Review by S. Hudgin:

I bought this Microwave to replace an older Sharp model. I have had very good luck with Sharp Microwaves and this new one is no different. It’s a very good compact microwave for one or two people. It was very easy to set the clock and use right out of the box. I love the look of it. The buttons are very simple to use. I don’t use my microwave for cooking that much, I use it mostly for reheating and defrosting. I am a single mom with one teenage son who never eats at the same time as I do so it comes in very handy. I do sometimes cook bacon and pototoes in it. It makes great baked potatoes. It you have more than two people in your family you might want to get a larger oven. I have been using Sharp microwaves for many, many years, they make a great product. I highly recommend this model and all Sharps for that matter.

Review by June Cheatwood:

Power-level settings of 100%, 90%, and right on down–I am amazed. I think the very-low settings are for drying food; can you imagine being able to do dried foods yourself? Then quick-buttons for nearly everything. It’ll take a while to learn all the features but even right out of the box it was just so easy to use! All I wanted was a small simple one that wouldn’t take much counterspace and never dreamed it would have all this, not for this price. My old microwave had just given out–after 23 years of daily use–and the one thing I wanted was defrost, that’s all. I’d always used the microwave, on defrost, to simmer foods that needs long, slow cooking–with no pot-watching and no chance of burning. You ought to try that! Much better than on the stove–and this does have defrost, of course of course–but so many other settings that will be even better for slow cooking. Then you can choose to defrost meat according to how much the chunk of meat actually weighs, of all things–there’s a setting for that too! Never heard of that! One more feature I especially wanted was for the light to go out when the door is open and here’s why: The way to make a microwave last simply forever is to leave the door open a while after each use and let it dry out. Then it will last for decades–like my old one did. But wouldn’t want to leave it open if the light stayed on, no; so another highly desirable feature right there. I just don’t think a better microwave could be bought at any price, period–many more features aren’t even listed here. The more expensive ones seem to only have features I’d never use anyway–a built-in toaster or something–so why pay for that! No, if it’s microwaving you’re after, this is just IT. Also, if you’re wondering about size, it says compact but holds a regular-size Pyrex loaf pan with room to spare as it turns, or a big mixing bowl with a pretty big hen or whatever in it, so that’s plenty big for most people. It’s the design–there are scooped-out places in the inner walls that allow space for the rim of a bowl or a pan to turn. That’s why it holds so much. And hey, it looks nice too–and is light enough that I can easily move it to clean under it yet it does feel as heavy and solid as can be. My hat is certainly off to the designers! (And as always, to Amazon! It got here in no time with Amazon’s free SuperSaver shipping–days before I was told it would arrive!) I don’t have a single negative to say after a week’s use and every day am still discovering yet more wonderful things about it that save a busy person’s time and energy–as well as money. Thought I’d let other shoppers know!

Review by B. Wilson:

The inverter technology makes microwaving foods dramatically better! Instead of short bursts of full power, which is what all other micro waves do when asked for partial power, this one actually powers down the microwave intensity. It eliminates burned spots, particularly when defrosting. Huge improvement, small price difference.

Review by P. Johnson:

Purchased this to replace an older Panasonic unit that caught fire. It is well made, stays “put” on the counter when pushing selections. The Sensor Reheat seems to work well. I like the way the door works. At 1.6 cubes it is fairly large, but the foot print for counter space is not much more than the 1 cube that I replaced, and the height is about the same as my old unit. Also very quiet operation is a plus.

Review by D. He:

I purchased this microwave as an addition to my dorm room. I would have liked a high-powered microwave, but restraints on space and money stopped me. For the price and for the size, this microwave works rather well. There are some extra functions, but I just use the regular microwaving. The only thing that I do not like about the microwave is that its internal rotating dish is not very stable, and is prone to shifting off its base with even a slightly unbalanced load. Even so, it was a worthwhile purchase.

Review by MarkB:

This microwave oven worked fine for 7 weeks.

I used it to heat soup, and for oatmeal in the morning.

One morning it just broke.

The door closed, the light and fan came on, but there was no heat.

It emitted a burning plastic smell.

Sharp service told me that I needed to have a Sharp-authorized technician examine it before it could be replaced.

Unfortunately, the nearest Sharp-authorized service location is a two-hour round trip drive for me. They don’t accept shipments, nor are they are not open on weekends.

This means that in order for me to obtain warranty service on this relatively new product I would have to *take a day off work*, as it is too far to drive on my lunch hour.

Also, one cannot return a product to Sharp for examination; as per the warranty you must “hand carry” or ship the item to a service location

(if the service location accepts shipments; mine doesn’t).

So I believe my current options are:

1) find a local microwave service place, and pay for the service myself

or

2) throw the oven away

I recommend not purchasing this microwave oven because it may break soon after purchase.

I recommend not purchasing any Sharp appliance unless you know that a Sharp-authorized service location is close by.

Best Regards and Good Luck!

Mark

Review by sarany:

After having my first microwave for about 18 years, it finally died and I did a lot of research before deciding to buy this Panasonic. Having Amazon gift certificates, free shipping and a kitchen and housewares discount influenced my decision and I have to say it was a great buy. I’m very pleased with the evenness with which it cooks and defrosts.

I upgraded from a mid-size 650-watt oven to this full-size 1250-watt oven. I have to remind myself sometimes that everything needs less time to cook. However, there are a lot of pre-programmed features in this unit that make it easier. For example, there is a sensor cook button that selects the time and power level for different kinds of foods depending on how many times you tap the button. Types of food include baked potatoes, frozen pizza, frozen entrees, fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables and omelettes. I made a baked potato last night that was cooked perfectly. There is also a separate popcorn button (you can select from 3 different bag sizes) that also worked perfectly. A More/Less button lets you add or subtract time to the sensor and popcorn settings.

There are a number of different functions you can select or turn on and off. Some of the functions include language (English, French or Spanish), a choice of pounds or kilos, child lock, reminder beep (I turned that off because unlike my old oven which beeped every minute, this one beeps every 15 seconds which was annoying) and menu action which when turned on guides you through each step of cooking. There is also a demo mode which is meant for retail displays but you can see how everything works without actually cooking anything.

Some other useful features are delayed start where you can use the timer to set the oven to start cooking at a later time and a keep warm setting if you won’t be taking your food out of the oven immediately. A Quick Min button lets you select 1-9 minutes simply by tapping the button the appropriate number of times.

If you purchase this, I would suggest going through the owner’s manual a couple of times. I went through it once before I used the oven. A couple of days later I went through it again and discovered that I had overlooked some shortcuts.

The only down side for me with this oven is losing some more counter space in a small kitchen. Keep that in mind if you don’t already have a full-size oven.

UPDATE: It is now 2010 and I realized I have been using this oven for 3 1/2 years and I still love it! I do a lot of actual cooking in it too, not just reheating, popcorn, etc.

Review by max843:

I have always been partial to Panasonic microwaves and this is one of the best. It has had constant daily use for over two months now with an excellent performance record.

In fact, I have only used my stove and oven twice since this purchase (for a large frozen pizza). The sensors are very accurate – oatmeal is perfect. With two frozen dinners, I had to add additional time, but everything else has cooked, reheated or thawed as expected.

Earlier reviews mentioned resetting the clock and a loud beep. Panasonic must have listened to their customers as neither problem appears to be present on this model.

With 1250 watts, it does reheat more quickly than older models so I would suggest reducing the time until you get used to your new microwave.

UPDATE – 10/21/2008 – In December it will be two years – still perfect!

Review by CQ DX:

I conducted a good amount of research before deciding on this Sharp microwave oven. I wanted my new oven to meet the following important criteria and have the following features:

* a carousel and be able to fit a dinner plate

* at least 1000 watts of heating power (this has 1100) to heat food fast

* classy looking, compact stainless steel design

* name brand reputation for reliability

* around 100 dollars or so, give or take a little

I’ve had good luck with the Sharp brand. My previous microwave oven was also a Sharp unit, I had purchased way back in 1995. It was a full-size unit though, and I wanted to get something smaller, in stainless steel, since we recently re-did our kitchen in stainless steel. ‘Luck would have it’ that our old 1995 Sharp unit broke down shortly after we re-did our kitchen in late 2005, so I jumped at the opportunity to get another Sharp. The new R-305KS works flawlessly, and cooks even faster and more even than my older, larger unit! I must have reaped the benefits of improved microwave technology over the last 10 years or so that i’ve owned the older Sharp oven. All in all, a SUPERB VALUE and a SOLID PERFORMER!

Review by Gene T. Blakely:

I had another brand which did magnificently for 12 years. I couldn’t find one similar in the same brand, so went to the Sharp. It is the size that a couple almost 80 years old can use best. We do little cooking in the microwave – more reheating coffee, or warming up food that has already been cooked on the stove. Oh, it does cook our oatmeal daily – generally 3 min at 50% power. Price was right, and shipping was included. Why not 5 stars? — we prefer the door with a handle like our previous microwave had. For those who prefer “push” over “pull” – it is a 5 star.Sharp R-305KS 1-Cubic-Foot 1100-Watt Microwave Oven, Stainless

Review by Amy L. Murray:

I really only use the microwave for popcorn, heating up meals, and heating up coffee. It’s been absolutely perfectly fine for that. One minor, minor thing is: there’s no light on the inside when you open the door. That bugs me.

Review by J. BELSKY:

Bought this compact microwave due to my over the stove built in GE Spacemaker XL magnatron taking a dump. Still had GE’s 10 year free parts warranty left on the magnatron. GE wanted 5.00 labor and service call fee to replace it. Decided on the no frills 0.8cu ft Sharp Carousel.

I’m sure I could have gotten a better price had I invested more time and energy looking around, but Amazon has always done right by me with no shipping charge and no sales tax.

This Sharp model is a bottom of the line unit. It is cheaply made, rattles, is dull looking and the clock does not light up. The light inside the oven only works when the unit is running. The door is cheaply made and has a somewhat hollow sound when it closes. All of that said, the unit does what it is supposed to do. It heats evenly and reheats well. Seems powerful for it’s wattage and makes popcorn just as well as expensive units. Bottom line, it’s fine for what I need.

Review by Kentucky Colonel:

very pleasant experience. It arrived as promised – just plug it in and you are on your way. I purchased this model for 2 features: the sensor buttons and the inverter defrost button. an unexpected feature was the “keep warm” button. Cooked food or left overs can be kept warm for up to 30 minutes. A great feature. I am very satisfied with this unit and would recommend it to anyone.

Review by Long Island Mom:

I chose this microwave because its dimensions are smaller than Sharp’s microwaves of similar capacity (I have to fit it on a shelf). I bought it from Amazon for its free-shipping offer because I wanted it shipped directly to my work place, and I’d prefer dealing with Amazon rather than an unknown seller on its web site. It’s a spanking white microwave and works well as one would expect from Panasonic. It has been almost a month and nothing to complain about.

Review by Buff Crone:

I bought this after doing a ridiculous amount of research on microwaves. I’d had a GE Spacesaver microwave for 12 years and when it died, I first checked out Consumer Reports. It gave good ratings to GE, Panasonic, Sears, and Sanyo. I went to look at all but the Sanyo (there were none in my town.) And then I checked out the reviews here, on the Sears and BestBuy sites, and elsewhere. It seems the Consumer Reports doesn’t consider service records in any category but automobiles, so its recommendations are of limited value.

EVERYONE complained about the GEs, and the salesperson at BestBuy said that they get a lot of returns and repairs. He said GE sold their small appliance division and the stuff isn’t that good anymore. I really wanted to buy such a large item locally to avoid problems getting a repair. But the reviews of the GE, Panasonic, and Sears models I was interested in were just awful (go look for yourself.)

So I bought the Sanyo. It had the least bad reviews. The delivery from Amazon was a breeze and it is a beautiful appliance. It is much quieter than my old oven. It seems to work well (but it’s just a day old!) It is small, but so was my old one (although with the turntable, this will hold less, I think.)

But the user interface/keypad is just ridiculous. That seems like such a stupid mistake to make. My old oven went on for 1 to 6 minutes if you just pressed one of those numbers. That was very convenient. This oven won’t do that. You have to press the full time and then start. Also, if you want to change the power, you have to scroll through ALL the power levels from 10 down. That is ridiculous! Why not let you enter the level on the key pad?? So far I have used two of the automatic settings: beverage (which wasn’t hot enough to make tea) and Plate, to reheat lunch, which seemed fine. It seems sturdy and as I mentioned, it is quiet. I’ll come back and report if I have any problems, but SANYO: IF YOU READ THESE REVIEWS, get a better, more versatile user interface!

UPDATE: OK, now I’ve owned the microwave for two weeks. I have to agree that it is a little underpowered. I have to use more time than I did in my tiny, ancient GE to heat soup, beverages. Also the defrost function takes way too long. Finally, I’ve learned the hard way that you cannot use the timer at the same time you use the oven. This is a big problem when you are cooking dinner, and again, it is something that my old microwave could do. Also, if you want seconds instead of minutes on the timer, you have to start with 00 since it assumes minutes.

It still seems solidly constructed and it is nice to look at.

UPDATE #2: I’ve now had the product for over a month. Although I still think it’s a little underpowered, I had an appliance repairman here for something else and he tested it for me. The test is that a microwave should be able to increase the temperature of exactly a quart of water 30 degrees in two minutes. This raised it 26 degrees, which he said is within range.

I’m still happy with the looks and the quiet operation. Still very unhappy with the user interface and the fact that you cannot use the timer and microwave at the same time. Also, when the timer or microwave goes off, it only beeps once. So if you are absent-minded (as I tend to be) you can forget. My old microwave beeped every 30 seconds until you opened it, or turned off the timer. I liked that feature and miss it.

One last concern: last week, for no reason (there was no power outage) the clock just went off. I was able to reset it but that concerns me, as others have commented that it doesn’t last. I will update if further problems arise.

Review by R. S. McDonald:

Just bought this microwave at a local vendor. Its design seems very sturdy

relative to some of the new Sharp microwaves which as another reviewer stated, have their front “windows” covered by a plastic that brings to mind plastic not dissimilar from plastic water bottles. The SANYO has a glass front.

It also seems to heat relatively evenly (relative to our last two microwaves, which died, and the ones I use at work). It’s fast and seems to work well.

Review by Southron:

Initially I was dubious as to the quality and performance of this unit given it was relatively inexpensive but I was completely wrong! I am extremely pleased with every feature and its performance exceeds my expectations. I am so pleased that I choose this model.

Review by A. Knapp:

Bought this a few hours ago at a local store as a replacement for a Cuisinart microwave that died in less than a year. My parents have always had good luck with Sharp microwaves (had one for about 20 years), and this one got good reviews here and on other sites. I love the controls and it’s a very “smart” microwave.

My initial test was popcorn. Perfectly popped! Then I reheated leftovers along with frozen chicken nuggets and both came out perfectly. The sensor cook is too awesome. Looking forward to many years of use!

Review by RabiysRhyme:

Pros:

It is a compact, lightweight microwave.

It does an above average job of thawing frozen foods.

It does an above average job of reheating uncovered entrees.

It appears to be one of the most uniformly heating microwaves that I have ever used.

Cons:

1) It emits so much radio frequency noise that it shuts down the 2.4GHz (802.11G) wireless router for our computers that is 40′ away. A call to Panasonic had a technician that stated this was normal(!), and suggested if we were concerned we could have it check for stray microwaves.

2) It does not deliver as much heat into a cup of liquid as an older GoldStar microwave of ~1100W, i.e. heating takes longer despite a higher power.

Minor annoyances: The light only comes on when the klystron is active, and the grill is difficult to see through so it can be difficult to judge when items are sufficiently heated.

The display is not visible when standing next to the keypad, unless you are 5′ or shorter at normal counter height. (It appears to show 88:88 until you bend down.)

The wheels supporting the plate don’t have a track, so it is pretty common not to have them perfectly centered around the drive. This can lead to some squeaking until you get it recentered.

Review by Rebecca McNamee:

This is technologically the best microwave that I have ever owned. I have only had it about a week, but the turntable is what elevates it above my first microwave, a 1976 or 77 Tappan-Touch with browning element. The browning element was hardly ever used, so I did not require one when I bought this Panasonic. This microwave actually replaced my 1979 Amana RadarRange, whose timer had finally given out. I saw no reason to repair the extremely heavy beast due to door wear, aging of insulation, and other such considerations. The new Panasonic weighs much less than the older microwaves, so even I can pick it up and move it. The pop-out dial simplifies the board use and is an improvement in the ergonomics. It is very easy to learn how to use. The sensor function cooks TV dinners to perfection. The inverter defrost works well, also, and is a great improvement over my previous ovens. My only complaint is the heaviness of touch required to depress the door latch button/panel. They really should use a weaker spring on these. The display is not too bright and is welcome in dimmer lighting or in the dark. (I don’t regard this as an energy vampire, because I need the clock feather visible and because extreme energy use resulting in global warming are really, at their hearts, human overpopulation issues and won’t be solved in my kitchen. Also, I’ve converted all my lighting to low-energy use fluorescent, etc, so it’s hard to feel guilty for having an electronic clock display that I need to be able to see all of the time.) I also recommend this microwave because of the size. One can never have a wide enough turntable. I will also be able to finish-cook a decent-sized turkey in this oven to moist perfection, after pre-browning it in my regular oven. I bought the 2 year extended replacement warranty just in case the fuse or other parts should prematurely burn out, as they sometimes do on the more inexpensive microwaves, and recommend this. Although this has a popcorn feature that works well, I found out that studies have shown that the cooking of popcorn is what most often prematurely kills microwaves because popcorn doesn’t have much moisture or enough material to absorb enough of the microwaves when it cooks (and neither does bacon). So just avoid cooking popcorn and put in a cup of water when you cook bacon and you should be alright. That 2-yr extended warranty, either from Amazon or directly from Panasonic in the paperwork, should help with your peace-of-mind. What a great product, overall. Thank you Panasonic! (And thank you Amazon for quickly replacing the first one that showed up with both the front door and the back dented in from shipping damage. The replacement was perfect and works perfectly as well!)