A Reliable Microwave Recommendation

karenestelle on 31/08/2019 - 17:32
Last edited 01/09/2019 - 01:26 by 1 other user

We bought two Sharp - R350EW - Microwave Ovens (one for my mother and one for hubby & I) 2 1/2 years ago. Hers died one week ago when it caught fire when food was in it. Ours died today with it sparking so we quickly turned it off. I am really disappointed with this brand and have no confidence in them. So wondering what others have had that they can recommended. Nothing too basic but don't need a lot of bells and whistles in size 32 litre upwards. Not looking for Aldi or Kmart brand. Is there a brand that lasts longer than others? I'm looking at paying up to $300. Thanks for your advice.

Electrical & Electronics Microwave Oven

Comments

  • holdenmg on 31/08/2019 - 17:45

    I use this:
    the Quick Touch Microwave Stainless Steel BMO735BSS
    https://www.myer.com.au/p/breville-the-quick-touch-microwave…

    • brad1-8tsi on 02/09/2019 - 10:06

      I'm minding one of those for a friend while they are overseas and it's really good. I've had it a year. I'm not sure when they bought it.

  • spackbace on 31/08/2019 - 17:54
    +2

    Pretty sure the LG Neochef is the ozbargain microwave of choice. My last LG lasted about 8-9yrs, and I've seen LG microwaves get a thrashing in a cafe

    • Kaz0551 on 31/08/2019 - 20:48

      I bought one last week. Hope they are as good as the number of ozbagainers buying them!

  • Zeusy on 31/08/2019 - 19:29

    Panasonic multi function from bing lee online, mine is fabulous and under $300

  • boomramada on 31/08/2019 - 20:15

    Panasonic last for years but you meant to upgrade them eventually. ie more you use it, less powerful it gets over time.

    • spackbace on 31/08/2019 - 20:20
      +2

      Panasonic's cool down feature is annoying

  • wolffram on 31/08/2019 - 20:41

    I've had my Panasonic for 16 years…

  • danield on 31/08/2019 - 20:46

    Just through my old ALDI microwave out in hard rubbish last week, still working perfectly fine. Would have been over 10 years old. Was the only reason i through it out, cause she made me do math cause i already had it when we first met.

    • Numpty21 on 31/08/2019 - 20:50
      +2

      Threw

      • danield on 31/08/2019 - 21:41
        +1

        correct

  • scrimshaw on 31/08/2019 - 21:09

    I've had my Kmart Home maker brand for around 8 years and decided that it was time to retire it when kept making arcing sounds whenver it wasn't being used.

    Replaced it 4 months ago with a Kogan 32L Stainless steel convection oven with a 'grill'., works fine so far. The only underwhelming part of it is the quote-unquote grill, which really takes a long time to cook even a sausage roll. As a standard microwave it does it's job.

  • Australianjim on 31/08/2019 - 21:40

    I got one that doesn't have a turntable just a flat ceramic bottom and it still heats really evenly. It's great because it's much easier to clean. :)

  • omguleh on 01/09/2019 - 08:05
    +1

    Panasonic, but my last one i bought a Brevile (looks nicer) and has been good for the last 4-5 years.

  • try2bhelpful on 01/09/2019 - 10:33

    We got a Whirlpool convection one and it would be well over 10 years old now. Convection ones allow you to use it as a standard oven as well as a microwave. Really good for doing small batches of pastries or pizzas.

  • 2048addict on 01/09/2019 - 13:20

    Checkout Choice's 2019 Microwave Review.

    These are the recommended models. The standout for me is no 9 - the Kmart model which is $48 and outperforms some much more expensive ones. I'm off to get one to replace my 10 year old giant Panasonic which has a really annoying (and wasteful) cooling function as Spaceback already mentioned.

    1. Sharp R231ZS - 90%
    2. LG MS4266OBS - 89%
    3. LG NeoChef MS2336DB - 89%
    4. Breville The Quick Touch BMO735 - 89%
    5. LG MS2596OB - 87%
    6. Sharp R240YS - 87%
    7. LG MS4296OSS - 86%
    8. Kmart Anko 20L microwave - 85%
    9. LG MS4266OSS - 84%
    10. Miele M 6262 TC -
    11. Breville The Quick Touch Compact BMO625BSS - 80%
    12. Sharp R210DW - 80%
    • julesio on 28/09/2019 - 17:04

      I’m definitely going Kmart then. Curse it not being stainless steel though. Purely superficial.

  • AncientWisdom on 01/09/2019 - 21:01

    I've had a Panasonic Inverter one for a long time (at heart 6-7 years). Cooling feature doesn't bother me, if I don't want it to run I leave the door slightly ajar.

  • brad1-8tsi on 02/09/2019 - 10:15

    I've had good runs out of Panasonic and have a 15 year old unit that still works.

    I did buy a Smeg convection microwave from The Good Guys for approx $800 when at the old house and left it behind. It caught fire at 3 years old. My ex-wife who is generally lazy on warranty claims went skitzo on TGG and Smeg and demanded a replacement. As a compromise they repaired it but it took 6 months of negotiation. Thankfully the body of the microwave contained the bulk of the fire and didn't set the kitchen cupboard on fire.

    I scrap a lot of microwaves as a side hustle and the cheap Target / K-Mart / Big-W units are always on the side of the road. The internals are cheap and nasty. The transformers are 100% aluminium windings

  • lightfoot on 03/09/2019 - 22:01

    OP, I know you said you're not looking for a Kmart microwave. But my cheap Kmart microwave has lasted (and still going strong (touch wood)) than any other microwave I've bought.

  • nick90 on 04/10/2019 - 08:57

    My White Panasonic inverter microwave has been kicking strong since 2012. Great Microwave but the cooling down feature is so bloody annoying (since it got an inverter).

    My next Microwave will be a Stainless Steel Sasmsung since (as far as I'm aware) Samsung is one of the few brands that still uses a traditional transformer rather than a inverter.

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