Arlington, Massachusetts Nov 3, 2025 – A recently patented invention, aiming to transform the experience of on-the-road dining, introduces a microwave oven specifically engineered to integrate into a vehicle’s glove compartment. Daniel Perlman and Jane Katims, residents of Arlington, Massachusetts, are the inventors behind this innovative design, having secured patent 6,060,700. Their goal is to repurpose this often-underutilized vehicle space into a convenient hub for warming food.

This microwave unit is designed to approximate the dimensions of a conventional glove compartment, making it suitable for heating items such as a coffee cup or a standard fast-food container. Its hinged door functions similarly to a traditional glove compartment, opening downward to create a stable surface for serving and holding food. Additionally, a sliding cup holder integrated within the microwave’s interior aims to mitigate spills during both vehicle transit and oven operation.

“Many items which were formerly stored in the dashboard area, in particular, the dashboard glove compartment, are now stored in new more accessible door pockets, seat pockets and a centrally located storage console located between the two front seats,” the inventors stated in their patent application, justifying the glove compartment’s repurposing. The system is designed to operate by drawing power from the vehicle’s battery or alternator, with key components like the high-voltage transformer and power inverter potentially housed behind the engine firewall.

Safety has been a primary concern in the design’s development. Proposed safety functionalities include inhibiting oven operation while the vehicle is in motion, enabling operation only when the car is stopped (with the door locked until then), and deactivating the oven during sudden acceleration, braking, or sharp turns. The patent application further details an alarm feature that would activate upon opening the oven door, alerting the driver to prevent rapid acceleration and potential spills. To contain any accidental liquid or food spillage, recessed areas are incorporated within the microwave’s interior and on the door. User controls, comprising a timer, power setting, and an on/off switch, are intended for convenient placement on the dashboard.

A photograph depicts Daniel Perlman and Jane Katims, the inventors of the dashboard microwave, standing with a display board featuring their invention.