Chelita, there is no Viking vmo205. I'm going to assume you meant Viking VMOC205 convection microwave. But please do not use all capital letters in your post, as it is considered YELLING.

The Viking VMOC205 is a re-badged Sharp R-930CS. Both microwaves offer convection, 1.5 cu. ft., 1450 convection watts and 900 microwave watts. The Viking model sells for $930-1200 online. The Sharp model sells for about $500. The only difference between the two models is the Viking badge and the prettier door on the Viking (though the control panel is the same). The insides are the same. If the door is important to you, and perhaps you want to match the badge of the Viking MW with a Viking range for example, then you will want to pay the higher price for it. Both machines will perform the same. Most microwaves these days are considered "disposable" items, meaning the manufacturers build them to last 3-5 years. The Viking/Sharp convection microwave will do a nice job of microwaving. The convection function of any microwave is a nice convenience, but don't expect it to bake like an oven.

Viking VMOC205 Convection MW = $1200

Sharp R-930CS Convection MW= $500

Does anyone know if the trim kit for the R-930cs will match the Viking VMOC205?

Do you mean "match" as far as fit, or "match" as far as the stainless color? I would be willing to bet that the answer is yes in both cases. I doubt that Sharp sources different stainless for the Viking than they do for the Sharp. Even if they did, I bet they would sell the same trim kit for both - no badging on either. Could be wrong though. I have the Sharp version and the trim kit. There's no way I would pay the extra $500-700 for the Viking badge on something like a micro. As akchicago mentioned, they're just not typically built for the long haul. I just hope that if my Sharp conks out, I can get another one to fit that same space/trim kit. The fact that Sharp has been making that same model for some time gives me some confidence.

Dean

Akchicago, I followed your links because I am planning on the Sharp R-930cs but haven't been able to see one in person yet. I started looking for Sharp convection/microwaves when I was contemplating the Viking oven and the saleman told me theirs were Sharps.

BUT - when I looked at the specs for the two units on the links above, it listed the watts for the Viking as 1450 and for the Sharp at 900 - really my only concern about the Sharp, since I have had them for years.

My husband, an electrical engineer tells me that more watts means quicker cooking. We decided we could live with under 1000 watts but it will be our first mw under that figure. Am I missing something? They don't seem like identical units if the wattage is that different.

Just wondering.

CapeCodGramma - as I mentioned in my post above, "Both microwaves offer convection, 1.5 cu. ft., 1450 convection watts and 900 microwave watts." ALL convection microwaves have two different wattage measurements, one for microwave cooking and one for convection cooking. I don't know where you looked at the specs, but from your post it appears that you only saw the convection wattage for the Viking, and the microwave wattage for the Sharp. The Sharp R-930CS and the Viking VMOC205 are identical except for the door. Both have 1450 convection watts and 900 microwave watts.

CapeCodGramma - I also want to add that if you haven't seen the Sharp R-930CS in person, you should before buying. Any convection microwave will have a significantly smaller interior space than a non-convection microwave. That is because the convection element takes up a lot of room. As noted, the Sharp/Viking has 1.5 cu. ft. Make sure you are comfortable with that interior space before buying.

You should also look at the Panasonic Genius Prestige countertop convection MW. It is a nicer-looking MW, and the inverter technology is a bit better.

You may also want to consider the GE Advantium which has microwave, convection and speedcook functions. I don't have one, but I have read so many threads on this forum from people who have them and love them, as they're more like having a second oven, superior to just a convection microwave. The Advantiums come in two styles, the 120V and the 240V. The general agreement is that the 240V is better, but pricey to buy, about $1800, and you need the wiring for the 240V. The 120V version costs less. But both need to be mounted either as wall ovens or over the range, not countertop. I don't know what your kitchen set-up is like, but I wanted to make you aware of these choices.

akchicago, you are absolutely right - it was right there in front of me. Sorry.

My only excuse is dizziness from trying to choose ALL new appliances at the same time as finalize a plan for a gut/remodel of one-third of our house. Have spent hours online, several trips to stores (hard to compare here on Cape Cod), consumer reports, and most of all, GW forums. You guys are a great help! I wish there was a standardized format for listing specs!

Tomorrow, we order everything. I am not too concerned about the size of the Sharp R930CS - we actually have a similar sized one in our other house, which we will be selling soon, I hope.

I am planning on buying a Bosch trim kit for the Sharp microwave. Hope that works!

I really really appreciate everyone's input.

When I designed my kitchen I realized that microwave ovens are short-life items, and decided that the way to get an inexpensive oven to fit in my Viking kitchen was to put it in a Viking microwave chamber. That way, when the chamber door was down, the microwave disappeared into the wall and the kitchen would be all Viking.

Boy, was that a mistake! That $900 chamber was poorly designed and Viking won't support it after the warranty ends. After 3 years the gas struts gave out, so the door drooped. $350 to have those replaced by stronger struts. Guess what? Another year and a half and the hinge gives out from metal fatigue. The strut attachment snapped right off.

Of course, the repairman wants almost $400 to replace one hinge, and Viking won't compensate for a poorly design.

So, if you decide on a $900 microwave chamber, be aware that it could fail early and often. It seems my Panasonic microwave has outlasted the damn chamber!