微波炉是一种使用微波加热物体的家用或工业生产用电器。

使用微波来烹饪食物的方法是首先由任职雷神公司的培西·史宾赛想到的，培西·史宾赛过去为公司建造雷达设备的磁电管。一天他在一个启动的雷达设备上工作时，突然发觉自己放在口袋里的花生巧克力融化了。经培西·史宾赛的思索和研究，发现他的巧克力是被微波所融化，所以认为磁控管也能用来烹饪。

1960年代，利顿电子公司设计了一种磁控管，将其应用于微波炉中，但利顿公司并未把微波炉的市场设想为家庭。而佐佐木正治认为这项技术可以用于家用烹调，并说服日本早川公司（即夏普公司的前身）实践他的想法，在1962年人类烹饪革命的微波炉开始大规模生产。

A microwave oven, commonly referred to as a microwave, is a kitchen appliance that heats and cooks food by exposing it to microwave radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum. This induces polar molecules in the food to rotate and produce thermal energy in a process known as dielectric heating. Microwave ovens heat foods quickly and efficiently because excitation is fairly uniform in the outer 25–38 mm (1–1.5 inches) of a homogenous (high water content) food item; food is more evenly heated throughout (except in heterogeneous, dense objects) than generally occurs in other cooking techniques.