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wifehad5 (original poster administrator #15162) posted at 12:03 AM on Monday, July 15th, 2013
Apparently this is the year that everything in the house is going to stop working. Today it's the microwave. The one we have is about 15 years old and just stopped working.
What's out there now? What do you have? What do you like?
Thanks 
FBH - 52 FWW - 53 (BrokenRoad)2 kids 17 & 22The people you do your life with shape the life you live
Kajem ( member #36134) posted at 12:27 AM on Monday, July 15th, 2013
I have a whirlpool over the range (w/hood) it is about 9 years old. about 800 watts. I have to add time to everything because everything has directions for 1000 watts of power.
Last year I got my kid a microwave for college.. I bought one for $59 at walmart... Samsung (I think) she has abused the heck out of it... and it still works.
It is the 3rd microwave I've bought my kids for college. I'll be getting another one in the next couple of months for the last kid.
Good luck,
K
I trust you is a better compliment than I love you, because you may not trust the person you love, but you can always love the person you trust. - UnknownRelationships are like sharing a book, it doesn't work if you're not on the same page.
jrc1963 ( member #26531) posted at 1:16 AM on Monday, July 15th, 2013
I have a 1200 watt Panasonic with a turntable.
I love it. Had it for 5 years now... It's still running well.
Has all the features I need... in as much as it turns on, heats food up and turns off.
Me: BSO - 56 Him: FWSO - 79 DS - 23 D-Day - 12-11-09, R - he finally came homeYour life is an Occasion. Rise to it. - Mr. Magorium, "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium"
sad12008 ( member #18179) posted at 4:33 AM on Monday, July 15th, 2013
Hey! We had one of those years, too, a couple/few years back....I feel your (wallet & inconvenience) pain!
Our microwave is a trusted member of the cooking team around here, as well as the principal member of the reheating team, and having our kitchen without one was kind of like having a house w/o a roof. We wound up with an 1100W GE model, replacing a previous 1100W model. I can't recall what brand that one was, though.
Quite satisfied w/the GE. It wasn't high dollar, probably around $150. +/-. 1.1 CF...I like to be able to put a small casserole dish in periodically.
So re. your questions, I like to have a little more space and a little more power. Having the one touch 'add a minute' (or similar...ours is 30 sec) is nice and pretty much standard any more. Ours has defrost and reheat options, among other things. I'm not a big one for extra bells and whistles because I often have some many irons in the fire I don't have time to spend studying a manual...nor the incentive.
Good luck with your purchasing quest!
You can't fill a cup with no bottom.
Dreamboat ( member #10506) posted at 6:07 AM on Monday, July 15th, 2013
ugh. I have had one of those years too. Hell, I think I am having one of those decades! 
Is it above the range or a stand alone?
If it is stand alone then I would look at sunday flyers for sales and then buy something on sale that has the features you like. Nowadays microwaves are fairly cheap and have mostly the same features, so identify the ones you and your family are used to, like "add 30 seconds".
If it is above the range, then you need to decide if you can install by yourself. It will take at least 2 adults with decent upper body strength and some knowledge of tools. I did this once with X. Never again! Now I pay for the fee for and install and haul away. For me, that is $50 well spent.
HTH
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off
-- Shake It Out, Florence And The Machine
Dreamboat ( member #10506) posted at 6:13 AM on Monday, July 15th, 2013
I'm not a big one for extra bells and whistles because I often have some many irons in the fire I don't have time to spend studying a manual...nor the incentive.
Yep, that is me too. I just need the basics (mostly) with appliances. My washer has 6 different cycles, 9 times out of 10 I use "normal" cycle. Just because it is there, I occasionally use "extra white" cycle or "delicate" cycle, but I would not miss those if I did not have them.
My work has this industrial microwave that you literally need training to operate. All I want is to heat my lunch for 1.5 minutes, yet it takes me 5 minutes to figure out how to "program" the damn thing. Maybe that is a ploy to make me not want to bring lunch so I will buy from the cafe... 
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off
-- Shake It Out, Florence And The Machine
wifehad5 (original poster administrator #15162) posted at 2:57 PM on Monday, July 15th, 2013
Thanks everyone
It's a stand alone and I agree about simple being better
FBH - 52 FWW - 53 (BrokenRoad)2 kids 17 & 22The people you do your life with shape the life you live
TrulyReconciled ( member #3031) posted at 3:32 PM on Monday, July 15th, 2013
Sharp makes some of the best.
"In a time of deceit, telling the Truth is a revolutionary act."
Spirit13 ( member #31758) posted at 4:05 PM on Monday, July 15th, 2013
I have a Panasonic Genius Inverter ... whatever that means and I really like it! It has this big round knob in the middle that has kind of a bluish tint on the outside (just to help you figure out which one it is)
It is actually really nice because you dial up your time with the knob instead of pushing time buttons. It sounds silly but it is really faster! Plus it has tons of other features and is the first microwave I've ever had where the whole "reheat" and "defrost' programs actually work like they are supposed to.
It is about $250 and stainless steel.
Men were deceivers ever; one foot in sea and one on shore, to one thing constant never.
IWantDoOver ( member #39440) posted at 7:05 PM on Monday, July 15th, 2013
I always refer to "Consumer Reports" magazine at my library for questions like these.
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