How to use your microwave’s power levels & settings

Microwaves are a useful tool in the kitchen whether they serve as a stepping stone in the process for your homemade baked goods or you need to defrost chicken for your favorite Chicken Piccata recipe. Understanding how to use a microwave and the different microwave power levels and microwave settings is important to get the most out of your appliance. If you’re shopping for a new microwave, KitchenAid^® microwaves come in many different styles to suit your needs and your kitchen’s layout.

Person using microwave in modern kitchen

What are microwave power levels?

Microwaves typically have around 5-10 power settings, and each level has a cooking purpose. Choosing the correct microwave power level can help prevent under or overcooking your food.

Some microwave-specific recipes will specify which level to use by either a percentage or name. If your food is not heating up despite selecting the correct power level, check out this guide to troubleshoot a microwave that’s not heating.

Microwave power settings will vary depending on the model, so consult your product manual before cooking. In general, the following guidelines apply:

100% / High: Quick heating convenience foods and foods with high water content such as soups, beverages and most vegetables. High power settings are ideal for making microwave bread.
90%: Cooking small, tender pieces of meat, ground meat, poultry pieces and fish filets, as well as heating cream soups.
80%: Heating rice, pasta or stirrable casseroles, and cooking and heating foods that need a cook power lower than high, for example, whole fish and meat loaf.
70% / Medium-High: Reheating a single serving of food.
60%: Cooking sensitive foods such as cheese and egg dishes, pudding and custards and cooking non-stirrable casseroles such as lasagna.
50% / Medium: Cooking ham, whole poultry and pot roasts, as well as simmering stews.
40%: Melting chocolate and heating bread, rolls and pastries.
30% / Medium-Low / Defrost: Defrosting bread, fish, meats, including ground beef, poultry and precooked foods.
20%: Softening butter, cheese and ice cream.
10% / Low: Taking chill out of fruit.

How to change microwave power levels

The control panel on a microwave will vary depending on the model, but typically you will press the COOK TIME button and enter the length of time you’d like to cook the food. You will then touch POWER LEVEL and enter the desired power level. Check your product manual for more specifics about your model.

Defrost

The Defrost setting is used for foods that need to be thawed before cooking. Microwaves typically have cooking times and power levels preset for defrosting a number of food types. Options will vary based on your microwave model. Check your owner’s manual for specific custom options for your microwave.

Meal on top rack and another meal on the turntable inside a microwave

Convection

A convection microwave utilizes oven-like heating elements and a fan to circulate heat around the microwave cavity. The Convection setting typically lets you bake, broil and roast similar to the way you would in a convection oven.

The KitchenAid^® Microwave-Hood Combination with Convection Cooking circulates heat around the oven cavity and allows baking at temperatures up to 425°F. There are many types of microwaves to choose from, and a convection microwave combines the convenience of a microwave and the power of an oven into one appliance.

Reheat

This setting helps you reheat recipes like casseroles, soup, coffee, tea, water and more. Some models let you choose your reheat settings manually or the appliance can select the right time and power level automatically using microwave sensors.

Three small dishes inside open microwave

Soften/Melt

The Soften/Melt setting on a microwave is great for melting things like butter for an icing glaze or softening butter for a range of homemade baked goods. Some microwaves with this setting will have a menu of items to choose from as well as the option for you to choose the amount of food.

Person selecting a setting on a microwave

Popcorn

Perfect for movie nights, the Popcorn setting makes popping a bag of popcorn quick and easy. It automatically chooses the right time and power level for popping kernels so you can enjoy this salty snack in minutes.

Steam

Use the Steam setting to cook things like fresh vegetables, including carrots and broccoli, or shrimp. Microwaves with this setting may have various foods to choose from and will often come with a steamer vessel.

Crisp

Microwaves with a Crisp setting usually also come with a crisper pan and can deliver crispy pizza, bacon or French fries in minutes. When using the Crisp setting, follow your model’s instructions for crisping.

The KitchenAid^® Built-In Microwave with Convection Cooking features Crispwave™ Technology and Crisper Pan that allows the microwave oven to be used for grilling, frying and convection cooking. The specially designed crisper pan can be used to brown, crisp and pan-fry foods.

Air Fry

Select microwaves offer an Air Fry function that combines the crisping power of an air fryer and the versatility of a microwave in one convenient appliance. This setting uses an extra heating element to achieve crispy results that mimic your deep-fried favorites.

Select KitchenAid^® microwaves with Air Fry Mode offer all of the crisping without the extra clutter of a countertop air fryer. Triple heating elements and a fan circulate hot air around the included air fry basket to crisp and brown food with less oil.¹

1. When compared to deep frying.

Bake

Some microwaves offer a Bake setting that uses an additional heating element to achieve results similar to baking in the oven. The KitchenAid^® Multifunction Over-the-Range Oven offers Bake Mode, which uses dual heating elements to bake at temperatures up to 450°F, eliminating the need for a countertop convection or toaster oven.

Broil/Roast

Like the Bake setting, the Broil/Roast setting available on some microwaves uses an extra heating element to mimic an oven’s roast or broil settings.

Select KitchenAid^®microwaves offer Broil Mode, which uses a grill element in the top of the oven to broil at temperatures up to 400°F, eliminating the need for a countertop toaster oven, and Roast Mode, which uses dual heating elements and a fan to roast at temperatures up to 450°F.

Shop KitchenAid^® multifunction over-the-range oven

The KitchenAid^® Multifunction Over-the-Range Oven combines the versatility of an air fryer, toaster oven, convection oven, microwave and ventilation hood, all in one space-saving appliance designed for flush installation.

Microwave tips

Microwaves are a practical tool for everyday cooks who are accustomed to multitasking in the kitchen. The more you know about how your microwave functions, the more you can enhance your creative process. These microwave tips will help you make the most out of your appliance.

Always use microwave-safe dishes.
Cover food to avoid messes, depending on the setting.
Cut food into smaller pieces for more even and faster cooking.
Regularly clean and replace microwave filters.
Regularly clean your microwave’s interior.
Learn how to remove burnt smells to help keep your microwave fresh.
Never microwave anything made of or containing steel, iron, copper or other hard metals.
Learn how to mute a microwave for a quieter cooking experience.
Read your user guide or owner’s manual to be able to fully use all of the settings and options your microwave has to offer. Also, review this guide on microwave wattage to get the optimal use out of your appliance.

Explore KitchenAid^® microwave features

If your kitchen is ready for an upgrade, KitchenAid^® microwaves offer excellent performance in a variety of styles to suit your needs and your kitchen layout. Browse select models with features like Convection Cooking, which circulates heat around the oven cavity with a 1500-watt convection element that allows baking at temperatures up to 425° F.