PanasonicOven with Cyclonic Wave Inverter Technology, 1250W, 2.2 cu.ft. Countertop Microwave with Genius Sensor One-Touch Cooking – NN-SD975S (Stainless Steel/Silver), Stainless

I hate the membrane keypads most microwaves use even though as a long time engineer, I've designed a bunch of them into various stuff. They are hard to beat from a cost-performance perspective, but they tend to look tired and tattered after a while and they often are the first thing to fail. Admittedly, the spinner knob scheme this thing uses can be a bit slower to use, but I'm finding it has gotten very natural and quick after some experience with it and it just looks so much classier. As for performance, this thing beats the many others I've purchassed over the years. I often do stupid things in a microwave when working long hours at the office since I have no other way to heat anything there. One thing dumb thing I do is cook scrambled eggs in a small ramiken. I heat them for a minute, mix them up and then give them additional 30 second blasts mixing again each time till they are cooked through. I wasn't sure this thing's cyclonic heating was anything more than a gimmick or one of those marginal features that has so little effect it means almost nothing. But I decided to go for it anyway. Well I'm convinced now that it does heat more evenly than all the other microwaves I've used. In my other microwaves, the eggs cook only at the extreme edges of the ramiken. This thing does better. Although the eggs don't cook through, the cooked area is considerably thicker and less harshly cooked after the first minute. Also, this thing defrosts more evenly than any other I've used. Is the difference massive? No. But I'm satisfied it was worth a few extra bucks. I like it.

I would like to start off by saying for anyone considering buying this microwave, I truly do believe most of the negative reviews of this product are due to either a small number of defective units, or just a lack of understanding on how to use the appliance properly, it is not the fault of the product/manufacturer/seller if you neglected to read the provided instructions or don’t make an attempt to exchange a defective item. Now for my review of the microwave. In terms of looks and quality it is absolutely top notch. Its VERY pretty to look at and it feels just as nice as it looks, I have no worries about it’s reliability and I’m sure it will last at least 10 years before needing any repair. To add to that it can be built in or on the counter. These things are all huge bonuses to me as I plan on keeping it a long time and I will be able to accommodate it into many different living situations. As for it’s performance, I have never seen anything like it. It is super powerful and truly heats so much more evenly then ANYTHING I’ve used to cook. It doesn’t turn vegetables to mush or make meat chewy. A good item to test a microwaves performance is a frozen burrito, if the outside gets super dry, or the outer layers are very hot with either random cold spots or a cold center it’s not a good one. This microwave achieves perfectly even heating throughout, no super hot or cold spots and the tortilla was perfectly cooked without getting dried out. The sensor seems to be very accurate as well but there are certain things it doesn’t do so well with and that’s clearly pointed out in the instructions, it may take a little to learn how to use it and get used to the different way it cooks, keep in mind it’s very powerful. To conclude my review that’s way to long, I consider this microwave an amazing investment and a great value. I absolutely recommend buying it.

My former MW was a Montgomery Wards unit, but I've used a wide variety of units. That old unit was simple and worked for 40 years, until the door began rusting. I had my doubts about replacing it, but this unit is great.It is about the same outer size, but holds larger containers. The rotating platter is of heavy construction, and I like the way the MW looks/functions. I thought II wouldn't use all the functions, but the more I play with them, the better I like the oven.Cooking: I don't fully understand how all the sensing works, but the cooking sensor works for simple items. It does have problems with frozen veggies in a bowl, but does well when they are spread flat. Those, and frozen dinners, rice, and a few other items have all worked well (though white rice is slightly dry at 1.5 to 1, water/rice). I especially love cooking meat using meat defrost. It beeps at the halfway mark. I generally use the defrost to thaw, then use the same setting to finish cooking it. Timed correctly, it cooks evenly and the meat is still tender.The only difficult part is learning/remembering all the buttons. I've been using the unit for 4 months now, and don't miss the old unit. It was fine, but this unit makes it easier to fine tune settings. The MW is easy to clean, too. The company needs to add a "vent" option, though. Steam and smells collect on the inside of the box, so I have to leave the door ajar after cooking. If I don't, the smell of the previous food is still inside up to 24 hours later.The only drawback is the build-in fascia from Panasonic. Set in place, its opening is 3/4" wider than it needs to be.