Category rating — not an assessment of any specific brand
This rating covers a typical, mass-market
small appliances product based on publicly available data.
It does not name or assess any specific manufacturer or product.
Individual products may perform better or worse.
Learn about verified ratings →
Below HIP Mark threshold
Score 2.6/10 — Standard mark requires 6.0
Standard
Silver
Gold
Category best achievable: 7.0
Depleting — materials are being used up with no way to replace them
This is what a typical microwave looks like today. It's built to last longer than the typical one. If the maker shares their data, the score usually goes up.
Category baseline
2.6 HIP
Below Standard
Category ceiling: 7.0 HIP
Regenerative Index
-7.0
Depleting
Category ceiling RI: -2.0
What this score means
This is the starting score for Microwaves, based only on public data. No maker has sent us
their own data yet. The ceiling score (shown below) is what a product can reach when the maker
shares real evidence. To close the gap, makers apply for a verified rating.
Make this product? You can raise this score.
The starting score for this category is 2.6 HIP.
With full evidence, a product in this category can reach 7.0 HIP.
Our first verified product scored 6.9 and earned the HIP Mark.
Share your product data and we score what you can prove.
Apply for verified assessment
What to Check Before You Buy
- Check the magnetron warranty. The magnetron is the core component and typically the first expensive failure; a five-year magnetron warranty exists in this category and is a meaningful signal.
- Confirm the control board is not proprietary-locked. A standard relay or capacitor failure should cost £10 to repair; locked firmware makes this impossible.
- Look for a removable turntable with a standard coupling, not a proprietary motor assembly. The turntable motor and coupling are common failures; standard parts are available cheaply, proprietary ones are not.
- Check the body is steel or aluminium, not plastic-wrapped. Steel microwave bodies resist discolouration, staining, and degradation for 15+ years of use.
Score Breakdown
How rare are the materials?
MSI · 20%
2.0
Why this score ▸
The product relies on magnetron ceramics containing rare earth elements and indium, which are designated as EU Critical Raw Materials with high supply risk. The absence of submitted recycled content and the concentration of assembly in China, a dominant supplier for critical materials, further constrain the score.
Where do the materials come from?
SCR · 18%
3.5
Why this score ▸
The microwave assembly occurs in China, a primary source for copper, steel, and rare earth magnets, creating concentration risk where over 60% of global supply originates from a single jurisdiction. No due-diligence programme or third-party audit is documented, and no alternative suppliers are verified, placing the supply chain at the pre-verification baseline for standard appliances.
Can it be recycled?
RC · 18%
2.0
Why this score ▸
The microwave is assumed to be glued with no take-back scheme, preventing practical material separation. Only an estimated 20% of the product weight enters recycling streams, primarily metal components, while ABS plastic and nichrome heating elements are not recovered in practice. This performance aligns with the non-recyclable baseline for sealed consumer electronics manufactured in China without design for disassembly.
Can you fix it?
R · 13%
2.0
Why this score ▸
The microwave features a glued housing with no screws, preventing non-destructive disassembly. Spare parts are not available from the manufacturer, and no public service manual exists to guide repairs. This configuration aligns with sealed consumer electronics designed for replacement rather than repair.
Is it made fairly?
SEI · 8%
3.5
Why this score ▸
The product is manufactured in China, a moderate-risk jurisdiction, with no submitted third-party audits or environmental certifications. While ILO compliance is not claimed, the absence of verified evidence places the score at the pre-verification baseline for this category.
How long will it last?
PL · 8%
5.0
Why this score ▸
The product has a stated design life of 8 years, which supports an average lifespan score. However, the 1-year warranty is below the 2-year threshold required for higher ratings, and no IP rating or modular design features are present to enhance longevity.
Does it give back to nature?
RI · 15% · scale −10 to +10
-7.0
Why this score ▸
The product is scored in the Depleting band (-7) because it is a conventional microwave with no recycled content, no take-back scheme, and primary materials assumed to be mined from finite geological reserves. It does not meet the criteria for the Extractive band as it lacks substantial recycled content or a verified take-back programme, and it is not bio-based renewable.
MSI 20% · SCR 18% · RC 18% · R 13% · SEI 8% · PL 8% · RI 15% = 100%
About the HIP Methodology ▸
Starting scores are low on purpose. We only count what we can confirm from public data,
so most products sit between 2 and 4 out of 10 before a maker shares their own evidence.
That gap between the starting score and what a product could reach is the whole point.
When a maker proves what their product is really made of, the score goes up.
The HIP Mark shows it has been checked.
Read the full methodology →
Consumer Summary
This microwave has a HIP Score of 2.6 out of 10, which aligns with the current market baseline for this category. Its Regenerative Index is -7.0, indicating that the product is depleting resources rather than supporting a circular economy. Overall, the design relies on difficult-to-recycle materials and lacks features that would allow for easy repair or material recovery.
What This Means For You
When shopping for small appliances like microwaves, look for models that use screws instead of glue to enable easy repair and disassembly. Prioritize products that disclose their recycled content and offer a take-back scheme to ensure materials are reused. Choosing items with longer warranties and available spare parts can also help extend the product's useful life.
Data Transparency
This is a category rating based on publicly available data. The following data fields were not submitted by a manufacturer and have been estimated conservatively using open reference data and the category default assumptions table v0.1 (provisional — sources pending full citation):
material_percentagesrecycled_content_pctcountry_of_primary_extractionprimary_sourcing_countriestier1_supplier_countdue_diligence_standardalternative_supplier_existsdisassembly_typerecyclable_streams_pctrecycling_label_compliantdesign_for_disassemblyfastener_typespare_parts_availablespare_parts_years_committedservice_manual_publicifixit_scoreecodesign_in_scopemanufacturing_countriesenvironmental_certificationsthird_party_certificationrba_audit_completedmodern_slavery_statementilo_compliance_claimedip_ratingmodular_designsoftware_support_yearsprimary_material_originregenerative_certificationsclosed_loop_programmeregenerative_practices
A verified rating uses manufacturer-submitted data and produces a more accurate, product-specific score.
Material Watch Points
- Magnetron ceramics — EU Critical Raw Materials list
- China — High concentration of global rare earth supply
- Primary materials sourced predominantly from China with no diversification
- No due-diligence programme documented
- No alternative supplier verified
How this score was calculated
The HIP Score is a weighted average of seven dimensions measuring material
resilience, supply chain integrity, and end-of-life characteristics.
| Code |
Dimension |
Weight |
Score |
| MSI |
Material Scarcity Index |
0.20 |
2.0 / 10 |
| SCR |
Supply Chain Risk |
0.18 |
3.5 / 10 |
| RC |
Recyclability and Circularity |
0.18 |
2.0 / 10 |
| R |
Repairability |
0.13 |
2.0 / 10 |
| SEI |
Social and Environmental Impact |
0.08 |
3.5 / 10 |
| PL |
Product Longevity |
0.08 |
5.0 / 10 |
| RI |
Regenerative Index |
0.15 |
-7.0 (raw) |
Regenerative Index note: RI scores on a unique scale of -10 to +10.
Before weighting, the raw score is normalised: RI normalised = (RI raw + 10) / 2.
This product's RI band is Depleting.
Weighted HIP Score: 2.6 / 10
· Methodology v1.5
Base weights shown. Some product types use category-specific weight profiles —
see full methodology for details.
Read the full methodology →
Data Sources
This rating draws on the following public sources:
USGS Mineral Resources Program (public domain) · EU Critical Raw Materials List 2023 (CC BY 4.0) · World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators (CC BY 4.0) · Category default assumptions table v0.1 (provisional — sources pending full citation)
All sources are public domain or published under open data licences.
Full source list →
About this rating:
HIP scores are based on public data at the date shown.
They show how well a product holds up over time — not a promise about safety or future supply.
Resourcehip is not liable for choices made based on these ratings.
Scope:
This is a category rating for Microwaves and does not assess any specific brand or manufacturer.
Individual products may perform better or worse than this baseline.
Produced under Resourcehip Scoring Methodology 1.5 (CC BY-NC 4.0).
AI disclosure:
An AI model scored this rating on our own hardware — no data was sent to the cloud.
A human reviewer checked and approved it before it went live.
Model: qwen3.5:35b.
AI transparency notice →
Not financial or investment advice.
Ratings are for consumer information only.
Dispute this rating · Our methodology · All ratings
Assessed: 2026-06-17 · Next review: 2027-06-02 · Methodology 1.5
