Are you planning to attend college soon? There are a great many decisions to be made. You will need to be sure that you have all that you need to make your dorm life comfy. It’s a big step to move away from home for the first time. Here are 5 handy tips for picking your college dorm microwave.
1. What Type of Microwave Do You Need?
Perhaps the first thing you ought to consider is just what type of microwave you will need. There are certainly many types on the market for you to choose from. For example, you may want to consider a refrigerator/microwave combo. This will be a great model that will be portable and very convenient.
A microwave and refrigerator combo will keep your drinks and food items cool. It will also keep them in a handy and convenient place that you can easily find them in. In one movement, you can have your food straight from the fridge, into your microwave, and on your plate.
This kind of combo works great in a dorm room that may be cramped and quite a bit crowded. You don’t want to make a lot of noise or smoke out your dorm mates. A combo of this type will let you do what you need to do in a quick and easy fashion without causing too much commotion.
2. What Size Unit is Convenient for You?
The next question that you need to consider will be a purely practical one. How big of a microwave can you safely fit in your dorm? The space that you have available to you for your personal use may be extremely limited. You want to make the best use of your cramped real estate.
To do this, you’ll need to temporarily downsize your life by a pretty drastic amount. This will entail bringing along only those items that you can’t do without. Keep in mind that the bulk of your day will be spent in a classroom or out of doors socializing with your friends.
The only time you will really be inside is at night. So it’s more than okay to have only a tiny microwave that you can turn to when you can’t get away to eat. The size of your microwave should be just big enough to give you enough space to take care of all of your other needs.
3. What Type of Food Will You Cook?
Another important question to ask yourself will be related to the kind of food that you desire to cook. It’s pretty obvious that you won’t have the space for any kind of massive gourmet presentation. The food that you cook will probably be very basic fare that is easy to make.
This isn’t to say that you can’t cook up something nice for yourself or your dorm mates on occasion. But it needs to be by mutual consent so you don’t cause annoyance. The food you cook should be based on a realistic appraisal of the temporary nature of your life as a student.
4. What Kind of Display Interface is Best?
For many microwave users, the type of display interface that the unit comes with will be an issue. You may be nearsighted and in need of a larger interface. Blind people need an interface with speech. Most microwaves come with a digital interface that is clear and legible.
You may be only able to afford a very basic model with a simple display interface. However, you should be aware that even the budget units will usually come with interface features such as touch screen, LED readouts, and other handy options. Small size doesn’t mean low quality.
5. What is the Size of Your Budget?
The final and, for more than a few of you reading this, most crucial question will be just how much you can afford to spend. You should note that microwave tech has progressed to a very high point. This means that even the smallest and cheapest unit is well worth considering.
You will want to get the unit that gives you the most bang for your buck. You’ll want the unit that fits best into the space you have available for it.
The microwave that you buy should certainly be equipped with as many attractive features as possible. The one with all of these qualities will be the one that you take back to your dorm.
It’s Time to Choose Your College Microwave
Now that you have a better idea of what you are looking for, it’s time to make your choice. There are many excellent models on the market for you to choose from. The decision you make should be based on all of the factors that have been listed above.
