Thanks to Percy Spencer, we can now enjoy cooked and reheated meals in a few minutes, and in some cases, a few seconds. But there is no doubt that microwaves have come a long way since 1945. They have evolved in all aspects – design, features, safety precautions, heating technology, basically everything.
But what more can it actually offer? What is the future of microwave technology? Considering that using a microwave is not the healthiest way to reheat your food, it can be definitely improved.
Here we will take on an imaginary journey backed up by today’s science to see what might we see in the near future in regard to microwaves.
1) Smart Microwaves: Because We Need More Devices to Talk To
As if smartphones, smartwatches, and smart fridges weren’t enough, the future promises the rise of smart microwaves. Imagine a world where your microwave knows exactly how long to cook your frozen dinner, and sends you notifications when your popcorn is perfectly popped.
That would be crazy, right? It’s like having a tiny, helpful robot in your kitchen, just without the risk of a robot uprising (we hope).
2) Voice Control: Yelling at Your Microwave Has Never Been So Productive
I don’t mean to sound lazy… but let’s say you want to reheat the remnants of yesterday’s burrito, but maybe not quite yet. Maybe you want to eat it in an hour, so you place it in the microwave, and once you are ready, you simply yell “Now bro!” and it starts the heating process.
Is that stupid? Maybe, maybe not. Probably not, considering there are already voice-controlled microwaves in production. You didn’t expect that, did you?
3) Energy Efficiency: A Green Revolution in the Kitchen
With the over-so growing eco-craziness, -I mean friendliness- it’s logical to presume that future microwaves will likely boast even greater energy efficiency, thanks to innovations like:
- Advanced inverter technology (For precise, energy-saving cooking)
- Improved insulation (Keeping the heat where it belongs – inside your microwave)
- Solar power integration (Harness the power of the sun for guilt-free microwave usage)
Thus, saving the planet, one reheated meal at a time.
4) Space-Saving Designs: Because Bigger Isn’t Always Better
As urban living spaces continue to shrink, so too will our appliances. Expect to see compact, space-saving microwave designs that can be integrated into kitchen cabinets, walls, or even countertops.
Or maybe I’m completely wrong here and there will be one super-powerful oven that will do basically everything. But then again, on what appliances would we spend our hard-earned cash? This could happen only with the global downfall of greed, which is quite unlikely.
5) Customization: Express Your Microwave-sonality
In the future, microwaves won’t be limited to boring black, white, or stainless-steel exteriors. Instead, they’ll be available in a wide range of colors, finishes, and even patterns.
Or, here me out, a chameleon-like exterior that can change colors, depending on your actual décor, or even personal mood.
6) Advanced Cooking Capabilities: Microwaves That (Almost) Do It All
What I mentioned about the ovens, can be done easily with microwaves. The microwaves of the future will offer enhanced cooking capabilities that go far beyond simple reheating and defrosting. Some potential advancements include:
- Precise temperature control (For perfect cooking results every time)
- Multi-stage cooking (Defrost, cook, and keep warm – all in one go)
- Sous-vide capabilities (Who needs a fancy water bath when you’ve got a microwave?)
- Air frying and grilling options (Microwave-cooked crispy chicken wings, anyone?)
But then again, we are back at the global corporation greed dilemma.
7) Enhanced Safety Features: Because No One Wants a Kitchen Disaster
As microwaves become more advanced, so too will their safety features. We can expect to see innovations like:
- Improved sensors (To prevent overheating and overcooking)
- Child safety locks (Because curious little hands and microwaves don’t mix)
- Automatic shut-off (For when you forget to set the timer or walk away from your microwave)
In Conclusion: The Microwave of Tomorrow
Boy, do I love these article types. We can let our imagination go wild while still maintaining the logic of real-life technologies that we deal with on a daily basis. I wonder if this is what sci-fi books authors did because some of those books from the nineties are crazy accurate.
In any case, let’s hope for a better and safer future with ever-greener microwaves at hand.