Microwave not heating: what our engineers find
These figures come from NAC's own repair records: 222 microwave jobs our engineers attended for this fault. Here is what they found, what fixed it and what it typically cost.
When a microwave runs, lights up and turns but leaves food cold, the cause our engineers find most often is a failed magnetron, the part that actually produces the microwave heat. It can wear out, burn out, short against its own casing or show signs of scorching or corrosion. Engineers sometimes find other parts have failed alongside it, such as the high voltage fuse that blows to protect the appliance, the diode, the transformer or the electronic power board that feeds the magnetron. Now and then the protective cover inside the cooking space is damaged too.
To find the cause, an engineer usually tries heating a cup of water, then checks that power is reaching the parts that create the heat. They test the fuse, capacitor, diode, transformer and door switches, and inspect and test the magnetron itself. Once the faulty parts are identified, they are replaced and the microwave is run again with water to make sure it heats properly.
These parts often have to be ordered, so the repair is commonly finished at a second visit once they arrive.
Written by our engineers from these jobs.
- Jobs attended
- 222
- Confirmed repairs
- 91
- This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
- Fixed at the first appointment
- 6%
- about 1 in 20 of our repairs
- Typical total paid by customers
- £231 to £363
- including parts and VAT, from 88 repairs
What's usually behind it
The causes our engineers found and fixed, as a share of our 91 confirmed repairs for this fault.
-
Failed magnetron: about 2 in 3 of our repairs, from 59 jobs.
65%
We only list causes with enough repairs behind them, so the shares won't add up to 100%.
Error codes we see with this fault
- Neff E1006: Microwave generation fault, usually the inverter board or magnetron.
About the price. £231 to £363 is the typical total paid by customers, including parts and VAT: the middle half of what customers paid on 88 of these repairs. Repairs paid for by manufacturers and insurers aren't counted, because that work is charged at contract rates. It's a guide, not a quote. Your engineer confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
Before you check anything yourself
- Switch the microwave off and unplug it, or turn it off at the isolator switch, before you touch anything. Our guide to safely isolating an appliance walks you through it.
- If it involves the mains supply, sealed parts, or you're not confident at any point, stop and book a qualified engineer rather than risk injury or further damage.
Rather leave it to us?
- Fixed-price quote before any work starts
- Same or next-day visits where available
- UK-wide engineer coverage