Panasonic "cyclonic inverter" microwave

[Joe1]

My last Panasonic "inverter" microwave lasted 15 years. I honestly had no idea what the inverter did. When that oven died, l replaced it with a non-inverter oven.
The new oven only lasted two years. What l noticed was especially when defrosting, the edges became hot while middle was cold. The old Panasonic handled it much better.

I decided to do a bit of research when buying a new oven. I now understand what an inverter does. Basically, if you set it at power level 5, it runs constantly at 50% power. Standard microwaves handle this scenario by alternating between full power and no power.

As l was doing research, l saw that there was a "cyclonic inverter" that distributed the microwave energy more evenly. l paid a bit more and got the "cyclonic inverter" model. It is by far the best microwave l have used in terms of cooking and defrosting evenly. I always thought that microwave ovens were a commodity item, but this new Panasonic really impresses me.

Many microwaves nowadays are outsourced to a ghost manufacturer. Panasonic, Samsung, and LG are amongst the few brands that still make their own.

 

[GSCJR]

My parents still have the very first microwave they ever bought in 1986(?) by Panasonic, it's called "The Genius", and it gets used daily.

I repaired it for them once a few weeks ago, it needed an interior light bulb. I ordered a genuine Panasonic bulb online; it was the identical bulb, which was still available after all these years.

I've also noticed, that most institutions, that have a microwave for heavy usage are often made by Panasonic. Commercial kitchens, cafeterias, food courts etc.

As a side note, our LG is about 25 years old with light usage, and our Frigidaire is 22 years old with regular usage. Both work flawlessly and have never required any service.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I had a Panasonic Inverter version. I got it because it was one of the few countertop ones that fit in my kitchen and held the one casserole dish my wife uses often and spins it. Something shorted out on it and I was just under the magnetron warranty. Panasonic gave me full credit to get a new one so I got the same one. I bought the extended warranty for it at the same time. 1 month before the warranty was up it died also. PC Richards covered it and I got new model of the inverter Panasonic. It works great multiple times daily. The new one has a different keypad setup with a dial, we don't like it as much as the old keypad. The defrosting when needed works well without cooking edges. Footprint is the same, still wife's casserole dish.

If this one dies a new Panasonic Inverter is about the only thing I may look at.

 

[k1xv]

My primary microwave oven is a Panasonic inverter bought in 2003 and still working perfectly. I have a second one in my man cave that is about 10 years old, and also working perfectly. I had other brands that never lasted more than 8 years. A friend had a Panasonic that was retired after being in service about 30 years. I will only buy and recommend Panasonic microwave ovens.

 

[benjamming]

We bought a new microwave a few months ago to replace Sharp from circa 1998. We bought a Toshiba model EM131A5C-BS for $110 + tax. We thought about the Panasonic NN-SD975S but it was >$400. This was according to review by Serious Eats.

I don't think Samsung or LG make their own magnetrons. I think Panasonic & Toshiba are about the only ones that do. I could be mistaken on that though.

 

[Joe1]

We bought a new microwave a few months ago to replace Sharp from circa 1998. We bought a Toshiba model EM131A5C-BS for $110 + tax. We thought about the Panasonic NN-SD975S but it was >$400. This was according to review by Serious Eats.

I don't think Samsung or LG make their own magnetrons. I think Panasonic & Toshiba are about the only ones that do. I could be mistaken on that though.

My recent research indicates Samsung and LG do make their own magnetrons, but l cannot verify the accuracy of what l read online.

Midea now owns Toshiba appliances and manufactures their microwaves. They also manufacture for GE, Whirlpool, Sharp, and others.

 

[researcher]

While we're talking microwaves.. Who makes Walmart's house brand of microwaves, Mainstays? Just got one from them and it may not be as perfect as the old Panasonic it's extremely close, excellent results..

 

[Raptor1]

Funny this thread just came up, I also just bought a Panasonic. Mine is the cheap one from Target, but I opened it up and it was definitely designed and built by Midea, not Panasonic. Every circuit board has Midea's logo on it. The magnetron is from Witol, another Chinese company that says on their website that they learned magnetron technology by contract manufacturing for Sanyo, now a subsidiary of Panasonic. Witol is now the world's number one manufacturer of magnetrons. I also know Panasonic had nothing to do with it because it uses parts that Panasonic still makes (capacitors, etc) from other brands.

The Panasonic/Midea is fine, build quality is good for $170 and it cooks well. My only complaints are that the Sensor Reheat cooks too long on the lowest setting and it only goes down to about 40% power--setting power below that make it cycle on and off at that 40% level. I don't know if all inverter ovens are like that.

I'm very curious if Midea makes Panasonic's high-end models as well, and I suspect they do, but would love someone to confirm. If so, it sounds like Panasonic is almost out of the microwave business, and that's very sad because in the 90s, Panasonic was a microwave powerhouse, highly vertically integrated with a lot of parts manufacturing and assembly in local markets, like the US. Japanese companies took over the electronics world in the 70s and 80s by contract manufacturing for Western brands, absorbing and refining their technology, and then introducing it under their own brands and destroying the hollowed-out Western companies. It's a real shame to see the Japanese "fall for" the exact same thing--remember that Panasonic willingly gave magnetron tech to Witol, who they apparently can't compete with now, all to save a buck.

 

[Joe1]

I'm very curious if Midea makes Panasonic's high-end models as well, and I suspect they do, but would love someone to confirm. If so, it sounds like Panasonic is almost out

My limited research indicated Midea makes some of the Panasonic non-inverter models.

 

[Raptor1]

Oh I didn't mention, mine is an inverter. So the low-end inverter models at least are made by Midea.

 

[ripcord]

Love our Panasonic inverter microwave if only for the defrost setting. Meat comes out evenly defrosted without any over cooked hotspots.

 

[goblin]

Panasonic and Zojirushi are the two brands I'd still trust in my kitchen.

Our LG microwave (LG LTM9000ST) also works like a champ (20 years old now), it's a pitty its built in toaster stopped working years ago and I'm too much of a muggle to figure out how to fix it.

We fed the whole family toast with this thing day in and day out, kids didn't know separate toasters existed as they grew around it.

 

[andrew_j]

I love our drawer in built Pansonic that has inverter. It actually has steady low and does not pulse food at extreme temp rapidly like the less expensive models do.

 

[Arc]

Panasonic and Zojirushi are the two brands I'd still trust in my kitchen.

Our LG microwave (LG LTM9000ST) also works like a champ (20 years old now), it's a pitty its built in toaster stopped working years ago and I'm too much of a muggle to figure out how to fix it.


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We fed the whole family toast with this thing day in and day out, kids didn't know separate toasters existed as they grew around it.

I didn't know such an animal even existed. I want one now.

 

[GSCJR]

I didn't know such an animal even existed.

+1

 

[SOUNDMAN5000]

Going back to my retail days ( Sears and Circuit City) in the 90's it was well known Panasonic made the very best Microwave with perhaps Sharp being in 2nd place but not a close 2nd ... People who know always purchased Panasonic, everything from TV's to camcorders or cordless home phones! I miss all those Made In Japan ( Not China ) Panasonic Products of yesterday...

I still have my $3,600K GT Series Panasonic Plasma TV, Was the king of TV's until Plasma went away...
MY local TV Station built early 2000 used Panasonic everything from the Pro TV monitors to the Studio and field video cameras...

I still see some Panasonic Pro stuff but don't see Panasonic like I once did....

 

[alarmguy]

It is sad to see Panasonic fade away. We had a reliable plasma of theirs but for decades before that it was always a respected electronics company.
Correct going back decades also was their convection microwaves. Got it for my mom to replace her old original before what most people knew what they were.

 

[Touring5]

I didn't know such an animal even existed. I want one now.

Same. In over 50 years, we've had just 2 microwaves - an Amana RadarRange and a Sharp carousel. I thought they all cycled the power on/off rather than actually dimming the power.

 

[rijndael]

People who know always purchased Panasonic, everything from TV's to camcorders or cordless home phones! I miss all those Made In Japan ( Not China ) Panasonic Products of yesterday...

And Technics!

 

[I<3oil]

Panasonic inverter microwave ftw