Something as simple as preparing food can be difficult for the elderly and disabled groups because of limited mobility and other health issues. However, using microwaves, they can cook a meal in a matter of few minutes. Only choosing the best microwave for seniors requires pondering over some important aspects.
So, we have prepared this buying guide to help you decide which microwave would be best for your loved one.
What features to consider when buying a microwave for Seniors?
Only some microwaves are deemed suitable for seniors. So, it is better to be sure when taking your pick from the wide range of microwave models. As such, you must consider some important aspects before making your microwave purchases for your loved one.
Easy settings
An important consideration is to check whether the microwave has simple, easy controls. With several buttons, elderly persons could get confused when they’re looking to heat their food.
Plus, the appliances should be easy to operate, having simple settings. Seniors want appliances that are simple so do not buy ones that have many buttons. The larger knob dials and simple controls are your best bet for them.
Youngsters may like advanced features, but elderly individuals might want to go with the Knob control dials and seamless tuning. So, choose accordingly.
Large-sized Display
Microwaves that have large, bold display are ideal for seniors. With a large-sized display, they can easily read the timer settings even if they have poor vision.
More so, a good recommendation for seniors is a microwave with bold prints on a white-colored surface.
Push or Pull Handles
When choosing a microwave for seniors, the handle is an important consideration. Microwave handles are available in push and pull varieties.
For seniors, you may want to go with pull handles for they require less effort and are easier to open than the push varieties. Push handles require the senior person to use a lot of force to open the appliance and this may seem difficult for seniors who suffer from arthritis or have weak hands.
Auto shut off option
Some microwaves come with the auto shut off feature. This is an important consideration when shopping for microwaves for your loved one. This feature turns off the microwave automatically when the meal is prepared. As such, you can be sure that your food does not get overcooked or burn out.
Emit loud sound
Check whether the microwave emits a loud sound to alert seniors when the food is heated or cooked. They should be able to hear the sound loud and clear because they could forget about the food in the microwave due to memory problems.
Why you should buy a microwave for Seniors?
As humans, we need food for our body nutrition. Now, some senior persons live alone and do not have anybody to cook for them. In such cases, a microwave comes handy. The appliances help them to prepare meals in an easy and convenient way.
Elderly person may find cooking on hobs and electric stoves difficult. More so, these devices need more time and effort as compared to microwaves.
Some senior persons also suffer from joint or disc problems, owing to which they are unable to stand near stoves to cook their meals. Even so, with microwaves, they do not have to use heavy pans that are difficult to handle.
Another good thing about microwaves is that the possibility of food burning is low. Also, you do not have to run the risk of getting stove burns or standing in hot environments.
When cooking food in microwaves, you only have to set the timer and sit back and relax until the food is ready.
Microwaves also save you the trouble of washing dishes with tough stains. To cook in the microwave, you have to use microwave-friendly utensils which double up as serving bowls. More so, the vessels do not get stained easily and can be washed only with light dishwashing soap and water.
In appliances, microwave scores over others because of their versatility and efficient features. Cooking in microwaves is quick, effortless, and trouble-free.
Moreover, with only the push of one touch, your food heats up or gets cooked and that too, in a couple of minutes. Simply set the timer and temperature on the microwave panel to run the microwave.
Also, some microwaves come with various menu options for cooking different dishes. Seniors will face no problems heating or cooking their food with microwaves; only choose the ones with easy settings for avoiding any confusion.
Moreover, you can heat canned food in microwaves after opening the cans. So, in a few minutes, meals are prepared in microwaves.
Plus, with microwave lighting, you can know up to what extent their meals are cooked – without opening or stopping the appliance that is.
