No Stupid Questions

Steam.

The answer is steam. Some microwaves have a humidity sensor that measures the amount of moisture released by food during cooking. Using that information, the microwave can estimate when the food is done and, in some models, adjust the cooking time automatically. For example, certain microwaves use this technology for sensor-cooking programs designed for potatoes, vegetables, or other foods.

Unfortunately, these features have largely turned into marketing gimmicks. They help sell microwaves more than they necessarily help cook food correctly. Many models no longer include genuine humidity-sensing technology, and the single-food buttons on cheaper models are often nothing more than preset cooking times and power levels.

People buy appliances based on how they look and how well they can show them off to others. Very few consider how a feature actually works, whether it serves a practical purpose, or whether it offers any real benefit over a less expensive appliance.

Here are a few other questionable marketing gimmicks in modern appliances:

Refrigerator air filters: These can reduce certain odors, but their effectiveness varies. The problem is that manufacturers turn them into another recurring expense for the owner, even when their practical benefit is limited.

RFID water filters: Some refrigerators use authentication chips to reject compatible aftermarket filters that lack the required RFID identification. This does not necessarily mean the manufacturer's filter provides better filtration; it can simply mean you are locked into buying that particular brand.

Self-cleaning ovens: The high-temperature pyrolytic cleaning cycle is a legitimate feature, but it can put considerable thermal stress on components, particularly door locks, thermal fuses, and control electronics. As an appliance repair technician, I can tell you that this feature helps keep people like me in business.

Air fry versus convection: Air frying is essentially a form of convection cooking. Both use a fan to circulate hot air around the food. Air fryers and air-fry modes can differ in fan speed, airflow design, and heating configuration, but the underlying principle is the same. Manufacturers have simply found another way to market a familiar technology.

Coffee machines built into refrigerator water dispensers: Another feature that adds complexity, cost, and additional components to an appliance that already has enough things to break.

Android tablets built into refrigerator doors: You do not need a tablet on your refrigerator. At all. You can enjoy the technology if you want, but integrating a general-purpose computer into an appliance creates another potential point of failure and another expensive component to replace when the refrigerator itself may still have years of useful life left.

Wi-Fi connectivity in washing machines and dishwashers: What exactly do you need it for? You have been washing clothes and dishes your entire life without an internet connection. You do not need a notification telling you that a cycle has finished. You can check the appliance yourself.

The appliance industry has become increasingly focused on adding features that look impressive on a showroom floor rather than improving the fundamental functions of the product. I would much rather have a well-built appliance with reliable components, straightforward controls, and inexpensive replacement parts than a refrigerator with a tablet, a washing machine connected to the internet, or an oven that requires a technician after running its self-cleaning cycle.

Build better appliances. Make them reliable, repairable, and affordable to maintain. Stop confusing more features with better engineering.

Source: I'm an appliance repair tech for 22 years.