Can you imagine life without helpful kitchen appliances? Isn’t it hectic? Now, imagine how life-changing it is to own a reliable microwave. That’s what Criterion by Menards brand’s dedication.
Yet, you wonder, what might be its common problems?
List of Common Problems with Criterion Microwave:
With its everyday use, your Criterion Microwave might demand repair. Read more below on how to defeat troubleshooting.
1. Criterion Microwave turntable doesn’t work correctly
The turntable makes your food evenly heated while inside the microwave. If this doesn’t work correctly, you might eat pizza half heated and half cold.
To avoid this situation from happening, find out below what might be the culprit for this:
A piece of food crumb stuck underneath
This may sound a little giddy, but little pieces of food affect the work of your microwave roller guides.
In doing this, you might have to disassemble the turntable so that you can thoroughly verify.
If a food crumb rests beside the roller guides, then it’s your culprit. Gently remove the food stuck underneath and verify if the turntable now works just fine.
Faulty roller guide
Roller guides are prone to accumulate grease and dirt, they are small, and we sometimes fail to look after them.
If you already disassembled your turntable and did not see any food crumbs, the roller guides must be the problem.
If the roller guides are faulty, do not hesitate to clean and repair them. In this way, you will save up costs.
Damaged microwave tray coupler
Like the roller guides, tray couplers are small plastic and prone to be exposed to dirt and grease. If you checked by the roller guides and verified if they are gliding smoothly, then it’s a sign that the fault lies in your tray coupler.
To fix this, carefully remove the tray coupler and clean it first before taking it to a repairer or repairing this by yourself.
Microwave turntable motor has issues
If there’s no food stuck underneath, roller guides are working correctly, and tray coupler seems to be OK, then the issues lie on your microwave turntable.
If you use your microwave often, the motor might be experiencing wear & problems or because of its age.
Seek a maintenance specialist to know what to do about this occurrence.
2. Criterion microwave produces bothersome noises
Noisy microwaves can be a bit irritating, especially for sound-sensitive people.
If you wish to have your microwave at peace with no noises, find out several factors that affect why it produces noise:
Magnetron has issues
Sometimes, noisy microwaves are a symptom of your magnetron experiencing some issues. The magnetron is an element in the high-voltage circuit that creates microwaves responsible for heating your food.
If magnetron seems flawed, it produces loud noise that indicates that your magnetron ceases to exist. Also, you might have turned on your microwave without food inside. This circumstance might also cause magnetron issues.
You can take your magnetron for a trip to a repair specialist to fix this.
3. Criterion Microwave’s touchpad is malfunctioning
Microwave Touchpad that suddenly stops responding may cause a bit of panic for its users.
Become smart at troubleshooting when this happens. Read more below:
Membrane switch issues
The membrane switch is the one who is responsible for the responsiveness of each button placed on the touchpad.
Try to check each button, and if each of them doesn’t respond, talk to the nearest repair and have them check your membrane switch.
Microwave Control board is defective
Control board handles the responsiveness for the entire microwave. If the problem doesn’t lie on the membrane switch, then the control board might be the culprit this time.
However, as much as possible, do not try to repair this yourself. Contact at least the nearest microwave repair specialist in your area.
Read More: 9 Most Common Frigidaire Microwave Problems (With Solution)
Criterion Microwave Pro & Cons
Known to be one of the reliable microwaves in the market, Criterion Microwaves by Menards gained excellent ratings from its users.
However, even with positive feedback, it is inevitable that reliable appliances like microwaves have benefits and drawbacks.
Find out more below to learn and to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of owning a Criterion Microwave below:
Pros
Contemporary designs fit modern kitchens
Criterion by Menards offers elegant-looking Microwave designs suitable for a modern kitchen.
Criterion Microwaves’ variety of designs come in black with stainless steel statements and an all-black style.
Beyond standard capacities
Standard microwave capacities range between 15-32 liters. Criterion’s 45-liter capacity can fit well, especially for the upcoming busy seasons ahead.
With Criterion’s bigger capacity, moms won’t have to prepare a large banquet for their family because Criterion has got them covered.
Wide variety of power levels
Criterion Microwaves are equipped with eleven pre-programmed power levels to suit your preference in the kitchen.
Convenient to use
Criterion microwaves can also fill in the work of an oven because you can use this to create a homemade pizza. Aside from this, you can use this for popcorns, potatoes, reheating food, defrosting frozen goods, and a lot more.
Safety features
Criterion Microwaves provide a kid lock function to safeguard young children from potential danger so you won’t have to worry about your child getting hurt while you’re using the microwave.
Cons
Below standard power cord
Criterion microwaves are known to have a power cord that stretches out 39-1/4 inches.
However, the standard size is 40 inches. In this case, it is slightly unfavorable that lack at least 3/4 inch on the power cord.
Most users would prefer a microwave with a power cord longer than the standard because sometimes, a power outlet can be an issue in the kitchen.
One-year Warranty
You might be wondering why a one-year guarantee is a con, then hear this out. Microwaves usually last 7-8 years. Some of the appliance companies give 2-4 year warranty to assure their users the best quality.
However, Criterion only gave one year, which is a little frustrating. On the other hand, some people would be OK with this situation that’s why it still varies between different people.
How Long Should a Criterion Microwave Last?
Criterion Microwave owners said their microwave’s life expectancy should range from 7-10 years.
Standard microwaves last for about 7-8 years. However, this estimation does not always remain true, mainly because many factors could affect your microwave’s lifespan.
You can identify the practices you use on your microwave. These practices are essential because they determine how long your microwave should last.
For instance, microwave owners neglect to clean, repair, and maintain their microwaves. Doing this can eventually build up unwanted greasy specks of dirt and affect how well their microwave is functioning.
Simply put, you cannot expect that your microwave will remain for a long time if you do not maintain it properly. Your Criterion Microwave’s lifespan depends not only on how well-functioning this is but also on how you take care of it.
Is It Worth Repairing a Criterion Microwave?
Repairing Criterion Microwave is worth it, but not until the repair costs finally overweigh the cost of purchasing a new one.
Your Criterion Microwave will demand a repair because it is inevitable to encounter daily troubles. However, if the repair’s demanded frequently, you must know when it is normal and not anymore.
There are moments when repair costs outweigh buying a new microwave unit because the old microwave is not well maintained. When this happens, you should be smart enough to confront the situation.
There are also occurrences that repairing can save you money, especially when the issue is minor.
Different scenarios could happen. What’s important is that you know how to balance things.
Also, if you have already tried to troubleshoot the common issues of your Criterion Microwave and none of them ever works, it’s now the time to say goodbye to the old and say hello to a brand-new one.
Is It Worth Buying a Criterion Microwave?
Criterion Microwaves are cost-effective, so you can say that they are worth the bucks.
Appliances play a vital role as kitchen aids because they are versatile. However, with the sea of brands, one should stand out. That’s why you should consider Criterion Microwaves as your reliable kitchen helper.
Criterion Microwaves has one of the best prices in the market. With these prices, you are ensured that you buy quality with such a good deal.
However, the decision still lies with you. Before considering what takes the prize, always remember to weigh in the pros and cons before making a sound decision.
Resources:
https://www.menards.com/main/find.html?find=criterion+microwave
https://forbiddenbroadway.com/criterion-microwave/
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/appliances/microwave-reviews/a12766/microwave-faqs-0306/
Susan is a professional writer. She has been a writer for eight years and has always been so fulfilled with her work! She desires to share helpful, reliable, and unbiased information and tips about tech and gadgets. She hopes to offer informative content that can answer users’ questions and help them fix their problems.