A microwave oven which accepts user-placement of a cook item on a turntable accessed through a usually front-facing door. The turntable is rotated during a preset cook-time. The turntable returns to the original user-placement situation near the door and concurrently stops at the end of the cook-time. This results in a simultaneous end of turntable rotation and an end of cooking, enabling the cook-item to be conveniently reparked adjacent with the access door thereby enabling safe and convenient removal immediately upon completion of the cook-time. The cook-time and the turntable operational and reparking parameters are factored to enable a maximum extent of turntable rotation during the cook time and still assure the return to the original starting location concurrent with cook-time completion.