Good Microwave Brands?

[Ben]

My (I think) 19 year old over the range KitchenAid took a dump. Yesterday I heard a "pop" when it started, thought "what the hell?" but then it just did it's thing, and no more weird stuff until this morning when I was heating up oatmeal. Another pop, and the oatmeal came out cold. So I think this thing is done. And possibly dangerous. 

Anyway, has anyone replaced one lately? Any specific brands to avoid? I think I saw some of you posting here to avoid Samsung for appliances. Anyone else to avoid? Just perusing Best Buy, I'm seeing LGs and GEs with specs that I like. KitchenAids too, but geez are they proud of themselves. I'm seeing $250ish LGs and $800 KitchenAids.

[K Frame]

If I were replacing a microwave right now I'd probably go with a GE, Panasonic, or LG.

All seem to have good a good reputation.

As it stands, though, I'm sticking with my... holy *expletive deleted*it! THIRTY-FIVE year old Kenmore (Sharpe carousel) microwave...

[Brad Johnson]

Microwaves are such a commodity item these days that it's hard to go wrong for a decent basic unit, especially given the relative lack of use in most kitchens. That said, $250-$350 seems to be the general sweet spot. I say pick the features you want from a brand you recognize and call it good.

We have both Panasonic and Whirlpool units in our break rooms. No issues with them other than occasional user dumbassery.

Do you have a local appliance dealer or Big Box store decently close? If so, see if you can score a deal on a display clearance or return. Not unusual for someone to buy something that doesn't fit (or that SWMBO deems unworthy of her decor). I usually see a couple in our local Best Buy and Home Depot.

Brad

[MechAg94]

If I were replacing a microwave right now I'd probably go with a GE, Panasonic, or LG.

All seem to have good a good reputation.

As it stands, though, I'm sticking with my... holy *expletive deleted*it! THIRTY-FIVE year old Kenmore (Sharpe carousel) microwave...

I have an old Sony microwave.  My older brother gave it to me when he got married (his daughter is in college now).  I think it dates from the late 80's.  Still works fine and does what I need. 

[K Frame]

Yep, my Kenmore does everything that I need. No sense in replacing something that is working perfectly.

[WLJ]

Not sure if there's really any bad ones out there.
Picked up an over the stove no name (seriously no name on it anywhere) from Lowes for $80 where they had them stacked up the aisle on a black Friday sale a number of years ago and it's the best microwave I've ever had. After doing some digging figured out it's made by Whirlpool.

[Kingcreek]

Amana “radar range”

My mother wanted one and father bought her one in the late 1960s
I remember neighbors coming over to see her demonstrate it by cooking a hot dog or marshmallow.

[zxcvbob]

Amana “radar range”

My mother wanted one and father bought her one in the late 1960s
I remember neighbors coming over to see her demonstrate it by cooking a hot dog or marshmallow.

It probably still works unless the timer went out.

[BobR]

Amana “radar range”

My mother wanted one and father bought her one in the late 1960s
I remember neighbors coming over to see her demonstrate it by cooking a hot dog or marshmallow.

That is what I came to say. You must be old!!!!  :)


bob

[HankB]

My "GE Spacemaker XL" microwave lasted about 22 years. I replaced it with a Frigidaire unit which is now almost 7 years old. Working well, EXCEPT if I open the door while it's running the safety interlock pops the circuit breaker. So I have to remember to push STOP first or let it run its course.

Some of the microwaves I looked at had really tiny lettering and odd controls, which is why I went with the Frigidaire. Not perfect, but the best one at the time for my needs.

[JTHunter]

My (I think) 19 year old over the range KitchenAid took a dump. Yesterday I heard a "pop" when it started, thought "what the hell?" but then it just did it's thing, and no more weird stuff until this morning when I was heating up oatmeal. Another pop, and the oatmeal came out cold. So I think this thing is done. And possibly dangerous. 

Anyway, has anyone replaced one lately? Any specific brands to avoid? I think I saw some of you posting here to avoid Samsung for appliances. Anyone else to avoid? Just perusing Best Buy, I'm seeing LGs and GEs with specs that I like. KitchenAids too, but geez are they proud of themselves. I'm seeing $250ish LGs and $800 KitchenAids.

Ben, is it possible to pull that unit and check for a blown fuse?  I've been using the same Emerson with built-in turntable for over 25 years (maybe 30+) and I have had it quit on me twice.  Both times, it turned out to be a tiny opaque ceramic fuse, the size of those old glass tube auto fuses.  The fuse sat in a pair of metal prong clips and was easy to pop out and replace.

[K Frame]

"Both times, it turned out to be a tiny opaque ceramic fuse, the size of those old glass tube auto fuses. "

That's the one I had to replace on my Kenmore back in 1994-1995 or so. Exwife and I were still together.

That's the only problem I've ever had with that microwave.

[K Frame]

"Some of the microwaves I looked at had really tiny lettering and odd controls..."

The old joke was that you had to have your neighbors kid come over to set the clock on your VCR because it was so confusing.

Even those kids threw up their hands at how confusing some of the microwaves were to do simple tasks on.

OK, to set the power level...

1. Push Enter.
2. Push Function.
3. Push Enter.
4. Push Cook Type
5. Push Enter.
6. Push Enter.
7. On the key pad, enter your power level as a function of the Kelvin to Celsius differential at the mid-point between Betulguese and the Antares Nebula
8. Push Enter
9. Jump up and down 3 times.
10. Push clear because you're bound to have *expletive deleted*ed it up.
11. Start over.

[Ben]

Sadly, good, legible lettering has become of primary importance to me as well. I think I may have settled on an LG that covers that.

I could do without the phone app and Alexa crap it comes with, but that stuff is easy enough to ignore. Still doing some research to make sure I'm reading real, not fake reviews on it.

[Tuco]

Sadly, good, legible lettering has become of primary importance to me as well. I think I may have settled on an LG that covers that.

I could do without the phone app and Alexa crap it comes with, but that stuff is easy enough to ignore. Still doing some research to make sure I'm reading real, not fake reviews on it.

Look real hard at reliability reports for LG appliances.   Their refrigerators are documented ice cold *expletive deleted*it. No experience with the nukeowaves.

[HankB]

Look real hard at reliability reports for LG appliances.   Their refrigerators are documented ice cold *expletive deleted*it. No experience with the nukeowaves.

Reliability problems with LG too? I know Samsung major kitchen appliances are widely known to be unreliable and prone to breakdowns, but I thought LG was doing it right.

[Hawkmoon]

I just replaced a 20+ year old GE with another GE. Same size (almost) and same power, but for some inexplicable reason they moved the locations of half the controls. The number pad is still a number pad, but things like Start, Pause, Add 30 seconds, Clock, and Time are all in different locations -- and the type is more difficult to read.

It works.

[Regolith]

I just replaced a 20+ year old GE with another GE. Same size (almost) and same power, but for some inexplicable reason they moved the locations of half the controls. The number pad is still a number pad, but things like Start, Pause, Add 30 seconds, Clock, and Time are all in different locations -- and the type is more difficult to read.

It works.

Yeah, they did that five or six years ago, for some inexplicable reason. I still haven't gotten used to it.

[Hawkmoon]

I just replaced a 20+ year old GE with another GE. Same size (almost) and same power, but for some inexplicable reason they moved the locations of half the controls. The number pad is still a number pad, but things like Start, Pause, Add 30 seconds, Clock, and Time are all in different locations -- and the type is more difficult to read.

It works.

I should add that I had to buy it at Lowe's (which got me a 10% veteran discount). I couldn't find anything remotely resembling a full-size, full power microwave at Walmart that didn't have a bunch of extraneous bells and whistles I would never use and didn't want to pay for. Heck, even with the "dumb" GE I never use the defrost function, I don't use any of the pre-programmed cook cycles. I put something in, punch in how long I want to nuke it, and hit Start. I rarely even use the power setting feature.

[K Frame]

" I don't use any of the pre-programmed cook cycles. I put something in, punch in how long I want to nuke it, and hit Start. I rarely even use the power setting feature."

I suspect that you are like the vast majority of other microwave users in that sense, myself included.

I remember when we got the first microwave in my family it had analog controls. A timer dial and either buttons or a dial for, IIRC, 3 power settings. Hi, medium, and low.

No defrost, no count down to nuclear launch, etc.

It came with an extremely elaborate book on microwave cookery. Appetizers through desserts.

Same thing with my nuker. Mine also came with a temperature probe. Not sure that I ever used the probe.

I tried making meatloaf in the nuker once. OMG not good. Yeah, it was cooked, but nukers don't do Maillard reaction. No Maillard reaction, none of the wonderful, deep flavors of roasted foods.

The most useful feature on my microwave is the quick on feature. Hit Quick On then a number on the pad and that's how many minutes you get at high power.

No muss, no fuss.

I rarely use defrost, I only rarely use power level settings when I'm reheating something, and I've never used the custom program cook buttons.

All in all I've done FAR more true cooking in my crockpot in the last year than I've done in the 35 or so years I've had my microwave.

[Ben]

I don't use most of the programmed buttons on the micro, but I do use a couple. I find the "melt" function works great for softening butter without it popping and splattering. Also the "dinner plate" function. Rather than nuking something on the default high setting for 5 minutes, I hit that one and it modulates the power between different levels to allow for more even cooking, so that I'm not burning my mouth with one bite, and hitting an ice cube with the next.

I actually find that the "defrost" program sucks. It seems to always lead to some actual cooking on the outside without defrosting the middle. I prefer to drop meat and stuff into a sink full of water to defrost.

The new one is coming on Thursday, so I'll probably experiment with some of the programmed buttons to see if there have been improvements over the last 20 years.

[K Frame]

"It seems to always lead to some actual cooking on the outside without defrosting the middle."

Yep. And that invariably ends up with that precooked part drying out when the real cooking takes place.

[Hawkmoon]

The most useful feature on my microwave is the quick on feature. Hit Quick On then a number on the pad and that's how many minutes you get at high power.

No muss, no fuss.

The GE (both the old one and the new one) are even easier. Up to (I think) six minutes, all I have to press is the number. For longer than that, I have to first press Cook Time, then enter the desired duration on the number pad.

[WLJ]

Mom had a very annoying GE over the range MW at the condo. Unless it knew the time, day, month, and year it wouldn't even run and every bleeping time the power blinked it cleared. Why a MW needed to know the day, month, and year just to heat up a cup of water when it didn't even display them was beyond me. And to make it even worse it had a very complicated way of setting it and she couldn't figure out to do so so every time the power blinked, and it did often at the condo, I got a phone call. Whoever designed that thing needed a visit from the Narn Bat Squad

[JTHunter]

I should add that I had to buy it at Lowe's (which got me a 10% veteran discount). I couldn't find anything remotely resembling a full-size, full power microwave at Walmart that didn't have a bunch of extraneous bells and whistles I would never use and didn't want to pay for. Heck, even with the "dumb" GE I never use the defrost function, I don't use any of the pre-programmed cook cycles. I put something in, punch in how long I want to nuke it, and hit Start. I rarely even use the power setting feature.

Pretty much the same here.  This old Emerson has the "defrost" button but it is all manually time controlled.  It does have a "power" button that I use a lot to reheat leftovers or heat up canned foods.  None of that "popcorn" button or anything like that.