"Were going to audit the popcorn" The exact kind of content your quirky viewers want and need!

It might be gimmicky, but at the end of the day, Sharp spent money on those animations and instructions even though they didn't need to, and I can definitely appreciate it.

"I can't believe I'm getting this excited about a microwave." Nobody was surprised.

Thanks to this channel, almost 25 year old microwaves built properly sell for more than brand new ones.

We need someone to rip the ROM on one of these microwaves so we can program an arduino to control all of our modern "Smart" microwaves!

I want this microwave, someone make a 2020 version of this

Absolutely brilliant. I wish I could hug the artist who made all of those little dot matrix illustrations for the display. They're so sweet!

That machine was clearly made with love.

I have an essay due tomorrow for my PhD study, it's 8 PM and I'm watching a guy on KZfaq microwaving a mug of water

This video has a great "I just rolled out of bed" feel to it. Also, you NEVER get 100% yield out of a popcorn batch. That is the nature of the beast.

I just love how you play with the microwave as if it was a Tamagotchi :) Nothing is more inquisitive than the spirit of a child.

Two things I've learned watching this videos: I really want that microwave I really want some popcorn

Clearly, the engineering department was given too much budget.

Microwave: "You are in a twisty little maze of passages, all alike" Me: "Defrost" Microwave:"I see no frost here"

Today I learned the ditty for Blue Jigglies plays only when selected from the Resource Center, NOT the index...I need more of this type of information in my life. Like, was the engineering team at Sharp thinking "Those lazy kids who can't remember how to get to blue jigglies the normal way DON'T DESERVE to hear the jingle."...I'd like to imagine that came up during their daily stand up.

Alec in a sentence: my mom and dad got a new microwave so I read the manual. 🤣🤣🤣

"There is no direction to this video, is there?" Nope. It's a wild ride! Thats a big part of why we all keep coming back for more :D

Shame they seem to have mostly given up on this style in the US market. You should see some of the models still produced for the Japanese domestic market! Large menu screens, tons of recipes, sensors galore, 3-way toaster oven/convection oven/microwave and more! But they can get pricey... and this menu setup is definitely more whimsical! 😊

Here's a challenge: Only eat food the microwave can tell you to make for a week.

This must have been a passion project for someone back then. Localization, research, recipes, testing, adding all those features and getting to keep them.... these days product management is all about MVP and tracking the mediocrity of peers into a downward spiral.

I just wanted to say I appreciate the attention to detail that you set the date on the microwave, as the date as the vid dropped. Things like that don't exactly fit into "No Effort November"

I just watched a grown-ass man play with a microwave for 35 minutes...and I loved it!

I honestly want to see a Connextras video where he tries out a bunch of these recipes, just to see if they were worth it! Make up some blue jigglies and nacho potato slices!

As a scrapper I've came across a wide range of microwaves and ages. Those 1960s microwave oven range combos....super nice for the day. Many had true 304 stainless cabinets, which I think I've seen in maybe two modern ones...those were high high end ones too.

Protip: Cut a small hole in the bottom corner of the bag and shake it around and the unpopped kernels should drop out. UK here, typically microwaves are 650-900 watts.

Thanks, now I’m mad at my microwave. I didn’t see that coming today.

I love how your grandparents kept the manual all these years, mine do the same and so do I!

I wish more companies were as passionate about their products as Sharp was about this microwave. They said we want all of this and they put it in AND added neat little pixel animations.

EU here, 700W-900W seems to be what they're selling at the moment. 800W being the most common.

"What are we doing as humans" Yeah, I don't know either why I am looking at a demo video on a microwave about said microwave that I don't even own.

I like this oven so much, it's like I'm back in the 90's and I'm at some rich friend or something who has all the cool stuff. Like I never had a Gameboy a kid, only played Gameboy a little when someone lent his to a friend of mine and we played it at my friend's place, one of us played, the other just watched and vica versa. This was around christmas time. This oven brings me back that childlike joy looking at high-tech stuff. Neat! I don't need but I want a "clever" microwave oven like this (not to be confused with "smart", I don't want smart devices...)

Thanks for bringing this old classic to our attention. It's always such a shame when a technology devolves, and it happens way more often in our supposed peak-tech age than most people realize. Slightly surprising eBay has no listings (active _or_ completed) for these guys beyond a few parts (also none on my local Craigslist); wonder if a Technology Connections Effect will cause any to be listed now. I'm glad I at least have a -Panasonic- GE microwave with an inverter *(UPDATE:* I forgot the Panasonic was the earlier one I had to send back because its knob-based rather than touchpad-based UI was too irritatingly slow and imprecise; incidentally, GE has reportedly left the U.S. inverter microwave market since I got mine, along with almost every other manufacturer that used to make them *),* so I don't have to feel the techno-shame of having wholly inferior technology to this '90s unit. I don't have any good data to point to, but I would argue with your characterization in the first video of inverter microwaves as only having the niche benefit of lower power use. Actually, I don't know that they _do_ use any less power (wouldn't the PWM of normal microwaves average out to the same power use over time?). The touted benefit is that they cook more evenly, since the magnetron runs constantly at a lower power, rather than cycling on and off at full power. *(UPDATE:* I was doing some refresher reading on inverter microwaves, and apparently they _are_ somewhat more efficient than the averaged-out PWM of a normal microwave, due to, I guess, quantum mechanical effects or whatever - the kind of stuff ElectroBOOM briefly educates about in the midst of all his hilarious shenanigans *.)*

I'm glad you didn't talk over the beeps - Now I can steal that "READY!" tone to use as my notification sound :)

R-490A 😂. It’s sounds like a refrigerant for an AC.

I love my life, what a time to be alive, popcorn audit videos are a thing!! Thanks

This is beautiful. Really feels like a lot of love got poured into this thing. I want a new microwave now.

In the UK, every microwave I've ever seen in kitchens and in stores is 800W. All our food packaging is marked for 800W and for 900W.

Yes, a magnetron is basically two parts - a vacuum tube, and a resonant cavity (also in vacuum). This cavity is phyisically sized (and uses those powerful magnets) to oscillate at a particular frequency - 2.4 GHz. This is why microwaves can interfere with Wifi signals - 2.4 GHz wifi and 5 GHz (close to the 4.8 GHz second harmonic). There is a short warm-up time to all magnetrons - I work on aircraft weather radars, which usually have a warm-up time of a minute. The reason microwaves don't need that much time is because of the application - they need to start working right away and so are designed to handle dumping a lot of energy into the heater to warm the cathode up in a few seconds. I can hear a quiet buzzing after I start mine, that's when the cathode has reached temperature and cooking actually starts. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavity_magnetron It's entirely possible - as evident in the number of clever features - that during sensor cooking that microwave could heat the magnetron's cathode during the initial vent cycle, before first application of HV and possibly gain more life out of the magnetron, but that's pure speculation. An idea for more investigation with a clamp meter perhaps?

6:56 Alec; “What even is this?” Out of Frame: 💥

I can't believe I just watched some guy navigate a microwave menu for a half hour... and enjoyed it.

I love the "good nutrition" menu item. Because if I'm looking for nutritional advice, naturally I'm going to consult _my microwave oven._ :)

spend a half hour watching a microwave do things??? Heck yes

My personal tip, I put a deep plate under the popcorn bag and it helps greatly with maximizing the popped kernels vs burnt popcorn situation. Probably some sciency reasons behind that with waves bouncing and being better distributed through the bag but I'm just good that it works :D

When the dog walking reminder came up, it was great. I love your videos! Always so pleasant.

“Now with polyphonic ringtones!”

In the 'Reminder' section it had a special image for 'walk dog' , are there other special images for other options?

The "I'm finished!" song it plays is so delightfully goofy.

You Absolutely Garnered an instant Like & Have a new Sub because Y.T. recommended your video @ random and the thumbnail showed a picture of the Microwave & it happens to be MY Microwave I currently use & it was also a " hand-me-down" from my parents but when they said they were going to get rid of it or leave it when they moved I swooped in and grabbed and use it as my primary to this day my Dad misses the super accurate popcorn button because he's the type of dad that had for a certain brand of popcorn it down to an exact minute and second science, and when I showed him the popcorn button when it was in his house he was amazed at it actually working better than his formulation and he says he misses it LOL but yeah I love this microwave and for it being now 25 years old still works like a champ I did not know about the neat little Melodies and different sounds to the buttons as mine was set up the normal noise way not with the Melodies but I just changed it and found out you can stop the very very annoying after it gives you the initial done signal beeps once a minute for like 5 minutes very loudly and annoyingly and after this video when I was going for the menus I found I could stop it and it's great if this thing ever dies I'm going to somehow find another one. Thanks for reviewing this so completely and actually bringing it up because I also thought it was the best microwave ever.

Speaking as a European I've never seen a microwave that goes higher than 900 Watts. My own only goes up to 700.

1300W microwave seems high, I've never had a microwave over 900W here in the UK. 800W seems most common, highest I can see online is 1000W

I'm currently living in Japan, and microwave ovens here typically only go up to 700 W, with most microwave-oriented foods giving instructions for 500 W! Back when I lived in Sweden, anecdotally, 750 or 900 tended to be the max (possibly with older ones skewing higher - perhaps microwave oven standards have gotten less powerful over time). I've never seen a microwave oven more powerful than 900 W in my life!

Technology Connextras: "What are we doing as humans" Me: Watching you microwave water!

I can tell you from experience staged cooking makes reheating everything better. Instead of getting the "lava outside, cold inside", I usually set a short initial stage at (close to) max power, then a long stage at low power so it goes fast but heats evenly. For example, reheating mashed potatoes, I'd do 1:30 @ 90% to ramp it up, then 3:30 at 40% and it's almost always perfect without having to stop and stir halfway through.

My microwave in the UK is 800W, you’ll see instructions on ready meals for 700W, 800W and sometimes 1200W

That DEMO! That is officially the most amazing microwave EVER!!!!!!!!!!!

34 minutes, yay! I'm always looking for more of this stuff!

the microwave in my house is over 31 years old and runs from a mechanical dial timer. its a goddamn champ and i hope it lasts forever.

When Sharp were really Sharp and made quality things. Now sadly just a badge.

That microwave is an absolute star! I have been both intrigued and delighted.

Why haven't I seen you since the last time I saw you? Awesome to find you again. So many of my favorite subscriptions were just idled. Now for a binge. Thank you for your awesome videos.

When you asked “why do I have this microwave?” I thought you were gonna gleefully say “because my grandparents died recently!” And it was creepy. Glad that’s not the case.

Was seriously expecting "And remember...Just Say No to Drugs!" at the end of the kids section

I freaking love your excitement!!

This guy could make anything more than interesting!! Great video!!

Yes, you are correct, the Magnetron is a type of vacuum tube and yes, it does take a while to warm up.

It’s 3am in the UK. Why do this to me? It’s okay. I don’t need sleep.

I have no need or want for a microwave, and yet here I am. Thanks for the shows.

I spent almost a full hour of my day watching you talk about a microwave from 1997...

That's the most unceremonious start to a connextras video to date, and there are some abrupt ones to choose from.

Everyone here talking about US vs UK wattage and I'm just smiling at the Tamagotchi dog at 29:00. 😄😊

Watching just the first second of the main channel's new video and this video was definitely worth it. Now to finish both videos.

Your just making us want this one more!!!.

Now I want to see a microwave cooking video making a meal using only recipies pre-programmed into that microwave. Blue Jigglies being a must!

look at the man's jawline! dude, i don't know what you're doing to lose weight, but you're killing it! keep it up!

I think you are one of the few people in the world that can make me watch 35 minutes microwave button pressing. Don't know how you do it, but you do it well.

Thanks for both videos about this! Happy Friday the 13th too (#2 for this year; #1 was back in March right around when covid was announced in the country).

Magnetrons are indeed vacuum tubes, albeit they have a filament rather than the indirectly heated cathode of usual tubes. Conventional microwave ovens only control the filament power during cooking, leaving the high voltage "on" continuously. The Panasonic "inverter" microwave ovens are different in that they control the high voltage to adjust power instead of the crude On/Off method of the average ones.

I just spent the better part of an hour between these two videos! Truly enjoy this channel! It struck me as funny though the comment about how easy it was to close the door and every time he attempted to close it it bounced back and he had to push it closed again.

I have no idea how to explain to someone that this is how I spent my Saturday night.

The multiple step function is great for many things. Rice for example you cook at 3 minutes full power then 9 minutes on 1/3rd power (or whatever power level is closest to that) for perfectly cooked rice every time. Just as good if not better than a dedicated rice cooker. Just remember the correct rice to water ratio of 3/8th rice and 5/8th water.

In Russia most microwaves are between 700 and 1000 W, with 800 W as a golden standard that is used on the packaging to determine required time in microwave to cook/heat up.

"Thanks to the magic of popping two bags" 😂

UK viewer here! Our Microwaves are usually between 650-900W. Personally I have never seen a Microwave that is 1000 or even a crazy 1100W. My own Microwave is 850W and I thought I was at the high end. To hear that I am potentially missing out on another 250W makes me sad! Love your videos pal.

This really is delightful.

0:04 "My hair has gotten pouffier" has a verrrrrry different (though pejorative) meaning here in the UK!

Yes, a magnetron is a kind of vacuum tube.

This is the best thing I've ever seen

single greatest microwave video .

I swear you started this video out looking stoned as hell 😂

Wags wags, it seems as programers have more memory to work with the slopper the code. But in the old days every bit of memory was valuable so they needed to have really good code.

The fact that the last shot of the microwave showed the actual time here had me shook for about six seconds.

OMG... You said "I know my face isn't in frame" literally the *INSTANT* I thought to myself "I wonder if he realizes he's monologging when his face isn't in frame?" You, sir, have absolutely perfect comedic timing.

All this oven is missing is a "Leisure Suit Larry" -game. I mean, the sounds are there already..

"I'm going to edit this" In a Connextras video in No-effort-November? What?

Hi, l have never ever seen a similar type of microwave unit in the UK . l did have a fair amount of dealings with various units over the years in a maintenance capacity at a large hospital. I totally agree with you that in a domestic setting this could be very useful and also bring back a bit fun into a mundane cooking appliance. Keep up the good work and stay safe.

I never thought I would be coveting a microwave. Thanks for that.😋

Regarding cooking stages, I discovered somewhat recently that my microwave (with a fairly normal interface) has that feature. If I push the power level button, I can set up a second stage. Additionally, if I set a timer and push the power level button instead of start and enter a second time, that will set up the microwave to start after a period of time. Neat!

I literally just spent a whole minute pressing the left arrow key on my keyboard to hear Alec's "hey" again and again.

I have this one in black. I was just talking to my cousin about it last week! Amazing to see you reviewing it.

The sound design is so adorable it makes me want to cry