Why Is There A Turntable In A Microwave? (Real Reasons)

Microwave ovens have made our lives so much easier. People can now cook and heat, grill and roast their favorite items at home in no time. The best part is modern day microwaves have become more advanced and effective. For instance, the addition of a turntable in some of the models have ensured proper heat distribution and healthy eating practices.

Oftentimes, homeowners have a lot of queries about the turntable in a microwave. Keep reading this guide below to find answers to your questions.

Why Is There A Turntable In A Microwave?

Why Is There A Turntable In A Microwave
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Microwaves have turntables to heat and cook food uniformly. Not all models of microwaves have a turntable. Microwaves that come with an in-built turntable have a rotating motor that helps the turntable spin in different directions while heating the food.

The microwave turntable is inserted in the middle of the cabinet, allowing the food to be placed on its top and cooked evenly without coming in contact with the motor blades.

The turntable helps to spread the microwaves around the food, heating it from all sides.

How Important Is A Turntable In A Microwave?

One can understand the need and importance of a microwave turntable from the fact that it’s important to ensure proper heat distribution in food. Without a rotating turntable, food will not be heated properly. Consuming such food with cold and hot spots is not good for health, and can make anyone feel unwell. 

When the food isn’t heated properly, the taste deteriorates. This decreases your interest and appetite to some extent. 

If you use a microwave without a turntable, you tend to damage the magnetron. The magnetron is the device that’s responsible for producing microwave energy inside the oven to facilitate heating and cooking of food.

The magnetron might get damaged because when the turntable is absent, more energy is reflected back to the magnetron, which affects it negatively.

Do All Microwaves Have Turntables?

No, some microwaves do not have turntables. Such models of microwaves are called flatbed microwave ovens.

These microwave ovens do not require a rotating turntable. These models have a rotating antenna that rotates and spreads microwaves evenly and equally. In the process, the food placed inside gets heated and cooked.

Can Microwave Work Without a Turntable?

Yes, there are models of microwaves that do not come with a rotating turntable inside. Such models are called flatbed microwaves and they function differently.

Unlike a microwave with a turntable, flatbed microwave ovens have a rotating antenna placed beneath the food which distributes heat evenly and allows faster cooking. Thus by using modern-day technology, flatbed microwaves have entirely eliminated the need for a turntable. 

One of the biggest benefits of using a flatbed microwave oven is that you can make use of the entire cabinet. It gives you extra space because no space is occupied by an elevated turntable.

Though a flatbed microwave doesn’t require regular cleaning, it’s a challenging task to clean a microwave without a turntable. 

Nevertheless, people can very well use a flatbed oven for cooking food. The only thing to remember is to switch off the microwave at regular intervals and store the food or rotate the container manually to ensure uniform distribution of heat.

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The Bottom Line

This guide aimed at answering the most asked queries about the turntable in a microwave.

By now you have understood how important turntables are in microwaves. We have also discussed reasons that justify the addition of a turntable inside a microwave.

Both microwaves with a turntable and without a turntable come with advantages and disadvantages. However, a lot of people prefer to buy the latest models of microwaves with turntables over the flatbed microwaves.

The rotating turntable ensures an even distribution of heat, allowing the food to be cooked and heated properly. So what are you waiting for? Use the turntable and enjoy your favorite meals at home with friends and family! 

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