If you buy a microwave made after March 2024, you’ll notice it’s a bit trickier to open. That’s because new regulations require countertop microwaves to have child-resistant doors, which means they now need two distinct actions to open—like pressing a button and pulling a handle.
Why the Change? A Look at the Numbers
Between 2002 and 2012, over 7,000 children under the age of five were treated for microwave-related burns. That’s more than just a statistic; it’s a wake-up call. In response, the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) updated the standards for microwave ovens with a simple yet effective solution: make it harder for little hands to get inside. The result? A new requirement that microwave doors must now require two distinct actions to open.
What This Means for You
If you’re a parent, you’re probably breathing a sigh of relief knowing your child’s safety just got a high-tech upgrade. But if you don’t have kids and are just looking to reheat last night’s leftovers, you might be wondering if this new feature is more of a hassle than a help.
The good news? Most manufacturers, like GE, have already thought about that. Many new models will allow you to disable the child-resistant feature if you don’t need it. So, while the extra step might seem annoying at first, it’s designed to be a minor inconvenience for adults and a major safety enhancement for families.
So, while your next microwave might take an extra step to open, it’s all in the name of safety—and since existing models and those already in warehouses aren’t affected, it’ll be years before this change is standard in most homes.
