Microwave recommendations?

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UncleS2

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Mom's old microwave is on its last legs- it's 0.7 cu ft w/turntable, bought new July '02, turntable makes bad noises sometimes, noise will quit & return intermittently. Probably gonna have *Lots* of people in for Thanksgiving this year, & it occurred to me that a suddenly dead MW would be a big inconvenience. Bigger, w/more power, would be better too.

Been looking online, the Inverter tecnology looks promising, seems mostly on Panasonic models. Nice, but we could probably live without it. Anyone know of a good deal on a *White*(she's 81 yrs old & wants white, no black or stainless MWs need apply!
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)countertop microwave, from about 1.3 to a little over 2 cu ft? Semi-local stores(all 25-35 miles away) include WalMart, Lowe's, Home Depot, Best Buy, Sears, Sears Hometown, Ace Hardware, K-Mart, maybe a few others I can't think of or never thought of. Prefer to buy one "In Person" vs online, but might order for the right deal.

If you know of something good, please post, and TIA.
 
I have been very satisfied with a Panasonic "inverter" model that I bought in 2001. Mine is a 1300 W model, which was impressive in 2001 but common now. The inverter feature is nice if you use power levels 1-4 frequently. I do, but maybe it's because of the equipment I have.

The one problem is that the door is made of a different plastic than the bezel and it is yellowing faster. Perhaps it has lasted longer than the designers intended.
 
So the Inverter power feature is useful mainly for lower power settings? Don't use that a whole lot, almost never set it below about 60%. I'll have to make an expedition some evening soon to see what's in the stores. They all list things online they don't have in-store, or even sell themselves. Ex: WM has most of the Panasonic models from 3rd party seller, no free ship to store.
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OK, right now I'll look at anything decent sized & white, with strong leanings toward Amana & Panasonic! Thanks, & y'all keep those cards & letters coming in.
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Oh yeah- fwiw,the old one is an Emerson, bought on sale for $40 8 yrs ago. Fortunately, with its power level burning things has never been a problem.
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I have a circa 1990 Pannasonic microwave that works great.

I plan on replacing it with a new model Pannasonic in the near future since the touch pad has holes in it.
 
Since you plan to buy it for your mom do not get to many new features. She may not like a lot of changes. Only buy what she is comfortable with. I have a 10 year old Whirlpool with all the features and it works great. When you reheat bread of any kind use 40% power for a few seconds. I heat cheese curds at 40% power for 5 to 10 seconds and it is great.
 
Originally Posted By: Stu_Rock
I have been very satisfied with a Panasonic "inverter" model that I bought in 2001. Mine is a 1300 W model, which was impressive in 2001 but common now. The inverter feature is nice if you use power levels 1-4 frequently. I do, but maybe it's because of the equipment I have.

The one problem is that the door is made of a different plastic than the bezel and it is yellowing faster. Perhaps it has lasted longer than the designers intended.

I think we have the same one except ours is black, so you don't see any uneven coloring. It's been great. It is also much lighter than a traditional microwave, but if you don't move it around, I guess it doesn't really matter.
 
I'm taking Mom for the Great Microwave Expedition tomorrow afternoon. Planned stops, in order(by geography, will stop when she finds one she likes!), are WalMart, Lowes, Home Depot, Sears, Best Buy- if she hasn't found one by then
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maybe K-Mart & Target.
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Also gotta get a queen size air matress/air bed for the extra family members coming for Thanksgiving. Academy has an identical Coleman about $7 less than WalMart, it's right on the way, we'll probably get it there.

I cleaned up the old MW tonight, will donate it & a Christmas tree to Salvation Army or Women's Shelter store, they can get a few $ for it. Who knows, that old MW might last a couple more years.

Then dinner at Luby's Cafeteria- Mom loves Luby's- and drive her, her new MW, & Cookie the Wonder Dog back home.

Thanks for all the good advice. Wish me luck!
 
Since the OP has already decided, I think I'll share a story about a Radarrange.

My grandmother, who recently turned 80, has been using a 1967/1968 model Radarrange since she bought it new. A few months ago, she had a pacemaker installed and the doctor recommended she get a fully shielded microwave. As it turns out, she had stashed in her attic a brand-new in the box Whirlpool (I think) with a cavernous inside that will hold a small turkey. She won it in a raffle in 1983 and kept it ever since. It must be shielded with lead, because that thing is HEAVY. Anyway, I wish I had a picture of the old one. After forty plus years of daily use, the thing still functioned perfectly. She had a yard sale last month and sold it. I'm sure it's got another decade or two in it.
 
We haven't left yet, but soon. I can advise or suggest, but she will decide- probably opposite of whatever I say! It occurred to me that if she got a big one, we might cook a ham 2-3 days before TG & then warm it in the new MW on TG morning. The oven runs out of room pretty quick, it's always a real juggling act with the turkey, dressing, rolls, etc.


Yup, some of 'em last a long time- first MW she had, my youngest brother got for her about 1986- Panasonic? When we took it to the Salvation Army in 02 it still worked well. But over 40 year must be a record! I suspect that the new ones aren't built like tanks, as that old RadarRange was. Still, I've noticed that there are lots of reports of early deaths with inverter Panasonics, almost no one says anything bad about the new Amanas, & people seem to love 'em.
 
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Well, the nice thing about the old ones was the absence of electonic controls. The only controls on the 1967 were a defrost button, a full power button, and a timing dial. That's it. All mechanical switches. Nothing to break.
 
Back from the great Microwave quest. What a bust! There were only a very few contenders overall, only one possible for take it home, we returned w/no new MW. I went to every store listed above- even KMart & Target
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- I feel like I've been walked half to death. For microwave choices, I found KMart & Best Buy a complete waste of time, Sears *very* disappointing, Target not much.

Amana site lists Sears, HD, Lowes as dealers in Longview- in all 3 stores, not a single Amana countertop model. Zip. Scratch Amana off the list.

White is 3rd color choice these days, greatly reduced choices if you want white. The one possibility to take home I saw in-store- both Lowe's & HD had a big white GE countertop microwave: 2.0 cu ft, 16" dia glass turntable platter, 1200 W, Sensor cooking(but not inverter)- $149 at Lowe's, about 98 cents more at HD. I can't find a single review on the web on this model: GE #JES2051DNWW. We almost went back & brought one home. Might still go get one.

The other main contender- WalMart had a Panasonic 2.2 cu ft stainless for $159.xx. The same model is available through WM, online order only, in white, for $155.xx, free ship to store, maybe free ship to home. Link: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10098017

There's also a white version of the Panasonic 1.6 cu ft available too for ~$130.

Right now it looks like we'll probably order the Panasonic. Let's say, 55% order Panny, 45% go back & buy the GE.

Oh yeah- if you're looking for something cheap- Home Depot had piles of stainless Magic Chef MWs- a 1.6 cu ft for $79.xx, and if you want really small & cheap, a 0.7? .8? cu ft for $29.xx!

If I was buying something for myself- I'd probably get that $80 Magic Chef.
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I found some reviews for the GE after all- at Lowe's site. Most of them make the big GE sound like a bad bet. So I ordered the 2.2 cu ft white Panasonic from WM(included free shipping to house!), should arrive in a week or less. For me, the microwave hunt is over. Thank goodness!

And thanks to all for your help & suggestions.
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I think you made a good choice. Free shipping to home is always a good deal. I literally hate wandering all over town to find what I want, so shop at and deliver to home is always a good deal for me.

Hope your Mom enjoys the Panasonic.
 
Originally Posted By: Stuart Hughes
I suspect that the new ones aren't built like tanks, as that old RadarRange was. Still, I've noticed that there are lots of reports of early deaths with inverter Panasonics, almost no one says anything bad about the new Amanas, & people seem to love 'em.


We received our new white Amana RadarRange shipped from AJ Madison in Brooklyn. You say they may not be built like a tank, but as compared to our black (changing because of color scheme in our kitchen, not operation) Kenmore, this is as much if not more of a unit than that one is.

Solid, well built, nice machine. Can't complain.

I have to wonder if the large number of early deaths on panasonics is due to cost cutting for Wal-Mart. I seriously would NOT doubt it... beware.
 
It might be- but I doubt it. In my crash-course MW research over several days, the one big serious complaint I saw across the board, no matter what brand, was early death. It may very well be that the Inverter tech causes more problems/dead MWs in the long run. Seeking reviews, I saw on an appliance tech forum one guy who was sure that low line voltage had killed his, by first almost stoppong the cooling fan which allowed the mtron etc to overheat. If anything, our line voltage is usually a bit high, I've measured it at 135 volts before! Still, if she can get only 5 years out of this one I'll be happy enough. I downloaded the manual, & while it has lotsa bells & whistles, they can easily be ignored, so Mom can just punch in time & start.
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BUT: If it should die PDQ you can bet I'll rant about it back here! (And then maybe try to talk her into ordering an Amana.
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)

Did you get the nice big 2.0 cu ft Amana? Hope it works out well for years to come. From what I saw in stores, you & I may be the only ones buying white microwaves!
 
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