Need a new microwave

[Dave Zellers]

After 30 years the only microwave we've ever owned just bit the dust. Started making a nasty noise and gave off a nasty electric burning smell.

Just thought I'd inquire here to get some advice on brands and features.

I doubt the boss would want to spend more that 250 bucks tops. I'm seeing some well rated models for a hundred less than that.

Biggest question at this early point is re inverter technology I guess. Is it really better? What about size? The kids are gone so it's just the two of us except when they come for a visit with the grandkids.

[Lee Schierer]

Good luck. When my DIL visited, she noted that our microwave was much slower than hers even though they are both the same wattage. I did some checking of ours and found out that is indeed performing below what it should for the wattage. We've had this one for at least 25 years. According to my research magnetrons lose power over time, which apparently ours has.

We started looking at new microwaves and everyone we looked at had at least 1/3 of the reviews saying don't buy this one. We became so frustrated tat we decided to continue using our under powered one until it dies.

[John K Jordan]

Ha, when we bought this house I bought a cheap microwave from Home Depot just to heat tea and things while working here. It was supposed to be a temporary thing I would eventually use in my shop. It's worked so well in the kitchen we haven't bothered to replace it. It's an 1100w Magic Chef.

[Jerome Stanek]

how big do you want we have a smaller one that fits our needs and was about $60 10 years ago. The same one is still about $60

[Bill McNiel]

I'm a big fan of the Sharp drawer unit but that would probably require some cabinet work.

[Bill Dufour]

We still have the one I bought decades ago as a Monkey Wards display model. I like it because it has as twist knob. I hate having to turn on my brain to decide do I need 59 seconds or one minute. is that showing 60 seconds or 60 minutes etc etc. Sometimes the old way is better and easier. I do not need bluetooth for my appliances.
Bil lD.

[Eric Danstrom]

We still have the one I bought decades ago...I like it because it has as twist knob....
Except if you're heating a critical liquid such as baby's milk the inaccuracies of the knob can extend the heating cycle by 10~15% and be uncomfortable for the kid. Comparing a digital readout timer to bluetooth compatible is a bit of a stretch....

[Curt Harms]

Re inverter technology I'm interested in that as well. My understanding, and I could have it wrong, is that if I select 50% power on a non-inverter unit it runs at 100% power 50% of the time. An inverter oven really does run at 50% power 100% of the time. Which one is better? I don't really know.

[Phil Mueller]

When we remodeled the kitchen we had it built into an upper cabinet. It’s a counter top model with a trim kit. We’re on our third since 2005. All GEs. I figure $150 every 5-6 years is doable. Just replaced it last month. This time, they changed the configuration slightly and I needed a new trim kit...cost just about as much as the microwave.

[Jason Roehl]

We bought one when we got married. Probably lasted 15 years. Since then (9 years), we've probably been through a couple more. The first replacement was close to $200, but it didn't last very long, so now we've just resigned ourselves to getting cheap ones every few years. They seem to have become a disposable item like many other appliances these days.

[Stephen Tashiro]

to get some advice on brands and features.



Features:

Don't get the kind with a door latch mechanism that has two long prongs that stick out from the door. When you use an oven mitt to take something out of the microwave, the prongs snag the back of the mitt.

Buy one where the glass carousel fits securely on the mechanism that turns it. On many models the carousel has only a shallow groove in it and tends to slide off.

[Dave Zellers]

Well these stories seem to prove that they are now building these microwaves to not last as opposed to the earlier models. So sad.

When we bought a new electric stove a few years ago the delivery guys laughed when we told them the one they were carting away lasted 28 years (including some repairs). Then they said immediately "Well, this one won't last that long!"

Ugh. Seems to be a good case for buying the extended warranty.

[Jim Koepke]

Ugh. Seems to be a good case for buying the extended warranty.

The product is likely built to last five years. The factory warranty is usually up to one year. The extended warranty takes you up to the design life. To me, it is just another way to rip off the customer.

We bought a lot of our household appliances at Sears. We did get an extension on the warranties. One of the refrigerators needed service. To keep the extension going would annually cost about as much as one of the appliances. Our drier developed a problem. The repair cost less than the annual cost of the warranties.

In my way of looking at it, we have come out ahead so far.

jtk

[Tom Stenzel]

When we moved into the house I'm in now it came with a home warranty. The over the range GE microwave fizzled out with a burned up magentron. The warranty people elected to fix it.

When the repairman came out with the new magnetron my wife asked him about a replacement microwave like a Samsung. He said that the Samsungs were junk and wouldn't last as long.

I pulled the burned out magnetron out of the garbage. It had a SAMSUNG sticker on the side.

Is there any difference between any of them anymore?

The over the range GEs that we've had lasted about 12 years each. The microwave gets a LOT of use.

Edit: the repair occurred in 2003.

-Tom

[Kev Williams]

As to inverter tech: We've had a countertop Panasonic 1200w inverter unit for about 3 years. The inverter thing is the bomb. 30% power is literally 30% power, NOT full power for 3 seconds then 7 seconds 0 power... it does make a difference!

[Roger Feeley]

Dave,
I'm a big fan of the encoder knob. Our microwave is really easy to use.

There's an "add 30 seconds" button. I push that to get cooking started. Then there is a knob that I can use to increase or reduce the time. If I want a minute, I skip the knob and just push the 30 second button twice. The knob is smart enough that as the time increases the number of seconds represented by one click on the knob increases also.

When I'm setting the clock, I push set time button and use the encoder knob to set the time. Easy.

[Dave Zellers]

As to inverter tech: We've had a countertop Panasonic 1200w inverter unit for about 3 years. The inverter thing is the bomb. 30% power is literally 30% power, NOT full power for 3 seconds then 7 seconds 0 power... it does make a difference!

Very good to know. Thanks! I figured as much but it’s good to hear from an experienced user.

[Dave Zellers]

Dave,
I'm a big fan of the encoder knob. Our microwave is really easy to use.

There's an "add 30 seconds" button. I push that to get cooking started. Then there is a knob that I can use to increase or reduce the time. If I want a minute, I skip the knob and just push the 30 second button twice. The knob is smart enough that as the time increases the number of seconds represented by one click on the knob increases also.

When I'm setting the clock, I push set time button and use the encoder knob to set the time. Easy.

What the heck is an encoder knob? Now I feel like I need one but don’t know what it is. And believe me this is not the first time I’ve felt this way.

Are you from the future?

[roger wiegand]

Very good experience with Panasonic. We used them in the lab where they got probably 10X the usage they would have gotten in a home and they held up fine through many years of use. Quieter than some others, as well.

[Frank Pratt]

On the other hand, I went through 2 Panasonics in less than 10 years.

[Jim Becker]

When our older Panasonic gave up the ghost last year, I purchased a new one...just a hair larger than the previous model, but with the same essential button arrangement. Very satisfied.

[Dave Lehnert]

I just buy a $50 unit, use it till it stops.
Never put much thought into it. I just use one to heat things up not so much to cook.

[Rod Sheridan]

We’ve owned a Panasonic over the range inverter one for 5 years.

I really like the unit, the variable power is very handy.....Rod

[David L Morse]

Another satisfied Panasonic inverter owner here. We've had ours for about 3 years now. As others have pointed out the evenness of the reduced power settings is noticeable. Once the correct settings are determined you can reheat dishes containing viscous liquids (gravy etc.) with little or no spatter and cook high protein liquids (oatmeal, grits) without foam overs. Thawing frozen foods is more even too.

[Dave Zellers]

Very much appreciate all the input from everyone.

We decided to go with Panasonic with inverter tech and hope we avoid the dreaded H98 error code we read about in the reviews.

A very good chat- Thanks!

[Brian Elfert]

I didn't know about the inverter microwave until I read about it here. I hate how say 50% will still blast the food at full power. The food will snap and crackle while the power is on and then nothing while the power is off. I just figured all microwaves do that.

[Roger Feeley]

What the heck is an encoder knob? Now I feel like I need one but don’t know what it is. And believe me this is not the first time I’ve felt this way.

Are you from the future?

its a knob. Our microwave is a
GE model pvm9215sk1ss

my feeling is that we are naturally wired for an analog world. Maybe that makes me an anachronism but I’m much more comfortable with an analog input than a digital one. The main control on our microwave is a single knob that takes on different roles depending on what you are doing. Setting the clock? Use the knob. Setting cook level? Knob. Setting the cook time? Knob. Setting the timer? Knob.

for me the other end of the spectrum are those control pads with about a thousand buttons.