that's like, 10 confederacies. you should put up a statue dedicated to your microwave
this post was submitted on 25 Mar 2026
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Except this thing was actually useful and did some good for all those years lol!
There's probably a ribbon cable from the membrane. You could try buzzing out the keys and making one or adapting an ordered standard part
I also have a microwave from the 80s, got it from my dad and he bought it when he was young.
I hope it never dies. I love the Star Trek-like touchpad and the beautiful CCFL display. 😍
It's a Panasonic as well, I even have the ridiculous microwave cookbook somewhere, which contains a lot of really bad meal photos.
we had one from the early 90s or 80s also panasonic, it last 30+years, then we bought a newish one few years ago, and it died in 2 years. it was the famous overheating one, that looks likes it catching onfire it was 100$, and then it suddenly stopped working lol. the current one we spent a little more and it was working fine.
My mom still uses the Panasonic microwave that she bought in the '80s.
Meanwhile, I've been through four microwaves since 2000.
remember PYREX, they went cheap and using soda lime glass laminated instead of borosilicate. pyrex vs PYREX, its still being sold in the EU. there are borosilicate glassware from other brands, but none of them seem to match Pyrex, just better than the soda lime variants.
OXO is just very overpriced borosilicate, if you are interested probably the closest to PYREX. i did seem some pyrex lunch containers are borosilicate?
Nooooo rip, Zappy did a good job
You should get a 4-in-1 microwave/airfryer/convection-oven/broiler. I have one and I have not looked back.
Made in Japan! RIP Zappy.
The furnace in my house dates to 1987. It just survived another cold winter. My plumber says a new one would use about half as much gas and that parts are no longer available for the old one. I wish I knew whether to believe him or not.
Gas furnaces from 1987 when new could convert 75-80% of the chemical energy in gas into heat within your house. They lose some efficiency over time, but not that much - I would expect it's still getting 70-75% of the chemical energy converted into heat within your house.
The maximum efficiency available today is around 96% on the same metric. If you need 100 units of heat today, you are burning 133-143 units of gas. With the best possible furnace efficiency today, you would only need to burn 104 units of gas, which is 22-28% less - certainly not "about half".
There are multiple special requirements for the best possible efficiency, and they are more expensive, both to purchase and to install. You might be able to save money on bills, depending on gas rates in your area, and the total cost to purchase and install a high efficiency furnace. I can't really answer that without a lot more information.
As for parts availability, there should be a model number and a manufacturer indicated on it somewhere. These days, most things service professionals have access to are also listed on the internet for sale. That one is easier to convincingly check.
Yeah, I'm inclined to think parts are available but my plumber would never bother looking for them. The guy I was going to rent the house to said he had tons of spare parts for my kind of furnaces and I was prepared to give him a break on rent if he kept it going. Unfortunately I didn't get the house renovated in time for him to move in (and I'm still not done) so I can't really expect him to do anything for me.
Newer ones can be a lot more efficient, but the high efficiency ones aren't just drop-in replacements either because they require additional piping to the outdoors which can be a big issue depending on where in your house the furnace is located.
Is the heat exchanger still intact? No cracks? If it's cracked get rid of it before the carbon monoxide gets you. We went with a heat pump and will not return to a gas furnace.
No cracks in the heat exchanger. I have a CO detector mounted right by it in the basement (for whatever that's worth).
Ask another HVAC company about your options and benefits... See if they say similar things... Most likely given that it's almost 40 years old vs The efficiency improvements are probably across the board on new models... And see if the numbers match
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43 years is legendary—Zappy lived a full, honorable life 🫡
I care. My condolences for your loss.
Sadly your next one will be but a child when it dies.
For that microwave to last that long is the testament to its durability. Actually, up until the 90s most appliances were built like tanks and so why some people hold onto them, partly they were IMHO easier to repair than supposedly "smart" appliances.
I also remember how Sony TVs during the 80s that were sold included detailed electronic schematic diagrams helpful to technicians.
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I am barely older than this microwave and am now worried.
My toaster oven just died. It was so old all the numbers rubbed off and we just ran it off vibes. Guests were like, how long to make toast? And I just told them turn it till it feels right. I'm going to miss that toaster oven, it was the best.
What died? Dm me if you want to try fixing it. Super simple circuit usually, timer switch+element, thermostat if it's fancy. Guarantee we can keep it around sub-$20
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