Comments on: Microwave oven that doesn't beep?

Question: Microwave oven that doesn't beep?

flutable — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:26:53 -0800

Hi MeFi, does anyone know a brand/model of microwave oven that doesn't beep if you leave the food in it after the cooking is finished? Manufacturers' web sites never mention little, but important, things like this. It's for an office, and I don't want people driven insane if someone forgets to take their food out. There's nothing I hate more than nagging appliances!

By: Admiral Haddock

Admiral Haddock — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:35:45 -0800

Are you in the U.S.? I've never had a U.S. microwave that does this. Try Sharp, Sanyo and Panasonic. I've had them all, and none of them have beeped to remind me to take my food out.

By: amyms

amyms — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:39:47 -0800

I have a Kenmore and it only beeps once when the food is done, there is no continuing beep at all.

By: edgeways

edgeways — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:43:02 -0800

er... are you saying that you are looking for a microwave that doesn't beep at all, or one that doesn't beep continuously? I haven't head of a consistent beeper (but can imagine that it exists), but most I've encountered do beep/chime once or twice at the end of the cook cycle.
Essentially what I am saying is most microwaves (afaik) beep once, but not insistently, so you should have decent luck if that is what you need/want.

By: Nothing

Nothing — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:53:18 -0800

Cheap microwaves tend to beep once. More expensive and built-ins seem more likely to beep continuously in my experience. I hate it.

By: thisisnotkatrina

thisisnotkatrina — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:53:33 -0800

omg that is the most irritating thing in the entire world, you are not alone in hating this. i have a sharp microwave and it doesnt. and its bright yellow!

By: The Deej

The Deej — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:55:50 -0800

Get a cheap one with an analog timer dial. Many don't beep at all. Some have an actual bell that rings, some don't ring or beep at all.

By: puke & cry

puke & cry — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:56:20 -0800

I've never heard a microwave doing this. I would imagine you can just pick up a cheap one at walmart like I did.

By: Malor

Malor — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:58:21 -0800

I'm using a Kenmore 6428 that beeps only once, when the food is done. I don't think it would be likely to offend anyone.

It's also a convection oven, and a pretty darn good one, if that's of any interest. But it's fairly expensive, $250ish.

By: rokusan

rokusan — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:01:17 -0800

Mine does this (Toshiba) and it drives me nuts too, in my own home even.

If ever there was a need for voice recognition, these are the application.

"I know, I know!"

By: rokusan

rokusan — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:06:00 -0800

More helpfully (maybe), there must be a Best Buy or Circuit City or something somewhere that will let you, like, test many of them out.

Just cook nothing for five seconds, then wait to see.

You may need to find a store that loves customer service, like a Nordstroms, in order to get away with this, of course.

By: quin

quin — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:29:41 -0800

Most new microwaves in the US nowadays are going to beep every couple of seconds after the food has finished heating, until someone opens the door.

I've never encountered one that had a setting that would allow you to turn this off, but then, I never looked specifically for that feature.

My best suggestion is to either go with a very old analog control from a second hand store, or to just crack the case open on a new one and cut the leads to the speaker. This will void your warranty, but should be quite easy to do.

By: quin

quin — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:31:46 -0800

Of course, this assumes you have followed the very good suggestions above to hit a store with lots of demo models and try them out.

By: asuprenant

asuprenant — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:52:32 -0800

If you cut the leads on the speaker, won't this suppress the original, sometimes useful beep?

I have a newer microwave, too, and this drives me nuts, particularly when I use it as a nap alarm.

By: Ynoxas

Ynoxas — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:14:24 -0800

Here's a good way to guess if it will beep or not:

If the microwave has a digital timer that allows you to use it JUST as a timer (i.e., countdown for 5 minutes, but not actually cook anything) then it will probably beep many times at you when done.

If the microwave only counts time when it is actually cooking something, then it maybe won't.

That's all I got for you.

It does seem to have become a very common feature of new microwaves.

Cheaper = less likely to beep and beep.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:43:31 -0800

I know that Amana Radarange microwaves have a "SOUND ON/OFF" feature (pdf manual for one newish model). I know this because my parents' 25-year-old+ Radarange has it. You may in fact have this feature on your microwave and not know it. Searching for "sound.on.off microwave" brings up brands like GE and Goldstar.

By: jet_silver

jet_silver — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:47:37 -0800

The ones with mechanical timers generally will ring a bell once when the timer gets to zero. Like you, I detest nagging from any machine.

Last year I bought a Sharp R-208 microwave (this appears to only be sold in Europe) whose control panel has an astonishing electronic copy of a mechanical timer. True to the image it makes an electronic 'ding' that's a copy of a mechanical bell. If you happen to see this one, I recommend it highly.

By: priorpark17

priorpark17 — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 02:47:04 -0800

Yes, Try GE. For example model JE2160WF has 4 sound levels inc mute. Many GE microwaves are the same. Good god how do I know this.....

By: bluefly

bluefly — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 04:00:02 -0800

My Kenmore only rings once. It's not a super nice one.

By: dame

dame — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 06:38:34 -0800

The microwave at our office has mute. That may be better: no one has to hear the beep at all. It is a GE. The one in my house also does not continue to beep, but I am not there, so I can't tell you what kind it is.

By: smackfu

smackfu — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 06:56:24 -0800

You sure you don't want this feature? Wouldn't it be worse to come in on Monday morning to a reeking microwave with Friday afternoon's snack still in it?

By: Acetylene

Acetylene — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 07:08:52 -0800

My Westinghouse model WST3501 beeps only once when the food is done.

By: Clay201

Clay201 — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 08:24:00 -0800

If you can find up a copy of the microwave's manual, check for something called "audible signal elimination." On my nuker, if I hit the correct key sequence, this feature will engage and all beeping ceases. When the power goes off, it resets to default and I have to re-engage.

By: marionnette en chaussette

marionnette en chaussette — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:24:58 -0800

I have a newer microwave, too, and this drives me nuts, particularly when I use it as a nap alarm.

I really hope you're using some timer feature on the microwave, rather than actually microwaving for however long your nap lasts. That's a good way to waste money on electricity and burn out your microwave. You could put a cup of water in it to keep it from burning out, but that's only good until the water boils off. And then there's superheating.

And to answer the question, I've had two GE above-the-stove microwaves that do the beep-every-30-seconds reminder, so I'd advise to stay away from that brand if you don't want that "feature."

By: flutable

flutable — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:45:56 -0800

Thanks to you all. I don't think I can mark three best answers, but they'd go to priorpark17, jet_silver and The Deej re mechanical timers.

I'm also going to try a small modification, similar to one used by suppliers of equipment for Deaf and hard of hearing people: ie something that makes a light flash when the food is done, rather than beeping. That might avoid the Monday-reek-of-Friday's-frijoles problem that smackfu mentions.....

By: flutable

flutable — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:47:33 -0800

Hmm. Would help if I read that I *can* have > 1 best answer!