[jooize]

# Microwave oven

- Display in orange, just bright enough.

- Default to no clock until time is set.

- Quality-feel dial for duration. Digital and dynamic so faster spinning adds more time per rotation.

- Quality-feel dial for power.

- Quality-feel dial for function, or possibly buttons for this.

- Dial could be pushed for start or other feature. Push again for pause. Push and hold for reset.

- Door opens downward, horizontally mounted.

- Door has a handle; no door button.

- One single pleasurable beep or sound when finished. Alternatively: continuous sound modulated to convey how long remains. Alternatively: silent switch!

- Never beep unnecessarily nor inexplicably.

- Expire remaining time after a short while.

- Indicate when not empty but not running.

- Less noisy afterward than during.

- Large enough.

Make the bottom as flat possible while still rotating content. Rotate the radiation stuff instead? Probably too complex.

[function_seven]

# Microwave oven

- Default to no clock until time is set.

Yes. Nothing is more passive-aggressive than a flashing "12:00" Just be blank, it's fine.

- Quality-feel dial for function, or possibly buttons for this.

Stick with buttons for the functions, but make them real buttons that move, not membrane switches with no tactile feel. There can still be a membrane cover over it for ease of cleaning

- Dial could be pushed for start or other feature. Push again for pause. Push and hold for reset.

This must be done right, though. I hate a lot of multi-function dials that both spin and depress, because they often make it too easy to accidentally twist the knob a bit as you're depressing it. Detents should be solid and deep to avoid this.

- Door opens downward, horizontally mounted.

Heh, I'd rather it swing upward, so it's not in my way as I load or unload the oven.

[greycol]

>Heh, I'd rather it swing upward, so it's not in my way as I load or unload the oven.

The main issue with this orientation is the rising steam could scold your hands. I guess having an elevating hinge to pop the door out first would largely fix the issue.

[thotsBgone]

What if it was like a sliding door which treadmilled into the side of the microwave?

[function_seven]

That would be really cool, but I'd be suspicious of long term reliability or the quality of the shielding in such a setup.

You'd have to figure out how to make it robust against bits of food and grease. I don't want to have to clean and lube the track every 6 months.

And if you did design it to be hassle-free and just as good as a plain door with respect to shielding, then I assume it's gonna be expensive :)

[chiph]

If it has a membrane keypad, it doesn't squeak when pressing buttons.

(Just replaced a 20 year old microwave with a new $500 one from GE. Which has a squeaky keypad. A cheap $59 table-top microwave from Walmart doesn't squeak, why does this one? Contemplating a warranty call..)

[mdpye]

> Rotate the radiation stuff instead? Probably too complex.

I don't know why this isn't more common, my family's early 90s microwave didn't have a rotating base. It wasn't an expensive model. It was very easy to clean.

I assume the radiator moved. Or perhaps it was just terribly uneven, but we never noticed.

[bluGill]

Yeah, most of them used to have a metal beater in the too that rotated the beams. But people like to see their food go around.

[anonymfus]

> Door has a handle; no door button.

Door button is a safety feature. Door handle would be inherently less safe because easier to forcefully open and easier to break in such way that it opens itself.

> Expire remaining time after a short while.

That would make interface unaccessible for people who can not react and press buttons fast enough.

[mdpye]

> Door button is a safety feature. Door handle would be inherently less safe because easier to forcefully open and easier to break in such way that it opens itself.

Really? I've seen plenty of button less ones. The door switch is a safety feature. Open the door, the power stops, I'm not sure how the button is relevant?

[NeutronStar]

The delay could be something like 10 minutes...

[anonymfus]

That will still exclude people who needs more than 10 minutes.

[thotsBgone]

Who needs more than 10 minutes to press one button besides someone who is currently having a stroke?