On-Board Microwave

[nickyill]

Planning on the big cross country trek from Ohio to Moab in October for the Land Rover Rally and will be taking the wife and kiddies. If it was just me, I'd do the jetboil thing, eat peanut butter sandwiches and do some light cooking. For expediency, it would be nice to be able to feed the the kids hot meals quickly, even out on the trail somewhere. Was looking at auto microwaves, especially the Wave Box, but according to what I have found, that one is terrible.

Anybody rocking a microwave in there truck? I'd need something rugged for trail riding, I already have a nice mount for the Engel fridge and could incorporate the microwave into that set up...

Thanks for any ideas!

 

[Black Dog]

A microwave in a Rover or any other 4x4 makes me laugh.

If it were me though, I'd get a nice voltage inverter and then an inexpensive low wattage microwave. As long as you make sure the glass tray inside doesn't bounce around it should be fine, and it ought to be cheap enough that if it does break you won't be out a whole lot of money. The inverter of course is something that you can use for more than just making tv dinners on the trail.

 

[Stumpalump]

Whats so terrible about the WaveBox? I like mine just fine. Yes it's expensive but it's bulletproof. It's 1/2 power when on 12V so it's slow if you run it that way but you have the choice of power inputs. All the cords fit inside and you can toss it around like a tackle box. I'd get one of them unless you have room for a full size unit.

 

[hoser]

Not a microwave but rather an oven and people seem to love it. Maybe small for a family though.

http://www.amazon.com/RoadPro-12-Volt-Portable-Stove-Black/dp/B00030DLEE/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I had the micro set up 1000W inverter with a 700w micro, worked great. The trick is to go with an analog micro, no digitals.

 

[nickyill]

That's good to hear from someone who has a Wave Box, I'd seen some bad stuff on-line about it's inability to heat properly and issues with power cord meltdowns. It was my first choice and I'd gotten gun shy...The oven looks like a nice option too - gonna check that out as well!

As for a microwave in a truck, my normal trail rig (a 95 Range Rover with lockers and all that jazz) is bereft of any niceties, AC, locking doors, back doors hardly open, can't shut the rear lift gate cause the lock sticks, etc. The Disco is the family wheeler and I'm trying to maintain my sanity on a long haul, with long days on the trail as much as possible - anyone with small children can certainly sympathize...

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[C Red]

At the urging of my wife I have been looking at the WaveBox too. They were sold out at Walmart the last time she looked.

 

[Lichen]

"The microwave is a tool of the devil". Cedric the Entertainer

 

[Lynn]

I've been curious about that Wavebox too. I saw several of them in the Cabela's discount bin.

IIRC I read somewhere that the cord melting and heating issues were only on the early models.

 

[nickyill]

Not much info on Amazon, but I found this too:

http://www.amazon.com/Sharp-Half-Pi...8&s=home-garden&qid=1274385930&sr=8-2-catcorr

 

[Sawaro]

You could always cook food instead.

 

[gophere]

You could always cook food instead.

Yep, my folks did not have a nukerwave when I was a kid and I could count on my hands how many times I have used one in my whole life.
But everyone has their own way, if you use it alot at home I can see a cheap small one working on a inverter just fine. And you can get them without the glass tray too.