Microwave Ovens – Home Pick Guide | Essential Home Tools Reviews & Guides

Microwave Food Safety

Microwave Food Safety: Why Cold Spots Are Dangerous for Your Health It was a gloomy rainy Tuesday afternoon here in Birmingham. I was starving after spending hours working on my website. My stomach was growling loudly. I grabbed a bowl of leftover chicken curry from…

March 27, 2026

A person using red and black probes of a digital multimeter to test for continuity on a component inside a disassembled toaster.

Troubleshooting & Common Repairs

How to Use a Multimeter for Home Appliance Repair

How to Use a Multimeter for Home Appliance Repair: My Personal Guide A Broken Mixer and a Hot Day in Birmingham It was a sticky Tuesday afternoon here in Birmingham. The ceiling fan was barely moving the humid air. Flour covered my apron and hands.…

March 27, 2026

A person cleaning an open microwave with a yellow cloth and blue gloves. A glass bowl of steaming lemon water is inside. Bottles of vinegar and baking soda sit on the kitchen counter nearby.

Troubleshooting & Common Repairs

An Ultimate Guide to Deep Cleaning Microwave Fast

The Day My Microwave Made Me Cry It was a rainy Tuesday here in Birmingham. I wanted a quick hot snack. Putting a bag of popcorn in the microwave seemed easy. Then my phone rang loudly. I walked away to talk to my mom. A…

March 27, 2026

A person wearing blue gloves is using a small screwdriver to adjust the latch mechanism of an open microwave door. The setting is a clean kitchen counter. Large white text at the top reads, "HOW TO FIX A MICROWAVE DOOR LATCH".

Microwave Ovens Troubleshooting & Common Repairs

How to Fix a Microwave Door Latch

How to Fix a Microwave Door Latch (And Save Your Breakfast) It is a cold Midwest dawn. My French press brew got cold. I put my mug in my GE microwave. Clunk. The door bounced back. Do you need a new one? No. I will…

March 27, 2026

A microwave oven interior showing a single slice of pizza on a glass turntable with bold white text overlay reading "MICROWAVE OVEN TURNTABLE NOT TURNING."

Microwave Ovens Troubleshooting & Common Repairs

Microwave Oven Turntable Not Turning

The Ultimate Fix: What to Do When Your Microwave Oven Turntable Is Not Turning Tuesday in Birmingham was hot and damp. I put some old sourdough pizza in to warm up. I hit start. The glass plate did not spin at all. A microwave oven…

March 27, 2026

A person pouring a clear liquid into a silver Moccamaster coffee maker on a kitchen counter. Large text on the image reads: Hard Water Scale? My Foolproof Coffee Maker Cleaning Routine.

Troubleshooting & Common Repairs

10 Essential Microwave Safety Tips

My Battle With Hard Water: How I Keep My Coffee Maker Clean I live in Alabama and the water here is very hard. This means it has a lot of minerals in it. These minerals are tough on home appliances. They are especially bad for…

March 26, 2026

A smiling woman drinks from a warm mug in her kitchen next to the best coffee makers for hard water, including a drip machine, a steel French press, and an AeroPress.

Troubleshooting & Common Repairs

How to Steam Clean Microwave with Vinegar

How I Found the Best Coffee Maker for Hard Water I love waking up to a warm cup of coffee. The rich smell helps me start the day right. But making that perfect cup is a real chore. I want to share my personal story…

March 26, 2026

A side-by-side comparison of a clean microwave interior versus one with a burnt microwave waveguide cover and scorch marks.

Troubleshooting & Common Repairs

What is Microwave Waveguide Cover And When Should Replace

What Is A Microwave Waveguide Cover And When Should You Replace It? The Night My Kitchen Turned Scary It was late on a cold night at home. My stomach was growling loudly after a long day. I wanted to heat up some old chili for…

March 26, 2026

A multi-bit screwdriver set, a digital multimeter, and non-abrasive scrubbers on a wooden workbench for basic home appliance repair.

Troubleshooting & Common Repairs

The Best Must-Have Tools for Basic Home Appliance Repair

The Best Must-Have Tools for Basic Home Appliance Repair It was a rainy Tuesday morning here in Alabama. My kitchen felt cold. I just wanted some warm bread. Pushing the lever on my toaster did nothing. No heat came out. The bread stayed soft. That…

March 26, 2026

A smoking and sparking microwave on a kitchen counter with an "ERROR" display and large text that says: 5 Warning Signs of Microwave Magnetron Failure (Is It Worth Fixing?)

Troubleshooting & Common Repairs

5 Warning Signs of Microwave Magnetron Failure

5 Warning Signs of Microwave Magnetron Failure (Is It Worth Fixing?) It was a hot Tuesday afternoon right here in Alabama. I felt ready for a large lunch. My uncle runs a very busy meat shop nearby. He gave me some nice leftover beef cuts…

March 26, 2026