This Heat Map Microwave Shows You When Your Food Is Done

The microwave is one of the most frequently overlooked kitchen technologies. Sure, it's helped you salvage all those rock-solid pints of Ben & Jerry's... and the entire lineup of Hot Pockets once upon a time... but when have you ever looked at your microwave and gone, "You're the best, microwave"? Probably never (it never returns your love anyway). But inventor Mark Rober is setting out to change all that by introducing a microwave that you'll truly value: one that can actually show you when your food is done, using infrared technology.

Setting out to change the way we reheat food, Rober looked at the major complaints about microwaves -- namely, that the penetration of heat into the food is extremely variable. What turns a Hot Pocket's filling into liquid-hot magma might only slightly warm the outside of a frozen burrito, and you have to keep taking the food out to check its progress. With his patented new technology, Rober's microwave will actually show you when your food is done by using a heat map that turns red and white when the food reaches the optimal temperature.

Check it out:

Frankly, this advance is something that probably should've been made ages ago, but we're pretty glad Rober has taken it upon himself to do something about the lack of development with microwaves. And we think everyone could benefit.

Rober isn't asking for any crowdsourced funds for his project -- just for everyone to sign his petition asking for a "better microwave," which you can find on his website right here. No more frozen burrito centers!

Adam Lapetina is a Food/Drink staff writer for Thrillist, and hopes that -- one day -- his entire home will be controllable from his phone. Like Smart House, or something. Read his musings at @adamlapetina.