Microwaves are one of the most convenient appliances introduced in the last century. Almost every home and every kitchen in America now has a microwave, and since they are so affordable, they are one of the many small appliances a lot of college-bound kids take with them every year. However, microwaves are not designed to last forever without maintenance. The glass turntables break, the casings get dented, etc. In fact, there are microwave repair shops that can handle these issues, but there are also some quick fixes and preventable problems you can manage on your own. 

Digital Display Reads Wrong Numbers

If your microwave's digital display reads the wrong numbers, either in clock format or when you push buttons to cook something, there are two things you can do to try and correct this. First, try resetting the display by clearing it. There is usually a "reset" button on the microwave you can push. Press this button and hold it, or press it a couple of times in succession.

Then try resetting the clock. Because the clock shares the same display, and it shares some of the same electrical wiring, the clock can sometimes affect the rest of the keypad. After you reset the clock, try heating or cooking some food again. The display should read normally now. If it does not, try the second method to correct this. 

The second reset method requires that you unplug the entire microwave. Wait a few minutes. Then plug the microwave back into the wall, using a different outlet if possible. You will hear the microwave beep when you plug it in, and that is the initial surge of electricity running to the display and keypad. Now try to reset the clock and/or heat up something. 

Constant Blinking, Even after You Reset the Display

When the display has a constant blinking light or series of zeros, even after you have successfully reset it, there is a good chance that there is too much power running from the outlet to the microwave. This surge of power is overloading the circuitry. Hence, you get the blinking lights/zeros. This is easily fixed by plugging a surge protector cord into the outlet, and then plugging the microwave into the surge protector strip. 

Broken Glass Microwave Plate

Inside every microwave is a turntable. It looks a lot like a thick glass plate. Usually, these turntables last a long time, and cleaning them while they are in the microwave is the best way to prevent breaking them. If, however, you happen to remove this turntable/glass plate and break it accidentally, the manufacturer can provide you with a replacement.