[crazygringo]

I want an IR camera and I want to input my desired temperature. That's all.

Then I want the microwave to cycle on when the camera says everything is below temp, and cycle off as soon as any hot spot hits temp. Then wait for the hot spot(s) to dissipate before cycling back on.

Seems like a foolproof way to cook evenly without overcooking.

I kind of approximate it now by cooking something frozen on high for a couple minutes, then on 20% power for five minutes, then 10% power for another five minutes. But it would be nice to have it all automated.

[01100011]

When I was a kid(~1980), I remember our microwave had a removable temperature probe you could insert into the food. I don't know if it was just for informative purposes or if it controlled the cooking however.

[crazygringo]

Those disappeared, though, because they're solving the wrong problem.

Those would tell you when the center of your food was cooked, but by then the outside of your food was insanely over-cooked. Most of your chicken breast has turned into dried-out rubber.

The real problem isn't to get the center hot enough, that's easy. It's to prevent the outside from getting too hot. And you need a camera for that.

[xp84]

I think a probe would be really great, because knowing the surface temp doesn't tell you how hot the thickest part of the food is. Although GP has an interesting point that if you cycle it for long enough, I guess the heat should approach equilibrium and the surface and insides should match.

[crazygringo]

Yup that's exactly the idea, for it to approach equilibrium.

And the microwave should be able to deduce how close it is by the rate of cooling of non-hotspots while the cycle is off. If it's cooling quickly, the inside is still frozen. If it isn't cooling at all, the inside is nice and warm.

[glitchc]

The only problem is that the camera would not survive the first time you use that oven. High power microwaves happily destroy all manner of electronics.

[crazygringo]

Surely it can be shielded?

IR and microwave wavelengths are nowhere even close to each other.

The grill in my microwave door lets through visible light. And the electronics already present in my microwave seem just fine.

[ben_w]

Shielding is straightforward; styropyro on YouTube made a ridiculously overpowered oven, 20 kW, was able to film the interior via a small hole, camera was basically fine.

https://youtu.be/mg79n_ndR68?si=F5RTVUWdxglMFm7X

[glitchc]

Wow, interesting

[glitchc]

Can't shield the lens, which would be facing the cavity unobstructed.

[snarfy]

If it's going to take 10+ minutes to cook, why not use something like a toaster oven?

[crazygringo]

Because if the microwave can do it in 10-15 min, the toaster oven is going to take 40-60 min or worse.

Waiting 10-15 min to reheat something evenly is doable for me. I can make a side salad, toast some bread, empty the dishwasher or whatever while I wait.

Waiting 40-60+ min requires real advance planning, which is often just not feasible.

If you've ever used a toaster oven to warm up a frozen personal-size lasagna, sometimes it can take as long as an hour and a half.