose the correct power setting for your dish

Pizza function This tends to work better with grill or combi microwaves, as the grill helps to crisp the pizza base and brown the top. Some models come with ‘crisper plates’ which can also be used for quiches. You'll get better results if you use a frozen pizza and pre-heat the oven and plate for four or five minutes first. or Medium Good for warming dense foods, meals requiring a slower cooking time or that can’t be stirred. You can also use this setting for slow-cooking drier or bigger joints of meats such as ham or pork and whole poultry. All the microwaves we've tested have been given a heating category of E by the manufacturer, which means they're supposed to cook at between 741 and 800W, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes called 'solo' microwaves, these are the most basic. They're great for simple tasks such as warming soup, heating ready meals or defrosting food.If your turntable is on the grimy side, simply remove it and wash with warm soapy water – or pop it in the dishwasher if your model permits. Auto cook programs Enter the type and weight of food, and the microwave will automatically set the time and power needed to cook it. Premium models can offer up to 30 programs, including specialised ones for popcorn or roasts. Touch-panel controls These take far less effort to press than push-button controls. If you do go for button controls, they should be large, easy to press and not too close together.

These models are proven to be energy efficient and come from brands that stay fault-free for longer, so shouldn't need replacing very often. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with water, white vinegar and sliced citrus fruits (lemon, lime or orange) Because of these strict criteria, less than 10% of the microwaves we've tested get an Eco Buy recommendation. or High Ideal for anything with a high water content and the best setting for steaming. It’s also good for reheating ready-made meals, soups, canned foods, cold coffee and tea, mince or tender meat, poultry, fish, cooked pasta, and most vegetables. Cooking certain foods at full power will dry them out or burn the outside before the middle is done. And you’ll use more energy doing so, too.or Medium Low Simmer foods such as chilli, sauces, rice and cereal on this setting. You can also use it to defrost smaller items - many microwaves use Medium Low as the ‘auto defrost’ setting. You can wipe down greasy, smudged viewing windows with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water, before rinsing and leaving to air-dry. Your best bet for getting the gunk out of the rubber door seals is a damp cloth dipped in a little bicarbonate of soda. Where to buy a microwave or Low The best choice for defrosting large items such as whole poultry and fish, and dense meat. Also good for softening butter or melting chocolate. Our Eco Buy models are also excellent at the key tasks, scoring 65% and above, so you get the best of both worlds.

Clear labelling Controls should be clearly labelled with a large font size. Digital displays should be brightly lit and easy to read. If you're visually impaired, consider one that beeps when you make a selection. Microwaves are a good way to cut your energy costs as they use significantly less energy than other cooking appliances.A microwave's power is measured in watts - and generally, the higher the wattage, the faster your food cooks. While manufacturers do generally state the internal capacity, this doesn't actually tell you what size dishes you'll be able to get inside. Basic microwaves tend to be the smallest; some combis measure almost twice the size of the smallest solo and grill microwaves we’ve tested. Arguably more important than external size is internal capacity – we've found microwaves of the same size can vary massively in terms of usable space.