Microwave Oven Capacity Guide

The microwave oven has become one of the popular and essential appliances in our daily life. You can use it for many reasons, and this is why it is the most versatile appliance. If you do not possess the cooking skill or the time, it can make you a quick meal just in time. Microwave ovens were not popular in India until the 1990s. There are a few brands of microwave ovens for buying the best microwave oven like LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, etc.

However, choosing the right-sized microwave oven is very important because it will save you both space in your kitchen and electricity consumption. A microwave oven’s capacity is measured by liters. It is the unit that dictates how much food you can cook or reheat at once.

The capacity will depend on how many members you have in your family and how are you going to use it. The below table will help you understand the capacity guide.

Family membersUsageMicrowave oven typeSuggested capacity
2 to 4 membersReheating food, milk, making tea/coffee,
rice, noodles, pasta, popcorn, defrosting frozen meat.
Solo microwave oven15 – 20 Liters
2 to 4 membersReheating food, milk, making tea/coffee,
rice, noodles, pasta, popcorn,
kebabs, grilled items, tandoori chicken
cakes & bread, pizza, defrosting frozen meat.
Grill microwave oven or
convection microwave oven
21 – 30 Liters
4 to 6 membersReheating food, milk, making tea/coffee,
rice, noodles, pasta, popcorn, defrosting frozen meat.
Solo microwave oven25 – 30 Liters
4 to 6 membersReheating food, milk, making tea/coffee,
rice, noodles, pasta, popcorn,
kebabs, grilled items, tandoori chicken
cakes & bread, pizza, defrosting frozen meat.
Grill microwave oven or
convection microwave oven
30+ Liters

The table above is quite self-explanatory. For a family of 2 to 4 members, you will require a 15-20 liter solo microwave oven for reheating food, making tea, coffee, popcorn and defrosting frozen meat. Anything lesser will not be sufficient.

Using a grill microwave oven or convection microwave oven for the same number of people will require a 21-30 liter capacity. It will enable you to use it for reheating purpose, baking cake, and bread, grilling kebabs along with making tea, coffee, and defrosting frozen meats.

If you have 4 to 6 members in your family, use a solo, grill, or convection microwave oven for cooking and reheating purposes. You will need a 25-30 liter and 30+ liters microwave oven, depending on your requirement.

Additional factors to consider:

Turntable plate size 

Make sure to know the size/capacity of your microwave before you buy the turntable plate. This is one of the essential things to consider. Without this, you will not be able to use the microwave at all. The average size of a turntable plate is considered to be 245 mm. Measure it correctly or go through the manual to know the exact size and then purchase one.

Interior size 

Different types of microwave ovens are of different sizes internally as well as externally. The average dimensions of the microwave internally are (height x width x depth – mm) 210 x 315 x 329mm, meaning 8.3 inches in height, 12.5 inches in width, and around 13 inches depth.

Exterior size 

Before buying a microwave, ensure you have enough space in your kitchen to place it. Take measurements of the microwave you plan on buying and of the area you wish to put it. The average dimensions of the microwave’s exterior are (height x width x depth – mm) 262 x 452 x 390mm. It indicates the height of  10.3 inches, 17.8 inches in width, and 15.3 inches depth.

Conclusion

Make sure to check all these things mentioned above before buying a microwave. Go through the process of measurement and understand the size chart. Then decide the size of the microwave you need according to your usage.

Megha Kothari
 

Megha leads the content strategy and oversees an amazing team of writers, editors, and designers, all having one goal in mind – to create brilliant content that helps people make the right purchase investment. When she is not working, you can find her enjoying making delicious food and planning her next travel.

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