Yeah, I think it's just a pragmatic layman's term for a good headline. I've complained over the years to my wife I'd like a "reverse microwave" for exactly this use, so it certainly clicked with me.

But anyone who usually understands "microwave" as electromagnetic energy will find this title extremely confusing.

I think most people on HN are familiar with both microwaves and microwave ovens. It's not really hard to see which one the author was going for.

That is like calling ice a reverse fire. If the technology doesn't have anything to do with microwaves, I don't see how the "reverse microwave" adds anything but confusion. It's not as though "chills beer in 45 seconds" is so vague as to require a strained microwave analogy.

I loved this comment, why is it being downvoted?