How to Test Your Microwave Oven by Using Your Mobile Phone

This is a very interesting and useful hint. I'll have to try it.

Is this instead of putting food inside and seeing if it leaks out of the door when it runs over? The only negative side to your interesting theory is that I'm a 50-something female and would probably forget where I'd put my phone - then when my family discover it, they'd know I'm REALLY nuts.

That is a great test. I might have to try that out, as my oven never seems to get the temperature it says it is.

I just tried this on 1 month old microwave, and the phone rang straight away?!

Ben, that's worrying. Hopefully the guarantee should still be valid, and you could take it back to the shop and show them that the seal isn't good. It's up to them to prove to you that it's safe to use then. You could do the test on other microwaves in their showroom to show them what you mean. Good luck!

i tried this in my 1 day old microwave oven and my mobile phone rang too.

jp, I hope you'll be able to get the shop you bought it from to replace it with one that has an intact seal. Good luck.

Newer phones use different frequencies and usually operate from 2-3 different bads (frequencies), other than the door of the microwave that is designed to prevent leaking. That is why the old phone did not ring and the others do. The phone that did not ring was only operating at one frequency, the one that the door of the microwave over prevented escaping and the newer phones (including mine) operate at at least 3 different bands. Therefore when the door blocks one, they can still operate using the other 2 if available. That is why the newer phones ring (including mine!) and the door is perfectly safe. It does not mean that you need to take it back. It is a good way of telling if the microwave has leakages, but only if you use a phone that specifically operates at that frequency and not any other (very rare these days).