Around The Home

Spoutnik microwave oven has a look that's out of this world

Spoutnik microwave oven has a look that's out of this world
Spoutnik offers a 360-degree view of the dish being cooked
Spoutnik offers a 360-degree view of the dish being cooked
View 8 Images
Spoutnik features a lever that ensures the smooth lifting of the dome, which opens up to a 65-degree angle
1/8
Spoutnik features a lever that ensures the smooth lifting of the dome, which opens up to a 65-degree angle
The unit features an easy-to-use LCD display
2/8
The unit features an easy-to-use LCD display
The freestanding unit is fairly compact
3/8
The freestanding unit is fairly compact
Spoutnik comes in bright colors, including Ultraviolet
4/8
Spoutnik comes in bright colors, including Ultraviolet
Spoutnik comes in bright colors, including Blue Odyssey
5/8
Spoutnik comes in bright colors, including Blue Odyssey
Spoutnik offers a 360-degree view of the dish being cooked
6/8
Spoutnik offers a 360-degree view of the dish being cooked
The Spoutnik in use
7/8
The Spoutnik in use
8/8
View gallery - 8 images

With a name and design that suggest a Space Age, Barbarella-style design, Fagor’s new Spoutnik microwave could perhaps be mistaken for a cartoon-ish UFO that landed on the kitchen counter. Its bold, fun design is about more than just looks, though – it serves a functional purpose, too.

The most noticeable feature of the freestanding Spoutnik is its transparent dome design, which allows for a 360-degree view of its interior. This way, the user can fully observe the cooking process. The dome also incorporates a 28-cm (11-inch) turntable with grid lines, to make it easier to position the dish.

Spoutnik illuminates when cooking begins, changing from red while the dish is cooking, to blue when the dish is ready (it also emits an audible signal when cooking has finished). It features a lever that ensures the smooth lifting of the dome, which opens up to a 65-degree angle. The design guarantees full access to the interior, which makes it easier to clean the crusty residue that often results from microwave cooking.

The Spoutnik in use
The Spoutnik in use

Finding space for the freestanding oven shouldn't be a problem, since it's only 36.9 cm (14.5 inches) wide, 32.7 cm (12.9 inches) tall and 42.9 cm (16.9 inches) deep. Its total capacity is 23 liters.

It also looks easy to use the rather minimalist LCD control panel. There are four modes to choose from (High temperature, Low temperature, Reheat and Defrost) through an intuitive interface – just enter the desired cooking time and voilà. There’s also a Quick Start option, which sets the oven to full power with a timer that can be adjusted at 5-second increments.

The bright color options are an added attraction, with the unit being available in Blue Odyssey, Ultraviolet and Green Flash.

Spoutnik costs £179 (US$287).

Source: Fagor

View gallery - 8 images
12 comments
12 comments
Racqia Dvorak
That seems like an idea that someone should have had years ago.... I hope the style catches on and the price decreases.
Bill Bennett
nah, how many watts? 700 or 1kw?
Jussi Laaksonen
Well, Husqvarna made something much like this in 1959. See http://museumvictoria.com.au/about/mv-blog/?tag=microwave%20ovens
But why change the illumination from hot to cold when the food goes from cold to hot?
Mr. T
This *IS* an idea that someone had years ago. Many decades ago, in fact. Some of the very first microwave ovens were of the same shape.
Taigi Maeda
Bill, Features
Max power 700W 4 power levels Electronic programming LCD display Quickstart 60 min timer Spherical, panoramic 360° vision with translucent cover Assisted, innovative dome opening to 45° - 65° Coloured backlit display 1 x 28cm Glass turntable Harmonious sounds
Dimensions (mm)
H 327 x W369 x D 429
robertswww
I wonder where the magnetron is located? In rectangular microwave ovens, the magnetron is typically located in the top or side, but with this design, it looks like it may be in the bottom.
nutcase
The real question is: how easy is this thing to clean? I hate cleaning the microwave!! I'm guessing it won't look nearly as pretty with a veneer of fat all over it.
Robert Knapman
I have long thought of a lunch carrier that was in fact a microwave...possibly with self contained power (couple min, worth)
Ralf Biernacki
Great idea---the corners in the typical microwave oven are totally wasted space, seeing as the load must revolve to get even heating. The dome should also help focus/shape the microwave beam toward the center of the chamber, rather than bounce it around the empty corners. And it looks much better than the traditional "CRT TV" type.
On the minus side, 700W is really borderline. Any less, and you could heat the food quicker in a conventional oven; and to most users, the key advantage of the microwave is heating speed. And like with lightbulbs, the efficiency relationship is not linear: in my experience a 700W µwave oven takes about twice the time to heat a meal that a 1kW model does.
So, while I like the design, I won't be buying one until the power goes a little up, and the price goes a little down.
Bruce Mawby
The first Microwave the my Family had was a model with a dome. That was in the early mid 70's.
I was only just a teen then and remember a large green base with a chromed dome lid
this is b4 any used stirrer blades and you had lots of hot spots and uneven cooking
Load More