Range Mate Pro Review: Can You Grill in the Microwave?

Range Mate Pro is a cookware set that allows food to be grilled in the microwave. Does it work? Read my Range Mate Pro review.

Where to Purchase

Range Mate Pro is not currently available in stores, but it can be found on Amazon for about $60-$80. I have never seen this item in stores. It had a dedicated website (below) but that seems to be offline as of 2020.

About Range Mate Pro

Range Mate Pro is a microwave cooking set that grills food by converting microwaves into infrared heat. The product website is rangematepro.com, which was first registered in July 2016. The screen shot below shows how the product website looked in February 2017. As of this 2020 update, that website does not appear to be working.

Claims & Features

• Quickly grill food in your microwave
• Set includes 5 pieces (round grill pan, round grill pan lid, non-stick steamer tray, tempered glass steamer lid, and non-stick baking tray)
• Comes with recipe book
• 60 day money back guarantee (does not include shipping)
• Bonus 3 year warranty

Range Mate Pro Review

Range Mate Pro isn’t the first As Seen on TV to promise easy cooking in a microwave oven. It is, however, one of the only such items I’ve seen to claim that meats can not only be grilled in the microwave, but they will have those coveted grill marks.

The secret is the “Thermoplate (TM)” technology that “converts microwaves into infrared heat” and can reach 725 degrees. The way I understand it is that the device absorbs microwaves, which heat the inner surface, but the microwaves never actually reach the food. How it works under the hood is probably not of much interest to most consumers as long as it delivers a more realistic grilling experience – which it does.

Microwave cooking seems to be divided into two camps: Those who cook as much in the microwave as possible, and those who cook as little in the microwave as possible. My friends who are probably best described as amateur chefs (and one who actually is a professional chef) generally scoff at the idea of cooking anything in the microwave other than maybe warming up some canned veggies or as a way to quickly warm something.

That may change with Range Mate Pro, however. I’ve tried other microwave cookers in the past, with results being acceptable at best, but never have I tried something that performed in the same ballpark as grilling or stove-top cooking. With Range Mate Pro, it may be time to evaluate that assessment of microwave cooking.

As you can see in the video below, I successfully grilled a steak, chicken, and even made a crunchy grilled cheese sandwich all in my microwave, and in less time than it would take by other methods. Chicken came out juice, and broccoli was steamed to perfection with help from the steaming plate.

There was a regular “Range Mate” microwave device in years past, but the Range Mate Pro hones in on the best features of that previous version to deliver an efficient and incredibly useful tool that will surprise even the most skeptical critics.

With meat, you will get the grill marks, along with even heat distribution and no rubbery texture. The design of the grill also prevents food from becoming dried out. Another nice addition, which seems to be lacking with As Seen on TV kitchen items these days, is a recipe book that will show you how to successfully prepare your favorite dishes in the microwave. The instructions in the booklet note that there will be some trial and error in order to achieve the proper cook time in your microwave, and they even have a place next to each recipe where you can fill in the proper time for your appliance.

If you’ve watched or read my reviews in the past, you know that I’m not one to heap praise on any item. Range Mate Pro, however, is a rarity that deserves all of the accolades it receives. Those who purchase it will be surprised and delighted how well it actually lives up to the advertising hype.

2020 Update: I still use my Range Mate Pro several times a week after more than two years. The inner coating does seem to be wearing off slightly, which has affected the nonstick properties, but not significantly. I still recommend this product to friends and family as one of the best products I’ve reviewed.

Alternatives

Perhaps the biggest competitor online to Range Mate Pro is the Microhearth Grill Pan for Microwave Cooking. Not only is it visually similar, but functions about the same. Reviews for that product are over 4 stars among hundreds of consumers, and it sells for nearly half the cost of Range Mate Pro.

Below is my full review and demonstration of Range Mate Pro.

Television Commercial

Your Range Mate Pro Reviews

What do you think of Range Mate Pro? Tell me what you think in the comments below.

Updated June 2020.