Is a microwave more energy effecient than the stove?

Question

My microwave went crazy,getting way too hot and heating everything up around it,and I don't know if it's more environmentally friendly to replace it and not use the stove or oven,or if I should just do it the old-fashioned way.Seems like the microwave is better,but I'm not sure.Neither is anyone else I ask.

Answer 1

Without going through a long winded technical explanations, microwaves are far more effecient than stoves.

Think about it this way. Simple law of physics says, energy input equals energy output, right? If you place a food in the microwave and turn it on, nothing else get heated other than the food itself. That means that most of the electrical energy that went into the microwave got converted to heat.

If you place an item in a pan and put the pan on the stove, you see:

1) pan gets hot (wasted energy - you don't eat your pan)
2) food get hot (good!)
3) you see the air around it get hot (wasted energy)
4) you see the coil become bright red (light is energy - wasted)

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "crazy, way too hot" etc. But if you are saying, the outside of microwave is getting too hot and you can actually feel heat outside the microwave, stop using it immediately. Microwave uses several thousands of volts inside - which is lethal, and microwave energy leakage is quite dangerous. (which normally does not happen, by the way)

I don't have a hard figure for you, but my fading memory tells me the effeciency of the microwave is somewhere near 90% where as stove is at around 20%. Don't quote me on this though.

Answer 2

A microwave oven is significantly more efficient for heating foods. A microwave heats food by jiggling the water molecules, which heats the water in the food and then the rest of the food. Once the food is hot it will start to heat the container and finally the air and the oven itself.

A regular stove works exactly the opposite way. First it heats the stove element, which then heats the container, which then heats the food. Because much more stuff has to be heated it takes much more energy and much more time. Also lots of energy is wasted heating the surroundings.

The microwave oven is much faster and takes less energy because it heats the food first.

Answer 3

Microwaves use more kilowatts per hour than your stove. This doesn't necessarily mean that it's less efficient. If you use your stove to heat up your left overs, it could take more energy than the 2 minutes in the microwave. But, if your use of the microwave is relatively the same time to cook as your stove, the stove is more efficient

Answer 4

Yes - while it uses more voltage and power to heat things up, it also cuts cooking in like half! Replace your microwave and have a wonderful funeral for the old one. It's had better days right? you might be able to find one that is an energy saver. Happy shopping. Try looking at a Consumer Products catalog or go on their website. You'll be able to make a more informed decision and maybe save time on shopping.

Answer 5

I've had 3 microwaves, and they have never heated up anything aound them. Sounds like something is wrong with yours, or it doesn't have enough insulation. Micros are more energy-efficient than stoves because you don't run them that long to cook or heat things up.

Answer 6

Even the terrific suited solutions don't have the terrific suited reason... Kettle on gas range.  You sidestep the conversion from gasoline to electrical energy on the powerplant, and the loss in conversion from electrical energy to microwaves (around 50%).  yet this in basic terms applies in case you do no longer warmth so lots greater water than you're approximately to apply.

Answer 7

I bet your microwave ias just broken. Microwave is WAY better than the stove! Try buying a new one...

Answer 8

Electricity is cheaper than gas. And a microwave is faster than a stove.

Answer 9

I had to replace my microwave last year. It was at least 5 years or more old. I was shocked at how cheap they had become and at how much more powerful and lighter they were. I am not sure about increase in efficiency.