If you are in the process of buying a new microwave and are considering whether or not to get a Magic Chef microwave oven, this guide should help you make that choice.  You might be a bit surprised to read about who actually produces the products labeled Magic Chef and how similar different brands actually are.

Who Owns Magic Chef?

These days, appliances are sold under brand names that the average person knows very well.  The funny thing is that few people seem to know who actually owns the brands.  As for Magic Chef, the Maytag Corporation (famous for its washing machines and dryers)  bought it back in 1986.  We haven’t gotten to the bottom of it yet though, since the entire Maytag Corporation was bought a few years ago, in 2006 by the Whirlpool Corporation, famous for all sorts of household appliances, from the integrated dishwasher to the bar fridge.  The good thing is that Magic Chef products are produced under the watchful eye of a mega appliance making company.

Magic Chef Microwave Ovens

Magic Chef microwaves come in pretty much every shape, size, and model that have been designed for microwaves.  Whether you need a basic countertop model, or are looking for an over the counter  microwave, you will be able to find a Magic Chef version of it.  One thing to keep in mind is that these days many appliances like microwave ovens are produced under contract by large factories overseas.  This means that the same factory is very likely to produce microwaves for a number of different companies.  Yes, the brand name will be different, and the design a little unique, but many microwaves are essentially the same these days.

The Best Cheap Magic Chef Microwave

The least expensive microwaves tend to be the small, compact ones.  Magic chef makes a mini microwave with a capacity of .7 cubic feet for around $60.  If you just need a microwave for everyday ordinary things like re-heating food, this one will do fine.  A surprising amount of people buy a magic chef because they are one of the few companies that produce one in the color red.  Take a look at the red microwave post for more information.  Too bad they don’t make a pink microwave, since lots of people want that one and have a hard time finding one.

If you have space on your kitchen counter, this 1100 watt Magic Chef Microwave Oven costs just $99 and is more powerful and roomier.  If you are looking for a combination microwave, which will serve as a range hood and a microwave combined into one clean unit, you won’t find any under the Magic Chef brand name.  But you will find plenty that are made by Whirlpool and Maytag, which own Magic Chef and are basically the same thing.  If you like Magic Chef, then you can get a Whirlpool or Maytag microwave that is very similar.  If anything, Magic Chef carries the cheaper product lines and Maytag and Whirlpool products are more expensive.

Magic Chef Microwave Parts

As most people have learned the hard way, pretty much any appliance you get will either fall apart or malfunction at some time.  Unlike some other appliances though, microwave parts are pretty hard to find, no matter what brand.  You can look online for blender parts, but for microwaves you won’t find anything.  The reason is partly because these machines aren’t meant to be opened up, and are produced overseas and shipped.  Whirlpool most likely isn’t going to stock a room full of microwave parts for every model they produce.  They would rather have you buy a new one.

Having said that, if your microwave broke down soon after you bought it, but you can’t return it to the store, here is the company info so you can call them directly:

Magic Chef Corporation:

United States:  1-800-688-1120
Canada:  1-866-587-2002

www.magicchef.com/  (not much at all on their website)

Tags: Appliances, Microwaves by Jeffrey
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Try mentioning Frigidaire and refrigerators will automatically come up in your mind.  But for those in the know, Frigidaire is not just about refrigerators.  It has carved out a niche in the appliance industry and has joined the few appliance manufacturers that produce consistently good products.  The Frigidaire empire focused primarily on products like the bar fridge and dishwasher in the early years and has evolved over a number of decades to cover most large appliances.  The company now boasts of a wide variety of appliances, including the Frigidaire microwave.

Indeed, they have withstood the test of time.  As time evolves, technology moves forward as well; and this would mean appliances of better.  Through the years, they have come up with high-quality products and moved out of their refrigerator comfort zone.  Today, the Frigidaire brand is one among the most trusted manufacturers of appliances, one of which is the now-indispensable microwave oven.

Frigidaire microwaves are available in different sizes and models designed to fit the needs of today.  Their colors may be limited to the usual white, black and stainless steel or silver hues, but this does not compromise their function at all.  They are user-friendly and time-saving; meal preparation has never been so effortless.  If you are looking for a color that stands out a bit more, like a pink microwave, you probably won’t find it made by Frigidaire.

Quality and efficiency are prime factors in choosing appliances.  But the name itself is perhaps one of the main reasons why people have chosen the Frigidaire microwave over other available brands.  Being a pioneer in the appliance industry, the brand alone commands superior respect from consumers.  The Frigidaire insignia silently spells out outstanding performance and superior durability which they have exhibited for generations through the millions of appliances that they have manufactured.

There are a number of microwave lines to choose from.  The Frigidaire Gallery Microwave is part of the new Frigidaire Gallery series that showcases the latest features.  Another great thing about them is that if any case the need for repair arises, Frigidaire Microwave parts can be purchased online and through affiliated stores.

With the advent of modern technology, preparing meals in a smaller amount of time has been made possible.  A touch of a button is powerful enough to pacify hunger pangs.  Frigidaire’s legacy and solid reputation continues to echo to this day, simplifying life for people in millions of households, schools, offices and other establishments.  Of course, there are other quality appliance companies but this one tends to do a good job providing quality products at an affordable price for most people.

Tags: Appliances, Microwaves by Jeffrey
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A friend recently asked me to help her find a pink microwave.  I thought that it would be an easy task, but I was wrong.  The problem is that most appliance manufacturers don’t stray very far from the safe colors like black, white, and silver.  These three colors are what 99% of consumers buy, so it didn’t surprise me very much when I had a tough time finding one in the color pink.  After a little searching, I did come up with a couple of options though, and here they are.  The only problem is that if you won’t settle for anything other than a pink microwave oven, you pretty much have to take whatever is offered.  You won’t have much choice as far as size and power goes. In fact, you have exactly two choices.

The first of the pink microwaves is from a company called Cooks.  As far as microwaves go, it is definitely on the small side at .6 cubic feet.  Most normal sized ovens are around 1 cubic foot.  As far as features go, it is pretty much your basic microwave oven with the standard electronic display and what not.  An added bonus is that if you are looking for a yellow microwave or something like that, they make the same model in different colors.  Have your pick of yellow, tangerine, white, pink, black, or red.  The only place that I’ve seen it actually for sale is at JC Penney, and it doesn’t look like they are going to sell it for much longer.

If you are willing to consider another color, I recommend getting This Red Microwave from Amazon.com.  It is made by Magic Chef, which is owned by the Whirlpool/Maytag corporation, definitely the leaders in home appliances.  It also gets great reviews from people who have bought it.  At least you can get plenty of other pink kitchen accessories and appliances.  Here are some of the ones that you CAN find:

Your second choice is the pink Hinari microwave.  Although the brand name sounds exotic, it is actually a British company that has been around for 20 years or so.  Like the Cooks pink microwave, this is another tiny oven.  It is pretty much the same size as the one mentioned above, at 17 liters (just over .6 cubic feet).  For some reason they seem to think that people wanting microwaves in this color like tiny appliances!  This one at least comes with a few more features than the cooks model, but it might be pretty tough to locate anywhere outside the UK.  You can find it at this store, but they won’t deliver outside the UK.
As you can see, getting your hands on a hot pink microwave is easier said than done.  If you want a toy one, that is a different story.  This one here lights up and makes beeping noises like a real oven, but it won’t actually heat anything up.  While a pink toy microwave might do the trick for a little princess, it won’t really help in a real kitchen.

Tags: Appliances, Microwaves by Jeffrey
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Look on any kitchen counter-top in the western world and you are almost sure to see a microwave.  Everybody has them these days, but some people use them more than others.  There are a few factors that you need to think about before choosing a microwave oven.  You need to consider how often you will use it, how much space you have, and what you will use it for.
If you have a normal-sized or large kitchen, you can pretty much get any size microwave oven that you want.  Some people don’t have that luxury however.  There are many people who live in tiny apartments that don’t have much counter space at all.  Getting one of those mega-microwaves will take up too much space, and they are forced to use smaller appliances such as a bar fridge and a little microwave.   Fortunately, there are smaller versions, or mini microwaves that are available for these circumstances.  Small microwaves can do pretty much the same thing as their larger counterparts, but they can’t hold as much.
A normal sized microwave is usually larger than 1 cubic foot, so a mini unit is smaller than that.   There are quite a few mini microwave ovens that are around .7 cubic feet (a little more than 2/3 cubic feet).   The smallest one that I have seen is the Sharp Half Pint Mini Microwave.  This little guy is only half a cubic foot, and is just over 14 inches wide and deep.   You might be wondering if this is too small to fit anything in there, but it can actually fit a normal sized plate inside it.  That is plenty large enough for things like frozen dinners.  If space is really limited, this might be a good choice, since it will let you heat up whatever you can fit in there.
If you are the type of person that uses the microwave a lot, it might be wise to consider getting one just a little larger than the Sharp mini microwave mentioned above.  The reason is because the larger units are usually more powerful as well (although this is not always true).  The more powerful a microwave is, the faster it will heat up the food.  Another reason for choosing a slightly larger oven is that you will be able to fit larger items in it.  Microwave pizzas are notorious for not fitting into small microwaves.
Finally, if having a truly compact kitchen is of utmost importance, you can get what is called a mini fridge microwave combo.  A few different companies make units like these.  Haier, Avanti, and Edgestar all produce them.  You might be wondering why you couldn’t just get a mini fridge and put a tiny microwave on top of it.  The truth is that you can.  I guess what makes these combinations special is that they are stuck together.  If you want to use it in a location that rocks and rolls, such as inside a truck, boat, or RV, this might be a good idea.

If you are looking for a colorful model, a good choice is the Magic Chef Microwave, which comes in red.  It is pretty strong, yet smaller than most other microwaves.  Some people also search (mostly without much luck) for a little pink microwave.  Only one place carries them in the USA, and that is JC Penney.  You might have an easier time finding one if you are in the UK though, since a company also makes them there.

Tags: Appliances, Microwaves by Jeffrey
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Many people face the same dilemma:  They need appliances in their kitchen, but there simply just isn’t enough room for all of them.  When space is short, you need to get creative, and one of the best ways of doing that is by combining appliances.  By itself, a microwave is definitely a bulky appliance that usually takes up a good portion of your counter space.  Getting a combination microwave oven is a great solution to this problem, the same way downsizing to a smaller-sized bar fridge from a giant refrigerator helps out a lot.  There are a number of different types of combination microwaves, so let’s take a quick look at them so that you can get an idea of how you save some space in your kitchen.

The Combination Microwave Convection Oven

One of the most popular 2 in 1 appliances are the combination microwave convection ovens.  Besides being fully functional microwaves, you can use one of these units for almost everything that you would use a regular oven for – baking cookies, browning casseroles, and anything else you want to cook up.  These appliances are great if you don’t already have a big range oven.  You can easily put one either on the counter itself or on a kitchen cart.
The best part about these microwave combination ovens is that they don’t actually cost any more than normal microwaves.  You can get the Sanyo EM-C6786V microwave convection oven for $159, which is pretty comparable to prices for standard microwaves, and Sanyo is a reputable company.
Some of them cost a bit more and add some extra features.  A fine example of this is the Panasonic combination microwave.  The Panasonic NN-C994S Genius Prestige has some features that you probably didn’t even know existed.  One of them is called the “genius sensor”, which automatically adjusts the power level and cooking time while it is on.  I’m not exactly sure how this works, but the folks at Panasonic are certainly geniuses for figuring it out.  If you need both a range and a microwave, a convection microwave oven is a good choice.

The Combination Microwave Hood

Another great appliance design breakthrough is the combination microwave hood.  You just mount this appliance onto the wall above your range, and it acts a fully functional microwave as well as a ventilator.  In addition, nearly all units come with lights that shine right on what you are cooking below, which is great as well.  Like the convection combos, these microwaves cost pretty much the same as normal ones, but they do two tasks.  The Sharp R-1406 is a typical unit.  As has three venting options, straight out, upwards, or recirculation.  The other part of this Sharp combination microwave features 10 different power levels, pre-programmed cooking buttons, and a popcorn button that automatically pops popcorn until it is done, regardless of the brand or size of the bag.

If you are looking for the best combination microwave available, you are in luck.  There are units that feature stylish stainless steel outsides that integrate with other appliances.  In addition, the more expensive models usually feature ventilation fans that aren’t as loud as some of the other ones.

Other Types of Combination Microwave Ovens

There are a few other types of appliance combinations that are available.  One of them is the Daewoo combination microwave toaster that has a toaster attached to the side of the microwave.  This is one of the only units that actually has a real toaster. Another version of this is the LG stainless steel combination microwave toaster, which has a sleek chrome exterior that will integrate well with the rest of your kitchen.  The toaster part is on the side of the unit, and holds two slices of bread or a bagel.

If you are looking for a high end solution for your fully integrated kitchen, you can choose a built in combination microwave oven.  These beautiful appliances have a microwave on top and a range oven underneath it, with a built-in stainless steel exterior that will perfectly integrate with your kitchen.

Tags: Appliances, Microwaves by Jeffrey
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