You’re Going to Want a New Microwave After Reading This
Besides adding the popcorn button, microwaves haven’t experienced any major updates in decades. They take up a hefty amount of space on your counter, and unless you’re a religious microwaver, you probably aren’t using it for more than reheating leftovers and speeding up a defrost. But all that is about to change. Thanks to engineer Mark Rober, your microwave could do more than just zap your food.
Rober is developing “A Better Microwave,” which would add an infared heat map over the standard transparent microwave door. The heat map would make it easy to see if that frozen burrito is actually cooked all the way through, without multiple rounds of cut-and-taste.
Here comes the coolest part: With the microwave’s app, you could see that same heat map on your smartphone. If you hear the microwave beep and can see that your food still needs more time, you can start it up again right from your phone. WHAT.
Rober has even more ideas for your new, fancy LCD microwave door, like turning it into a computer screen. You’d be able to scroll through recipes, or even catch the news while you’re waiting for your coffee to brew.
Just when we were ready to write off the plain old microwave for good, someone goes and makes it all fancy. Rather than going to Kickstarter to fund his patented concept and prototype, Rober plans on taking it straight to investors. He’s asking the public to sign a petition to show these investors that there are supporters. If you’re one of those people, you can sign it here. We can’t wait to see this microwave hit store shelves.
Would you upgrade your microwave for a Heat Map model? Let us know in the comments!
(h/t Slate, photos via A Better Microwave)