The MW001GZ battery-powered microwave is about what you’d expect from a portable microwave — smaller and weaker than one plugged into the wall. However, it still does the job and can do the job for a long time if you have a large collection of batteries. The inside of the microwave measures 25 by 12 centimeters, with a depth of 24 centimeters and an overall capacity of eight liters. It’s the perfect size for typical large bento boxes in Japan, which come in plastic containers measuring 22 by 16 centimeters.
It offers two power settings: 350 watts and 500 watts, which is fairly limited compared to what you might be used to. With 500 watts, you can heat a refrigerated microwave meal in around three minutes or a 200-milliliter drink in about one and a half minutes. Plus, with limited features comes easy operation — the screen clearly shows which power setting you have selected, and there’s a dedicated button to switch.
You can also see how much battery life you have left, and the start button is also a dial that can set the time up to 20 minutes. The 500-watt setting is meant for short periods only, so if you set a time longer than eight minutes, the microwave will automatically switch to 350 watts once the eight minutes are up. There’s also a stop button, and the microwave features the typical feature of stopping automatically if you open the door while it’s running.
