Since I've been here I don't trust microwaves, it's always in evenly
heated. I recook with steamer, wok, or counter top
Oven.

Thanks for all of the advice, folks. I've decided to forego the questionable microwave approach and buy this thing I found on Taobao (or, one similar to it):

item.taobao.com/[...]

They've been selling these mini convection ovens in the U.S. for many years and they seem to work pretty well. The price is also way below that of some of these scary local microwaves.

Let us know how it cooks.
There is another similar kitchen tool called an air fryer, that looks like a different spin on the same technology. My brother has one, and he says it is great.

I have one of those roaster ovens back home. It's useful for healthy cooking as most of the animal fat will drip to the bottom of the glass container and it cooks quite evenly on the surface, but is not an alternative to a microwave. It doesn't work as fast and won't heat up your coffee or bowl of oatmeal. Plus it's quite bulky, annoying to clean and it's better to stay out of the room when that thing is running as the infrared light coming out of it is quite bright (unlike in a normal convection oven, the glass cover doesn't make the light less bright).

@tigertiger, air fryers won't make fries or chicken nuggets as crispy as deep frying in oil, but are nice to use as a healthy option.

Why Did Russia Ban The Use Of Microwave Ovens?
sorendreier.com/why-did-russia-ban-the-use-of-microwave-ovens/

yankee wrote: "It doesn't work as fast and won't heat up your coffee or bowl of oatmeal." do you really need a microwave oven to heat up coffee or oatmeal? seriously? what about putting it into a small pot on the stovetop? and why are you re-heating oatmeal anyway? It takes 3 minutes to cook on the stovetop.

as far as it being faster than ovens, yep. that's true. and that's why they're so popular. but you can roast a whole chicken and it will be good for several meals. just re-heat the leftovers in the oven. it'll take 15 minutes to re-heat in the oven rather than 5 in a microwave. if you're that busy, you must by Vladimir Putin.

and also, there's a reason stir-frying is such a popular cooking method. it's also fast. and if you use proper cooking oils (animal fats...), it's ok. not to mention dishes made by stir-frying don't taste like cardboard.

seriously, if you're not spooked out by all the studies that link microwaves to all sorts of illnesses, then keep using them. personally, i'm afraid. and i find microwaves unnecessary. most days of the week, you can stir-fry or cook soups on the stovetop. steaks and burgers cook easily and quickly on the frying pan. chicken breasts too. on weekends, you can cook in a conventional oven. bye bye microwaves. good riddance.

in fact, i'll throw out a cooking challenge. I'd like to challenge all microwave oven owners to cook a meal in a microwave that is 1) more delicious, 2) more nutritious and 3) easier and faster to prepare than the all-time Chinese classic dish stir-fried eggs & tomato. good luck to all participants!

@magnifico
I can take your challenge (sort of) and easily win hands down. I use the microwave to re-heat food that other people have prepared for me. My own cooking (a rather generous term) tends to lean towards gloggy, gloppy, burnt (aka carbonized), and generally resembles the many forms of sidewalk vomit in appearance, texture, aroma, and consistency - which has advantages as I don't need to share...military rations and astronaut food are tastier and more appealing...so I'm shopping on taobao for C and K rations...

1 - you can re-heat food on a skillet or an oven (which might take slightly longer, but given that you're not cooking it yourself and you're not Putin, you should be able to make the time).

2 - there's never been a better time to learn how to cook. it's the best way to have FUN without taking your clothes off!

3 - ignore points 1 & 2 if Russian scientists are a bunch of nincompoops and microwaves are really not all that bad for you!

I use a microwave to reheat, not to cook. Except probably for the occasional chocolate mud cake. The oven is what I mostly use to cook meat and fish. Anyway, 3 minutes of daily microwave use isn't that alarming. If I wanted to be worry about health, I'd be more concerned about is the fact that we are currently filling our lungs with the thick smog of burnt wood and charcoal floating around Kunming. Also, using an oven or wok doesnt automatically suggest a safer and healthier option. You often don't have to look far to see people using them to cook food that is high in calories, trans fat and sugar.

microwaves may not be harmful to health. it's hard to know what to believe since half of all scientific claims are BS. and if you only use them to re-heat, it's definitely nothing to worry about.

but I don't like the taste of microwaved food anyway. food doesn't get crispy or brown properly. rather, it tends to get mushy.

i've survived without using one for years. peace out.

I am kind of addicted to crispy food, so i use the i use the oven to cook or reheat them. I mostly use the microwave for things that require reheating with steam, really.