Abstract: A microwave appliance includes a casing that defines a cooking chamber, and a fan assembly positioned within the casing. The fan assembly includes a discharge housing that includes a plurality of discharge ports, and a fan housing mounted within the discharge housing. The fan housing is selectively rotatable within the discharge housing. The fan housing includes an outlet configured to align with a selected one of the plurality of discharge ports. The fan assembly further includes a fan wheel rotatably mounted within the fan housing. The fan wheel is configured to circulate air through the outlet of the fan housing and the selected one of the plurality of discharge ports.

Abstract: A measuring device for a cooking appliance includes a first sensor configured to measure one or more parameters associated with a heating operation of the cooking appliance. Furthermore, the measuring device includes a second sensor configured as a fluid sensor. The fluid sensor is configured to measure one or more parameters associated with a presence or level of a fluid within a food container. The food container is configured for heating by the cooking appliance.

Abstract: A method of operating a steam cooker assembly in a microwave oven, the steam cooker assembly including a container defining a water reservoir and a target fill line, a steamer insert positioned inside the water reservoir and defining one or more food cavities, and a sensing assembly for monitoring conditions within the water reservoir. The method includes receiving a request to perform a steam cooking cycle using the steam cooker assembly; detecting a water temperature using the sensing assembly positioned in the water reservoir, obtaining a food type and a target doneness, determining cooking parameters based at least in part on the food type and the target doneness, and operating a magnetron of the microwave oven to perform the steam cooking cycle in accordance with the cooking parameters.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a cabinet and a cooking chamber defined within the cabinet. A method for operating the cooking appliance includes receiving, with a controller, sensor data from a sensor. The sensor data is indicative of fluid within a food container configured for heating by the cooking appliance. Additionally, the method includes determining, with the controller, whether the indicated fluid within the food container is outside of a selected fluid level range. Furthermore, the method includes operating, with the controller, the cooking appliance based on determining whether the indicated fluid within the food container is outside of the selected fluid level range.

Abstract: An over the range (OTR) microwave appliance having a cabinet with improved ventilation includes ventilation ducts at the sides of the cabinet. The side ducts include drop down ducts that extend toward the range and each side duct may include a partition to facilitate optimized flow within the duct. Each side duct comprises an exhaust path from the open bottom end of the side duct to an exhaust.

Abstract: An over the range microwave appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber, the cabinet comprising a sidewall that defines a fan inlet. A duct assembly is removably attached to the cabinet and includes a fixed outer duct that is mounted to the sidewall and an extendable duct positioned within the fixed outer duct and being movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the extendable duct defining an intake aperture proximate a bottom end of the extendable duct and a discharge aperture proximate a top end of the extendable duct.

Abstract: A microwave appliance includes a casing with a fan assembly positioned within the casing. The fan assembly includes a discharge housing that includes a plurality of discharge ports, and a fan housing mounted within the discharge housing. The fan housing is selectively rotatable within the discharge housing, and includes an outlet configured to align with a selected one of the plurality of discharge ports. The fan assembly includes a fan wheel rotatably mounted within the fan housing. The fan wheel is configured to circulate air through the outlet of the fan housing and the selected one of the plurality of discharge ports. An auxiliary motor is positioned adjacent to the discharge housing. The auxiliary motor is configured to rotate the fan housing.

Abstract: A method of operating an appliance includes a controller detecting a first air quality characteristic and comparing the first air quality characteristic to a threshold characteristic. The method also includes the controller suggesting a position of a fan housing to align an outlet with a selected one of a plurality of discharge ports and the controller receiving an input indicative of the selected one of the plurality of discharge ports. The method further includes the controller adjusting the fan housing to the suggested position in response to the received input and operating a fan wheel to circulate air through the selected one of the plurality of discharge ports.

Abstract: A microwave appliance includes a casing with a fan assembly positioned within the casing. The fan assembly includes a discharge housing that includes a plurality of discharge ports, and a fan housing mounted within the discharge housing. The fan housing is selectively rotatable within the discharge housing, and includes an outlet configured to align with a selected one of the plurality of discharge ports. The fan assembly includes a fan wheel rotatably mounted within the fan housing. The fan wheel is configured to circulate air through the outlet of the fan housing and the selected one of the plurality of discharge ports. An access rod extends to a front of the casing. The access rod includes a spiral thread. The access rod is configured to rotate, thereby rotating the toothed gear and thereby the fan housing.

Abstract: A sous vide assembly for use in a microwave oven includes a sous vide container defining a water reservoir, a food insert positioned inside the water reservoir and defining one or more food cavities, wherein an outer wall of the food insert defines a plurality of recessed grooves that separate the one or more food cavities from the sous vide container, and a lid assembly mounted to a top of the sous vide container, the lid assembly defining one or more vent holes and being removable to provide selective access to the one or more food cavities.

Abstract: A cooking assembly for an oven appliance may define a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction. The cooking assembly may include a rack assembly mounted within a cooking chamber of the oven appliance. The rack assembly may include a main frame and a rail assembly. The main frame may include a front member and a rear member spaced apart along the transverse direction. The rail assembly may be attached to the front member and the rear member and extended along the transverse direction. The cooking assembly may further include a slidable basket assembly that may include a cooking basket and a hook assembly mounted to the cooking basket. The hook assembly may be slidably attached to the rail assembly to move the slidable basket assembly between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the rack assembly.

Abstract: A microwave oven appliance may define a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction. The microwave oven appliance may include a cabinet that may define a cooking chamber. The microwave oven appliance may further include a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet to provide selective access to the cooking chamber. The microwave oven appliance may also include a ventilation system provided within the cabinet and configured to circulate air. The ventilation system may include an exhaust vent. The microwave oven appliance may further include a freshener assembly attached to the microwave oven appliance downstream from the exhaust vent. The freshener assembly may include a base selectively attached to the cabinet. The base may define a socket. The freshener assembly may further include a holder assembly movably mounted to the socket. The holder assembly may include a moveable control arm configured to receive a scent cartridge.

Abstract: A microwave oven appliance includes a cabinet, the cabinet forming a cooking cavity; a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet to provide selective access to the cooking cavity; a ventilation system provided within the cabinet and configured to circulate air, the ventilation system including an exhaust vent; and a freshener assembly attached to the microwave oven appliance at the exhaust vent, the freshener assembly being configured to receive a replaceable scent cartridge. The freshener assembly includes a casing bottom, the casing bottom including a plurality of bottom apertures; a casing top, the casing top including a plurality of top apertures, wherein the casing top is rotatably connected to the casing bottom; and a connector hook configured to selectively connect the freshener assembly to the exhaust vent.

Abstract: A microwave appliance includes a casing that defines a cooking chamber, and a fan assembly positioned within the casing. The fan assembly includes a discharge housing that includes a plurality of discharge ports, and a fan housing mounted within the discharge housing. The fan housing is selectively rotatable within the discharge housing. The fan housing includes an outlet configured to align with a selected one of the plurality of discharge ports. The fan assembly further includes a fan wheel rotatably mounted within the fan housing. The fan wheel is configured to circulate air through the outlet of the fan housing and the selected one of the plurality of discharge ports.

Abstract: A stand-alone temperature sensor is configured to connect wirelessly with a controller of a microwave appliance. The stand-alone temperature sensor includes a housing configured to shield one or more internal electronic components of the stand-alone temperature sensor from microwave radiation within the microwave appliance. The stand-alone temperature sensor includes an antenna extending from a casing of the stand-alone temperature sensor.

Abstract: A cooking accessory for a microwave oven appliance includes a container including an outer tank and defining a receiving cavity for storing a quantity of liquid, the outer tank including an inner surface facing the receiving cavity and an outer surface opposite the inner surface; and a sensor coupled to the container and provided within the receiving cavity, wherein the sensor is positioned within the stored liquid and at least fifteen millimeters away from the inner surface of the outer tank.

Abstract: A ventilation system includes a casing defining a receiving space and an air outlet; an air handler positioned within the casing and configured to motivate an airflow through the air outlet to condition a room; and a controller operably coupled with the air handler, the controller configured to perform an operation. The operation includes detecting a plurality of characteristics of ambient air within the room; determining that at least one characteristic of the plurality of characteristics is outside of a predetermined range; emitting a notification to a user in response to determining that the at least one characteristic is outside of the predetermined range, wherein the notification includes a recommendation to perform a conditioning cycle; and receiving a command to initiate the conditioning cycle, wherein the conditioning cycle includes activating the air handler.

Abstract: A microwave oven appliance includes a cabinet, the cabinet forming a cooking cavity and a heating assembly cavity adjacent to the cooking cavity; a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet to provide selective access to the cooking cavity; a user interface panel coupled to the cabinet adjacent to the door; a freshener compartment provided behind the user interface panel along the transverse direction and recessed into the heating assembly cavity, the freshener compartment being in fluid communication with the heating assembly cavity, wherein the user interface panel is movable to provide selective access to the freshener compartment; and a heating assembly provided within the heating assembly cavity, the heating assembly including a fan to selectively urge air into the freshener compartment.

Abstract: An over the range microwave appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber, the cabinet comprising a sidewall that defines a fan inlet. A duct assembly is removably attached to the cabinet and includes a fixed outer duct that is mounted to the sidewall and an extendable duct positioned within the fixed outer duct and being movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the extendable duct defining an intake aperture proximate a bottom end of the extendable duct and a discharge aperture proximate a top end of the extendable duct.

Abstract: An over the range (OTR) microwave appliance having a cabinet with improved ventilation includes ventilation ducts at the sides of the cabinet. The side ducts include drop down ducts that extend toward the range and each side duct may include a partition to facilitate optimized flow within the duct. Each side duct comprises an exhaust path from the open bottom end of the side duct to an exhaust.