In the last few years, many industries have come to realize the potential of the microwave, and its uses now range from drying ceramics to detecting speeding cars to treating soreness in muscles (Michael Odlaug). The most common use of microwave energy, though, is probably in microwave ovens. Microwaves are produced inside the oven by an electron tube called a magnetron. In fact, it was this technology that allowed Perry Spencer to develop an oven in 1946 while he was doing a radar related research project. After testing the magnetron he discovered that the candy bar in his pocket had melted. He decided to place other foods near the magnetron and discovered that it caused the food to cook at a faster rate. Dr Spencer then fashioned a metal box with an opening into which he fed microwave power. The energy entering the box was thus unable to escape, thereby creating a higher density electromagnetic field (The History of The Microwave Oven). This is the crude form of the product that entered the consumer market in the 1950s.

Since then, microwaves have been extremely versatile in speedy cooking because of its certain characteristics. These include being reflected by metal, passing through glass, paper, and plastic, and the ability to be absorbed by food (How do Microwave Ovens Cook Food?).

Because of these characteristics, microwaves are able to produce heat within the food by causing the water molecules to vibrate. The waves are generated within the Magnetron tube, and even though radiation is therefore used in cooking, there is no risk of contamination. In addition, all microwave ovens made after 1971 are covered by radiation safety standards enforced by the FDA (Microwave Oven Safety Standards). The acceptable limit of radiation is 5 milliwatts of radiation per square centimeter at approximately 2 inches from the ovens surface.

Although microwaves do heat food faster, without rotation they are not able to do so evenly. This is because microwaves are a standing pattern of waves and it therefore creates hotspots (Beaty). This was nicely shown in an experiment by Alistair Steyn-Ross and Alister Riddell. They soaked paper in Cobalt Chloride and then heated it in a microwave oven. Because this paper is pink when wet and blue when dry a pattern of color remained after the paper was placed in the microwave. Usually the hotspots in a microwave are found and the halfway points of the waves which create a 3D pattern and therefore the spots from the experiment helped determine where the microwave got hottest (Beaty).