Amps mean current drawn which depends on the input power rating of the microwave. When the input power rating is high, the current drawn by the microwave will be more.
A 900 watt microwave uses 11.25 amps of current. The amps use by an electronic appliance is calculated by using the formula-
Amp = Power Rating (Watt) / Voltage (V)
To use this formula, the input power and the standard wall voltage of the country should be known.
It is important to use the input power value and not the output power value in this formula. All the devices including the microwave have two power ratings, input and output power.
The output power is lower than the input power. It is observed that no electrical device is 100% efficient. Similarly, microwaves have 65% efficiency, therefore 65% of the power drawn is converted into microwave energy which is the output power.
Based on this, it is found that the input power of a 900-watt microwave is 1350 watts. For the USA, 120 V is the standard voltage.
Thus, current drawn in amps for a 900 Watts microwave will be:
Amps = 1350 watts / 120 V
= 11.25
Importance of knowing the Amp drawn by a microwave:
1. Circuit designing
Before designing a circuit, you should know the amps connected to it. A typical kitchen will have 2 dedicated circuits of 20 amps each. If there are many high-powered appliances, you may need more circuits.
2. Extension cord gauge
If you want to use the microwave over an extension cord, you must know the amps a microwave draws. For this, the input current of your device should be considered and then the corresponding gauge of the extension cable has to be decided.
Is a 900 watt microwave good?
Yes, a 900 watt microwave is good for a small family as it can cook food quickly and evenly. However, this microwave is preferred by those who want to heat water and reheat food only. Though cooking power in a 900 watts microwave is good which means the food can be cooked easily.
Most of the microwaves are between 600 – 1100 watts. More is the wattage of the microwave, quicker the food would be cooked.
It is also found that in many models of 900 watts microwave, a power adjustment button is present which is a good indicator while heating various kinds of food.
Also, a 900 watts microwave is perfect for keeping in homes with small kitchen space, dorms, and offices. It is affordable, compact, and takes a short length of time to cook food.
Along with these, the temperature of this microwave is an average of 350 degrees which means it can boil water and cook meals quickly and evenly.
Highest watt microwave
A 1200 watts microwave would be the highest watt microwave for home use. The 1850 watts microwave is the top on the scale which is mainly used for a commercial environment.
Higher is the wattage of the microwave, the faster it can cook the food. It should also be noted that more watts mean more power but have a higher price tag.
A microwave with 350-500 watts has very low power which cannot be used in homes. These microwaves are mainly for caravans and other generator-powered setups.
A 700 watts microwave is a basic microwave that is slow which is not able to distribute heat efficiently. In this, you will need to take out the food often and stir it for even cooking.
On the other hand, a 1000-watt microwave can also be preferred for home use as it represents a quality appliance at a reasonable price.
Is a 700 watt microwave good?
A 700 watt microwave is good if you want a small, compact, and budget-friendly microwave. This microwave is sufficient for basic cooking, reheating, and defrosting. If you are ready to spare a few extra minutes, a 700-watt microwave is the best for home use.
Considering a 700-watt microwave, we refer to the output power and not the input power which is higher than the output power. Since the efficiency of a microwave is 65%, a 700 watts microwave will have an input power of 1100 watts.
Points to note:
- When compared to a 1200-watt microwave, the time taken to cook or reheat food is more. For instance, to boil a glass of water, the time taken in a 700-watt microwave is 2 minutes whereas it is 45 seconds in a microwave with 1200 watts.
- The size of a 700 watts microwave is small with a turntable diameter of 10 inches.
- The price of a 700-watt microwave is less as compared to the higher power microwave. Also, it is easy on energy consumption and hence, energy bills are less.
- It is considered the most basic microwave with minimal features.
Will a 700 watt microwave pop popcorn?
Yes, a 700 watt microwave will pop popcorn in about 2 minutes and 15 seconds.
The kernels get heated quickly in a 700-watt microwave which helps in the quick building of the steam pressure inside the kernel. This heat is sufficient to rupture the outer shell of the popcorn and then you hear a loud sound of ‘pop’.
There is a pre-programmed setting for popcorn in most of the 700 watts microwaves. But it is advised not to leave your popcorn unattended as it can get burnt easily.
For making popcorn in a 700 watt microwave, follow the below-mentioned steps:
- Put the kernels in a microwave-safe dish and place them inside the microwave.
- Choose the appropriate setting according to the microwave.
- Don’t leave the popcorn unattended as it can lead to the burning of the kernels.
- The delicious popcorn is ready to eat.
Low watt microwave for camping
Apart from having tents and other kitchen utensils for camping, you should have a low-watt microwave which can take your camping experience to a new level.
During camping, you would want to make meals easily along the way. Also, to warm the beverages, and defrost frozen foods, microwave can be very useful.
A low-watt microwave for camping should have a power wattage between 45-75 watts as these wattages don’t require an alternating current to cook and reheat the food. To operate them, an inverter is required that can be plugged into the cigarette lighter in the car.
Given below is the list of low-wattage microwaves for camping:
- Hot Logic Portable Personal Mini Oven, Black
- Gideon Heated Electric Lunch Box 12-Volt Portable Stove
- Portable Oven, 12V Car Food Warmer Portable Personal Mini Oven
Difference between 1000 and 1100 watt microwave
The watt of the microwave denotes the power utilized by the microwave from the power socket and is proportional to the cooking power. Depending on the watt of the microwave, time varies to cook the food.
Generally, there is not much difference between a 1000-watt microwave and an 1100-watt microwave.
| 1100 Watt Microwave | 1000 Watt Microwave |
| The power rating of this is 10% more that is 1100 watts | Power rating of this microwave is 1000 watts |
| If a recipe takes 5 minutes to cook in this | The same recipe will take 5 minutes and 30 seconds to cook in this |
| Input power is 1700 Watts | Input power is 1550 watts |
| It draws 14 amps of current | It draws 13 amps of current |
Conclusion
Here we talked in detail about the amps drawn by microwaves of different power ratings. For a microwave with 900 watts, 11.25 amps of current would be required.
To calculate this, the input current should be considered as it is an important thing in an electrical circuit and electrical components. For a small family of 4 members, a 900-watt microwave is sufficient.
I hope this post is helpful to you.