Review on Powerful and Efficient Panasonic Compact Microwave Oven with 1200 Watts, Sensor Cooking, Popcorn Button, Quick 30sec, Turbo Defrost - NN-SN67KS - 1.2 Cu. Ft. (Stainless Steel / Silver) by Allan Lambert

This rating relates to the NN-SN67KS. I was wary of some reviews, but needed to see for myself if a microwave with such a high rating was worth the compromise, price premium, and risk of failure. Has inverter technology changed my life enough to put up with some of the negatives others have mentioned? Were the fears real? Here's what I found. 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Interference: I was a little skeptical, thinking that situations where reviewers reported Wi-Fi signal loss while operating this microwave must have been something unique. Well actually while the microwave was running I noticed something. 1) my wireless IP security camera lost signal; 2) streaming video to my Google Chromecast became pixelated, then paused and buffered; and 3) our wireless baby monitor (not connected to the network) lost signal. To be clear, all of these devices mentioned were connected wirelessly over 2.4 GHz. All devices connected over 5GHz (phone, iPad, etc.) were not affected at all. I can see that if you're just using fairly new devices and phones, this isn't a problem at all. Clock button: Several users have complained that they have to set/re-enter the time every time they accidentally press the clock button. Apparently it was too easy to accidentally hit the "clock" key since it was right next to "0". This is not a problem. If you accidentally press the Clock button, you don't have to re-enter the time. Just press the Stop/Reset button. This will cancel it and the time will be displayed again. Beep: This is all promising, but in my opinion it had the least intrusive and quietest "cooking" beeps of any microwave I've ever heard. 5 short beeps. (long beeps always sound like someone is yelling at me). Please note that opening the door does not stop the horn. If you really want to, you can turn off any beeps that come from this microwave, but you can only access that option the first time you turn it on (or you can turn it off and on again). Without pressing any other keys, double-tap the Start button to access the option. You can then use the "Timer" button to switch between on and off. This is described on page 11 of the manual. Note that this will turn off all beeps, including key presses. Light: In my opinion it is too dark. The light itself is quite bright, but the problem is that there isn't a wide beam and there are certain shadowy areas that the light doesn't reach. And while the dark gray interior gives it a modern feel, it doesn't reflect light like more common white interiors, making matters worse. Not only a problem, but also something I had to get used to. Keyboard Keys: - I have found that this device requires significantly more pressure on the keyboard keys. Coming from a device with a more responsive keyboard, I was a little annoyed when I had to pay attention to whether a keypress was registering and whether I had to move my finger lightly or press harder. Other Thoughts: Of all the microwaves I've had. , it took the lightest touch to close the door. It follows that it also had the quietest locking noise. Overall, the mechanical build quality is first class. No start button. Even the Quick 30 Seconds button requires you to press the Start button. This was a big minus for me coming from a microwave that had a 30 second start button and also a 1 to 6 minute cook time. But I knew it was happening and thought maybe it could be a small price to pay for inverter experience. - No flat fork. I used a 1 foot "extension" with a flat plug since I needed to place it on a wall with an outlet behind it. Posted a photo of the place behind the microwave. There are plastic stands that separate the microwave from the wall a bit, but the straight plug that comes with it doesn't fit. Another thing I noticed is that porcelain plates and plastic piping lids heat up a lot more (at the same food temperature) than my previous microwave. I suspect it has something to do with the inverter technology. The thermal images in their marketing product photos also appear to show a higher temperature mug, so it's probably not just my imagination. After wanting to love her for 3 weeks, I finally returned the device. The small compromises just piled up so much that there were too many to endure. After having to get rid of a single start button, the added trade-offs are 1) Wi-Fi interference, 2) straining with the keyboard, and 3) using oven mitts to remove burners (a little overkill, but I've sure had this before). considered) there were just too many. Who knows, maybe inverter technology would be life-changing if I reheated more frozen foods that tend to have cold spots (instead of just reheating refrigerated leftovers). Or maybe I'm overlooking the fact that it's about sensor cooking (which I haven't used) and not inverter technology. For some reason people love this microwave (Panasonics also has the highest rating in Consumer Reports). But for me it was fine. In the end, this device just made me realize how convenient it is to start with one button (especially 1-6 minutes). Either way, good luck with your decision. I hope this review was helpful.