New microwave light is flickering. Should I return?

October 30, 2019 5:23 AM

I just bought a new microwave. It cooks just fine but the inner light (which turns on when opened) flickers intermittently. Would this be a reason to return it? Additional details necessary for answering the question inside.

I've had the microwave for a couple of weeks now. The one I bought can be found in the link below:

Link

The flickering seems to be random - the light sometimes stays on for a minute straight, then begins to flicker, and then is suddenly okay again for usually anywhere between 30-60 seconds (sometimes the flickering occurs outside of this time range, but it's rare)

Also, the flickering is very rapid and very faint; you could easily miss it if it you weren't paying attention. I had to stare at the inside of the microwave and focus on the light in order to make sure that my eyes weren't just playing tricks on me.

The microwave does its microwaving thing just fine. Honestly, I don't even know if the flickering is abnormal... maybe it's supposed to flicker, I just don't know... and I couldn't find much on the subject through googling (admittedly I'm not that good with google)

Could any MeFites who have experienced this (or have microwave/electrical expertise) clue me in as to what might be wrong with the appliance? It's still in the return period, so if the MeFi consensus is that this issue is not the norm and I should send it back then I will.

Thank you in advance :)

posted by BuddyBoo to Shopping (9 answers total)

It is a brand new appliance and it is not working properly. You should return it.
posted by jmsta at 5:30 AM on October 30, 2019 [18 favorites]

I get the feeling you are probably a nice person who worries about causing trouble. I think you are well within your consumer rights to return this before you discover more serious issues after the return period is over.
posted by whitelotus at 6:28 AM on October 30, 2019 [8 favorites]

If it was supposed to flicker they'd have probably advertised "new and improved party mode, now with strobing!" on the box.

No idea what's specifically wrong with it, but agree with the other folks - take it back, and I'd probably not only return it but get a different model from a different manufacturer if possible.
posted by jzb at 6:38 AM on October 30, 2019 [3 favorites]

There's something electrical wrong. Might be minor - might become more major. Why wait until you can't return it and it's a bigger issue - light won't go on at all or microwave doesn't work? Return it now while it's easy.
posted by leslies at 6:42 AM on October 30, 2019

The best case scenario is that the bulb isn't screwed all the way in and the light will soon not turn on ever. And usually I'm a best scenario sort of human. But. This. Speaking as someone whose microwave light is permanently out*: I would still return this flickering one because even the best case is still not what you actually paid for, and the worst case scenario is that something is very wrong inside your machine. The flicker is an indication of poor quality and a microwave contains thousands of volts of power soooooo take it back and just tell them "I don't want it to catch on fire in my kitchen". Which it likely won't because it is engineer to fail without destroying everything, but, it was also engineer to work without flickering, and I wouldn't settle for likely.


*it old and tired but still shows up to deliver the goods - insert sad vending machine pic here.
posted by zenon at 7:21 AM on October 30, 2019

You bought something new and it doesn't work. Yes, return it! (I might check first to make sure the light bulb is all the way screwed in, first. Unplug it before you do this!)
posted by Countess Sandwich at 10:20 AM on October 30, 2019

I think you ought to return it too, if it's not just a loose bulb.

Because the light coming on when the door opens is probably part of the interlock circuit which keeps microwaves from being generated when the door is open, and you want to be sure there aren't any issues with that.
posted by jamjam at 10:45 AM on October 30, 2019

I would check the bulb myself before returning it, just because tightening the bulb, if its just loose, is way less effort than boxing the oven back up and returning it.
posted by COD at 2:18 PM on October 30, 2019

Return it. I work a part time retail job. Returns for anything like this are soooo reasonable. It will go back to the manufacturer.

I know that it is a bit of a hassle for you, but this is what's good about local retail: returns are easy.
posted by mightshould at 2:52 PM on October 30, 2019