Powerful, but could be easier to use
This microwave is massive and really powerful. It doesn't have superfluous buttons, and it seems to defrost and re-heat evenly.
But...
The dial, which is simple enough to use, is much harder to use than a simple keypad. It's very sensitive, non-linear (meaning between 1 and 10 you can pick the exact number of seconds, after 10 you can only get to the nearest 5, after 1 minute, only the nearest 10, after 5 minutes, only the nearest 15) and it's always a guess how far to turn it. Turn too far, then adjust. Then adjust again. And maybe again. I always know what I want to set it for and I could touch "4" then "5" much faster than I can find ":45" on the dial. Why'd they fix something that wasn't broken?
To set the power level, you have to press the Power Level button once for each 10% you want to go down. So if you want 90%, you press it once. If you want 20% to soften butter, you have to press it 8 times! Really? Why couldn't they use the dial for...
Very large, excellent results!
We have used Samsung and GE Profile microwaves, and this one is superior. It has enormous capacity. The interface is very convenient, although it takes a bit of getting used to because of the dial rather than a number pad. It is very powerful and heats quickly and very evenly. It comes with clear instructions. I have only one complaint about the interface, which is that the power setting does not display the power being used, so you have to remember what you programmed in (and hope that you didn't make a mistake because there's no feedback about what power is actually being used). The instructions could also be clearer about how to program multiple cook times -- the machine actually allow pre-programming of three time/power combinations, which is better than the two allowed by most machines.
The inverter technology allow true differences in the power output. Most machines simply switch the microwave generator on and off proportionately. This microwave works better...
Easy to use..but very dim display light
This is our 3rd Panasonic microwave in 12 years because they are the only brand that fits in the "box" in our cabinetry and we find them to be a very good product. (yeah...I know, they should last more than 4-5 years, but I don't realistically expect that.) When we set this one up, we noticed that the display light that shows time, power level, etc. is extremely DIM and you have to sort of move your head around to catch it at a good angle to be able to read it. We called Panasonic customer service who were no help at all. They asked me if it was plugged in after I told them that the microwave worked fine, but the light was almost illegible. Really? How could the microwave work if I didn't have it plugged in. Then told me to try a few other things and kept repeating what the repair and warranty policy was---net, no help at all. I wasn't going to spend a few hours driving back and forth to a Panasonic repair dealership for a 15 minute old product that should have just been...
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