A number of fields, such as organic and analytical chemistry, have greatly benefited from the use of microwave radiation. The use of microwaves for solid-state synthesis, however, has been limited, despite the fact that microwaves offer a number of advantages compared to more traditional methods, such as high-temperature solid-state synthesis. Solid-state microwave synthesis provides a method with extremely short reaction times and no solvent waste, making it a green alternative. Additionally, solid-state microwave synthesis has the possibility to yield metastable and kinetically stable phases. We have used solid-state microwave synthesis to prepare a variety of compounds that include intermetallics, chalcogenides and phosphides. During our investigations, we have identified a number of important synthetic variables that must be considered in order to successfully apply this method. The results of our experiments including a discussion of the synthetic variables involved in solid-state microwave synthesis and physical property measurements of the products will be presented.