It is usually pressed into action when reheating leftovers or rustling up a ready meal.
But now your microwave is primed to tackle fancier fare - the Sunday roast.
More for the time-pressed than the purists, manufacturers have developed a case they promise will help cook a chicken perfectly in a fraction of the time it takes in the oven, just 20 minutes.
But there is one area where blasting the bird with microwaves is no substitute - if your family likes a crispy skin on its roast chicken, then a conventional oven is needed to give it the finishing touches.
On the plus side, the case is dishwasher safe, meaning no more scrubbing of pans on a Sunday afternoon.
The plastic "roasting" case is part of a range that makers Lékué say will allow people to cook everything from chicken noodle soup to a vegetable risotto all in the microwave. The range is being sold by Lakeland, with prices from £14.97. A spokesman said: "We're excited to launch this incredible range of microwave cookware to help customers enjoy healthy home-cooked meals, fast"
