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This as-to-told-to essay is bassed on a conversation with Ryan FrankelA 36-YEAR-Old Business Owner in Miami. IT HAS BEEN EDIted for Length and Clarity.

My Primary Business is Thrift Vintage Fashion, which launched in 2020 with my wife, Everyn. We Supply Seconddand Clonding-Mostly Menswear, Such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, and Denim-to Stoles Nationwide. When Donald Trump Took Office in January, Our Sales Took a Steep Decline.

Once he came into office, there was a lot of uncetainty. Howver, We notified a significant Incline Once Tariffs Were Announed In February. From February to March, We saw an unprecedent 41% increes in revenue (Gross Sales). THEN WE HAD OUR BEST MARCH AND APRIL SINCE WE STARTED THE BUSINESS.

I can’t attribute our growth to anything other than the tariffs.

My family haen in this business for three generations

My Grandfather Begin Selling Men’s Seconddand Clothing after World War II. In the ’90s, My Father Primarily Sold Denim and Levi’s. When i start work with my father in 2010, we brought the Business Online and Got Our Out There.

AFT of Launched Thrift Vintage Fashion, which is primarily a wholesale B2B Business, it popped off Right Away. We did over Over $ 1 million in revenue in Our first year working out of the outsing peak Covid in 2020. This was mainly due to my experience work with the previous and improving the modeling of the website.

Once Trump Raised The Tariffs, Many of Our Clients Reached Out to US

Many Clients – Primarily SecondDand Clothing Stoles (Big and Small), Vintage Clo invite, and Online Resellers – Reache Out to Ask if the Tariffs Had Affected Our Business. There was a lot of uncetainty, but we were able to confidently Say, “no, we’re not affected, and we’re not going to raise our prices.” SINCE THEN, WE’VE JUST SEEN A SLEW OF NEW ORDERS COME IN, IN ADDITION TO EXISTING CLIENTS ORDERING A LOT MORE.

Consumers preparaing for prices to go is another factor that has increses our secondDand sales. Everyone’s Talking About How Fashion Prices are going, but Sincehandhand Circulations with the US, No Tariffs Are Affecting It at All.

IT SEEMS More People are Interesting in Entering The Reselling Business

People are potentially looking into reselling more, which is positively affective my wholesale busines. We’ve Seen Steady Growth Across the US.

The US Has Been Our Primary Market for the Last Three Years, and We See Increasing Interest from New and Existting Resale Clients. Our Numbers Are Growing, Our Existing Customers Are Double Down on Their Business, and there’s Increasing Demand in the Seconddand Market. I’m biased as is is my career, but it is an an excellent opportunity for shoppers and business owners to consider and buying seconDand goods.

There’s so Much of it out there: eBay, Estate Sales, Garage Sales, Or Storage Units. A LOT OF SECONDDHAN MERCHANDISE IS WAY BETTER QUALITY THAN MOST THINGS PRODUCED TODAY, AND THERE A Growing Demand for all of it. We’re Buying More Goods and Building Our Supply Chain, Preping for Growth in Both Wholesale and Retail Sectors.

The Main Challenges Are the High Costs of Collecting, Processing, and Reselling These Garments

Believe it or swimming, many use cloting articles cost more than Mary New Clothing Items Made Today. SO, Our Company is always up against the perception of selling something used to be price or more than new clothing. Howver, this perception is shifting the Daily, with People Recognizing the Value of SecondDand Versus Cheap New Fashion.

Everyday, we’re shedding the Old Stigma of Seconddhand Shops Being Viewed As “Less than.” The fact is that we sell are in excellent condition. While Mary Brands Produce Cheap, Throwway Fast Fashion, Older Clothes Were often Made More Durably. Whether the cloths were made fove or 15 years ago, many desigable styles have Become rare by natural and hard to find, thus increasing their value.

The Desire for Seconddhand Items Will Probably Continue

If you’re already selling secondhand Items, that’s great; Stick with it. You’re probably seeing increases already, and i think it will Continue. If you’re not selling secondhand, especialy if you’re worked about fees, i would consider trying to implement your existting business.

There are so many significant factors in buying secondhand that the average American consumer Slowly recaginees More Each Day. There are also also opportunities to grow a brand reselling the billions of Seconddhand Garments in Circulation. I waist we’re past the days of “Thrifting” carrying a negative connotation. We’re Scratching the Surface of What’s Possible with Seconddhand.

Are you a small-Business owner with a unique story to share? Contact the editor, manseen logan, at [email protected].

News of a Plain, Brick, 3-BEDROM, 2-Bothroom Home Built in 1959 Hitting The Market Outside Chicago Wouldn’t Typically Make Headlines.

THEN The World Discovered that the 1,200-Square-Foot Home is Where Pope Leo XIV, UNILSDAY KNOWN AS CARDinal Robert Prevost, Spent His Childhood.

Acciting to Zillow, The Home Was Most Recently Bought for $ 66,000 in May 2024. It was sayn flipped and re-listeed for $ 205,000 in Januly, before being cut to $ 199,000.

Steve Budzik, A Real Estate Agent Working With the Home Owner, Said they were shocked to learn the news of the Home History.

“He was like, ‘wow,’” Budzik Said of Owner Paul Radzik. “It”s Better than Winning the Lotto. We were bot Very Surprised and Honored. IT WAS A LOT OF EMOTIONS.”

Budzik Said The Home Garnered “Steady Interest” before Thursday, Avheraging One to Two Viewings a Week, but that the Fanfare Surrounding the first American pope brightened the spotlight.

“SINCE YESTERDAY, AT AROUND 10 O’CLOCK, I WOULD SAY MY CLIENT AND I Have Received Seven to Eight Offers,” Budzik Said. “WE TOOK THE LISTING OFF, SO THERE WERE NO SHOWINGS, But if we have had left it on the market, it would be probably been boked out all day.”

The owner has decided to delist the home as they weigh their options.

“It ‘Like a Collectible Car they Only Made One Of,” Budzik Said.

Budzik Said the Owner Might Keep the Home, but is consider severse options, including touring it into a museum honorary leo XIV or A Rental Space Where Admuld Stay.

“Everyday People Are Reaching Out to Us With Their Own Ideas As Well, SO we’re just going to Wait and Reviews every up with a plan in the next few Weeks,” He Said.

Budzik Told bi that the owner has Also consider reaching out the pope leo XIV’s Brother, who lives in illinois, for his thoughs.

Hometown pride has swelled for leo XIV. Weiner’s Circle, A Celebrated Local Hot Dog, Put up a Latin Sign Exclaiming: Canes Nostros ipse Comedit (“Has eateten Our Dogs”).

Chicago Resident Frank Calabrese, 37, was Among the first to discover the Home’s New Place in History. AS A SELF-PROFESSED CHICAGO HISTORY NERD, CALABRASE STARTED DIGGING AROUND ON THLESDAY TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE LIFE OF POPE LEO XIV.

AS A LAW CLERK FOR PROPERTY TAX CASE, he Also Knew Exactly Where to Look. He Searched Local Tax Records and Found the Deed That Lisit The Pope’s Father’s Name.

“It is Strange to Feel Like there’s a Personal Connection to the Pope,” Calabrese Told Bi.

KNOWN FOR ITS PLANT-Based, Compostable Home and Kitchen Products, Repurpos has spent the past 15 years budilding an eco-fryently brand that gives consumers a viable alternative to plastics.

Repurpos Says Its One-Third of the Compostable-Tableware Category and Its Products Are Sold at 20,000 Retaillers Nationwide. Products Include Plates, Cups, Cutlery, and Kitchen Bags.

To better Compete in the Crowded Consumer-Goods Market, repurpos has tourned to he to automate its financial process, optimize its marketing campaigns, and streamlines Employe Review process.

A Sustainability-Minded Brand Using an Energy-Intensive Technology Like Artificial Intelligence Might Seem CounterinTurative, but in Today’s Business Environment, IT’S virtuely unavoidable. Is now embedded ino most of the tools Businesses useses of every day, so for a 21-person Company like repurpose, the vital to embrace the technology.

“We’re a small but Mighty Company, so we do reil on external partners, and we need to utilize tools and technology to be able to computete in the marketplace with these away conventional players,” Lauren Gropper, repurpose’s Ceo, Said, adding he has “ben really” Help Scale Where We Don’t Necessarily Have the Same Financial Resources “and That” IT’S Leveled the Playing Field. “

Developing an AI-POWERED ORGANIZATION

Gropper Said Repurpos Began Using he last year. The Company Started Experimenting With Chatgt for Marketing and Copywriting Support. IT THEN INCORPORATED A Third-Party Financial Platform to improve it billing processs and streamline external payments to locate and contractors.

The tool prepopulates local information into different Fields and autofills invoice data, so repurpos’ four-person finance team doesn’t have to input this information manual. Before using he, repurpose far-so-relief on Spreadsheets and Paper-Based process for Financial Management. Automating Its Accounting Has Eliminate the Need For Physical Signatures and Paper Paps and Documents, Which Saves Time, Is Better Suited for repurpose’s Entirely Remote-Work Environment, and Better Aligns with the Company’s Sustainability Mission.

Overall, repurpos estimates that he Saves its Finance Team Two Days a Week On Accounts Payable tasks.

“It ‘been able to streamline their producer and give say someone back to do other tasks,” Gropper Said.

Repurpos Also Leans on it for Employee Reviews. The Company use an ai-enabled review platform with an he assistant feature, which provides suggestions to Help Employees expand on the comments they’ve in their reviews.

The Small Business has incorporated several embedded he tools, but as its use of the technology has grown, so has its awareness of the downsides.

Balance Innovation and Impact

“Being a Company that is focused on sustainability, we are very conscius of the fact that he is very resource-Heavy, and it is something to say very serial,” Gropper Said.

He drives automation, but it also requires lots of Computing Power. Data Centers, which Underpin He Operations, Consume Tons of Electricity. The International Energy Agency Estimates Electricity Consumption in Data Centers Will Double by 2026 From 2022 Levels – WHICH WOULD BE ON PAR WITH JAPAN’S CURRENT Total Consumption.

Gropper Said repurpos Needs he tools to function and scale its, but the company is educating itelf on he and carefull evaluating external tools to become better stewards of the technology.

“Threading the Needle BetWeen Wanting to be as innovative as Postilizing these Amazing Tools, but at the Same Time Conscious of what is the impact and what are we contracting?” Said.

Small Businesses that Want to Leverage he likes to buy, Rather than Build, Their tools. Gropper Said Her Best Advice for Other Small-Business Owners is to work with Technology providers and Experiment with Generation-Ai platforms like chatgt to accelerate artificial intelligence implementation.

“There’s JUST SO MUCH AVAILABLE Online and SO MANY Resources to Get Started and Test Prompts,” She Said. “It ‘all there for the taching.”

Elite Athletes Today Are Bigger, Stronger, and Can Lift Heavier Weights than Ever Before. In the Lowest Weight Classes, They Lift Two, Three, or Five Times Their Own Body Weight.

The Heaviest Conventional Lifts of All Time Are Somewhere BetWeen 1,000 and 1,200 pounds (454 kilograms to 544 kilograms), and only a handful of athletes are capable of inching thumbers higher.

In this video, we’re doing a deep dive into all the factors making this new era of human strength. And by the end, we’ll anSwer the question: what’s the maximum weight a human being can lift?

A new York Startup that Developed an Agentic He to Help Companies Carry Out Their Go-To-Marret Has Just Raised $ 22.5 Million in A Series B Round by Insight Partners.

Sweep’s he automates go-to-march workflows that Employs Wauld Otherwise will manually on Customer Relationship Management Salesforce and Hubspot platforms.

The startup embodes it it platform directly into Salesforce and hubspot. Its ai Can Update Salesforce Records, Offer Project Pipeline Updates by Creating Real-Time Alerts on Slack, and Monitor and Gather Data Acoss Documents.

The startup, which launched in 2021, offered a tiered subscription model, with tiers based on the level of intelligence and automation that its need customers. CLIENTS INCLUDE WIX, HR STARTUP HIBOB, AND NBC SPORTS.

Sweep’s Cofounder and CEO, Ido Gaver, Told Business Insider the Round Followed “Strong Revenue and Customer Growth.

“In vc land, everyone’s talking About agentic he, but under the surface, there’s the growing skepticism. Said in an interview.

The Series B was led by software Investment Giant Insight Partners. Bessemer Venture Partners Also Participated.

“Agentic he is the Next Foundational Shift in Enterprise Software, and Sweep is Helping Define What That Looks Like,” Said Jeff Horing, Managing Director at Insight Partners, in a Statement Accompanying the Announcement of the Fundraise.

The startup will use the Money to expand it go-to-march Team and Grow Its Agentic Layer Across Platforms Like Marketo, Gaver Told Bi.

Check out the 14-slide pitch deck used to secure the Fresh Funding.

Audiences Were Terrified of Logging Trucks after Watching “Final Destination 2.” Now, thanks to “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” They’ll Be Afraid of Mri Machines, Too.

Richard Harmon, the actor whose character meets his grizzly end in the mri scnene, tort Business instead he and masterminded ites-opening moment.

The New Movie, which is Out Now, Follows Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), A College Student Who Dreams of Her Grandmother (WHO IS ALIVE) DYING IN A SKYSCRAARE ACCIDENT IN 1968.

She realishes her time family wasn’t meant to exist, and that they’re being hunted by death itself.

Richard Harmon Plays ERIK, Stefani’s Cousin, A Tattooist and Piercer Who Is Skeptical About The Deaths Wounding His Family. Toward the End of the Film, ERIK FINALLY DIES WEND AN MRI MACHINE IS ACCIDENTALLY TURNED TO THE HIGHEST SETTING, RIPPING OUT ALL OF HIS BODY PIERCIANS – INCLUDING ON HIS PENIS.

Ahead of the Film’s Release, Harmon Told Bi It was HIS Idea for the Character to Have His Penis Pierced.

“Looking at this character and the way that he’s tattooed and the way that he’s pierced, i said ‘there’s another piercing, you know,’ and they’re like you, ‘what do you mean?’ ‘I think you know exactly what i mean,’ “Harmon Said.

He Added: “THEN Both of Our Directors Said, ‘We Actually Had That Thought,’ And I Said, ‘Well Why Aren’t We Doing It?’

“We discussed it, and then we put it in on BTHE Day.”

Craig Perry, who has produced every “final destination” Movie, explained to bi in a separate interview that the mri scnene so well becuse: “That’s something People underestand, and there an unbelievable rich vein of Danger in that and IT IT, and IT. you’re not caareful about metal objects around it. “

Perry Added: “This is a Perfect Opportunity for US to Put Some Characters in a Circumstance Where there a rising Level of Magnetism and How it starts to slowly Impact the world, unil it impacting the world of saying.”

Harmon Assured Horror Movie fans that incidents like the one in “Final Destination: Bloodlines” Are Extremely Rare, But Had Some Important Advice: “Don’t Let Our Movie Tell You Not To Go. Piercings out first. “

No matter how much we love our air fryers and brag about our sous vide steak dinners, the humble microwave will always have a place in our hearts. When you forget to defrost dinner or your coffee goes cold, the best countertop microwave solves kitchen problems quickly and easily.

Our reporters spoke to two microwave heating experts and tested seven of the best countertop microwaves, cooking everything from frozen mac and cheese to a plate of marshmallows. As our top pick, we chose the Panasonic Microwave Oven; it combines a 1,200-watt motor with a compact exterior. If you’re looking to preserve counter space, the GE 0.7 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave Oven is compact and reliable. You may need to add extra cook time, but the results will be evenly cooked and worth the wait.

We recently tested two air fryer microwaves and compared their performance to our top countertop microwave picks. Unfortunately, we weren’t too impressed, but we did find one we liked: check out our air fryer microwave review to learn more.

Learn more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and researches kitchen products.

Our top picks for the best countertop microwaves

Best overall: Panasonic Microwave Oven with Inverter Technology — See at Amazon

Best large: Panasonic NN-SD975S Microwave — See at Amazon

Best value: Commercial Chef Countertop Microwave — See at Amazon

Best small: GE 0.7 Cu. Ft. Capacity Countertop Microwave Oven — See at Amazon

Best overall

Panasonic NN-SN65KB Microwave Oven

The Panasonic NN-SN65KB Microwave Oven packs 1,200 watts of power to cook food quickly and evenly. It’s compact, yet has a spacious interior, and comes with many helpful preset buttons for easy cooking.

At 1,200 watts, the Panasonic NN-SN65KB Microwave Oven cooks food fast and heats remarkably evenly. The preset functions are actually useful, like the Sensor Reheat feature. Perfect for reheating leftovers, it detects the humidity level of the food inside and starts counting down the cooking time.

The Popcorn and Coffee/Milk presets both worked better than the presets on other countertop microwaves I tested — if you want the best microwave for popcorn, this is a great choice. During the marshmallow test, all expanded evenly, and at the end of two minutes, there was only a bit of burning in the very center of the marshmallows. We trust this model’s ability to cook evenly.

I was less impressed with the Frozen Food preset — the microwave overestimated the time needed to cook frozen mac and cheese. A few other minor downsides: the interior light is dim, so it’s hard to monitor the food while it’s cooking, and fingerprints are highly visible on the control panel. However, this is the best countertop microwave to balance power and size with easy-to-use features and push-button opening.

Though we haven’t tested the Panasonic Microwave with Alexa Compatibility, it has most of the features of our best overall pick, plus smart capabilities. If smart kitchen appliances are a priority, this one is worth considering. 

Read our Panasonic Microwave Oven with Inverter Technology review.

Best large

Panasonic NN-SD975S Microwave

This microwave, which can also be installed as a built-in microwave, is large enough to fit two plates at a time and features an easy-to-use dial to heat and cook your food.

With a 16.5-inch turntable, the Panasonic NN-SD975S Microwave Oven is ideal as the best countertop microwave for families. You’ll likely need to decrease cooking time by a minute or two from any package instructions, but it will cook evenly once you adjust. It produced the best results of any microwave during our tests — no hot or cold spots, even in the center.

The microwave opens with a push button at the bottom of the control panel. One dial controls the cooking time, which only adjusts in 10-second increments — we found that annoying, but otherwise it operates smoothly and easily. The dial is also used to input the weight of food you’re defrosting. You can program three stages of cooking, and the display screen will let you know where you are in the cooking process. If you’re using the multi-stage cooking feature, you can use the Keep Warm setting as your final stage.

While it’s a powerful microwave with lots of helpful features, it’s extremely large and bulky, which is why it’s the best microwave for families or large households that will take advantage of its sizable capacity. This is the best microwave with a trim kit that we tested, which means it can be built into a cabinet or other static feature in your kitchen. I tested it as a countertop oven.

Best value

At just under $100, the Commercial Chef Microwave is the least expensive microwave we tested that still passes muster. It measures about 19 inches long and 15 inches deep with a pull handle, a great size for smaller kitchens. The interior cooking space is similarly small, but we were able to fit a 10-inch dinner plate just fine.

The controls are intuitive to use without consulting the manual. There is a pull handle and several express cook buttons, as well as the ability to set a custom cook time (a big improvement over the earlier version, which consisted of a rotary knob, so you couldn’t set specific seconds). This model also has six preset buttons (potato, popcorn, dinner plate, beverage, pizza, and frozen vegetable) and two defrost settings (time defrost and weight defrost).

At just 900 watts, it’s a little underpowered. I used the package instructions to cook frozen mac and cheese. After the recommended four minutes, it was warmed through but not piping hot. You’ll likely have to add 30 seconds to a minute to any package instructions when cooking in this microwave. This was confirmed when I did the marshmallow test; while the heat concentrated in the center of the microwave, none of the marshmallows were browned after 2 minutes of cooking. Still, this is a great option if you want the best budget microwave that takes up minimal space.

Best small

We recently tested additional small models to find the best compact microwave, and the GE Countertop Microwave Oven was an easy winner. This is about as classic of a design as you can get. The interface is so intuitive that we’re confident you could start popping popcorn within minutes of unpacking the box.

At 17 inches wide and under a foot tall, the GE can fit under cabinetry or perch atop a mini-fridge. It is the perfect size for a dorm room, galley kitchen, or even a rented room.

Our compact microwave testing revealed evenness to be the biggest issue— only the GE Countertop Oven produced marshmallows with dispersed browning and an unburnt center. Most countertop microwaves with capacities under one cubic foot are just 700 watts, which is a little underpowered for larger tasks. The GE cooked the frozen mac and cheese fully in the recommended time, leaving us no frozen pieces, but it still wasn’t piping hot. Adding another minute did the trick.

Previously we ranked the Commercial Chef Microwave as the best small option, but both the 0.7 and 0.9 cubic feet models of the Commercial Chef are larger than the GE. However, the models are also cheaper, so the Commercial Chef remains our top-rated budget microwave.

How to choose the best countertop microwave

Power: The amount of power you’ll need depends on what you primarily use the microwave for. If your household only uses the countertop oven to reheat food, you can look for a cheaper model with less wattage, said Schiffmann. “Around an 800-watt oven works (for reheating).” If you want a microwave that actually cooks your food rather than simply reheating it, expect to spend a little more for a quality oven with more than 1,000 watts of power. 

Functions and presets: Many consumers mostly operate a microwave with the number pad or Express Cook buttons. However, preset functions are helpful if you do a lot of cooking or defrosting. If you want a microwave that replaces even the best toaster oven, opt for a model with convection settings, but keep in mind that this functionality often comes at a higher price, and the technology can be hit or miss. 

Microwave safety

Are microwaves safe to use?

According to experts, it is a myth that standing too close to the microwave while it’s operating can expose you to radiation. “Microwaves are very safe — as long as they aren’t damaged,” Lodico said. “The metal housing and mesh screen on the door act as a shield from the radiation that is generated inside. As the radiation approaches the wall of the microwave it induces a current and magnetic field that cancels out the incoming wave.”

While there was once some concern about operating a microwave if you have a pacemaker, the FDA says this is no longer an issue with modern pacemakers, though individuals with pacemakers should always check with their doctor first.

Safety features: If you have young children, you will want to purchase one of the best microwaves with a child-safety lock feature. “Many toddlers can get injured when reaching in the microwave, but many manufacturers have a digital lock now where you put in a combination of numbers to lock and unlock the microwave,” Schiffmann said. Note that this feature prevents the microwave oven from operating; it does not lock the microwave door. 

What type of microwave is best for home use?

In general, microwave types are not interchangeable; an over-the-range microwave cannot be used on a countertop and vice versa because of their different ventilation systems. However, certain countertop models come with trim kits that allow them to be fitted as built-ins. For instance, our top upgrade model, the Panasonic Oven with Cyclonic Wave Inverter Technology, has a separate trim kit to install it over-the-range

How we test the best microwaves

In addition to speaking with Bob Schiffmann, a microwave heating expert and president of the International Microwave Power Institute, and Jared Lodico, a postdoctoral researcher in physics at UCLA, I put all of the best microwaves through a standard set of tests. 

Marshmallow test: The first test I performed with every countertop microwave was the marshmallow test, an industry-standard way to check your microwave for hot and cold spots. To conduct this test, I covered a layer of parchment paper on the microwave’s glass trays with mini marshmallows. I cooked the marshmallows in the microwave for two minutes on high. The marshmallows that expanded first revealed the microwave’s hot spots, while marshmallows that appeared raw showed the cold spots. 

Frozen mac and cheese test: I also cooked frozen mac and cheese in each of the best countertop microwaves, using the same brand and cook time. I checked for evenness and burnt or cold spots.

Ease of use: I looked at how easy and intuitive the microwaves were to use, and how much space they occupied on my counter. I also evaluated how much noise they made during cooking and how loud and persistent their alarms and beeps were. 

Presets and functions: Where applicable, I used and tested each model’s preset buttons according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This included Popcorn, Reheat, Sensor Cook, and Keep Warm buttons. I evaluated how well these settings performed their intended function and how easy they were to use.

FAQs

Farima Ferguson/Business Insider

Is 900 watts good for a microwave?

For most households, a microwave with around 1,000 watts of power is plenty. Smaller microwaves generally have lower wattages (our budget pick has 600 watts), so they save counter space but lose the ability to heat large meals and cook dense foods from scratch. 

How much does a countertop microwave oven cost?

Schiffmann said you should expect to spend between $100 and $150 on a good 800 to 1,000-watt microwave, and a bit more as wattage increases. You’ll also pay more for extra features, like convection settings or lots of presets. You don’t have to break the bank, but Schiffman cautions about considering microwaves under $100. “Anything cheaper will most likely break down and be unstable,” he said.

Can you defrost meat in the microwave?

Yes. Defrosting sets your microwave’s power between 30% to 50% so it thaws your food without cooking it. Although it’s recommended to safely thaw meat in the refrigerator, you can use your microwave’s defrost button to thaw meat in a pinch as long as you cook it immediately after you thaw it.

According to the FDA, microwaves may heat food unevenly which could result in harmful bacteria growth if the food isn’t cooked immediately after defrosting. Schiffmann also said it’s important when cooking or defrosting food in the microwave to keep an eye on food temperature. “When cooking your food, measure several places with a food thermometer to avoid undercooking or underheating,” he said.

How do microwaves work?

“Microwaves generate ‘microwaves,’ which is a form of electromagnetic radiation,” Lodico said. “This electric field transfers energy to the food as the waves pass through it.” The energy transfer causes water molecules in the food to vibrate, producing heat that cooks the food practically from the inside out. Because of this, foods that are high in water content, like potatoes or other fresh vegetables, cook much faster in the microwave than they do in other appliances.

What foods can I cook in my microwave oven?

“Microwave ovens are really poachers or steamers, so those foods that fit that profile do well,” said Schiffmann. “They’re great for cooking fish, vegetables, and chicken, but don’t expect dry foods to crisp or brown.” Any food with high water content does well in the microwave, like potatoes or fresh vegetables, and you can also use them as a shortcut when making boiled foods. For example, you can put dry pasta in a bowl of water and microwave for the cooking time on the pasta package. The pasta will cook perfectly, and you don’t even have to wait for the water to boil. 

Farima Ferguson

Freelance Writer

When i was Younger, i learned Quickly that My name was complicated – Not just for oters, but my Dominican Parents.

My full name is shaleigh severino (pronounced “shay-lee se-oe-no”), and throughout my life, it has Become a puzzle People Prefer to Simplify Rather than Solve.

At home, my parents navigated between calling with “Shay-Leigh” and “che-la,” influenza heavily by their Spanish accents and their struggle to balance Dominican Traditions with adapting smoothly to American Culture. Before I knew it, “che-la” morphed into “Shayla,” a Simplified, Americanized version of my name. Over time, evening I ACCPTED THIS AS MY ON.

School Gave with Anxiety

Every School YEAR BEGAN WITH AnxietyKnowing New Teachers Wauld inevitably stable over my name. I WOULD FEEL Tension Building Each Morning before Class Began, Waiting to Hear How Teachers Wauld Attempt My Name This Time. Wold they Pause Uncomfortable, Avoid Eye Contact, or Simply Default to a nickname they’d heard others use?

To ease the discomfort, I quickly adopted my nickname – shae, which Spread like Wildfire Among My Classmates. Each new version Created another layer of identity, fragmenting who was into pieces that felt increasingly unfamiliar.

Say Wasn’t Simply About Pronunciation – It was about cultural assimilation, a desire to blend in and avoid standing out as different. The subtle pressure to conform and make life easier for oters offten meant mySelf from the cultural heritage embedded in my given name. By allowing my name to be simple or americanized, I unintentally participated in a broader erasure – an act that quietly distant with from the stories, traditions, my name was meant to preserve.

A Teacher Told with My Name Mattered

Buterynding see During My Sophomore Year of High School, Thanks to One Unforgettable Teacher.

On the Very First Day of Class, after Hearing with Mumble Yet Another Simplified Version of My Name, She Pause and Firmly Said, “Your Name Matters. Her Words, Simple Yet profound, resonated deeply with me. In that instant, standing in front of Friends who’d Known with as Shay or Shayla for Years, something clicked. I realized I’d Spent too Answering to a Name Chosen solely Because it was convenient for oters.

From that moment forward, of Begin gently but confidently insist on my actual name – Shaleigh. It wasn’t always comfortable; Correcting others Felt Awkward, and It Still DOES.

Sometimes, hestedated, wondering if it was Worth the Trouble. Yet Each Correction Became Easier, Feeling LES LIKE CONFRONTATION AND MORE LIKE AN ACT OF QUIET BRAVERY. Every Small Victory – A New Friend or Colleague Getting It Right on the First Try – Has Been Incredibly Affirming. These moments remind with that this tan though fragments of my old identity still exist, i am continuously recialiming and revbuilding my true of self.

Nowadays, Different versions of my name CoExist, Depending on wen people entered my life. Old Friends and Family Still Call with Shayla, while Newer Acquastances Know with As Shaleigh. I’ve learned to be patient with this mixture, recognning that recaliming your name and identity is an ongoing journey rather than a single event.

I Still Pause When Someone Asks with, “What would you prefer to be calmed?” Becuses it acknowledges the Power and Significance of My Choice. In those moments, i reciaim my agency, one syllable at a time.

I Remember Haking a Conversation with an Old Friend More than 10 Years ago. He was so downcast about the challenges of parenting his 5 -ear-op to that he was adamant he didn’t want any More kids. I didn’t see where he was coming from.

At that point, I had two daughters who were 6 and 8 and a son who was still a toddler. Though i felt like palenting was challenging, i wouldn’t have traded my kids for the world. Watching say Grow Made for the Most Meaningful Parts of My Life. I just wish i had been present for more of say. Maybe THEN, I MIGHT HAVE UNDERSTOOD The Struggles My Friend Was Experiencing.

I worked a tears

To enure my family was comfortable and the kids haderything they needed, I have to work two jobs that took up the Majority of my time. Becusee i was so focused on growing my career, I was Present for MANY of the Important Milestones in Their Lives. Between Work, My Daily Routine, the Constant Rhythm of Raising Kids, and Being a partner, I didn’t have much left to give say physically or emotionally. I OFTEN GOT HOME WHEN THE KIDS WERE ALREADY IN BED, AND I Left in the Mornings when they were still asleep.

My wife, who stayed home with the kids, would tell me with their doys and how they have fairing in school, but i’ll admit that shat of those conversations slough the cracks of my overworked. After putting in 20-hour shifts, I was aththenting person in the room.

I saw my kids and tried to spend with say on the weekends, but i also needed time to rest and recharge. It offten felt like I was playing catch-up with saying. In hindsight, I was always tuned in the way i should have ben, and now i wish i had done things differently.

The years flew by

I LOOKED UP ONE DAY AND MY DANGHTERS WERE IN THEIR LATE TEX, MY SON WAS 12, AND WE ALL FELT LIKE STRANGERS TO EACH OTHER. AFTER YEARS ON THE GRAB, I WAS SLOWING DOWN BECAUS MY CAREER HAD FLOURED, AND I WAS FEEELING THE NEED TO RECONNECT with my family. My daughters were getting ready to go to prom and acting like Typical Teenagers – Being Moody, Talking Back, and Occossionally Getting in Trouble in School and With Boys – and realized I have missed on raisits.

Over the years, my family didn’t lack for much financially, but my kids and my wiffe Constantly expressed them desire to spend with me. It got to a point where they counted with out of imported events because of my Constant unavailability.

In recent years, have spent a lot of time convincing say that I was ready to show up, but have ben so used to my absence that they didn’t wauling change. My Word Wasn’t Good Enough Because I’d Shown The Work Had Always Been The Priority.

I’m trying to make amends

AFTER MANY CANDID CONVERSATIONS WITH MY Wife and Kids, and with the Benefit of a Changing Perspective, I see Much More I COULD HAVE IN AS A FATHER AND HELPED MY RAISE KIDS. Today, my daughters are in their 20s, and my son is a teenager, but i’m still trying to make amends. I’ve made peace with the fact that can’t go back and do things differently, but now i’m more intentional with the time with my kids together, and separately.

I missed out on so much, and i’m still learning what my kids enjoy. I try to get out of my comfort zone with my son by playing video games, golfing, walking trails, and doing things i wouldn’t otherwise do on my own. I’m Also More Curious with the Girls, especally with the Things Such as makeup, weird skincare routines, and shopping sprees, and i’m particularly keen anything about their dating lives. I try to show up for my kids, this one listening to say the talk subjects I don’t Fully understand.

Grand Gestures and Sweeping Apologies have never worked for my children. I’ve learned that they value the little things, sucan as a text, a walk in the park, or sharing a meal. One of the Biggest Shifts Has Been Creating Space for Honest Conversations. SOMESTEMES THEY STILL TALK ABOUT MY ABSENTE FATHER, AND I TRY TO LISTEN WITH DEFENSIVE BEING, THIS HURT IF. Despite Everything, I’m Grateful that my Kids Still Love and Accept with Regardless of the past. I’m parenting intentionally now, and though i’m a little late to the game, i hope my children Feel seen, love, and valued.

The Form Savages Bandleader Jehnny Beth has announces a new album. Out August 29, Via Fiction Records, You Heartbreaker, You Follows Her 2020 Solo Debut, To love is to liveand is led by the single “Broken rib. ” Watch the Song’s Accompanying Music Video, Which Bet Co-Directed with Longime Collaborator Johnny hostile and filmed in fiction’s Label Offices, Below.

“I knew i wanten to make an aggressive sound and for the record to start with a screen on the song ‘Broken rib,’ Beth said in an interview with nWith. “THIS IS How I Felt: The World Was Broken, I was Broken, but it’s not a sad thing. How can a song recomposage those fragments? She last shared UtopianA Collaborative Lp With Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie, in 2021.

Read “Jehnny Beth on her personal anthem: a kinky prince classic.”

Jehnny Beth: You Heartbreaker, You

You Heartbreaker, You:

01 Broken Rib
02 No Good for People
03 obsession
04 Out of My Reach
05 of Still Believe
06 reality
07 STOP WITH NOW
08 High Resolution Sadness
09 I see your Pain