What is a Personal Microwave?

When the first microwave ovens were marketed to the general population, the first words consumers would have used to describe them were not compact or portable. Even today, a standard microwave oven tends to occupy the same space in a kitchen or break room for years. But there is now a truly portable variant on the standard "nuker" called a personal microwave. A personal microwave generally fills the same consumer niche as other miniature appliances, such as dorm-sized refrigerators and miniature sewing machines. There is a handle installed in the top of the personal microwave unit for easier portability, and the total weight is generally less than 12 pounds. The controls on a personal microwave are very similar to those found on standard microwaves, but are placed on the top in order to provide maximum space for the front-mounted door. While a personal microwave may not have the total wattage of a standard microwave oven, it can deliver 600 watts of cooking power, generally enough ...  more