Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN686S Stainless Steel Countertop/Built-In with Inverter Technology and Genius Sensor, 1.2 Cubic Foot, 1200W

The best part about this brand of microwave is that it works - no hassle. My first Panasonic Inverter lasted 15 years. Replaced it b/c I wanted a smaller one. Gave it away to a coworker who says it’s still working 5 years later. Still looks new. So, instead doing the smart thing + buying another one, I bought a Toshiba based on the over 15k reviews. First one came dented. Sent back. Reordered and hated it. Cheaply made, door was noisy to open + close and within a year had to throw it in a dumpster. The back blistered and the inside was stained (could never get any food stain to go away). Idk if I just got a bad one or not, but this Panasonic is hands down a superior machine.Pros: minimalist look, no handle, easy to use, reheat option - did I mention it works??? My fridge + stove are black stainless, but my dishwasher is reg stainless, and the microwave sits right above it on the counter.I was thinking about replacing the dishwasher to match the rest, but the microwave kind of pulls it together, + the look is aesthetically pleasing now, so saved some $ there.Cons: in dim light, the operating panel is harder to see, and I still haven’t figured out how to permanently disable the child lock, but tbf, I haven’t spent any time reading the manual other than having to press 0 to open the door. I think that a child safety lock should be something you have to purposefully activate, not come already enabled.So, if you want a reliable, attractive, microwave that has an inverter and multiple cooking options, I cannot recommend Panasonic enough. The LG models are more expensive and aren’t nearly as attractive. I was tempted to buy the small Breville, but reviews were mixed. Btw…if it matters, Panasonic is one of the few microwave brands that isn’t made in China. That was a nice bonus for me.I’ve had this model a month with no issues. Some ppl didn’t like the dark gray interior, but I do. It’s different and makes it look more expensive than it is. Honestly, if I became a millionaire overnight, I’d still buy Panasonic microwaves. They’ve never let me down.

I have no complaints about this microwave whatsoever. It's been a joy to use & the settings I use most aren't complicated.1200W of power and changing the power level (which I do frequently) is super easy. It's a beautiful microwave. It's as large inside as my old one but has a smaller footprint.Speaking of prints: If you hate fingerprints on stuff, you'll be dismayed that the brushed stainless part at the bottom does show fingerprints. However, it doesn't bother me -- I'm more concerned with getting good use out of it and I absolutely do.If you don't know what difference an INVERTER makes, I can tell you what I know. In other microwaves, if you turn the power level down to say 50%, that just means it'll cycle *full power* 50% of the time which can make your food cook unevenly. With the inverter, when you set power to 50%, it runs at 50% power the whole time -- which means your food cooks more evenly.I'm very happy I purchased this microwave. I've been using it to make full meals since the super-hot heat came on this summer & it has changed the way I cook some things.EXTRA NOTE: The unit came with some advertising for Anyday cookware to get the most out of the microwave oven. Well, I bought that cookware since the heat of summer was already upon us & it's amazing cookware. It's how I cook fish now!

This seems to be a nice microwave. I am concerned about the many inverter failures I've read about, but in the end I was swayed by the positive reviews overall and from friends who swear by the inverters. It is very powerful, and in fact perhaps too powerful. Even the instructions suggest using a lower power level for most foods. I find myself using power level 8 a lot. Turbo defrost seems to work great. Cooking and defrost do seem to be even, and I think that is why most folks like the inverter models.Like others have said, the instant 30 second button requires a second button to start. I also find that annoying as my prior microwave started immediately upon the first press of the instant (1 minute) button. However in my case it is nice to have the 30 second button..so it is a trade-off for me. What's even nicer is that you can set the power level before using the instant 30 second button.The Sensor cooking option is inadequate. In my experience it barely warms my food even when I press the More button. So I can only used it as a first step, then use normal operation to finish the heating.The popcorn feature allows you to set it for different sized bags. However, in my first use of the feature it ended too soon and stopped before popping had even slowed (yes, I had correctly set the bag size).Appearance-wise, the microwave looks nice from the front, but the sides and top are rather plain. No effort was made by Panasonic to make it look attractive from the sides. I agree with others that it is difficult to read the text on the buttons. Not enough contrast. I guess once you get familiar with it you don't need to read them as much.The button to open the door is stainless steel, so it shows fingerprints all of the time. Why they would use stainless steel for such a button is beyond me. Emphasis on appearance over function perhaps, but in the end it looks ugly due to the ever-present smudges. I gave up trying to keep it smudge free...now only when expecting guests.Be sure to read the manual if you don't need some of the child-safety features that others are complaining about.I bought this to replace a 28 year old Samsung that I bought as a display model. It's too bad that Samsung quality is not what it used to be (I won't consider Samsung appliances nowadays). I'd even bet the 28 year old microwave in its new forever home will outlast this new Panasonic, but hey...it was only 700W, smaller capacity, and had fewer features. Still, I've no doubt it will serve its new owners well.