Microwave hack replaces flat keyboard with mechanical key switches

Have you ever had a microwave with broken buttons? If you press the keys at the right angle, the microwave may react. Or maybe no matter how you push them, the microwave is silent. What if you could fix the problem without calling a repair company and make your microwave keyboard experience more enjoyable at the same time?

Kailh, a company that makes mechanical keyboard switches, shared a tweet on Tuesday that revealed the possibilities for using its switches that the company had never seen before. A Reddit user used several Kailh Box Blacks to get his microwave back on.

Reddit user gregschlom wrote that his 9-year-old microwave began to malfunction, and instead of being content with cold leftovers and unopened popcorn grains until repairs were made, he hardwired the device to the Box Black switches. Based on the overall image, the new switches can be used to add 30 seconds, add a minute, cancel an operation, and access the settings menu.

Gregschlom wrote that the microwave was due to be repaired this month, but now that the appliance has a tactile mechanical sensation, Gregschlom isn’t sure if he wants to go back.

“Honestly, I find it so satisfying to press these switches that I’m not sure I want to replace them anymore. You can just put a few keycaps on and leave it as it is ;D,” commented Gregschlom on Reddit.

It’s hard to blame him. The keyboards of modern microwave ovens are often surprisingly flat. They are soft, they have little to no travel, and they rely on a special type of membrane switch to operate. And, as with many membrane keyboards, it’s hard to tell if you’ve pressed a button until you hear a reassuring beep.

But you will know you are pressing a key with a Box Black switch as it takes about 60g of force to actuate the key. Kailh designed the switches to be more durable (hence the square or “box”surrounding the stem) than the Cherry MX Black, one of Cherry’s heaviest switches. Additional Box Black features include 3.6mm total travel and 1.8mm pre-travel. Clearly, this is very different from a conventional microwave keyboard.

But despite this tactile feel, Gregschlom pointed out a key downside: “However, it must be remembered that these switches become absolutely nasty with grease after a couple of years of use, especially when it’s overrange. such an oven.

We would love to see Gregschlom find a way to securely attach the lightweight keycaps to the switches. Another redditor, redcorerobot, suggested using a flexible cover to keep the switches clean.

redcorerobot also suggested expanding the project by using a microcontroller to work with a microwave oven controller and then tearing off the front panel to “have a quality mechanical keyboard on the front”or “give it smart features like a home assistant or even just a library of preset times and abilities.”so you have a dedicated [button] for normal items.”

It’s unclear if Gregschlom will continue to break into the microwave, repair it, or buy a new one. But you can find a small pack of Box Black switches for less than $4, so we’d say this user has found a financially responsible, finger-friendly way to warm food in between.