by Anna Qin:
Graphics by Lisa Wu
Whether it’s pasta or dumplings, that sulfurous smell that pervades the room when you release the cap of your thermos never fails to make you blush. The grimaces of your classmates as you take your first bite are almost enough to make you lose your appetite. Then you take a whiff of your own food and you can’t help but throw up a little too. It’s times like these when you wish you could whip out a microwave and make yourself a nice bowl of instant ramen or even a Hot Pocket. Wouldn’t you jump at the chance to have your food hot, anywhere, instantly?
The Portable Microwave sounds like a creative invention to solve all your food-related problems except there are a few setbacks that make this “innovative” gadget practically useless. According to WaveBox, the main manufacturer of the product, the portable microwave “plugs into a wall outlet, a car or a boat’s DC outlet or connects to a car battery.” Wait… the point of a portable microwave is that you can take it essentially anywhere, but the fact that the product limits you to locations with electric outlets severely narrows the applicability of the appliance. In other words, it is a regular microwave at 15 times the price. Even more ridiculous is its comparative size and weight. The “portable” microwave is the size of a toolbox and weighs 16 pounds. Talk about portability—have fun carrying that to and around school.
Daniel Frei • Nov 18, 2011 at 1:14 pm
Well written though — I just thought it was a bit harsh on the microwave.