Microwave went to appliance heaven!

17 years ago

Jeesh. You can't count on anything anymore. I just bought a nice Panasonic microwave, oh...about 15 years ago and the darn thing died on me yesterday. Okay, what would you get now? Another microwave or a convection or a combo (is there such a thing?). We use it quite a bit, DW especially. I like to heat up a cup-o-tea in the morning and occasionally defrost meat. Give me some ideas!

Duane

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Comments (15)

grainlady_ks
17 years ago
Sorry for your loss....

I'm the happy owner of a Sharp Convection/Microwave - it's over the stove and has a fan/filter/light (purchased at Lowe's). I loved it so much, when we moved out of a townhouse to a house, I took the new microwave in the new house out and put my used Sharp in and put the new MW in the townhouse. I'd never own a micrwave only again!

I've got brownies baking in it as I type. It's great at saving energy and time. I can bake 2 loaves of yeast bread in it in 25-minutes and NO pre-heating. I bake cookies on 12-inch pizza pans and can stack 2 pans on the wire racks. They bake in about 3/4 the recommended time. Most things will bake in 3/4-1/2 the recommended time.

It's great for defrosting a 1-pound chub of frozen grass-fed ground beef or bison. It's defrosted, not partially cook and partially frozen.

I use it for anything I'd use my regular oven for - roasting, baking, broiling, convection, and oh, yes, microwaving.

-Grainlady
lindac
17 years ago
RIP Old faithful.....
If it's not your habit to cook in the microwave.....get a $150 1600 watt whatever.
Linda C
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I'll chime in here. I have had mine in use about 7 1/2 years. They were brand new when we started looking and planning and I had a hard time the the price tag. As it turned out, using the drawer solved a lot of layout issues so we paid the $6-700 it was then, realized it was our east expensive built-in appliance, Sharp makes the best microwave ovens, and we figured the cost should go down by the time we might have to replace it and worst case we could put a small shelf unit in the space. Well, the cost hasn't gone down, I'm sorry to say, but I am not looking to replace it either. When I do, it will be with another drawer. I was pleased with how well we liked using it, found it had settings I didn't know it had and they worked well for us, and the keep warm setting gives me a second warming drawer for the craziest of times (actually used both for Thanksgiving one year when one guest was over an hour late). The drawer opening is so much better than having to bend down to see the flat front of a shelf unit or to reach in under your counter. Not having to lift out a steaming dish, set it down, stir and lift it back is so much easier. I'm tall and have bad discs in my neck, so that matters to me more than our other family members, but I don't think they'd want to change either. I'm coming up on 8 years in and I'm not going back. Point well taken about the cost of a micro plus trim kit of a built-in version that may not need the trim kit. And the only appliance you might get for less is a DW if you go basic. For a better, quieter model, you'll be in the same price range.
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So, make a niche(s) with the proper electric service and size to have a built-in put in if you really need it to sell (but I bet you won't)--if you're planning to sell within three years, get the built-ins already, but otherwise, they're going to be just so many used appliances. If yours are truly ratty, you can buy new versions of each. If you WANT a speed oven, and intend to use it as such, that's another story. Go for it! Read through the manuals, etc. But I think you'll find that it's not at all the same thing as your Breville toaster oven. You can use the convection oven settings on a speed oven to perform some of the same functions, but it's a real oven, with limitations, not a toaster that tap dances. I sometimes use my speed oven the way others use a toaster oven--mainly for heating up frozen appetizers or reheating casseroles when other ovens are full, but my old (dead) toaster oven was beloved for making great toast, which a speed oven isn't, and not for other uses. I do zap sandwiches on MW mode, and once in awhile lightly defrost or melt, but if I used a microwave more, I wouldn't have such an expensive machine doing it. I agree with putting enough thought into a remodel that it won't limit resale, because you never know what the future will bring--thus make sure there's place for built-ins to be built into--but unless it's a flip, it should be designed for your own use and enjoyment, and you used the key words "heavily use" and "love".
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momof2doxies
17 years ago
I also am sorry for your loss.

I have the same Sharp Micro/Convection that Grainlady has. I love it. Ditto everything she said.

Linda
hawk307
17 years ago
Duane:
I got a good deal at Lowes also, On a Sharp micro Wave.
Shopped around first.

I only needed a Micro Wave. I'm not doing as much cooking as the others.
And I hate all the buttons. It is Basic but still has a lot of options ( buttons )

I do a lot of pre Sauteeing of vegtables. Saves some time.

Use it to heat my coffee mostly. LOL
LOU
annie1992
17 years ago
duane, you might remember that my old microwave exploded after, oh, only about 25 years, LOL, it was an old Amana and I really liked it. On and off, that was a dial, no buttons. (grin)

Anyway, I replaced it with a General Electric I picked up at Walmart for less than $50. I don't use it for anything except making a cup of tea, warming yesterday's coffee and occasionally thawing something. It works fine and I haven't used about 90% of the buttons it has.

Annie
loagiehoagie
Original Author
17 years ago
I'm truly tossed. Grainlady and Linda (Momof2doxies)..the convection sounds wonderful. But I may just get a Kenmore that I seen advertised. 1100 watts for $59.00 on sale. With just me and the wife I don't do too much baking and the old micro was sufficient for our needs for so long.

LindaC, 1600 watts? Really? Wow...that's a lot of power baby! Thanks for your condolences too LOL.

Annie, I kind of remember that story of your 25 year old model going kaboom! Funny thing I had that same one you did and gave it to a friend who just replaced it with a new model (and he threw the old one away even though it was still working!) because his boss said he needed a new one with a popcorn button (?). He doesn't even eat popcorn..duh.

Lou, I think you're right for my needs. Just a basic, decent model should suffice. Don't feel like spending 500.00-600.00 bucks on a fancy model right now.

Thanks everyone!

Duane

Duane
coconut_nj
17 years ago
Duane don't dismiss the combos so easily. I have the Sharp Warm and Toasty and wouldn't have any other kind of microwave now. I baked a rice pudding custard in it the other night for instance, and it did a great job. Saves turning on the oven for smallish baking jobs. Also I use it all the time for reheating things that would get soggy or not do well just microwaving. Put it on 350 for 15 minutes and it's perfect for a couple slices of our homemade pizza that you don't want to turn into cardboard.

The best part is they're not expensive. I just googled it and saw prices from $89 - $139. A nobrainer to me. Smiles. We really do use ours a lot.
loagiehoagie
Original Author
17 years ago
Hey coconut! Love your handle BTW. Wow, 89.00? Now you have me thinking. I hate turning on my gas oven for a couple of pieces of pizza! Hmmmmm...going to check that out. I have always been a fan of Sharp products. Had a t.v. for 30 years that was still working when I gave it away!

Duane
busylizzy
17 years ago
My micro has seen the light and moving towards it. I set it on fire acccidently with a wire hidden when I reheated some store bought fried chicken.

Wondered how long ago you bought that micro/convention over the counter one.
I just looked at Lowes and they have none listed.
That would be great for me, one less item on the counter, my counter top convention oven, that is.
hawk307
17 years ago
Duane:
I would Google it and see what you come up with.
Don't forget the Shipping !!!
OFF TOPIC:
You shouldn't heat Pizza or Bread products in the Micrro,
I toughens to Dough.

I baste with water and put it in the Toaster Oven a few minutes.
If you don't have a Toaster oven or Connvection put it under the Broiler a few minutes.
Heats up like fresh baked.

The Micro I bought, has a 16 inch Glass turntable.
Good Luck, LOU
loagiehoagie
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks Lou, I would never order something like a microwave over the internet unless the shipping was free. I seen at Amazon the shipping costs darn near as much as the product! I don't think so. The Sharp Warm and Toasty might be too small for me, but I'm not sure. And any 89.00 price I seen was a refurbished model, and I have never had good luck buying a refurbished anything. Going out to Sears and Target in the next couple of days, and maybe Walmart. I hate Walmart, but I could bite the bullet if they have the best deal.

Duane
CA Kate z9
17 years ago
I have a GE combo, it is my 3rd. You say there are only two of you. The convection oven part is great to bake/roast those smaller- meal portions that you now use the big oven for. I also find myself using it when the clan is here as that desperately needed extra oven. Don't discount it's usefulness just because you don't "bake".

However, they are significantly more expensive AND may need more cabinet room if it's built-in AND it may need heat guards to meet new regulations.
Lars
17 years ago
Last week-end we went to Circuit City and they had microwave ovens there at 70% off in the going out of business sale. If you have a CC near you, you might want to visit their sale. They had a bunch of MW at the one near me in Culver City. It was sad to go to the sale, but I bought a 22" Samsung flat screen monitor for $209. I seldom use a MW, and so I didn't look at them, but the ones I saw were $45.

Lars
azzalea
17 years ago
Costs a little more, but I have to say that the GE Advantium is an appliance worth its weight in gold. Having had one for the past 10 years, I could NEVER go back to a regular microwave. Would be like trading in my range for a wood stove.

The Advantium uses microwaves and halogen lights. You can straight microwave in it for defrosting and reheating leftovers. But you can actually bake, broil and brown in it as well. A REAL baked potato (not a steamed nuked one) with nice crisp skin takes only 8 minutes. A nicely cooked casserole with a golden brown topping takes about 12 minutes. You can reheat pizza and have it come out crisp and delicious. You can bake a pan of cookies in 4 minutes. Individual cheesecakes (baked in those silicone muffin cups) are also done in 4 minutes.

Worth the price.

If you do decide to buy a regular microwave oven, don't overspend on it--you should be able to find one for $50 or less. Look around at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. I live in one of the highest cost of living areas in the country, and there are plenty of models for that price in the stores.
loagiehoagie
Original Author
17 years ago
Well, update on the microwave debate. I thought hard about the convection oven since it really seems like a good thing. But since I use my Traeger smoker grill for most meats I wasn't sure if I would use it that much or not. Well, long story short (kinda)...I went to Walmart..(hate Walmart LOL,...but they didn't have a good selection in-store and nothing appealed to me), then Target and they had a couple that weren't bad, but no real deals. So I stopped at Sears on my way back home and when I seen it music played, light shone from above....well..maybe not exactly..but it grabbed me from 100 ft away. It was a Kenmore stainless microwave/pizza oven combo! I have looked for years at pizza ovens on e-bay and thought about it, but then wouldn't know where to put it and it would end up in the basement on a shelf. This has a pizza drawer under the oven big enough for a 12" pizza. Can also use it to heat up frozen type foods as well. Bottom line: I'm happy. I guess that's all that matters. It was on sale for $179.00, so not cheap, but it seems solid, is heavy as heck and a nice size.

Duane

Microwave went to appliance heaven!

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