5 reasons you want a voice-controlled microwave
The AmazonBasics Microwave is a great first attempt from Amazon for a product of this kind. It's built well, works as advertised, and comes in at a great price. While all of that's fine and dandy, a lot of people aren't sold on the idea of a voice-controlled microwave in the first place.
Why do you need a microwave that can be used with your voice when it's just as easy to press a couple of buttons to do the same thing? That's a valid question, and below we've put together five big reasons why something like the AmazonBasics Microwave would be an excellent fit for your home.
It's great for people with disabilities
For a lot of us, pressing buttons on a microwave isn't something we have to think much about. For others, however, it can be a struggle. Multiple disabilities can make everyday tasks a lot harder for many people, and with the ability to use your voice instead of pressing buttons, that makes the AmazonBasics Microwave a lot more accessible for a lot more people.
If someone is blind or has difficulty seeing, saying "Alexa, microwave for three minutes" enables them to perform a task that would otherwise be impossible or incredibly difficult.
There are also plenty of folks out there with severe arthritis and other inflammatory diseases that can cause chronic pain/stiffness in fingers. For them, telling Alexa to microwave something is substantially easier than pressing a series of buttons and putting themselves in more pain than they already are.
While this doesn't apply to everyone reading this, it's the most encouraging and important reason why voice-controlled microwaves are essential and worth looking into.
Controlling it with dirty hands is a breeze
Next, let's talk about something more of us can relate to — dirty hands while cooking.
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You're putting together dinner, need to pop something in the microwave, but don't want to get your dirty, grimy hands all over the buttons. With the AmazonBasics Microwave, you don't have to. Just tell Alexa to do it for you and be on your way. That's all there is to it.
Setting the power level is a lot easier
Most of the time when you're microwaving something, chances are you want it at the default max power setting. For those times when you need to decrease it to something else, though, it entails messing with complex button combinations to get the power right where you want it.
Once again, Alexa can step in and make things simpler.
In one swift voice command, you can say something such as, "Alexa, microwave at power level five for three minutes." The microwave will turn on at that power level, no mashing of buttons required.
Simpler for kids to use
If you're teaching your kids how to cook, you'll eventually need to show them how to use a microwave. Especially for younger kiddos, understanding the different buttons and combinations required to perform specific tasks could prove to be difficult.
You know what's not difficult? Talking to the microwave.
Especially for children of this latest generation that are growing up with voice-controlled things all around them, it's only natural for them that they're able to talk to Alexa and have it control another device in their home.
It's just fun
Last but certainly not least, using your voice to control your microwave is just a lot of fun.
It's not always necessary or substantially time-saving, but it's a unique thing to have and fits right into a home that already has smart light bulbs, plugs, etc.
Plus, at least on the AmazonBasics Microwave, you also benefit from features such as a digital clock that never needs to be manually changed and a feature that automatically re-orders popcorn for you when you're running low.
Just use your voice
A microwave that you can talk to.
The AmazonBasics Microwave isn't just any old microwave. It can be controlled entirely using only your voice thanks to its integration with Alexa, and that's cool. It also has a nifty Child Lock feature and can even re-order popcorn for you.
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Joe Maring was a Senior Editor for Android Central between 2017 and 2021. You can reach him on Twitter at @JoeMaring1.