Microwave oven sizes

[Claymore]

Our microwave is getting a little flaky, and I saw Game had a special on a 32 litre Samsung microwave for R1600 or so. I went over to take a look, and it didn't seem to be any bigger than our current Logik microwave. So I went and found a tape measure, measured the inside dimensions, and the volume came out at 22 litres. Not exactly 32 litres at all. I measured the 28 litre Logik next to it, and that came out at 25 litres. My Logik at home, nominally 28 litres, measures 23 litres.

So what's up? Are microwave manufacturers lying? Or is there some sort of other standard they're using?

 

[Matt91]

Same as the Merc A200 is actually a 1.3.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Maybe a typo? Or Game playing dirty tricks on people, wouldn't put it past them.

 

[ElixirCoder]

Like most things when it comes to manufacturing, the manufacturers have found a grey area: they give the total volume of the unit, which is generally a large but completely nonsense amount and makes it sound huge vs the Useable Cavity Volume which is what you measured. All the manufacturers measure it that way so hence the discrepency you see in useable cavity volume, which is never given.

The same thing happens in virtually every industry, from fresh produce (chicken weight is calculated after brining, for example) to automobiles (quoted economy figures are virtually unachievable in normal driving conditions).

 

[Rocket-Boy]

Like most things when it comes to manufacturing, the manufacturers have found a grey area: they give the total volume of the unit, which is generally a large but completely nonsense amount and makes it sound huge vs the Useable Cavity Volume which is what you measured. All the manufacturers measure it that way so hence the discrepency you see in useable cavity volume, which is never given.

The same thing happens in virtually every industry, from fresh produce (chicken weight is calculated after brining, for example) to automobiles (quoted economy figures are virtually unachievable in normal driving conditions).

^This
If you go looking at electric urns then you will notice the same thing. A 50L urn does not hold 50L of water.

 

[Claymore]

Maybe a typo? Or Game playing dirty tricks on people, wouldn't put it past them.

No, same on Takealots and other places for the same model.

 

[Claymore]

Like most things when it comes to manufacturing, the manufacturers have found a grey area: they give the total volume of the unit, which is generally a large but completely nonsense amount and makes it sound huge vs the Useable Cavity Volume which is what you measured. All the manufacturers measure it that way so hence the discrepency you see in useable cavity volume, which is never given.

The same thing happens in virtually every industry, from fresh produce (chicken weight is calculated after brining, for example) to automobiles (quoted economy figures are virtually unachievable in normal driving conditions).

Total volume of the entire microwave is 55 litres (I measured the outside).

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

My biggest problem is that in the old days you used to get huge microwaves, but these days they are all small. I have the biggest one I could find, think Samsung, and some big packets of meat cant fit properly to spin and defrost, cant fit big plastic bowls to make rice for a big party etc.