1

As far ask I can tell, I have a new twist on the already abundant microwave oven literature here at Mi Yodeya.

So please be not quick to mark this question a duplicate.

My question is this.

I am going to buy a new microwave oven for use in a summer camp where a lot of people are around preparing food and kashrus problems seem likely to arise.

Is there some sort of oven which I can buy, as to which there is a wide consensus that includes Chabniks, that kashering is needless or easy? If so, can you actually recommend brands and models that fill that bill? I would gladly consider any comparable sort of cookery, such as a toaster oven, if that offers any advantage.

msh210
  • 73,729
  • 12
  • 120
  • 359
Chaim
  • 2,225
  • 7
  • 14
  • I think this question may be "too broad", as you're likely to get various opinions. If it helps, at a former office I worked in, the manager intentionally decided not to supply a microwave because of this specific problem you mentioned - namely that every one has a different kashrut level, and it would be impossible to supervise its use. The only feasible way I could see this work is if a mashgiach follows the strictest supervision acceptable to all the users and he is the only one using the microwave. Any appliance left for public use has the same problem, BTW. – DanF Jun 08 '18 at 20:09
  • 1
    You're probably better off just supplying paper bags so that the people cooking can double-wrap thing – Probie Jun 08 '18 at 22:51
  • @Probie foil, actually, not paper bags. Or for microwaves, double plastic would probably also do the job. I don't think paper is good enough. The main issue, I understand is "sweat" and "steam". OU and I think CRC has a few articles on using a "non-kosher" microwave. Here, various users may consider "not their standard of" kashrut as if they were non-kosher. – DanF Jun 10 '18 at 16:24
  • @DanF I don't follow that. I linked to articles that talk about whether the oven is glass or plastic (or, it seems to be suggested, neither), and whether the walls feel hot immediately after the oven is used to cook a potato. That suggests some best case, made of certain materials and still cool after cooking a potato. No? And be quick, they're voting to close! – Chaim Jun 11 '18 at 11:54
  • @DanF Another possibility, at least in theory, just occurred to me. Lots of microwaves have an electronic child-proofing feature called a child lock. If it allowed me to choose the code to lock and unlock the oven it would keep the oven under my hashgacha. But I haven't found such a brand yet. – Chaim Jun 11 '18 at 12:11
  • This is really an area to ask a rav, or at the least, perhaps an experienced mashgaiach or similar person who has dealt with these issues. If it were you, and perhaps a small group of well-known trustworthy people, I would say that any microwave woulw be fine, and people just have to agree on meat vs. dairy as well as an agreeable kashrut level for everyone. Outside of those parameters, it's extremely difficult. You also haven't mentioned if this will be in an area where Gentiles have free access to it. If they do, then, you have a huge challenge! – DanF Jun 11 '18 at 15:21
  • Re: a lock - I guess there might be a model with a control lock. But, even with that, people have a way of either hacking the code or breaking the mechanism. (Plenty of crazies around, esp. when it comes to food!) – DanF Jun 11 '18 at 15:23

0 Answers0