OT: Microwave recommendations

[farmer boy]

The 20 year old Sanyo has been making some odours that are better off not coming from a microwave so I'm looking for a new one. Right now I'm looking at Panasonic. Just looking for something that would last 1/2 as long as the Sanyo. Any recommendations?
 

[woodbutcher]

Our last one was a good one for 15 years. I believe it was a Kenmore. Somehow, it would heat the food and not the container. But we replaced it with a Sharp. Seems like there"s no way to heat the food sufficiently without superheating the container.
Butch
 

[VernMI]

You are on the right track with the Panasonic 1250 watt with the inverter technology for thawing.
 

[dave2]

I like the KISS ones (keep it simple stupid)... 2 nobs and a pushbutton. One to set the heat (?) and one to set the timer and a button to open the door... Anything more and it's an invitation to microwave tv dinners and a big a$s I don't think that brand is important anymore.... We replaced a fancy german labeled one that went TU with a 50 buck chinese one that was just as fancy and has lasted longer so far....
 

[LJD]

My Sharp microwave is over 20 years old and still works fine. It's a crap shoot. A new Sharp might be dead in a year.

I just bought a new Panasonic Inverter micorwave for my motorhome. I love it. Can't say how long it will last though.

I have no idea why they named it "inverter." It does work like no other though. A standard microwave- regardless of heat setting - runs full throttle, off, full throttle, off, etc. This new "Inverter" Panasonic runs steady at any setting. It truly has a variable heat range. Other microwaves do not. I just ran a bunch of amp draw tests on one. At low heat - I ran for 5 minutes and it drew 5 amps steady. I did the same on a new Samsung (not inverter) and at low heat - it drew 14.5 amps, then zero, then 14.5 amps, etc.
 

[Indiana Ken]

I have a Sharp Half Pint that was a giveaway to me over ten years ago. The previous owner used it at least that long. It has one knob to set the time and a door that's it. It is going in the shop when I up date my kitchen. I like this machine since it has lower power (only one setting) than the fancie schmanie models and does not blow up the beans when I heat a bowl of chili. I will look at Sharp when I shop for a new one.
 

[Sean Feeney]

Bought a Magic Chef lasted 13 months just out of warranty they said they have a new board design
wanted about $20 less for repair then i paid new.
Just as John stated crab shoot
 

[Billy Shafer]

I bought a Sanyo lasted six months. Before it went up in smoke. Drug out my old giant Sharp Carousel II. Doesn't rotate anymore only got one powers setting left. But it still heats without blowing things up.
 

[Inno]

The inverter units (Panasonic) use an inverter to change the high voltage for high, med. and low unlike conventional units which always use high power but turn it on and off depending on what power level you select. I guess you could say the inverters are more accurate and will thaw your food better rather than cook it.

If your containers are getting hot in the microwave it's the container, not the microwave. Microwaves excite water moelcules in the container thus making it hot. I have some coffee mugs that stay cool to the touch in the micro but the coffee is hot and others that will burn my lips if I microwave them.
 

[LJD]

There is no inverter that I know of. The Panasonic "Inverter" microwave uses a pulse width modulation converter to provide steady heat.
 

[Jerry Coulter]

I bought a new Sharp Carousel for Christmas 1977 and still use it. And I have a back up unit. Wife I married in 1996 has one like it.
 

[sd pete]

I have a 3 year old Emerson. I have no complaints about it. Wally world special.
 

[Inno]

[d beatty]

We bought our very first microwve in 1982 (Panasonic) and it lasted 18 years. The second one was a Sharpes and it is 12 years old and starting to give us some trouble.We will replace it with one of these two brands. In our house the microwave gets more use than anything else in thr kitchen.
 

[RGMartin]

I bought a new Panasonic when I started my first real job in 1995, my first "big ticket" purchase. It is starting to rust out in the corners of the body inside. It has gotten to the point where I refuse to clean it anymore for fear of finding a hole.

A new Panasonic is on my Christmas list.