Here is an interesting piece we came across recently, the Revere Ware micro-fryer from 1987. What is unique about this piece is that despite being metal, it is apparently made for both the stove-top and the microwave oven. We haven’t tried it yet!
The manual can be found here.
From the Shine Shops Revere Info Center:
“The Micro-Fryer was introduced in 1987 – designed to allow “combination cooking” – food could be browned on the range top, and then transferred to the microwave oven to complete cooking – all in the same pan. The pans were available in 8″ and 10″ sizes, with both copper clad and aluminum disc bottoms. A tempered glass cover (required instead of metal to prevent arcing) was provided with each piece. This line was an early casualty of the merger with Corning that was to come only a year after it’s introduction – It was in direct competition with existing Corning’s microwavable cookware; and internal politics forced Revere to cancel it in 1989.”
Given the absolute lack of any metal cookware today that is promoted as microwave safe, I suspect this product would have died anyway. Virtually any microwave sold today includes in its instructions to avoid using ANYTHING metal in the microwave and even the USDA claims that metal is not safe to use in a microwave.
The Micro-Fryer worked great for us, even in our fairly new microwave oven. However, the empty micro-fryer was left on the stove, and the burner was accidentlly turned on and melted the aluminum bottom. We found and ordered on-line what was advertized as a Revere Ware Miro-Fryer. However, when we received it, it has a copper bottom instead of the aluminum bottm. Was the copper bottom originally designed to use in the microwave oven?
According to the instructions that came with my micro-fryer, the copper model was indeed designed for the microwave as well.
Yes it is. I have one.
Peter, thank you for your response. I am a bit disturbed over the fact that the instructions that came with the copper bottom micro-fryer (received just yesterday) says, “DO NOT use cookware under a broiler, over a campfire, in a microwave oven or on a gas grill.”
Are those just generic instructions that come with kitchen-ware in general, but that this copper-bottom micro-fryer is an exception to that rule. Dare we try to use this in our microwaveoven without the danger of ruining our microwave oven?
There is a microwavable micro-fryer listed on Ebay if anyone is interested:
http://cgi.ebay.com/REVERE-WARE-STAINLESS-MICRO-FRYER-SKILLET-W-GLASS-LID-/110551022541?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Cookware&hash=item19bd5abbcd
I am a BIG fan of the micro fryer…it is indeed safe to use in the microwave oven, as long as it does not touch the sides of the oven (as per the instructions). I have owned one for about 15 years, and have not had one problem with it. The design of the pan is what prevents arcing…note the curved rim (not rolled as with most Revere ware). The glass cover does NOT prevent arcing….no glass has a perceivable impact on microwaves…they continue to travel in a straight line thru glass. BUT the glass cover is used because a typical Revere ware metal cover WOULD have caused arcing. I believe this pan was WAY ahead of it’s time, and yes, it was axed because of the corporate mergers between the Revere and the Corning companies back when microwave ovens were becoming a big household staple in the country. Corning ware was promoting its glass cookware (some of which I own as well)…but browning on the stovetop in one of those is not something I would consider. I brown meats on the stovetop easily in the micro fryer, and finish them in the microwave oven…BEAUTIFUL results in about half the usual cook time. Also…this pan was ahead of it’s time because it can also be used in my microwave/convection combination oven…something you can not do with a plastic microwaveable container. The pan also works beautifully if it never goes into a microwave oven…it is a great skillet on the stovetop, without that pesky long handle getting in the way!! Also, the bottoms of these pans appear (to me) to be more solid, thicker, and reliably flat than the other Revere fry pans I own. I own a full set of Revere copper clad pans that I have used daily since the late seventies…and and each of them have been well maintained and are displayed in full view on a hanging rack in my kitchen. They are GORGEOUS!! I own both the copper-clad and the aluminum disk versions of the micro fryer, and find both work admirably. You DO have to follow the instructions, and make certain that the item you have is indeed a Revere micro-fryer (I have never seen one with instructions to avoid microwave use…but they DO need to be used correctly). It also pays to understand exactly how microwaves work…but I’ll leave that explanation to someone else. I have contacted the Revere/Corning company (via the “contact us” on their website) in a “one woman campaign” of sorts to “BRING BACK THE MICRO-FRYER” but I have had no response. Too bad, really…I think this pan would be very versatile in current households…especially with the advent of microwave/convection combination cooking ovens (which were not available when this pan was sold). I think the manufacturers are overlooking a possible significant niche in the American market. I’ll keep using mine…and I would NOT want to be without them. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the Info Chris!
You’re welcome, Peter!
Ditto Chris. My brother bought me a Micro-Fryer as a gift when they came out, knowing that I was a big fan of Revereware.
Can anybody tell me if the micro-fryer can be used in a regular oven as well?
The manual does seem to indicate that it can be. Look on page 2.
However, some caution is warranted. I’m not sure what material the handles are made out of, but if they are Bakelite, they can be damaged by oven temperatures above 350.
I’ve had the micro- Fryer since 1989 when my parents bought it for me. I found it used to work better in the microwave when microwaves were bigger. It does go in the oven up to 400 degrees and I’ve never had a problem with it in the oven. I have also used it on electric range tops and gas stove. I recently tried using it in my microwave is 1100 watts and found it Art I just looked in the book and it said everything was tested in a 700 watt microwave. maybe that’s why I had some arcing also when the turntable went around the handle touched the sides but my microwave still works.
We received our Micro-Fryer 28 years ago as a wedding gift. We loved it and wanted to get it for others but were unable to find one. We thought for sure that they would go fast with a little advertisement.
We LOVE our micro-fryer. It has been used constantly.
Now 28 years later of constant use it is still like new.