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Microwaves

What Is A Convertible Vent On A Microwave? (Explained!)

Antonio Forde
Updated: March 30, 2024
7 min read

People love to cook with a microwave, yet they overlook the importance of good kitchen ventilation.

Read on to see how convertible vents work and what it does to your kitchen.

Here’s What a Convertible Vent on a Microwave Is:

A convertible vent on a microwave means that microwaves give you options to use the built-in fan of the microwaves or the vents installed through the ceiling or wall using ducts. Microwaves can be vented externally or through a recirculating venting system by installing the proper components.

How Does a Microwave With a Convertible Vent Work?

An externally vented microwave has a fan that draws air through the vents of the microwave and into an external duct connected outside of your house. It means that most of the moisture, heat, smell, odor, and other impurities generated by cooking go outside.

The option of using a ductless recirculating vent draws air through a filter before returning it to the kitchen.

Do All Microwaves Have a Convertible Vent?

Not all microwaves have a convertible vent, but all microwaves have built-in fans or stirrers. Fans help the microwave in preventing overheating. It also helps the internal area in removing excess heat.

One of the main components of a microwave is the fan. Fans maintain the microwaves at a safe temperature to avoid overheating. When microwaves overheat, it can cause trouble not only to your food but also to the unit itself.

What Are the Advantages of Having a Microwave With a Convertible Vent?

The main reason for having a microwave with a convertible vent is to ventilate the humidity out of your kitchen. Your kitchen also needs to eliminate the excess heat and smoke as well.

In buying a convertible vent, these are aspects that will benefit from your purchase:

  1. Health
  2. Finances
  3. Home

  1. Health

Your family will benefit so much from buying a microwave with a convertible vent. Microwaves with convertible vents are far more effective at removing impurities from the air in your kitchen.

Air pollution can damage your respiratory system. It can lead to different health diseases and affect your physical health.

Improper ventilation can cause health problems. It can lead to different sicknesses like lung cancer and heart diseases.

Convertible vents will help you remove air pollution inside your home. It is beneficial in maintaining a fresh and odorless kitchen after cooking.

2. Finances

Before buying a microwave, it is necessary to consult a professional. With proper consultation from experts, they can suggest what type of microwave fits your house.

Although product and installation costs sometimes frustrate us due to tight budgets, it is always best to let the professional do the job.

You also need to check for the efficiency, quality of the past projects, and the rate for the job. If you think those aspects fit your needs, you can now let the professional do the job.

Proper usage before, during, and after using the microwaves will also decrease the maintenance costs. Although you have to change filters from time to time (depending on the frequency of use), that will be the only thing you have to consider maintaining.

3. Home

In purchasing an appliance, you should consider the safety features it can offer. Convertible vents are proven to be efficient and safe in your household.

If you have children in your house, these microwaves are safe from them.

Convertible microwaves also release the foul smell from your kitchen when cooking. It helps maintain your kitchen and home fresh.

Microwaves with a convertible vent also save space in your kitchen. Proper planning, placement, and installation of a microwave will save you space so it will not look bulky and obstructing.

The installation must be durable. Improper installation can damage some parts of your kitchen will also be damaged.

What Are the Disadvantages of Having a Microwave With a Convertible Vent?

You should also be familiar with the placement and installation of your cabinets. You have to ensure enough space between the bottom of the microwave and the stoves. In these cases, you might probably risk your house with fire.

Another big downside of using this microwave is that it might be hard to keep an eye on the food you are making if it is in a tall container, and you have to be careful not to spill the hot food on yourself while taking the pot out.

Improper positioning and placement of the microwave can also cause danger and injuries. You might get your skin burned from the heat of the microwave. It can also cause physical injuries.

Should You Buy a Microwave With a Convertible Vent?

Before deciding on buying a microwave with a convertible vent, you should consult a professional if it is needed for you to buy one. It is also necessary to research the features and specifications of the microwave that will suit your budget and its location.

It is better to get help from professionals than to decide on your own.

Professionals will help you get the proper design and location of your microwave, as well as the type of microwave that fits your budget. They will also help you lessen the burden in maintaining your appliance, as well as keeping your kitchen and homes fresh.

Cheap vs. Expensive Microwaves

When you are buying appliances, quality is one of the aspects that you should consider.

People should never settle for less in purchasing appliances. Cheap devices and machines mostly have materials that are cheap as well. You cannot expect to have certain features in that appliance at a low price.

Appliances that are somehow expensive use advanced technology and design to improve efficiency and reliability.

You should always choose quality over price. It will benefit you in the years to come.

These are the aspects that you should consider in comparing a cheap and expensive microwave:

  • Microwave Power
  • Capacity
  • Material
  • Features
  • Brands
  • Purpose

Microwave Power

The oven power is another thing to consider when differentiating between a cheap and expensive microwave. Your food cooks in the microwave using oven power measured in watts.

The higher the wattage of your microwave, the better your food will cook in most circumstances.

Wattage means power when it comes to microwaves.

A 1,000-watt microwave cooks rapidly and effectively. Microwaves with fewer than 700 watts cook more slowly and unevenly.

In general, the higher the wattage, the less time it takes to cook. Microwaves with higher wattages tend to be more expensive.

Capacity

The capacity of a microwave oven refers to the amount of food that you can cook in it at one time.

The larger the area is, the more food can fit at once, and the smaller the inside is, you can place less food in it.

You also need to consider your family size. The capacity of the microwave depends on the quantity of the family members.

Material

Expensive microwaves compose of quality materials. Using quality materials will ensure that the microwaves will last long if you follow the correct procedures in using them.

If it is cheaper, you should expect that the materials used are of lesser quality.

Products made from low-quality materials will work but might not be efficient in the long run.

You may also look for the different specifications of microwaves to know how efficient and effective they are.

You may ask the professionals to give you a breakdown of what materials have the most quality when buying microwaves.

Features

Expensive microwaves use advanced technology to make the life of the consumers easier. The more expensive the microwave is, the more the features are. Some of the features of the modern microwaves are auto cook, preheat, light, fan, child lock, turntable, etc.

With the advanced technology features, you can bake easily and cook properly. Technology in microwaves makes our tasks hassle-free.

Outdated microwaves will let you check your food manually. It can lead to inaccuracy of cooking.

A modern microwave can help you cook your food well. One of its features is that it gives you a guide on how many minutes you should use the microwave depending on the food you will be cooking.

Brands

It is necessary to research known brands for manufacturing quality and reliable microwaves. Some brands have cheap but quality products with fewer features.

You can compare the features of microwaves from different brands. Some have the same features but are different in prices.

You can also check for the reviews and comments of other consumers if those features are effective and reliable. Consumers will share insights into whether the microwaves they bought are worth buying.

Experience is a vital key to knowing if a product is excellent or not.

Purpose

Lastly, you have to determine your purpose in buying a microwave.

You have to know how frequently you will use it.

If you are to use it occasionally, you should look for a microwave with fewer features.

But if you will use it often, you should look for a type of microwave that will suit your cooking.

Sources:

Kukun

Kitchen Gearoid

CET Management Solution LLC

Good Housekeeping

Smart Remodelling

Written by
Antonio Forde
I'm the head-writer @ Ask The Home Geek (or, in plain English, I'm the guy writing & editing the majority of the content here). Current learning project: Korean.
Have any questions? Write us a message.
Antonio Forde
I'm the head-writer @ Ask The Home Geek (or, in plain English, I'm the guy writing & editing the majority of the content here). Current learning project: Korean.