There’s no easier way to warm up leftovers than with a microwave, but the problem is, the results aren’t always ideal. We’ve all encountered a nuked chicken breast that’s way more rubbery than the first time around, or a soup that’s hot in some spots and cold in others (or absolute molten lava if you let it go even a smidge too long).
But it doesn’t always have to be like this. While it’s tempting to press a button and let your microwave do its thing—especially when you’re swamped—one extra step can mean the difference between a tasty lunch and one you’d rather toss: Adjust your machine’s power-level settings.
“Think of adjusting your power level similarly to adjusting the heat on your stove or your oven,” Steph Chen, founder of Anyday, a company that makes cookware specifically designed for a better microwaving experience, tells SELF. “You wouldn’t cook everything under your broiler or on high heat on your stove, and the same thing goes for the microwave.”
But which power-level settings are best for which tasks? We asked the pros what you need to know to master your machine—so you can take the lackluster out of your leftovers once and for all.
@honeysol33 A little how to on reheating pasta in the microwave. Normally, I’d suggest the stove, but this works, too! ##pasta##leftovers##cooking ♬ original sound - Honey🕊️
So what do microwave power-level settings actually do anyway?
That’s the all-important question, but before we get into that, you have to know a bit about how the machine operates in the first place. Unlike an actual oven, a microwave doesn’t get hot. Instead, electromagnetic microwaves are released through a tube, reflected off the walls inside and onto your food, where they bind to sugar, fat, and water molecules, causing them to vibrate and, in turn, and heat your food.
Those waves bind first to the outer layer of an ingredient or dish, and then slowly travel into the rest of the food as the microwave runs. That explains why you might end up with something that’s hot on the outside and cold on the inside, Maxine Yeung, MS, RD, tells SELF.
The power settings on a microwave control exactly how many (and when) electromagnetic waves are released into your food. Higher settings produce a near nonstop flow of waves in order to cook food as quickly and powerfully as possible, while lower settings will deliver less (and in occasional bursts) to give the heat time to disperse into the food and limit overheating.
If you’ve ignored the power settings and simply went straight for a number instead—say, you punch in “one minute”—your machine has probably defaulted to nuking at the highest power level. This will be the quickest way to heat your food, but not necessarily the best setting for all types.
“You could certainly cook a filet of salmon at full power [and] you’ll get a filet of fully cooked fish in about two to three minutes, but it might turn out a little dryer than you’d like,” Chen explains. Or you could pop it in for four to six minutes at power-level four for a better, more tender texture.
In general, lower power settings allow food to heat more evenly, thereby reducing the risk of hot spots or cold centers and producing an all-around better final product. Sure, you’ll probably need to nuke your food for a little longer to get there, but it’s not a huge loss because microwave cooking is still faster than other methods, Chen says.
Um, how do I get to my power settings?
Despite seeming straightforward, microwaves aren’t standardized, so finding your machine’s power settings in the first place can be confusing, Chen says. “We have nearly 40 microwaves in our test kitchen, and it seems like each one has its own way to change the power levels,” she adds.
Taking a look at your user manual is the most foolproof way to find out how your microwave ticks, but all is not lost even if your manual is. “Start by looking for a ‘Power Level’ or ‘Cook Power’ button on the microwave’s front panel,” Chen explains. If pressing this button brings up a PL or 100% symbol on your screen, you can usually make adjustments from there. “Some microwaves allow you to hit the button repeatedly to lower the level, while others require you to enter a specific number using the keypad.”
If that doesn’t work, try entering your cook time first, because some models force you to do this before enabling power level changes. Let’s say that worked and you’ve successfully selected a new power setting and are ready to start cooking—but you’re still not quite sure if you did everything just right. In that case, listen to your microwave after pressing start. “You’ll know you’re cooking at a lower power level by the sound: A constant hum means full power, while a change in tone indicates the microwave is cycling on and off,” Chen says.
Here’s which microwave power settings you should use and when.
The good news is there are some basic rules to follow for the most common types of ingredients or meals that you’d heat in a microwave, according to both Yeung and Chen.
Use higher settings (90–100%, or levels 9 or 10) for foods that contain more moisture content—like soups, ground meats, vegetables—and lower (50–60%, or levels 5 or 6) for foods that dry out or toughen easily with heat, like cheese, eggs, and solid meat cuts, Yeung says. Then the really low levels can be reserved for things like softening butter or thawing fruit without accidentally cooking it.
And what about the settings that are named after different foods, like popcorn and fish? These automatically estimate the necessary cook time and power level based on weight, but they aren’t an exact science. When in doubt, Chen says you’ll always be better off manually adjusting your power levels and cook times rather than relying on these shortcuts.
This list from Maytag is a good reference to keep on file, and Chen agrees that these levels should be more or less the same no matter the exact make and model of your microwave.
- Power level 1: thawing fruit
- Power level 2: softening butter or ice cream
- Power level 3: cooking white and brown rice from scratch, defrosting frozen foods like poultry
- Power level 4: cooking pork, melting chocolate, warming baked goods
- Power level 5: cooking chicken
- Power level 6: cooking foods with cheese, egg, or single-serving meals like a burrito that can’t be stirred
- Power level 7: cooking whole grains like quinoa or root veggies (beets, potatoes)
- Power level 8: cooking frozen meals, whole casseroles
- Power level 9: cooking cream soups and ground meat
- Power level 10: reheating pasta, cooked rice, water-based soups and stews, hot drinks, fresh and frozen vegetables, shrimp
One quick thing. These recommendations have 1,000 watts in mind, which is generally standard for microwaves. But some have a lot less, and others a little more. If your machine is less than 1,000, you may need to increase the level by one or two to accommodate its lower oomph.
Your trusty owner’s manual will give you your wattage, but again, if you don’t have it, all is not lost—you can follow this quick tip to ballpark yours: Microwave water and see how long it takes to boil, Yeung says.
If it’s bubbling in two minutes or less, you’ve got 1,000 or more watts on your hand. But if you’re still waiting after three to four minutes, odds are it’s between 300 and 700 watts instead—and you might need to tweak that listing to get the right power to efficiently heat your food.
I’m all set for tastier leftovers. Are there any other microwave tips I should know?
You’ll be impressed by how much just fiddling with the power settings improves your microwaved food, but there are a couple other ways to ensure consistently delicious outcomes, says Yeung. That includes periodically stirring or turning what you’re cooking—like soup or a steak—and covering certain foods, like leftover grains, with a plate or moist paper towel to protect the moisture. You’ll learn what to do and when from good ol’ trial and error, so the more you cook with your microwave, the better your food will get. “It’s worth the time to get to know your microwave,” Chen says.
Originally published on SELF.
