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qualin

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Hello everyone.

I'm considering replacing my old Sharp Microwave. It's a countertop model of a large capacity. The problem is, all I can find are Panasonic or Sunbeam Microwaves. While they are cheap, I don't want something disposable.

Basically, I'm looking for the following:
- Reliability, with a nice hefty warranty to come with it.
- Easy to clean, preferably with a stainless steel interior.
- Able to draw the maximum "Legal" wattage out of a 120 volt 60 hz socket. My Sharp is rated for 1500 watts, but I think that's marketing speak for 1300 watts, since if it were really that high, it would always pop the breaker. :-)
- Something which is tough. No chintzy plastic latches here!
- Ideally I'd be looking for something commercial grade, but not with the typical programmable 1/2/3/4/5/etc buttons you typically see on a Microwave in a Subway.
- Inverter units are an option, but I've heard they get tired after a while.

I'd like your opinions...

Thanks!
 
More like, "What MICROWAVE to Buy"... & 'What I

Seems as though every microwave I see and have had has been GE...! (Yes, STILL as in "General Electric"!)

My wife seems to be a fanatic about microwaving... She puts EVERYTHING she eats in the microwave, but as for me, I only use the "potato", "vegetable" (fresh or frozen) or "popcorn" keys & have mostly found it handy, strictly for heating left-overs & for making my oatmeal...!

I have a S/S OTR one, the in-laws do (replacing their old General Electric non-S/S one) same goes for my sister (who formerly had a General Electric OTR w/ the "Cook/Defrost" lever)...

And when my wife & I lived in our apt. we had a GE 1.5 cu. ft. we'd found way to small so we replaced it w/ a 4.0 and at least one of them is sitting in the in-laws' basement waiting to most likely replace the one at my dad's (who has a hand-me-down, well, hand-me-UP from my sister who no longer needed her counter-top Panasonic & replaced the Admiral (which became exclusively made for Montgomery Ward) that blew up...

Then that was a replacement for my grandparents' Panasonic which had a browning element (it was a big, heavy, wood-grained sort'a deal & I think my mom's parents bought theirs before she even had hers!) that died, though got a good use out of during the time it was a 2nd microwave while the one on my mom's Tappan double-oven electric range (over the cook-top) still worked, but then it went kaput, so we ran up & down the basement stairs until M/W's were finally made more smaller, & could get the M/W-Admiral to sit on a small counter in the kitchen (well a cabinet used for cook books & additional food pantry...)

They are such a high commodity, & manufacturers seem to be making them pretty bug-free, & for such a complicated device, w/ radiation potential & all, we seem to have them all over my store (& luckily few, if ANY ever get returned!) while whatever bugs anything like a RIVAL or what's nowadays the "cheapest of junk" given such a "once good name" seems to perform well and has had over the many years since microwaving was introduced, nearly all their bugs worked out...

-- Dave
 
Is the Sharp still working? If so, keeping it would be a good option. You might get a microwave that will not last as long as the Sharp. I don't know much about new Sharp's but the old ones were pretty good. I still regret getting rid of my Sharp combo microwave oven.

As for new ones, Panasonic would be worth considering.
 
I'm with Louis

I bought my Sharp sensor cook microwave in 1994 and will cry buckets if and when she finally dies.

It it's still working fine, dont replace it. Our fabulous Laundress even had her aged Sharp microwave fixed when it stopped rather than buy a new one....and I'll be very tempted to do the same!
 
Yes, But

Not a year after repair the Sharp oven *died* yet again and this time one didn't bother. Made several posts about it somewhere in the group.

Ended up with rather nice Panasonic "Inverter" that was a Craigslist score. It's a slightly older unit but works a treat and easily cooks things faster than my old Sharp ever did.

Do like how the Panasonic only asks for weight when using "Turbo-Defrosting" and does it's thing. With the Sharp one had to tell it what was being defrosted (chosen from a menu list), then how much it weighed. Also the *Inverter* function works a treat. Be it cooking or defrosting one rarely if ever has to turn things over and yet things are done evenly.

Scored an older Sharp microwave a few months ago (dial timer, two temps *High* and *Defrost*, and use it as a back-up. While one dish is reheating in the Panasonic use the Sharp for the other. Being only about 700w the latter takes a bit longer but still can manage to get everything on the table at the same time.

Quite honestly since the Maxim convection oven came upon the scene use the microwaves mainly for cooking veggies, reheating, softening butter and so forth. Many of the foods such as chicken one cooked previously in the MC oven now go into the convection, and thank goodness for it. Chicken pieces always tasted "steamed" coming out of the MC. That is ok if one desires that affect, but one likes crispy skin on chicken. Also would never consider doing a roast in a microwave but they come out great in convection.
 
I own a half time oven that is the name of it. It is a combo microwave convection oven. Inside is SS heavy built strong and weights a ton. I had it now about 3 years or so. I do not us the microwave part that much at all. I got it for the oven part since I use it the most I can say it works great. The oven has the hidden element so it is easy to clean.

 
Most of the Sharp Microwaves I've ever seen end up with the display dieing with pixels not visible. It obviously doesnt affect all, but we've got 5 at work and all bar one of them have numerals missing from the display after 5 years. Most of the ones I've seen with friends and family have the same ailment.

I run a fleet of Panasonic Convection microwaves within out family, we're now up to about 6 and the oldest is 30 years old.

All of the ones we have here are 240v so they perform well, so I'm not sure how they'd work on 110v.

We've got 3 now of the model below and love them. As Laundress states above, the interter auto defrost is fantastic, it consistently does meat without cooking the edges and still defrosting right through. The only service call we've ever had is on ours, and it was to tighten the fan screw as the blades started to vibrate.

They're still made in Japan and over here come with a 2 year warranty as standard.

 
I like Panasonic

Mine is an "inverter" model, and it works perfectly. I use the program settings for different types of foods, and it's spot on. The defrost function works great also.

Try looking at the Panasonic direct site. They might have more models than a store would have, and if you want stainless or something fancier that might be best bet. I bought my camera there and the pricing was great.
 
I have a 13 year old Sharp "Multiple Choice", it hope it never quits, I love it. Screen is still perfect and all the sensor options work perfectly. I say keep the Sharp.
 
I don't use the microwave that much, but the stuff they sell in the stores for $59 dollars seem to be junk. I have an over the range Whirlpool microwave, which works fine for the small amount that I use it. When it goes, I'm going to replace it with a good oven hood exhaust, and spend a few extra dollars and get a commerical microwave.

Here's one I like:

 
We have a OTR GE microwave we've had for about two years. It's SS and has a rack that goes inside if you choose to cook a whole meal at once. It's great for defrosting. Just put the item in and choose defrost and it "senses" how defrosted the item is, complete with count down timer. It also cooks very evenly and it has one of those white no stick interiors which makes clean up a breeze. I think we paid $349.00 for it.

Another thing. Look at the big box websites. They frequently offer many more models online than they do in the stores and the prices are usually lower. You can order the unit through the store and they will usually give you the web price if you remind them of the difference. We did that with our GE and saved $50.00.
 
Allen that is what we did the Home Depot for the Maytag we just purchased.  It will be delivered 12/22.  Got a good sale price on the one we purchased.

 

I always look on line and if going to the store I print that page out to carry with me.

 

 
 
probably the "worst" microwave

My house came with a perfectly fine MVP (Maytag) microwave installed over the cooktop. It was even vented to the outside, but the light for the cooktop was crummy...almost like a flashlight. Since I wanted better lighting I removed the microwave and put in a very nice Viking hood purchased at a cheap price since no one wants white. I still needed a microwave so I removed a couple of drawers from my kitchen island and installed one of those fancy schmancy Sharp microwave drawers...again at a very good price because it's not stainless steel.

Well the Sharp gets plenty of ooooos and ahaaaas when people watch it electrically glide in and out but that's where the good part ends. You are very limited as far as container height, about 7" is max. Worse, as the drawer closes it speeds up and then does a hard stop creating a tsunami in anything liquid and spilling all over the drawer bottom. This was a dumb design. Fortunately I don't use a microwave all that much and the lighting above my cooktop is much better.

twintubdexter++12-14-2011-16-05-8.jpg
 
Kenmore

I have a Kenmore Sensor-wave OTR Microwave Oven. It is the only Kenmore appliance I own that I don't regret purchasing. Reheats perfectly at power level 2. And the Sure-Simmer button is great for making tea. I don't use it for much more than reheating leftovers or boiling the occasional cup of water.

Malcolm
 

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