It was invented by chance when microwave rays melted a candy bar in the pocket of its inventor Dr Percy Spencer in the 1940s at Waltham, Massachusetts. It was initially dismissed as a gimmick that sought to “ruin the fine art of cooking”. Today, the microwave has become a way of life.

Like other examples of technology, the microwave was invented to make us lazier and happier. After a frenzied day of long hours at work, the microwave remains the one reassurance that a hot meal will be on the table without much fuss. No family — or self-respecting office — is complete without its microwave. The thought of the microwave not working is despair.

Sex, lies and microwave

The microwave is a lifeline in the modern family. But it is also an agent of social change.

If in the US the advent of the microwave helped the era of TV dinners to come into being, in India it has ushered in new gender roles. There was a time when a man would vehemently deny he cooked his meals himself. Today the bachelor brigade is not afraid to admit that living alone means cooking. Maybe the smart technology behind the microwave makes it cool; it doesn’t carry the shame and the guilt and the stains of traditional cooking. The microwave doesn’t even need to be placed in the kitchen; it doesn’t need you to get your hands dirty with haldi.

“I use the microwave to heat coffee or milk in the morning and when I’m back home I cook some rice or sabzi. It’s quick and handy, especially for someone like me who has a 14-hour work schedule,” says 25-year-old Abhinav Tiwari, an investment banker in Mumbai. “When I was in Class XI, I had put a tennis ball inside the microwave just out of curiosity. Needless to say, the microwave burnt out — and so did I, after my mom got to know,” he laughs.

New-age professions thrive, thanks a lot to the microwave. “I get back home late from work and I am so tired that even the thought of taking out dinner from the fridge and heating it on the gas burner is daunting. But with the microwave, things are so much simpler,” says software professional Saurav Gehlot.

Calcutta based DJ Vicky swears by the microwave despite Sharma, Gautam’s and Balwant Singh dhabas. “At 4.30am I can’t wake up people at home. So I heat up the food in the microwave. Even dessert! A trick that most people don’t know is that rosogollas kept in the fridge become warm and soft after just 10 seconds in the microwave,” he smiles.

Men giving food tips. Significant.

And middle-aged women are morphing from conventional cooks to microwave mums in great numbers. Shyamali Bhattacharya, 56, bought one only three years ago. Now she can’t live without it.

The hot couple

The microwave is a boon for working couples. As ready-to-cook meals replace cooked dinners, the market for microwaves shoots up.

“The microwave market in Calcutta is growing with the culture of double-income families. For them, thrice a week, ready-to-eat meals prepared in a jiffy are good enough. In three or four minutes, you have a malai kofta or even a dal ready,” says Sandeep Guleria, regional marketing manager (east), Whirlpool. “The microwave industry saw a growth of 30 per cent in the east vis-a-vis the home appliances market which saw an eight per cent increase at the end of the last financial year,” he adds.

At Cams Corner, director Jiten Chawla reveals that there has been a 20-25 per cent increase in turnover for microwaves from January. “Food may be cooked at a fixed time but eating habits differ, so microwaves make life easier,” he explains.

Nice price

Not just the numbers, the size of the microwave has also increased. From 20 litres earlier, the capacity of the microwave has gone up to 25-30 litres. “The microwave has started moving into larger families and so the size of the dish has increased,” feels Guleria.

And prices have been slashed quite dramatically. There are three kinds of microwaves — solo, grill (heating from the top), and grill and convection (hot-air heating). “While offices use the solo microwave to just heat the food, the convection microwave is more popular in houses because of its many functions,” says Pooja Baid, director, Great Eastern Technocity. “The gap between buyers of the grill and grill-and-convection microwaves has been reduced. Earlier there was a price difference of Rs 4,000-5,000, which is now Rs 2,000,” adds Chawla. The price of a microwave can start as low as Rs 3,000 and go up to Rs 20,000.

That also makes the microwave a great gift. “The best gift that my mom claims I ever gave her is the microwave. But it’s also the best gift I ever gave myself,” smiles banker Indraneel Majumdar.

Art of cooking

So what happens to the fine art of cooking? Thankfully for purists, a microwave is still mainly used for heating food. “Microwaves sell really well in winter and post-Puja, but sales drop in summers and in the rainy season. This is because most people buy microwaves for heating and not for cooking,” says Baid of Great Eastern Technocity.

The gas burner is under threat from the microwave, even in traditional Indian families. “I have used the microwave for baking cakes and making pasta, but my mother-in-law experiments much more. She has even made ilish bhapa, which turned out quite well,” says Rudrani Chatterjee, who teaches at a school. Wait till they find a way of doing biryani in there.

But if there is one thing that hasn’t changed, it’s the buyer. “In India, the purchase of washing machines and microwaves is women-centric. The man may accompany her to foot the bill but the design and brand largely depend on women,” stresses Baid.

Technology is likely to change that soon too.

Microwave manners

• Even if you are dog-tired, do not dump your plate into the microwave like you throw your clothes into the laundry
• When your microwave starts singing like Nelly Furtado’s It’s getting hot in here…you know it’s time to go easy
• Get some handy wipes and run them over the glass once in a while. Pamper time is crucial for your microwave’s well being
• Don’t slam the microwave door shut. If you have had a particularly bad day, look at some other outlet to vent your frustration
• Your microwave top is not for piling on that heavy vase or the bronze figurine you bought last week. Invest in a sideboard
• The microwave at office may not belong to you, but that doesn’t mean that you will not handle it with care
• There are certain things you can’t put in your microwave, even if you wish you could. Like tin foil, spoons, CDs and crying children

Karo Christine Kumar and Priyanka Roy

(How dependent are you on the microwave? Tell t2@abpmail.com)