[kb100]

Originally Posted by condor

@KB, any luck with your microwave ?

Check this :
Slow Heating - FixYa


Does any one in BLR have the contact number of a Panasonic service engineer ?

I have the numbers of the service Center. The guy who had come had offered to help check any out-of-wty Panasonic equiment. (Not able to find the number he had given me.)

Oh oh... then guess the magnetron is on the deathbed.

Time to give that IFB guys a holler. Just 4 years of warming food - nothing else - wonder if I should be disappointed!

[condor]

Hoping things are not that bad for us (both) .. That link says the magnetron is the core of the unit. ( " Might as well get a new unit " )

Btw, that's still twice as much as we have been able to clock.

[condor]

The microwave was serviced by the company engineer, and is better now. (Wasnt there when he came by, so no details avlbl)

No parts replaced. Btw, quote for magnetron for Panasonics range between 2.0 & 3.8k)

@KB, do get yours checked. Hope it is as simple for your unit too.

[Zappo]

So you guys also use the Microwave just for heating do you? :-)
I suspect this amzingly useful device must be one of the most under-used appliances in this country.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by Zappo

So you guys also use the Microwave just for heating do you? :-)
I suspect this amzingly useful device must be one of the most under-used appliance in this country.

1) You can reheat food.
2) You can boil water.
3) You can make microwave popcorn.
4) You can make some prepackaged stuff specially designed for microwaving.

But if you try "cooking" with a microwave, it tastes bloody lousy as compared to real cooked food.

And pretty much the whole world uses Microwave for mostly only these uses I stated above and mostly even food made with point 4 above tastes lousy.

I have used all kinds of microwaves costing from 50$ to 200$ - My advice is buy the cheapest you can get, which will accomodate the size of plate you want to reheat your food. There is a Rs. 3000 Microwave by KenStar which is good enough for a lot of people.

[condor]

Zappo : So you guys also use the Microwave just for heating do you? :-)
I suspect this amzingly useful device must be one of the most under-used appliance in this country.

May be. But if you want the best taste for the food you are cooking : cook in an earthen pot, on a 'choola'. Or in a traditional kadai, again on the choola.

The flavour of a desi dish is best got when you cook it the traditional way. Microwaving will never come close to this style of cooking. Heck, even your cooking gas cant.

Btw, baking is an option for microwave usage.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Microwaves are excellent for steaming food.

Vegetables: fresh-tasting and fantastic, but that is plain vegetables, not curry or masala at all.

Rice: in a proper rice steamer, comes out light, fluffy, and not at all wet. Maybe not suitable quantity for Indian-family rice cooking, but for a single, or couple with modest appetite like my wife and I, it is excellent

Tea: Yes, perhaps this is pure laziness, but I got in the habbit of making chai in the microwave in London, and I've been doing it for years. Needs a big jug so it doesn't boil over.

One great advantage of the microwave is the timer: forgetting something is not so serious, forgotten tea means cold tea, not a burnt-out pan.

Timing is all, when microwaving. A matter of seconds can make food inedible. But that is almost as true of a pressure cooker too.

[condor]

Missed a point : cooking rice in the microwave gives different results when we cook here & in the US. Wonder why.

When in the US, Used to cook rice in the microwave regularly, and even preferred that to the regular cooker-cooked rice. But the same is not the case here. turns out very different.

[Zappo]

For me it serves many purposes beyond just heating/reheating. Baking is one. I also use it regularly for lottsa hassle free supporting cooking jobs. Like boiling potatoes. Just throw a couple of potatoes inside and run the microwave for a minute or two. No dishes or water etc required. You will hear the plop sound of the potato jackets bursting open. Thats when its boiled. Simple.

Or put the milk to boil. The good part is you can put the timer on and do other stuff. Milk starts boiling but never spills off like on the gas. Beautiful!

Rice in a steamer comes out nice as does the idlis in the idli maker. Even for regular cooking, if you know how to do it, with the right utensils (or rather glassware) it works out pretty well. In fact, since the direct fire is missing the taste, the natural aroma of the spices and the vegetables that emanate is just too good.

Except for the rotis most other things happen pretty well. Its just that you need to get a hang of the things. Otherwise the rice will come out 'plasticky' or the vegetables soggy etc.

And when I am feeling absolutely lazy the maggy or the morning tea also comes out well. In fact a cup of milk water mix in a cup with the tea bag dipped and put into the microwave makes the fastest tea this side of a vending machine.

To me it has been a saviour multiple times when I ran out of gas all of a sudden (I have only one cylinder). I just need to buy the chapatis from outside.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by Zappo

Baking is one. I also use it regularly for lottsa hassle free supporting cooking jobs. Like boiling potatoes. Just throw a couple of potatoes inside and run the microwave for a minute or two. No dishes or water etc required. You will hear the plop sound of the potato jackets bursting open. Thats when its boiled. Simple.

Yes, boiling potatoes in MO is very convinient - there is only one small irritant. You need to change the side of the potato couple of times. If it rests on the same side, through the boiling, that side becomes a little hard.

What kind of baking do you do in the Microwave? Is it cakes & stuff?
I know you cannot bake a potato in a Microwave.

[travelwriter]

Its the classic case of a deadlock between husband and wife.

We have to buy a refrigerator. We finally shortlisted 2
Godrej Eon - 345 litres
Panasonic - 290 litres

I want the latter while my wife prefers Godrej due to the extra capacity.

What would you suggest? My opinion is
1. Panasonic looks magnificent
2. Godrej has more space and thoughtful knick-knacks
3. Panasonic seems to be of better quality (having owned Godrej in the past, I am not a big fan of that brand)
4. Panasonic is designed much better. Freezer is at the bottom and the door shelves are better.

Please help in deciding

EDIT: Panasonic is 1000 cheaper than Godrej while the same capacity in Panasonic is 3000 more.

[amohit]

I just concluded my refrigerator purchase last sunday.
Samsung 345lt & Godrej 345lt were close contenders.
finally bought Samsung 358lt(bottom freezer model) because of big bottom freezer, modern looks and additional $$ in bank account (couldnt believe we got annual bonus this yr also!!)

among the other 2, I had liked Godrej more.

Regards,

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by travelwriter

We have to buy a refrigerator. We finally shortlisted 2
Godrej Eon - 345 litres
Panasonic - 290 litres

Godrej is a proven workhorse;while Panasonic would be more efficient,it need not be as trouble free

[ashthedivx]

I would suggest to lookout for one who provides better after sales support... for the same i would pick Samsung or LG anyday over competition. Buying a home ain't a concern of 2-3 years it's something like father buys and son uses.

PS: Remembered Sprite Ad, "Dikahwo pe mat jaao, apni akal ladao"

[anekho]

go for the panasonic. Less capacity = less consumption = less spending!

on a serious note, my grand mother's ancient godrej fridge still works and will for many more years to come. However I am a sucker for aesthetics and would have probably bought the panasonic.

cheers