How Long Do Microwaves Last? Complete Guide 2023

Microwaves are one of the most convenient and extensively used appliances in kitchens to cook and reheat food, but Alas! Do not have a very long lifespan. Their lifespan is about 5-7 years, but if you give proper care, then it may increase.

Well, not just for microwaves but for all electronic appliances, it can be said that as far as you give them proper care and maintenance, they can last longer than expected or predicted.

So it is an elementary factor; you can say that nature’s principle that everything that receives proper care never gets damaged so easily or early; in other words, its life gets prolonged.

So if you take care of your microwave and provide adequate maintenance, it will prolong its lifespan to about ten years. 

Microwaves can last up to 8 years on average if you use them in an optimized pattern. But the problem is that in houses people use microwaves too often, for heating or cooking food, sometimes even for defrosting.

Now, these processes sometimes continue for so long. Sometimes people are negligent; they do not know how to safely use the appliance as they have never read its manual. So due to this, they cause harm to the machine, decreasing its lifespan.

Cleanliness is also an issue. If somebody leaves the microwave stained for a more extended period, the dirt also affects the internal and external walls of the microwave.

Why Don’t Microwaves Last Long?

It is a fundamental question that will help you analyze the mistakes to make your microwave suffer.

  • Some people love to experiment with the microwave. So they place material like plastic etc., inside the microwave, which causes damage to the microwave.
  • Some people do not care about the appliance at all. So they open and close the door of microwaves very insensitively, thus causing damage.
  • Some people are negligent, so they clean their microwaves with non-recommended methods. Which directly affects the life span of microwaves.
  • Sometimes, if minor faults arise, instead of calling a maintenance specialist, they start repairing the process. And so their newbie skills become a big trouble for the microwave.
  • People usually leave the microwave plugged in after use, and so if the electricity voltage suddenly rises, it can destroy the circuit of the microwave.

So now that you know the errors that people cause due to their carelessness or ignorance, which leads to the demise of their appliance, I expect you will not repeat these kinds of mistakes.

If you are careful and responsible, your microwave or any other appliance will never meet an early death.

Now this question that you are searching for, “How long do microwaves last” also has another side that is “How long can you make it last?” Because human effort also counts in the making and breaking of different appliances.

The better care and maintenance you give, the more any of your devices will last and function. Hence, we should discuss this matter as well.

How To Make Your Microwave Last Long?

Well, these are some preventive measures you can take to make your microwave last long.

  • Carefully open and close the door of your microwave.
  • Do not clean it with a soaking wet cloth from which water is dipping.
  • Make sure to unplug it after use.
  • Please keep it in an adequately ventilated place to prevent overheating.
  • Try not to use it for prolonged cooking or reheating process if not necessary.
  • Take care of its maintenance once in a while.

Microwaves That Last the Longest:

Microwaves of high-standard companies like Panasonic, Samsung, GE, and Toshiba usually last longer than other microwaves available in the market. It happens because these companies take good care of their quality. Hence they use top-class materials to provide a standard product to their customers.

How long does a cheap microwave last compare to an expensive microwave?

A cheap microwave is made for the use of low-salaried people who cannot afford to buy an expensive one. It is common sense that the material used to manufacture a cheap microwave is also not good quality.

Thus, their life is around 2 to 3 years and four years at max. While the expensive ones have better quality material, they can last up to 10 years, and even when they get past the deadline and run down; the company still repairs them for you.

So here is a suggestion for people who cannot afford expensive microwaves, “Please conserve some money and try to buy a good quality microwave so that it can last longer and you need not spend extra money on repairing it.”

When to Replace Your Microwave?

You need to know the current condition of your microwave before deciding on selling it. Some factors need consideration. If the age of your microwave is 5-7 years and it is an expensive one, it is good to replace it with a new one by now because the condition of this old microwave usually is not good and they are near to their demise.

When a microwave is aged, it performs optimally because it has lost its functionality over the years with extensive use.

Now, if you have a cheap microwave and its age has crossed three years, it is good to replace it now because it is near its demise.

If you have an expensive microwave and have taken good care of it by following all the precautionary measures, it is good to replace it after ten years.

Also, consider the current condition of the microwave. Even if it is new, it is damaged so severely that you should replace it as soon as possible because there is a high risk that the damage can expand.

If your microwave suffers some electronic fault in the circuit, the repairer had to open it and do repairs, so it is good to replace it soon. Because once an appliance comes in contact with the repair, it might have to suffer the repairs many times.

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