Wavebox 12v portable microwave generator#

You might well be wondering if there is such a thing as a 12 volt microwave that is designed specifically for boating. Luckily in this case the beeps seem to be extremely loud, and there are 5 of them, so no excuses for not grabbing the pizza as soon as it’s ready! Opting For a 12 Volt Microwave If you’re out on deck whilst the microwave is doing its thing you want to be sure you hear the beeper once the microwave has finished heating. What I like about this microwave is that it uses a ‘wipe clean’ keypad rather than tangible buttons and dials which are prone to harboring grease and dirt. Knowing how chaotic the living space on a boat can be, you want to be sure that cleaning and tidying is as simple as it can be. I also like the way it uses a push button to open the door rather than a handle – having a protrusion like this is just something else to accidentally snag things on, which is quite likely when you’ve got limited food prep space. Despite its small size however, it will still accept a ‘standard’ dinner plate, so you won’t need to buy new crockery if you don’t want to! At 0.7 cubic feet in capacity and 10.2” high this is a fairly shallow microwave and the smallest that Black and Decker offer, so with any luck you’ve already got a shelf that you tuck it underneath. Space is nearly always at a premium on board a boat, and finding a microwave that fits within the tight constraints of a small galley is always going to be difficult. This microwave from Black and Decker ticks those boxes, and coming from a fairly ‘agricultural’ brand you can be sure that it’s built to last and hopefully take a few (gentle) knocks. So what I’ve tried to do when selecting a good ‘all rounder’ for a marine environment is go for something fairly low powered, that is constructed from materials that will last in a salty environment, and that offers a reasonable level of functionality. Let’s face it there are more microwaves on the market than anyone could ever hope to use. In other words don’t expect miracles, but if you can make allowances for them you’ll have great success with a microwave on board! Opting For a Standard Microwave: Black & Decker EM720CB7 Digital Microwave Oven Due to the losses and inefficiencies of a boat’s 12 volt system you can expect at least a 25% reduction in power, meaning you will need to factor in additional time to heat your food or drink. It’s also important to be aware that whichever microwave you choose, it’s unlikely that it will heat as effectively as it would when connected to a mains supply.

Wavebox 12v portable microwave generator#

Erring on the side of caution it’s better to choose a less powerful microwave than you would have at home so that it will function as expected, and require less power to run.Įven with a battery bank and a hardwired pure sine wave inverter that can cope with the power of the microwave, it’s even better to have the added security of a generator as well as your boat house battery bank, not to mention a separate starter battery should you find yourself powerless following frivolous use of your microwave and other power hungry appliances. Given that most ‘domestic’ microwaves suck up between 7 Watts you’re going to need a enough battery power and a decent inverter to take on the job, and even then you want to be sure you’re not going to drain the batteries.

The first thing to determine is whether or not you’ll actually be able to run the thing from your existing electrical infrastructure.

There are indeed several options available to you if you want to reap the benefits of microwave cooking onboard your boat.

Having a microwave in your home kitchen is pretty much a given in this day and age, but what about when you’re out on the high seas?