How to Find the Wattage of My GE Microwave

You use your microwave pretty much every day in order to heat up that frozen dinner or feed those late-night cravings, but when it really comes down to it, how well do you actually know your microwave?

This includes the model, the different heating settings and, of course, its wattage, which refers to the power level via the heat waves that heat up your food. This is important to know since certain recipes call for you to know the wattage of your microwave in order to not overcook or undercook your food.

While there are many different brands of microwaves out there, one of the most familiar is GE Appliances. This company, which has been around for a long time, has several different models, all with differing levels of wattage. If you want to know your microwave inside and out, start by learning how to find the wattage of your GE microwave.

Sure, microwaves are known for being the fast and efficient kitchen appliance that does the job well in heating up your leftover pizza slices, but there's a lot more to it than just pressing a few buttons.

The microwave's wattage, for instance, goes by the output and not the input. If you see a "W" after a number, that is the wattage. The wattage of a microwave depends largely on the size of the microwave:

1. Compact versions: These are the smaller microwaves that range between 600 and 800 watts.
   
   
2. Midsize to larger versions: These are larger in size and thus have a higher output of around 850 to 1,650 watts.

Most recipes are actually created with 700 watts in mind as the industry standard. This means that a lot of foods already come with the correct cooking times for 700-watt microwaves.

If your microwave has a higher wattage, however, then you will need to follow a microwave wattage conversion chart or calculator to find the correct amount of time to cook your food.

There are a few ways to find the wattage of your microwave, such as in the manual, on a label that's on the microwave itself or by doing your own testing. Learning this is important since it helps you find the right microwave wattage conversions for food.

Look in the Manual

Since most people know how to use a microwave, the manual that came with it often gets easily discarded or tossed in a drawer somewhere. This is a bad idea since this manual contains the wattage information.

If you happened to toss out the manual, the manufacturer's website should have this information listed online. GE also lists the microwave wattages of some of its older models on its website.

Look Inside or Outside the Microwave

If you've ever wondered about that sticker on your microwave, it's the serial plate number. It is where the wattage information should be listed along with the oven's model number, manufacturer information and any safety warnings.

You can usually find this label in one of three places: on the back, on the side or inside the microwave door.

Test the Wattage Yourself

If your manual is nowhere to be found and the label got scratched off the microwave, you can test the wattage yourself.

What you do is fill a microwave-safe measuring cup with 1 cup of water. Microwave it on high, watch carefully and take note of how long it takes for the water to boil. Use these times to determine the wattage:

• 1 1/2 minutes: 1,200 watts
• 2 minutes: 1,000 watts
• 2 1/2 minutes: 800 watts
• 3 minutes: 700 watts
• 4 minutes: 600 watts

The GE Spacemaker 2 microwave was one of GE's midsized microwave ovens that featured the built-in appearance of a countertop microwave. Although it's not manufactured anymore, it was a popular model back when it was sold. Its wattage was 800 watts.