OMGoodness, I didn't know mw ovens were unreliable. Don't tell my microwave! LOL I would consider my it about the most reliable appliance in my kitchen. Right up there with my KA dishwasher. Mine is a countertop GE purchased at Lowes in 2006. Was telling my husband just the other day that I wish it would die so I could get a new fancier one, but maybe I don't! :o

The previous owners of our condo in four short years managed to annihilate all appliances except for two: Bosch microwave and Bosch dishwasher. Both were manufactured in the early 2000s. We kept the dishwasher, but the microwave was pretty greasy and dirty (OTR) so it went to one of our construction workers and will hopefully give them a few more years!

I didn't think the most difficult task in the remodel would be finding a microwave that will last more than a few years. We bought our house 5 years ago, and it still has the original Jennair appliances that were installed when it was built in 1999. And, they all still work...some better than others. But that seems to be a rarety now. Reading reviews is like reading horror stories (I exaggerate). Most of the 5-star reviews are from people who recently purchased their microwaves and have very little experience using them, My biggest concern is how many bad reviews I see from folks who have owned the appliances less than a year. It seems that, in their quest to provide good looks and fancy buttons, companies have sacrificed quality of the basic functionality. From flimsy door latches to failing magnetrons, I've seen so many issues, I might consider just building a fire in the backyard. LOL!

Sharp makes a lot of the built in and/or drawer MW for others. The Miele is made by Sharp in the UK. Countertop units are another story, many of those are very low end and made in China

I’ve never had a problem with a microwave - old or new.

These large microwave ovens are recommended by CR and trim kits are available for them:

• Panasonic NN-SN966S with trim kit
• LG LMC1575ST with trim kit

The Panasonic performed a bit better but the LG brand has higher predicted reliability.

Countertop microwave ovens are considered a throwaway appliance being that a new one can be had for $40 and up depending on the size and features.

OTR and built-in units are more $$$ and thus marginally less throwaway but parts are typically very quickly NLA.

We’ve had our GE OTR for 25 years. Still going strong.

The GE OTR the builder put in my house died after 16 years. Only a few miscellaneous parts available, no control boards or other major items. I hate OTRs but there's very little countertop space. Got another GE to simplify the swap but still had to drill a new access route for the power cord.

Thank you all for your comments. I think @Buehl is right. Most people aren't inclined to write reviews when everything works as expected. But, I agree that most people feel the need to share their frustrations. I'll make sure to consider that when making my decision.

Our Whirlpool over the stove microwave is still going after 11 years, but does have a trim piece that broke far too easily. A lot of family members had some of the older Kenmore mw from the early 2000s and they are just being replaced. I will say though, in my department, we have 4 Whirlpool mws from 2015, and 2 of them stopped working after 4 years of normal use. Quite disappointing!

I had a GE OTR that has been working well for 15 years. It is the Profile line from Home Depot, so not the highest in the offerings. I think what unnecessarily drives up the prices is brand and features that most of us never use.

I too am looking for a built in microwave or a counter top and can buy a trim kit. Problem is the older ones were made to last and the new stuff is JUNK... Anyone have any ideas for a built in microwave.???. I am getting the GE monogram wall oven and just need a micro wave to go on top...Name does not matter but want one that will last and not beak in a year of two. PLEASE HELP thanks Ellen

I just replaced a 15 year old Panasonic that worked perfectly, but the door wouldn't latch unless you slammed it shut like 10 times. Waiting for it to die was getting on my nerves. I ordered a Panasonic NN-SD78LS from Amazon (delivered in 3 days), & I'm very impressed with the Sensor Cook feature. It cooks even better than the old model did. I use it routinely to cook oatmeal, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, pot pies, nachos. I've yet to see if the defrost feature has improved, though. It has a dial for setting cooking time or making menu selections. It's faster than pushing buttons to cycle through menus -- nice.