Now I may not be the biggest fan of microwaves, but sometimes you just need the simplicity. I think most of us endure days that take it out of you, and the prospect of spending hours in the kitchen cooking something that may taste great, is just too much hassle. For these times microwaves are invaluable.

Since their inceprion back in the 80s, the price of microwaves, like all technology, has dropped. To such an extent that you can now pick up a reliable and easy to use unit for a small outlay. The Tesco MT08 is one such example.

The MT08 costs £33.99 from tesco direct. For that you get a freestanding 700w microwave, coloured in black and white and measures 38cm x 29cm x 49cm. With an internal capacity of 17 litres, it has 5 power levels and 8 auto cook menus. Adopting the tradtional microwave layout, the door hinges to the left with the control panel to the right. At the top of the panel is the digital display, under which resides the touch panel and the jog dial. Through this you can enter times and cooking instructions as it is programmable, and has a timer.

However it is a fairly no frills device, so there is no child proof lock nor is there fan assistance or a keep warm function after cooking. Equally it does not have a weight sensor for cooking your turkey or a grease filter.
It has only the one shelf. It comes with an energy efficiency rating of B.

So how does all of that detail translate to day to day living. As with anything, it is relative. I try to do most of my cooking on the hob or with the oven, relying upon the MT08 merely for backup. If i've got about 10 minutes to get something to eat, then this does the job perfectly. It warms to the instructions given on the packet, ensuring it is neither too hot or cold. Defrosting is done with a minimum of fuss too.

But I cannot emphasise the point that mine is simply a last resort. If you were too ask me to cook a turkey in this I wouldn't know where to start not have the confidence in the microwave to do the job. If you are looking to have a microwave as your primary source of food, then i'd have to suggest looking elsewhere. I wouldn't discount Tesco's microwaves as an option. After all this is a well built, quiet and reliable device but it is a basic device and as such should be used only for lightweight tasks.