I have always scorned the over-the-range microwave. "Never!" I would say, holding out for a kitchen with a beautiful range and equally stunning range hood overhead. Now, cut to the reality of my old, prewar house's tiny kitchen: More

Q: We recently lost our cheap, Craigslist-purchased microwave when a bag of popcorn went up in flames. Does anyone have suggestions for budget-friendly, powerful microwave to replace it? Thanks!

Sent by Arielle More

Have you ever been told that microwaving vegetables depletes their nutritional value? Anytime you cook a vegetable (regardless of the method) there is usually some nutrient loss, but the belief held by some is that microwaves destroy up to 90 percent of the nutrients in the food, whereas stovetop cooking can be as low as 10 percent. But is it true? Here's what we discovered:

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I use a lot of roasted garlic in my cooking. I love its mellow flavor, like a love-sweetened cousin to its sharper raw form. If I am on top of things, I will roast a big batch of garlic at once and toss a few heads in the freezer for squeezing into casseroles and pasta salads like this one). But when I'm not well-stocked, and when I find myself with a sudden need for some gooey garlic, I do it the fast way, the way that doesn't heat up my kitchen: In the microwave, with an optional flavor-boosting turbo charge in the oven. More

The microwave oven is a curious and contentious kitchen device. On the one hand, it shows up in nearly every American kitchen, as ubiquitous as the stove or oven. On the other hand, mention the microwave and many cooks will curl their lip in disdain. What about you? Where does the microwave fit in your cooking? Read more below for some expert thoughts and opinions!

Q: My husband and I have lived without a microwave for about 6 years now, and decided that we really need one again. The problem is that our kitchen is small and I can't sacrifice the counter space. Are there any small-sized microwaves that you can recommend? More

Q: I recently installed a new range-hood microwave, which is a "convection" microwave. Scientifically, what does this mean? Practically, what will this allow me to do that I could not do with a normal microwave?

Sent by Carolyn More

Why is this man staring pensively at his microwave? He's not waiting for it to beep. No, he's waiting for something else, and if you click through and watch this very unusual microwave ad, you'll see what. More

The majority of us will eat lunch away from home today, most likely reheating our leftover burritos and bowls of soup in one of these: a microwave. Ever wonder how the heck these things work? More