Microwave oven - opinions and recommendations?

ArbitraryRandom

Morning all, my microwave is on its last legs and I'm considering replacing it with a microwave oven (this is the one that caught my eye)

I occasionally need a little extra oven space when cooking for a crowd and until now I've had a remoska, but the quality of the new remoskas aren't what they were and my last couple have barely lasted 18 months. I'm thinking a combi microwave might fill the need without taking up extra cupboard/surface space. 

Really looking for any experiences/opinions plus any product recommendations/if anyone's seen a good one on sale - current microwave was sub-£100 but happy to spend c.£500 if it'll get me a good product that will last a decent time. 

Alternatively, if people think they're junk, recommendations for a microwave (ideally no turntable) also welcome. 

lr1277

I don't have any experiece with this product, but did check out the reviews on the John Lewis website. They are a bit more critical of this product than the reviews on AO.

Take the reviews as you wish.

https://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-nn-cf87lbbpq-combination-microwave-oven-metallic-silver/p5105332

ArbitraryRandom

Yes, thank you. I've seen some mixed reviews for a few different products and that's why I thought I'd make a thread to ask for experiences and recommendations. 

It would also be good to know if anyone has had particularly good or bad customer service when there's been a problem (for example I'd never buy one from currys!) 

Emmia

Mum has had a few Panasonic's for the last 25 years or so, I think bought from John Lewis.

She's always been happy with them.

Edit: she's always gone for this type with the side opening door, rather than one which opens downwards... But it has a turntable which you don't want.

https://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-nn-ct56jbbpq-27l-slimline-combination-microwave-oven-black/p3525097?s_share=jlappdroid

PollyWollyDoodle

I’ve got a Panasonic, not this model and mine doesn’t have a shelf, but I have been very happy with it.  

I mostly use it for cooking single portions, rather than putting on the full-size oven.  It is quite noisy, so if you have a kitchen diner, that’s something to consider, and they are larger than a standard microwave, so you might want to check that it will fit in the space, you’re thinking of. 

ScarletRibbons

I like a Panasonic combi microwave, I'm on to my second one, and do use all the functions.
It's quite large, but I have plenty of bench space so it's ok.
They can be quite loud, I suppose I've got used to mine.. Like all appliances, they do some things better than others, you soon learn though.

PipneyJane

While I like the features I can see, I can’t tell from the ad whether this microwave is a combi or not.  Personally, I like a combi oven and wouldn’t buy a straight microwave.  

My current combi oven is a Matsui, 24 years old and has been very well used.  It is my primary oven, in fact, for 7 years, it was the only working oven I had.  The largest thing I’ve ever roasted in it was a duck.  It’s also baked multiple cakes, casseroles, flans/quiches and pots of stew.  The only limitation is that if I’ve used it as an electric oven, it needs to cool down before I can zap anything or all the settings re-set.

HTH

- Pip

ArbitraryRandom

Thanks everyone's feedback has been really helpful. 

And just to be clear, I'm not fixed on Panasonic - that's just the one I saw when looking at microwaves that made me wonder about the whole idea. 

Really I'm open to other suggestions. To make things more confusing, one thing I'm debating if I should just get a bigger air fryer when mine dies as that does most things I'd want a combi microwave for. 

I think I've decided I definitely prefer a flatbed over a turntable. I'd prefer something on the higher power end (I had a faffy 700w microwave once and it just annoyed me whenever I just wanted a cup of soup). I think I'd prefer side opening to front/down opening as there seems to be more problems with hinges breaking or getting food stuck in uncleanable places... but other than that, I'm really not decided.

Probably going to buy something monday/tuesday if I see the right thing, so please keep the comments coming   

millie

ArbitraryRandom said:

Morning all, my microwave is on its last legs and I'm considering replacing it with a microwave oven (this is the one that caught my eye)

I occasionally need a little extra oven space when cooking for a crowd and until now I've had a remoska, but the quality of the new remoskas aren't what they were and my last couple have barely lasted 18 months. I'm thinking a combi microwave might fill the need without taking up extra cupboard/surface space. 

Really looking for any experiences/opinions plus any product recommendations/if anyone's seen a good one on sale - current microwave was sub-£100 but happy to spend c.£500 if it'll get me a good product that will last a decent time. 

Alternatively, if people think they're junk, recommendations for a microwave (ideally no turntable) also welcome. 

Remoska have a 3 year guarantee so you should have claimed if they only lasted a short time.

ArbitraryRandom

millie said:

ArbitraryRandom said:

Morning all, my microwave is on its last legs and I'm considering replacing it with a microwave oven (this is the one that caught my eye)

I occasionally need a little extra oven space when cooking for a crowd and until now I've had a remoska, but the quality of the new remoskas aren't what they were and my last couple have barely lasted 18 months. I'm thinking a combi microwave might fill the need without taking up extra cupboard/surface space. 

Really looking for any experiences/opinions plus any product recommendations/if anyone's seen a good one on sale - current microwave was sub-£100 but happy to spend c.£500 if it'll get me a good product that will last a decent time. 

Alternatively, if people think they're junk, recommendations for a microwave (ideally no turntable) also welcome. 

Remoska have a 3 year guarantee so you should have claimed if they only lasted a short time.

I did  

I had one for around 10 years, and when that died I bought a new one (early 2021) - that stopped working after about 18 months, so I contacted them and they sent me a new one... the replacement is now showing the signs it's going the same way as the first (not heating evenly and handle rattling) so I'm guessing it's got another 3 months maybe before it conks out totally.

The warranty for replacements is whatever was left on the first warranty, and at this point I might get £20 as a partial refund - so when this gives up the ghost I'd need to either try and fix it, buy another, or get something else.  

I've read around a few forums and it seems (anecdotally) that I'm not the only one that thinks the quality went down when lakeland were no longer the exclusive sellers (and/or when lakeland scrapped their lifetime 'satisfaction guarantee' for the current 3 year one)... so I'm open to any options.

There is an appeal to a solution that lets me have one fewer appliances in my cupboards/on the surface, even if that appliance is slightly larger, but I am also aware that sometimes when something tries to do two jobs it does them both poorly  

millie

I have had mine about 15 years, it decided not to work last week. I had a new one delivered this morning, I agree it does not seem to be so robust as the old one, it is lighter and slightly smaller. We use it in our touring caravan as well has at home so being lighter and smaller is a bonus. I will have to see how it performs.