The climate change debate continues.

[Marty_d]

Probably because no one actually cooks with Tucker F*ckers.   They're good for defrosting and reheating, that's about it. 

[onetrack]

Our $100 Sharp microwave has a "Power Level" selection button, which rotates the power level through 100%, 70%, and 30%. It's very handy.

 

I cook rice in it with one of the dedicated plastic rice cookers. A cup and a half of rice, fill with water until the level covers the rice by about 15mm, select "30%" on the power, and cook for 14 mins, giving the rice a stir about 3 times, to keep it separated. Works just fine for me.

 

The microwave is good for steaming vegies as well, with a potato cooker. One big spud takes about 2.40m in total, 1.20 one way up, turn over the cooker, then 1.20 the other way up.

The former W.A. Potato Marketing Board made a beaut little high grade clear plastic, 2 piece potato cooker, that is now available from some independent company - but I can't find it at present, they don't make any Google ranking. I'll ask SWMBO for the site, she bought 2 recently, they're about $10 each and they're really handy for all vegies for one or two people.

 

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by onetrack

[red750]

55 minutes ago, Marty_d said:

They're good for defrosting and reheating, that's about it. 

We cook our pasta and rice with the microwave. And I use it for my sachets of Uncle Toby's oats. My daughter has a ceramic bowl (for want of a better word) for cooking scrambled egg. Place the egg, condiments, other flavourings in the bowl, put the ceraminc lid on, and cook. I also use it for the baked beans I take to the Shed.

[red750]

The other appliance which we use a lot is the air fryer. Chips, chicken schnitzels, parmas, Kievs, chops, crumbed (frozen) fish cutlets and lots more, all fat/oil free.

[pmccarthy]

I believe the cavity magnetron that produces the microwaves is stimulated to a certain level then comes on. It is either on or off, not proportional. So temperature controls are just on/off governors.

[willedoo]

You can convert an older type microwave into a spot welder for about $50 worth of parts. Save yourself hundreds of dollars on a new brand name spot welder.

[old man emu]

My microwave gets a regular workout cooking frozen veggies, defrosting frozen meat and stuff I've prepared beforehand, like stew, soup and spagh bol sauce. I won't use it to heat pies, crumbed frozen foods, etc. I've just cracked scrambled eggs.

 

I've got a really useful airfryer that can handle anything from making toast to baking a cake, although I like to use the electric oven for cakes and biscuits. I use the stove top for boiling rice or pasta. So much for microwaves being quick! Last night I cooked 3/4 cup of rice on the stove in 10 minutes.

 

And I make porridge the old-fashioned way - soak in milk overnight and cook over a low heat.

[red750]

My daughter makes a batch of pies in a pie maker, and pasties in the oven. Those not used in the first meal are frozen, and thawed/reheated in the microwave. Only takes 2 or 3 minutes.

[facthunter]

Yes but the Pastry goes soft. Microwave has it's uses. If the power goes off I use a portable stove (2 burner) that has gas filled  canisters to fuel it. Used it when I was travelling and even for soldering. Cost Bugg@r all really.  Nev

[old man emu]

23 minutes ago, facthunter said:

I use a portable stove (2 burner) that has gas filled  canisters to fuel it. Used it when I was travelling and even for soldering. Cost Bugg@r all really.  Nev

A bit upmarket for me! I can only afford a stove like this, but without the fancy burner.

 

However, if you are used to luxury, you can do it this way

 

[facthunter]

Life is too short to do everything yourself. .  Nev

[spacesailor]

I use a " copper thermette kettle " to boil water , when camping. 

 

spacesailor

[willedoo]

5 hours ago, spacesailor said:

I use a " copper thermette kettle " to boil water , when camping. 

 

spacesailor

I'd never heard of one before so looked up some photos on the web. I think I get the idea. The water is in a water jacket filled via the spout, and the flame draws through the centre to heat it.

 

[kgwilson]

On 22/08/2023 at 2:32 PM, old man emu said:

Meanwhile, back in Sydney, Clover Moore and her "Live Better Electrically" mob have loosed the first arrow to destroy the restaurant scene in their bailiwick. They have begun moves to ban the connection of new buildings to gas supplies.

 

Why will this destroy the restaurant scene? Food is cooked by heating. The means of heating currently available to us involved oxidising combustible substances (wood, coal, petroleum-sourced liquids and gases), or by several applications of electricity (applying electricity to high resistance materials to generate heat or generating electromagnetic waves of specific frequencies). The restaurant scene  is based on one or other means. There is no escaping that fact.

 

However, there is more to preparing food than simply applying heat. In order to produce a satisfactory product, the cook has to be able to control the amount of heat applied to the ingredients at various stages of the process. Here are the temperature change instructions for the most simple of sauces, Bolognaise:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. (15 minutes at this temperature)
2. Bring to the boil.
3. Reduce heat to low.
4. Simmer, covered.(20 minutes)
5. Remove cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

The loss of control occurs with changes 2 and 3. With a gas cooker, one can immediately increase the heat from the medium setting to a higher one to establish the boil. However, with electricity, it takes time to heat the resistive element and transfer the heat to the saucepan. Similarly for reducing the heat from boil to simmer. Instantaneous with gas; takes time with electricity. 

 

So what? So a sauce cooked with electricity will take a bit longer to finish. But that's not the problem for the cook. While ever the sauce is not at the optimum temperature for the chemical interactions that make the sauce unique, those interactions either fail to occur or occur too much, resulting in a product that is not up to standard.

 

I suppose such a ban could have its positive effects. Mo more Maccas and the like because their business model requires gas cooking of their products. On the down side, there won't be as many noodle shops.

 

I take it you have never cooked with induction heat. I have had a Bosch Induction cooktop for 15 years now. Energy is transferred instantly to the cooking utensil so the base of the pan actually becomes the element.

 

It uses about 10% less power than standard resistive elements, and is 3 times more efficient than gas. Induction produces no harmful by products as gas does which include methane, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide depending on the type of gas used.

 

It heats faster than gas and is even more controllable. The only downside is that you cannot use non ferrous pots and pans. I have demonstrated this to many people by bringing 500ml of water to the boil in 20 seconds from cold using a "Power" setting where the energy from 2 of the induction elements is concentrated in to one.

Edited August 23, 2023 by kgwilson

[nomadpete]

43 minutes ago, willedoo said:

I'd never heard of one before so looked up some photos on the web. I think I get the idea. The water is in a water jacket filled via the spout, and the flame draws through the centre to heat it.

 

These are very efficient.  They are basically a rocket stove with a water jacket. That one is the most fancy that I have seen. There are cheaper less pretty ones at Geographic stores. I have seen them boil a billy in about a minute -  using little more than a couple of handfuls of dead gum leaves.

Edited August 23, 2023 by nomadpete

[kgwilson]

We had a thermette like that when I was a kid in the 50s. We never went on picnics without it.

[willedoo]

I had a shower water heater years ago that worked on a similar principle. The flue was 3" truck exhaust pipe surrounded by 4" pipe to give a half inch water jacket. It was powered by diesel soaked cotton waste in a small 3" section at the base of the flue. It worked ok, but was tricky to get it drawing just right. You had to shower with a brickie's trowel on hand to occasionally tap the fuel bowl one way or another to adjust the amount of O2 drawing into it. It did the job, but there are much better ways to shower.

[spacesailor]

Like a 240 volt shower-head ,

Live elements with the water forming the bridge. 

Instant hpot water when connected to a cold tap. & power .

spacesailor

[facthunter]

Hope your earth return circuit breaker is functioning properly or  we won't get any more of your posts..  Nev

[spacesailor]

I don't have one .

That's why I got a Big Kick , from my Old compressor. 

Shocking isn't it ! .

Nowhere near as bad as my 440 volt shock , lucky to have a rescuer to switch it off .

That voltage was to power the HI volts of a old valve radio .

spacesailor

[red750]

[Jerry_Atrick]

Over 50% of the material is renewable.. I'd call that an improvement

[facthunter]

It's illegal to have power to your house without one fitted to your powerboard.  spacey. They are a great idea and can save the people in your houses lives.  Nev

[willedoo]

I tripped mine once. I was in a hole jackhammering a shed post foundation and the lead was between the jackhammer and hole wall and rubbed through. I was soaking wet with sweat and only got a small tingle from the lead before the power cut. Without the circuit breaker I would have got zapped big time.

[spacesailor]

I have asked two sparkles who declined the work .

SO , after 40 years without dieing,  ( this time ,) & only four shocks ro date, 

it seems only two shocks to go before I go . LoL

spacesailor

Edited November 15, 2023 by spacesailor
AI again