Kitchen Small Electric Appliances - Are Inexpensive Microwaves Safe?

Looking for a small, cheap microwave, I saw that many are made offshore and sold with familiar American names, and that many of these cover a hole on the side where the motor is with cardboard rather than plastic. Is this safe? Is it as good for cleaning, etc., as the plastic?

I read a review of one such microwave that said the reviewer bought one under the name Oster, but Oster refused to honor the one year warranty. I saw a small Kenmore at Sears and thought this might be the only one where the the warranty could be counted on, since Kenmore is a Sears brand.

I've already bought a cheap "Rival" at Home Depot, but I haven't yet tried cooking with it because of these concerns.

The product that may be labeled "made in China" you buy in the U.S. are made to importers or a retailers specs. They (China) can make anything that someone wants to buy. Totally controlled buy the retail and importer specs and to meet the price that will pay.

You may not even be able to buy the same units in China.

Computers are slightly different since they are assembled (made) in China using American(brand), Mexican and Chinese and other country components. Your guarantee on the product falls on the retailer or American retailer to stand behind it.

Even Germany manufactures a lower quality equipment for American retailers with great names and brand recognition. The branding company/retailer is responsible for complying with support, American codes and standards, since the components come from anywhere despite the point of manufacture/assembly.

When it comes to tools and some consumer products the large chain retailers are responsible for the items that look like like other products, but have a slightly different product number to satisfy the consumer's price orientation.

Dick

Could there be a problem with the cardboard that covers the hole, perhaps after repeated cleaning?

A cardboard cover would be of no concern.
If it were made of plastic it would no better shield against microwave radiation than cardboard would.
Cardboard or plastic will not repel microwave so this area has its shielding inside.

I would venture a guess you may have a very hard time finding any microwaves (or other small appliances) that are NOT made in China. If the product has the UL label, then it has presumably been tested for safety. However, the UL label is NOT a guarantee of quality or durability. When you can buy a new touchpad microwave for $35, you know they're not built to the standards the old microwaves that cost several hundreds of dollars were.

That's while I'm still using the 30+ year old Sharp microwave that we bought new, with a mechanical timer. It's worked perfectly for all those years. The new ones are all junk.

That's while I'm still using the 30+ year old Sharp microwave that we bought new, with a mechanical timer. It's worked perfectly for all those years. The new ones are all junk.

I'd have to say the current generation of microwaves are an excellent buy. My first microwave cost around $500 in 1977 and was one of the first with the computer keypad. It didn't have a turntable and required manually opening the door and turning your food every few minutes. It weighed as much as a 27" TV and needed two people to carry it. The woodgrain and chrome styling might have been "in" in the 70's but I finally got tired of waiting for it to die and bought a new one a couple years ago with a turntable and sensor. I paid a fifth as much for a far superior appliance. So I would not agree that modern microwaves are "all junk".

Of course no way to say if the samples resubmitted to UL are really the same as what you buy. Maybe they switch parts providers along the way to save money. Maybe that part is a bit different or tolerances aren't as exact. Life is a gamble after all.:)

Conspiracy and parts switching aside, the country of origin has no bearing on its ability to produce a quality product.
As said, you can get anything you want made overseas and retailers know that $39.00 microwaves will sell.

I own what can generally be considered a quality microwave made by Panasonic and also a lesser quality Candle.
Both are made in Shanghai, China but sell at dramatically different price points.