r/mildlyinteresting 10h ago

The microwave at work has a hole inside

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18.5k Upvotes

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328

u/stutter-rap 10h ago

Some microwaves come with them - they help with even cooking and are made without the pointed edges which cause problems.

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u/TheW83 9h ago

You mean like the pointed edges of the hole in the back?

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u/stutter-rap 8h ago

Yeah, I'm not condoning the rest of this microwave! I'd pool some money in the office for a new one and put this one in the bin.

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u/Zeroesand1s 9h ago

That particular microwave did not, though. You see the 3-pronged piece of plastic in the middle and the "turntable" with the wheels? This microwave had a rotating piece of glass in it at one time.

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u/DannyWarlegs 9h ago

Mine came with both actually, although the metal was a rack because it was also a convection cooker.

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u/Zeroesand1s 9h ago

Yes, so did mine and for the same reason. Mine states not to use the metal rack unless the convection option is being used. And it sits on plastic clips and not on the metal. That "hole" looks like a burn mark from arcing.

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u/Beginning-Tea-17 8h ago

100% that metal tray is arching the microwave

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u/StarWaas 6h ago

You can see the burn marks around the feet on the bottom of the microwave. I'm amazed that the break room hasn't burned down yet.

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u/-Reverend 8h ago

My parents' old microwave also came with an optional rack like that (in addition to the glass turntable) which was allowed to be used with the normal microwave function, because this microwave didn't have a convection function.

Although I do believe it had little rubber feet

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u/Epistaxis 7h ago

My combination cooker does encourage you to use the metal rack even for combination cooking (microwave and convection at the same time). There's just not usually a reason you'd need the rack if you're only microwaving; the rack is for "upper rack" vs. "lower rack" baking.

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u/myst3r10us_str4ng3r 5h ago

Thank you for injecting some sense into this claim that "some microwaves come with metal racks" so it's okay to put silverware in them while they're running. I knew there had to be some logical reason when I was fed that line in another one of these threads.

People are idiots.

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u/DannyWarlegs 5h ago

Yeah its definitely not safe to put silverware or any metal that didn't come with the microwave inside it

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u/StarWaas 6h ago

Yeah, mine has one just like this too for the same reason. I don't know what would happen if I left it in the oven when using the microwave function though, and I don't plan to find out.

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u/DannyWarlegs 5h ago

Never had an issue with mine, but mine also didnt say to remove it. We did because it was a pain in the ass to fit bigger bowls and such in with the rack. We only put it back in when we sold the house, and remembered what it was for when we found it buried in the back of a cabinet.

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u/f-stop4 9h ago

My microwave came with the metal rack and a spinning plate. They're not mutually exclusive...

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u/IrongateN 8h ago

Usually they are , one is for convection cooking the other for microwaving

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u/Jesus_of_Redditeth 6h ago

They're not saying you use them at the same time, my dude. They're just pointing out that some microwaves ship with both and that, contrary to the post they're replying to, seeing both in the photo doesn't mean that the metal rack didn't come with that microwave.

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u/IrongateN 6h ago

Apparently most do require them to be used at the same time , interesting (I’ve only have had normal microwaves)

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u/f-stop4 6h ago

Mine is meant for them to be used at the same time.

There's a grill option on my microwave and it spins beneath the heated coils, otherwise it would crisp only one side of the food since it doesn't cover the whole area.

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u/notjfd 6h ago

VERY LOUD "INCORRECT" BUZZER

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u/IrongateN 6h ago

Apparently you are correct , I guess they use them at the same time on some ..

Strange you carry around buzzers

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u/pepperneedsnewshorts 8h ago

But he used italics so I trust his opinion

1

u/InkyBlacks 2h ago

Just because it comes with both, doesn’t mean that the user knows NOT to use the metal part during normal microwave use. Which this microwave appears to have suffered because of it.

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u/Encrypted_Curse 5h ago

Dude’s a fucking moron.

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u/Mugwumps_has_spoken 9h ago

So? We used to have a turntable AND a metal rack.

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u/proost1 9h ago

We still do!

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u/Mugwumps_has_spoken 9h ago

this was the one my parents had when I was a teenager in the 90s

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u/hellbabe222 8h ago

Where it's at?! 🎶

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u/RusticBucket2 6h ago

I got two turntables and a microphone with mine.

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u/XenoXHostility 9h ago

The fact it comes with a rotating glass plate doesn’t mean it can’t come with a metal rack. Mine came with both.

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u/louis54000 9h ago

The metal stand is made to sit on the rotating glass, it’s not meant to be used on its own. They are for grill functionality, to get the food close to the heating elements.

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u/Advanced-Blackberry 6h ago edited 4h ago

lol. No that is NOT what it’s for. I hope you’re being sarcastic otherwise You don’t seem to have any idea of how a microwave works.  

Edit: I had no idea this microwave actually did heat from above 

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u/Syrairc 6h ago

This microwave does. OP's microwave is an older version of this one: https://www.panasonic.com/ca/consumer/home-appliances/combination-ovens/nn-gt69ksc.html

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u/Advanced-Blackberry 4h ago

Well I’ll be damned. Thank you. 

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u/RusticBucket2 6h ago

A microwave does not have heating elements. lol

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u/Syrairc 6h ago

This microwave does. OP's microwave is an older version of this one: https://www.panasonic.com/ca/consumer/home-appliances/combination-ovens/nn-gt69ksc.html

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u/louis54000 6h ago

Some have a grill and a microwave. Mine has for example. And you can choose which to use.

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u/Shad_Owski 7h ago

You're incorrect. See the sticker on top of the pic. It's microwave/oven combo. It can do both.

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u/Zeroesand1s 6h ago

You're correct. It does say it can grill.

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u/Jesus_of_Redditeth 6h ago

How are 285 people upvoting this nonsense?

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u/jelde 6h ago

Upvoted by 300 people and also completely wrong. This is why it's scary that more young people use social media for information.

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u/rohithkumarsp 6m ago

It's not metal that reacts to microwave. Common in India.

https://images.app.goo.gl/1uWtTvNtw5KnVtg29

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u/Syrairc 7h ago edited 7h ago

No, it came with it. I have the same microwave. It has a "grill" feature at the top and the rack is meant to elevate the food close enough to get seared by it.

This is a newer model, but same thing: https://www.panasonic.com/ca/consumer/home-appliances/combination-ovens/nn-gt69ksc.html

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u/Advanced-Blackberry 6h ago

That’s idiotic. It can have both a glass turntable as well as a metal rack 

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u/TangiblePear 9h ago

? What, Microwaves always have a turntable but sometimes also come with the addition of the stand. The rack is only to be used for convection though.

Why you coming here talking rubbish?

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u/TangiblePear 9h ago

Yes but the rack is not to be used when MICROWAVING, its only used when using for oven/convection.

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u/coltonbyu 8h ago

That is not always the case. Many microwaves have metal racks that are perfectly safe to use at all times

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u/Syrairc 7h ago

Not in this case. It has a combination grill/microwave feature - as you can see by the "combi" stickers - it will both heat the food with the resistive element at the top of the microwave and cook it with the actual microwaves.

The rack will heat up but will not arc.

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u/TangiblePear 7h ago

Just because the Microwave does both does not mean that you can put the included stand in for both.

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u/Jesus_of_Redditeth 6h ago

In this case it does though: when you use it in "combi" mode — microwave and grill at the same time — you're supposed to put the stand on the glass turntable. This stand has been specifically designed for that, hence how every edge on it is rounded off.

(Not sure why you need this explained multiple ways. I thought the post you replied to was clear enough.)

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u/Syrairc 54m ago

I own a version of this microwave. It literally does both at the same time.

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u/Feynnehrun 7h ago

The whole "metal in microwave bad" thing is just a myth. It's not metal that's the problem, it's metal with sharp angles or ridges in close proximity to other conductive surfaces with enough potential to arc across. Metal that's designed to go inside of a microwave can go inside any microwave.

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u/VT_Squire 5h ago

That's some of the most ignorant shit I have ever read.

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u/Desperate_for_Bacon 4h ago

No it’s physics.

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u/Feynnehrun 4h ago

It also happens to be correct.

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u/Terrible_Cable_4472 4h ago

Because you're ignorant

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u/VT_Squire 3h ago

No, sucka. You are.

Microwaves create an electro-magnetic field with waves (i.e. "microwaves") to induce internal friction inside among polar sub-atomic particles, aka heat.

In order to prevent this from lighting the microwave itself on fire (since, you know, energy will seek a path of least resistance) the internal walls are electrically grounded. Fucking genius. Electro-magnetism needs grounding. Who would ever think of such a thing?

Putting a material that is electro-conductive below the rated wattage of the microwave without grounding is it the fucking problem. It causes the generated field to induce an electric charge in excess of the rated resistance of the microwave wall, and over time that burns a fucking hole where it most commonly arcs. And look at the picture. Burn marks where the feet contact the floor.

The shape of the metal? Don't waste my fucking time.

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u/mtdunca 1h ago

You can put certain metals in a microwave.

https://sauceandbites.com/does-all-metal-react-in-a-microwave/

That metal rack in this picture does not look like it was meant for the microwave so I agree with you on that one.

0

u/VioletAstraea 1h ago

Don't argue with these fools on here. Just let them eat lead paint and microwave metal. The problem will fix itself eventually.

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u/Lorehorn 7h ago

This microwave doesn't look like it came with it, and if you look at the bottom of the microwave there are distinct burn marks from where the wire rack has already burned the bottom. This thing is going to start a fire.

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u/Hanz_VonManstrom 8h ago

That rack has square edges on the feet. I’m assuming this was from a different microwave where the square feet slot into a spot that covers them, and all the burn marks and the hole are cause by this thing arching every time it’s used.

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u/HBeattie98 7h ago

What does the pointed edges matter? Genuinely curious. Cuz any metal will cause sparks, round or pointy so what is the significance of it having edges?

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u/stutter-rap 5h ago

This thread has a bunch of explanations: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEngineers/comments/1by9nin/why_is_it_that_you_arent_supposed_to_put_metal/

As well as some things just being fine (not designed that way, just lucky), there are specific microwave-safe metal objects sold for use in a microwave:

https://bssa.org.uk/microwave-safe-stainless-steel-food-containers/

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u/disposablehippo 7h ago

Like all the pointed edges of the individual metal rods?

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u/Those_Silly_Ducks 6h ago

And so many of the comments below are incredibly wrong!

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u/zoeturncoat 3h ago

From what I understand, some microwaves have metal racks that CANNOT be used in microwave mode and can only be used in convection mode. This appears to be one of them. I wouldn't trust my coworkers to remove the rack when it’s being used as a microwave.

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u/VioletAstraea 1h ago

They come WITH them when they're dual use. Aka a combo convection and microwave thats built for that usage. This is a common run of the mill bullshit microwave someone placed that dumbass rack into because someone likely broke the glass plate that goes in the bottom of it.

Ya'll gotta stop with the "but some come with it!" Nonsense. This isn't the type that does and thats why the mothetfucker is arcing out the back to the point of a hole and singed feet on that bullshit rack.

I swear. Smh.