As microwave ovens shorten the time required for heating food, they have become common kitchen appliances in modern households. As such the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) of the Executive Yuan conducted inspections to verify whether the quality and labeling of commercial microwave ovens meet requirements.

The inspectors randomly purchased ten microwave ovens from brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce platforms in February 2023 for quality testing (including tests on temperature rise, leakage current, dielectric withstand voltage, abnormal operations, structure, microwave leakage, and surface impact on the oven door), comparison of essential components, and permitted energy consumption standards (including energy efficiency and standby power consumption). They also inspected the labeling (including product labeling, energy labeling, Commodity Inspection Mark, and national standards labeled in Chinese). The test results for quality, comparison of essential components, and permitted energy consumption standards meet requirements. With regard to the results of inspections on labeling, two microwaves do not meet the requirements and the competent authority has required the businesses to complete improvements in accordance with regulations.

When purchasing and using microwave ovens, the DCP would like to remind consumers of the following:

I. Consumers can refer to the energy efficiency ratings on product labeling when purchasing microwave ovens. A higher value means higher compliance with energy conservation requirements.

II. Many brands are now offering microwave ovens with a wide variety of functions. Consumers should carefully read the instructions in the manual before use.

III. Consumers should avoid impacts or tapping on the surface of the oven door (i.e., the tempered glass), because damage to the surface could result in shattering of the glass when heating.