Who makes good microwaves these days?

What I do is to pick one up at a garage sale or thrift store for $20 and call it a day.

Wrong season, there's still several feet of snow in my front yard :/

Also, I'm pretty sure the design department will hold out for stainless steel.

nate

You've got lots of imput. I'd be sure to go around and use other people's microwaves to check for ease of use. You shouldn't have to push numerous buttons or have the manual handy to get things to work. It should be 1-button, intuitive operation most of the time.

Then, get plenty of power.

I see that... I am going to drag the design department to go shopping as soon as she gets home from work. She'll have the final say on ergonomics or appearance. the reason for my post was really to see if there were any brands to stay away from or any that were really preferred...

nate

1. Don't buy a brand you have never heard of. Yeah, I know, they are all probably made in the same five factories, but a 'name' brand will sell easier at your garage sale.
2. All else, like power/size/weight, being equal, trust The Force. Pretend it is a tool for your shop, and look at it with your hands. They will tell you which one feels like quality goods, and which one like crap. Latches and handles and touchpads that feel flimsy, probably are. If the platter looks like it will break if you look at it wrong, it probably will.
3. IMHO, the fewer buttons on the control panel, the better. Micros should not require a training course to operate. Most of the bells and whistles never get used anyway. I thought I would miss having a turntable in the built-in micro that came with the house, but the cavity and the stirrer in the top of the box were evidently designed correctly- no problem with burns or cold spots. Some random GE over-the-stove that came with the place, maybe 12 years old?

-- aem sends...

Right, because your Google is broken.

Right, because your Google is broken.

It seems safe to assume you're not shopping for anything Wal-Mart doesn't carry. -----

- gpsman

Big mistake. Generally the advice is if Wallmart carries it, keep looking. IF you can find one not made in China it's a good start. Korean is better than taiwanese, which is better than Chinese, on the whole. Japanese is still better. Anything with an american brand-name is LIKELY made in China - so check closely. Some of the better Mexican stuff is pretty good - usually has a Japanese brand name.

Ditto. I don't know why folks buy anything else.

Heh... I've either been to or called) Target, Sears, Best Buy, Home Depot, Bed Bath and Beyond (really, that's where the "where sold" button on Sharp's web site told me to go) a local appliance store, and two kitchen stores in the past two days and all I seem to be able to find is GE or LG or rebrands of the above. And of course if you look at reviews online it would appear that people are not real happy with those brands.

The selection available is really for s*it. This is starting to remind me of my quest to find a decent dehumidifier a while back.

nate

Target (here) has a very small Panasonic microwave. I am not totally pleased with the size, mainly because it is very light and moves around when you open and close the door. But still, it is better than anything else I could find locally in a hurry. I have and will again order a larger unit from Amazon.

In case you are wondering, the draw is the inverter technology, which means the unit doesn't cycle on and off to achieve different power levels.