Microwave runs but doesn't heat the food
The turntable rotates, the light is on and the fan runs, the timer counts down normally, but the food comes out stone cold.
Microwave Repair
Built-in and combination microwave repair in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire — magnetrons, door interlocks, turntables and control faults, handled safely with a 6-month guarantee.
From £90Call-out
labour included
labour included
7–10 yearsTypical lifespan
with maintenance
with maintenance
12Common faults
diagnosed below
diagnosed below
6 moGuarantee
parts & labour
parts & labour
A safety point before anything else, and it is not a formality. A microwave oven contains a high-voltage capacitor that can hold a lethal charge for a long time after the appliance is unplugged — potentially several thousand volts. That charge can kill. A microwave must never be opened by a homeowner under any circumstances, even with the plug pulled out and even to look. There are no user-serviceable parts inside the cabinet. Everything a homeowner can safely do is on the outside: cleaning, checking the socket, checking the door closes, replacing the turntable and its coupler. With that said, microwaves are genuinely repairable appliances and we repair a great many of them — particularly built-in and combination models, where the appliance is integrated into a kitchen housing and replacement means matching an aperture and often a decor trim kit. A built-in combination microwave costs £400 to £900 to replace, so a £90 call-out plus a door interlock or a turntable motor is comfortably worthwhile. The fault profile is dominated by three things. Door interlock switches are by far the most common failure: three microswitches operate in a precise sequence as the door closes, and when one goes out of adjustment or fails, the appliance either does nothing or blows its internal fuse instantly. Magnetron failure is the second, producing the classic 'runs but doesn't heat' symptom. Turntable motors and couplers are the third, and are cheap and quick to fix. We work on built-in, combination, freestanding and over-the-range microwaves from Bosch, Neff, Siemens, Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Sharp, Whirlpool, AEG, Miele, Hotpoint and Russell Hobbs. The charge is a £90 call-out for the visit, the diagnosis and the labour, with the part on top at a price you approve first, and 6 months parts and labour. Domestic appliances only.
What the call-out costs
| Freestanding microwave | £90 |
| Integrated microwave | £100 |
| Parts, if any are needed | Quoted before fitting |
| If we cannot repair it | Call-out only |
£90 for a freestanding machine. Integrated appliances incur a £10 surcharge, so £100 — an integrated machine has to come out of the run of units before anything can be diagnosed, and go back in afterwards.
The 12 faults we see most
If one of these sounds like your machine, we have almost certainly fixed it before. Tell us which and we will bring the right parts.
Book a repair
Pick your own slot in the diary — appliance, address and a time that suits you, in about a minute.
Book online (opens in a new tab)or
07849 033758Same-day slots when we have one. Call-out from £90, labour included.
Straight answer on price
£90 call-out — that covers the visit, the diagnosis and the labour. Parts are the only extra, quoted for your approval before we fit anything. No hourly rates. 6 months guarantee on parts and labour.
Microwave completely dead — no display, no light
Nothing happens at all when the door is closed or a button pressed. No display, no light, no fan.
Door won't close properly or latch is broken
The door doesn't shut squarely, the handle feels loose or floppy, or the appliance won't start even with the door apparently closed.
Turntable not rotating
The microwave heats but the plate stays still, so food heats unevenly with hot and cold patches.
Loud buzzing, humming or grinding while running
A loud drone or buzz during cooking, a grinding from beneath the cavity, or a rattling from the cooling fan area.
Sparking or arcing inside the cavity
Visible flashes, crackling or a burning smell during cooking, sometimes with scorch marks on the cavity wall or the waveguide cover.
Grill or convection function not working on a combination model
Microwave heating works but the grill stays cold, or the convection oven function fails to reach temperature.
Control panel or touch keypad unresponsive
The display works but buttons do nothing, some buttons work and others don't, or the panel responds to the wrong input.
Microwave heats weakly or takes far longer than it used to
A cup of water that used to boil in 90 seconds now takes three minutes, and meals need double the stated time.
Burning smell or smoke from the microwave
An acrid or electrical smell during use, visible smoke, or a hot plastic odour from the vents.
Cavity light not working
The interior light stays off during cooking or when the door is opened, though everything else works.
Microwave trips the electrics
The RCD trips when the microwave is switched on or when the start button is pressed.
Is it worth repairing?
Microwaves are the one appliance category where the answer genuinely splits by type. A basic freestanding microwave costs £70–£150 new, which puts the 50% threshold at £35–£75 — below almost any repair, so for these we will usually tell you honestly that replacement is the sensible choice. A built-in or combination microwave is a completely different calculation: £400–£900 to replace, plus the need to match the housing aperture and often source a trim kit, which means a straight swap isn't guaranteed. Against that, a £90 call-out plus the part is clearly worthwhile, and this is where most of our microwave work sits. Typical lifespan is 7 to 10 years freestanding and 9 to 12 built-in, with the magnetron as the limiting component — its life is measured in operating hours, so usage matters more than age. Door interlocks, latches, turntable motors, waveguide covers and keypads are all economical fixes at any point in the appliance's life. Environmentally, a microwave is a compact but material-dense appliance containing a magnetron, a substantial transformer and significant copper. Around 40 million microwaves are discarded across Europe annually, many for faults that come down to one cheap part. Where the appliance is worth repairing, repairing it is clearly the right call — and we'll be straight with you when it isn't.
If it's time to replace, see what we sell
Brands we repair
We work on every major manufacturer, and our vans carry spares for the ones we see most in this area.
First-time fix
Our vans carry a wide range of microwave spares so most jobs are finished on the same visit. If we need to order a part, it's usually fitted within a couple of working days at no second call-out charge.
What the call-out is
£90 for a freestanding machine. Integrated appliances incur a £10 surcharge, so £100 — an integrated machine has to come out of the run of units before anything can be diagnosed, and go back in afterwards. Parts are on top and quoted for your approval before anything is fitted.
Domestic only
We do not work on commercial or coin-operated machines.
Maintenance
Make your microwave last longer
Water across Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire runs around 280–320 mg/l. That limescale is the single biggest reason appliances die early here.
Never open the case — the capacitor holds a lethal charge
This is the one absolute rule with microwaves. The high-voltage capacitor can retain several thousand volts long after the appliance is unplugged, and that charge can kill. There are no user-serviceable parts inside the outer case. Every safe maintenance task is external, and anything internal is a job for an engineer with the equipment to discharge it.
Cover food and wipe the cavity after every use
Splashes that bake onto the cavity walls and roof absorb microwave energy, char, and eventually cause arcing that destroys the waveguide cover and can take the magnetron with it. Use a vented cover or a plate over the food, and wipe the cavity out with a damp cloth while it's still warm.
Check the waveguide cover monthly
That small mica or plastic panel on the cavity's side wall protects the waveguide opening. If it's discoloured, blistered or has burnt spots, it needs replacing before it starts arcing. It's an inexpensive part, and letting a damaged one go is one of the quickest ways to destroy a magnetron.
Never run the microwave empty
With no food to absorb the energy, the microwaves reflect back into the magnetron and can destroy it in under a minute. If you have children who might press start on an empty cavity, use the child lock. Keeping a cup of water inside when not in use is a simple habit that prevents this.
Keep the door, seal and latch area clean
Food debris on the door seal face or in the latch hooks stops the door closing squarely, which puts the interlock switches out of sequence and can blow the internal fuse. Wipe the door face and the cavity's front lip weekly. Never slam the door or hang anything on the handle.
Never spray cleaner directly onto the control panel
Cleaning products sprayed at the fascia wick behind the membrane keypad and destroy it, and steam does the same. Spray onto a cloth and wipe instead. Membrane keypads are one of the more common replacement parts on built-in microwaves, and this is why.
Keep the vents clear
Microwaves need airflow to cool the magnetron, and a built-in model in a housing with blocked ventilation will derate and eventually fail early. Check the vents on the case and, for built-in models, that the housing's ventilation gaps aren't blocked. Don't store anything on top of a freestanding microwave.
Test the output annually with the water test
Heat 500ml of cold water at full power for two minutes and measure the temperature rise — a healthy 800W microwave should raise it around 25–30°C. Declining output is the normal end-of-life pattern for a magnetron, and knowing it's happening lets you plan rather than be caught out.
Questions
Microwave repair FAQs
How much does a microwave repair cost?
A £90 call-out covers the visit, the diagnosis and the labour, and the part goes on top at a price we quote for your approval. Turntable motors, waveguide covers and lamps are cheap; magnetrons, transformers and combination-model elements cost more. On a budget freestanding machine we will often tell you plainly that replacement makes better sense.
Is it worth repairing a microwave?
It depends entirely on the type. A £70 freestanding microwave is not worth a call-out and a magnetron, and we'll tell you so. A built-in or combination microwave costing £400–£900 to replace, and needing an aperture match and trim kit, is very much worth repairing — that's the bulk of the microwave work we do.
Can I safely repair a microwave myself?
No. The high-voltage capacitor holds a potentially lethal charge long after the appliance is unplugged, and there are no user-serviceable parts inside the case. This is the one appliance where we would ask you not to open the case even to look. Everything safe to do is external: cleaning, checking the plug and socket, and reseating the turntable.
How long does a microwave repair take?
Most repairs take 45 to 110 minutes in a single visit. Built-in models take longer because the appliance has to be withdrawn from its housing and refitted. Magnetrons and combination-model elements are sometimes model-specific and may need ordering, typically two to four working days.
What guarantee do you give on microwave repairs?
Twelve months on parts and labour, directly with us. If the same fault returns within that period we come back at no charge. Every microwave we work on is also leakage-tested with a survey meter before we return it to service.
Do you check for microwave leakage after a repair?
Yes, always. Any repair involving the door, latch, hinges, interlocks, cavity or waveguide is followed by a leakage test with a calibrated survey meter, checked against the permitted limit. It's a standard part of the job rather than an optional extra.
Do you repair built-in and combination microwaves?
Yes, and they're the majority of our microwave work. Built-in and combination models are worth repairing because replacing one means matching an aperture and often a trim kit. We withdraw the appliance from its housing, work on it and refit it with correct ventilation clearance.
Which microwave brands do you repair?
Panasonic, Bosch, Neff, Siemens, Samsung, Sharp, LG, Whirlpool, AEG, Electrolux, Miele, Hotpoint, Candy and Russell Hobbs among others. We work on domestic microwaves only and do not service commercial or catering appliances.
How long should a microwave last?
Typically 7 to 10 years for a freestanding model and 9 to 12 for a good built-in or combination one. The magnetron is the limiting component and its life is measured in operating hours, so a household reheating twice a day will wear one out considerably faster than one using it a few times a week.
My microwave is sparking inside — should I keep using it?
No. Stop and unplug it. Sparking is usually a burnt waveguide cover, and every additional minute of arcing risks damaging the magnetron, which turns an inexpensive repair into an expensive one. Check for foil or metal in the cavity, then book a repair.
Microwave playing up? We'll take a look.
Call-out from £90, labour included. 6 months guarantee.