Anyone using a small microwave when car camping

[rockwind1]

If so, which one. Has anyone found a small microwave that will runoff the 400 W plug in a Toyota forerunner? The way I’ve been camping lately as a pre-cook a bunch of breakfast and dinner meals that need heating up and my jet boil stove is really only good for heating up water

 

[RoarinRow]

I thought about it. Smallest I could find was at Best Buy which was a 700w unit. I have a 1000w sine inverter but wouldn’t comfortable use a 700w microwave unless I had at least a 1500w inverter.

 

[rockwind1]

I thought about it. Smallest I could find was at Best Buy which was a 700w unit. I have a 1000w sine inverter but wouldn’t comfortable use a 700w microwave unless I had at least a 1500w inverter.

Why. It seems like you have a 300 W comfort zone

 

[RoarinRow]

Why. It seems like you have a 300 W comfort zone

From what I researched on microwaves and inverters I should have double the wattage to compensate for the initial start up and to sustain power for x time.

 

[rockwind1]

From what I researched on microwaves and inverters I should have double the wattage to compensate for the initial start up and to sustain power for x time.

fair enough,,, i am not sure if the battery can handl it,,,, i sorta thought i had my 4runner running, it would help but that could be wrong,,,, it may need a bigger deep cycle battery. sigh,,, I JUST WANT SOME HOT FOOD!

 

[Autism Family Travels]

You can use any portable stove to have hot food. You want hot food fast by the sounds of it. Ha ha.

 

[Smileyshaun]

Maybe it’s just me but food taste better when cooked in camp on something cast iron .

 

[rockwind1]

You can use any portable stove to have hot food. You want hot food fast by the sounds of it. Ha ha.

WELL,,, 4runners are kinda small and i carry a jet boil but it kinda sucks to heat stuff on it,,,even with the little pot adaptor. it just gets to hot so if you try to heat up some pre-cooked breaky or even beans and meat for a burrito,,, it just burns it and messes up the pot. so i just thought there might be a little micro out there but the all seem to be 700w for the smallest and like the gent above said,,, probably need a way bigger inverter. so it is not that i want it fast,, i just don't want to burn it and putting in the old coleman stove,, it's kind of big and takes up a lot of room so...just trying to think outside the box

 

[rockwind1]

Maybe it’s just me but food taste better when cooked in camp on something cast iron .

yes, i agree, if i was cooking,,,, but i pre-cook everything,,, eating it cold basically but that gets old

 

[Louiston]

WELL,,, 4runners are kinda small and i carry a jet boil but it kinda sucks to heat stuff on it,,,even with the little pot adaptor. it just gets to hot so if you try to heat up some pre-cooked breaky or even beans and meat for a burrito,,, it just burns it and messes up the pot. so i just thought there might be a little micro out there but the all seem to be 700w for the smallest and like the gent above said,,, probably need a way bigger inverter. so it is not that i want it fast,, i just don't want to burn it and putting in the old coleman stove,, it's kind of big and takes up a lot of room so...just trying to think outside the box

I'm kind of confused, you don't have room for a Coleman stove, but you have room for a microwave oven?

Heck, I'm in a FJ Cruiser and I carry 2 stoves. A Coleman 2 burner and a MSR Whisperlite Universal for sub freezing temps.

 

[rockwind1]

I'm kind of confused, you don't have room for a Coleman stove, but you have room for a microwave oven?

Heck, I'm in a FJ Cruiser and I carry 2 stoves.

i would suffer the indignity of a microwave in order to heat stuff up easilly,,,a coleman used to heat stuff up is a pita for me,,,,,i have the 2 burner. it would appear a microwave is unrealistic at this point so perhaps i will break out the coleman and try it. i will say,,, i am not really out there for the sake of overlanding or car camping,,, it just do it for another activity which takes up most of my time,,, camping is just a forced necessity more or less,,,,,which is fine

 

[SWLands]

Not an electrician, but read the interwebs. 1000 watt microwave is output power, input will be a more.
I see some full time rvers use instapots that can run off battery, and can warm stuff. Not as fast and clean as a microwave. I have an instapot but I don't use it - its an 8 qt and I am one guy.

 

[BCMoto]

Kind of sound like my friend who doesnt like to cook, why not just get the microwave you want and then just warm food up every time your out instead of cooking

 

[VI Overlander]

If you want to use a very small microwave, then you would probably require 2000w inverter to run more than 30 seconds. Inverters are rated at peak output, that’s not constant run. As mentioned previous find the wattage for the appliance you intended to use and double the wattage for the intended inverter. Most 120v microwaves run in excess of 10a, I would say an average of 12a.

 

[Autism Family Travels]

WELL,,, 4runners are kinda small and i carry a jet boil but it kinda sucks to heat stuff on it,,,even with the little pot adaptor. it just gets to hot so if you try to heat up some pre-cooked breaky or even beans and meat for a burrito,,, it just burns it and messes up the pot. so i just thought there might be a little micro out there but the all seem to be 700w for the smallest and like the gent above said,,, probably need a way bigger inverter. so it is not that i want it fast,, i just don't want to burn it and putting in the old coleman stove,, it's kind of big and takes up a lot of room so...just trying to think outside the box

I remember before we had electricity at our cabin. We used a generator, and a small microwave. Our 3000w would drag down quite a bit with the microwave. Our 1400w would overload and shut off. Have you looked at one of those butane stoves. Small and work great. I have 2.

 

[rockwind1]

If you want to use a very small microwave, then you would probably require 2000w inverter to run more than 30 seconds. Inverters are rated at peak output, that’s not constant run. As mentioned previous find the wattage for the appliance you intended to use and double the wattage for the intended inverter. Most 120v microwaves run in excess of 10a, I would say an average of 12a.

thanks,,, good to know

 

[rockwind1]

I remember before we had electricity at our cabin. We used a generator, and a small microwave. Our 3000w would drag down quite a bit with the microwave. Our 1400w would overload and shut off. Have you looked at one of those butane stoves. Small and work great. I have 2.

i will check it out,,,,what brand?

 

[FishinCrzy]

In a different direction, I used to wrap precooked stuff in foil and leave it on the engine block while driving. Even cooked some chicken if I started first thing in the morning. May not be feasible for breakfast. Depending on what you are doing it is possible to vacuum seal and boil it to reheat.

 

[Offroadnutz]

You might consider getting a 12v cooler/warmer. I have a Wagan that I replaced my center console with. The cooling part doesn't get as cool as id like but the warmer part gets to 160 degrees and works good for warming up food as you drive.

 

[Autism Family Travels]

i will check it out,,,,what brand?

To tell you the truth, I don't know at the moment. Let me get back to you.