Need microwave advice!

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

Background: I had a Kenmore microwave for years and it was super reliable. In September we replaced all our kitchen appliances with stainless steel, so I decided to replace the microwave to match.
I bought a larger Kenmore (new square plates wouldn't rotate in the old one!) One month later it started making a horrible grinding noise, so I took it back to Sears and exchanged it for another (same model). Now, three months later the plastic coating on the touch pad is all cracked over three of the buttons. It's still under warranty, but I do not want the same model!
Can anyone recommend a reliable microwave (any brand) that is 1.6 to 2 cu. ft., and 1200 watts? Panasonic looks good, but has terrible reviews.

 

[HM]

Do you still have your old one? What color is it? Black? (I'm assuming this is not a built-in). I am not one that thinks everything in the kitchen needs to be the same color. If it works fine, then keep it.

Good luck with whatever you do.

off topic a bit--- Unfortunately our microwave is a built in and it's attached to our oven. If one piece needs replacing, we have to replace both (knock on wood). I wish I'd known that was the case when we had the house built, as we never would have opted for that scenario. And there are a couple things about our microwave that concern me.

 

[Squirlz]

Our Oster has worked great for years.

 

[tvguy]

We've had our Samsung built in drawer microwave for almost 2 years and have had no issues. We did a remodel, and the designer has had very good luck with Samsung microwaves. It replaced a 5 year old Kenmore that we have to a friend and is still functioning just fine. It replaced a GE that went kapoot after just 4 years. The Litton installed originally in our house in 1979 lasted 25 years, but Litton is out of the microwave oven business.

 

[sonnyjane]

off topic a bit--- Unfortunately our microwave is a built in and it's attached to our oven. If one piece needs replacing, we have to replace both (knock on wood). I wish I'd known that was the case when we had the house built, as we never would have opted for that scenario. And there are a couple things about our microwave that concern me.

Our place has this too. The appliances are older - original to the house (1998). We have already replaced the fridge but in holding out on the microwave/oven combo because they are obscenely expensive. The microwave WAS white but is now yellowing with age but it's not worth $2500 to me since it still works ok. Stupid setup

 

[HM]

Our place has this too. The appliances are older - original to the house (1998). We have already replaced the fridge but in holding out on the microwave/oven combo because they are obscenely expensive. The microwave WAS white but is now yellowing with age but it's not worth $2500 to me since it still works ok. Stupid setup

Ours is only just over ten years old, built in 2005. You are doing great with that long an appliance life!

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

Well, the old one (still works) is white, so I have been looking at stainless and also black. Bigger problem than color is size....my new square plates are too big for the old microwave.
Thanks!

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

I'll check out the Oster and Samsung. Luckily we can just use the old, small white one until i decide. BTW, Sears does NOT want the old microwave back....we were instructed to cut off the cord/plug and mail that to them!

 

[sharona]

Unfortunately no specific recommendation but wanted to share the things I hate about our new Samsung over the stove microwave so you can avoid.

No 1 minute button! 30 second button is useless.

Always have to push start, no one touch microwaving.

Exhaust fan is loud and only works at half speed when microwave is in use.

 

[Sadie22]

Our ancient one quit after about 20 years so we got a GE, the biggest countertop model I could find. After five years something burnt out and the cost for the new part was the cost of a new microwave, so we got a new one. Six years later still going strong. DS had a Kenmore that lasted 11 years.

 

[sksjasams]

Now, three months later the plastic coating on the touch pad is all cracked over three of the buttons. It's still under warranty, but I do not want the same model!

Did you already cut the cord on the new one? Please don't be insulted by me mentioning this, but are you sure its not plastic film over the buttons that's cracked? I thought our Kenmore touchpad was bubbling, but it was just the film over the buttons. Sorry, just had to ask.

Anyway, I had Whirlpool that I just loved - excellent job cooking, but two of them only lasted 2 years each.
We have a Kenmore counter top model now, family-sized. I like it, except the potato sensor doesn't work well when cooking potatoes (always overcooks) and you can't use the timer at the same time as the microwave.

I think I would go ahead and try more of the Kenmores since its under warranty. Finding a perfect microwave is near impossible, especially one that gets consistently good reviews.

Will they let you take the microwave back to the store? We have to pay to recycle microwaves around here...

Good luck!

 

[lynxstch]

I don't want to jinx ours, but we have a Panasonic Carousel microwave that is going on 20 years, lol. It works fine except that every now and then the turntable doesn't turn, I spray a little Pam on the top of the mechanism, spin it a few times..and it works again for quite awhile. I have an aversion to anything Sears or Kenmore, so I can't advise you on that.

 

[gotomu212]

Remodeling fun fact- you can often times buy a new front for your appliance without switching out the rest. When we redid our kitchen to stainless steel, our dishwasher and microwave still worked but were the wrong color. We bought a new dishwasher door and microwave door for the same model appliance and just replaced the front of both. It was about 10% of the cost of a new appliance.

 

[pocomom]

I would avoid LG. We bought all LG appliances about 5 years ago and they have been a nightmare . Repair after Repair. Terrible customer service when they were under warranty. I always liked the brand before but this whole lot was awful.

 

[scrhsa]

Same thing happened to us. I just gave up on the microwave. I haven't really missed it at all. Every once in awhile I would like one to re-heat something a little quicker but, all in all, I'm glad it's gone The touch pad mess also happened with our stove. With in a week it was peeling. I'm just going to live with it until I can't stand it anymore...or when my husband gets fed up with it. Which ever comes first

 

[Micca]

I don't want to jinx ours, but we have a Panasonic Carousel microwave that is going on 20 years, lol. It works fine except that every now and then the turntable doesn't turn, I spray a little Pam on the top of the mechanism, spin it a few times..and it works again for quite awhile. I have an aversion to anything Sears or Kenmore, so I can't advise you on that.

With Pam, WD 40, and duct tape, we can save the world.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

Did you already cut the cord on the new one? Please don't be insulted by me mentioning this, but are you sure its not plastic film over the buttons that's cracked? I thought our Kenmore touchpad was bubbling, but it was just the film over the buttons. Sorry, just had to ask.

Anyway, I had Whirlpool that I just loved - excellent job cooking, but two of them only lasted 2 years each.
We have a Kenmore counter top model now, family-sized. I like it, except the potato sensor doesn't work well when cooking potatoes (always overcooks) and you can't use the timer at the same time as the microwave.

I think I would go ahead and try more of the Kenmores since its under warranty. Finding a perfect microwave is near impossible, especially one that gets consistently good reviews.

Will they let you take the microwave back to the store? We have to pay to recycle microwaves around here...

Good luck!

Thanks--no offense taken--that was the first thing I thought of! Nope, the coating on the touchpanel isn't a "peel off" it's how it's meant to be. I found a GE that is the right size and power, but is not sold at Sears. If I get the GE, I'll have to use my refunded "shop your way" points within one year. Since we won't need any more appliances, it may be hard, but I guess I can suffer through it! LOL

 

[mommysaurus]

Our place has this too. The appliances are older - original to the house (1998). We have already replaced the fridge but in holding out on the microwave/oven combo because they are obscenely expensive. The microwave WAS white but is now yellowing with age but it's not worth $2500 to me since it still works ok. Stupid setup

That is seriously impressive. In 14ish years I've been through at least 5 microwaves. I don't know what in the world I do to them. I always purchase the warranty though!!

 

[sonnyjane]

That is seriously impressive. In 14ish years I've been through at least 5 microwaves. I don't know what in the world I do to them. I always purchase the warranty though!!

Oh the people we bought the home from were meticulous in caring for everything. When we bought the home two years ago they gave us a binder that had the original owner's manuals from every appliance in the home (that's how I know they're all original!). They took good care of them. The icemaker in the fridge stopped working which is why we replaced that (we did see if it could be repaired first but with appliances on sale for the holidays it was worth it to upgrade). Everything else is working okay, they're just starting to look old.

I'm going to look to see if we can get a new faceplate as was mentioned above b/c of the yellowing color. I have a feeling there won't be one for that though. I have talked to DH about masking off the glass and spray painting it with white appliance krylon.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I don't know what TO buy, but I would probably want to avoid GE. I had a GE and we are lucky it didn't burn the house down.

We had one that was barely over a year old. In the middle of the night DH was wanting popcorn so I had to go stick some in the microwave (we won't even go there about him ordering me around). Anyway, I heard an awful noise. I thought the heater had something wrong with it. I came down the hall only to see a big fireball inside the microwave. I didn't really know what to do so I ran (and yes I ran) the opposite direction back down the hall and hoped it would shut off before it exploded or something. It shut off because the time ran out. The inside was all scorched up and it actually burned a hole that you could stick a pencil through on the inside lining.

Somebody told me it was some kind of "deflector" or something went out and that caused it to focus all of its power on one spot. I am not a microwave specialist so I cannot say for sure. I can say it scared the heck out of me and I will never have another GE.