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(Conrad Edwards) wrote in
m:

> Wayne > wrote in message
> >...
>> This probably won't help you in the UK, since I'm unfamiliar with the
>> appliances available. However, practically all the microwave ovens
>> in the US have a numeric keypad that is capable of selecting cook
>> times from 1 second to 99.99 minutes. Only the very tiny inexpensive
>> units seem to have rotary timing controls. Many also have "express"
>> cooking buttons which provide a variety of automatically selected
>> cooking times and power levels.
>
> It's the reverse in the UK....most microwaves don't have a numeric
> keypad but just three buttons or a dial. Seems like a major step
> backwards, and just a lazy, cheap design as the timers are mainly
> digital anyway.
>
> If, for example, we want to set 2mins 30s on our current one it is
> just three presses on the keypad. A new microwave would need 5
> presses.
> In the extreme our keypad can set any time up to 99min59sec with four
> key presses...a new one could take 24 key presses.
>
> Could you imagine a car company selling a family car without a
> synchromesh gearbox, telling you to double declutch instead?
> Or an oven manufacturer selling an oven that you could only set to
> 50degC increments and nothing inbetween?
>
> So our old microwave may be 13 years old, but it is technologically
> more advanced that the rubbish you can buy now. Though most people
> under the age of 30 have probably never had the choice to buy a decent
> one.
>
> Maybe I should look to see if there are any companies that import US
> microwaves....
>

I totally believe you, but it seems incredible. I'm sure you could
manage to by a US microwave, but there is a voltage difference. Our
voltage is 110-120 volts AC, whereas I believe yours is 205-220 volts AC.
You'd need a step-up transformer which could be rather expensive for the
wattage you requre to run a microwave.

I did see another response to your question posted by Vox Humana, who
posted a UK website that apparently has some models with the timer
configuration you need. Keep an eye out for that.

Best of luck,

--
Wayne in Phoenix

*If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
*A mind is a terrible thing to lose.