Panasonic Genius 1.3 Cu. Ft. Microwave (NNSD66LS) - Stainless Steel/Black - Only at Best Buy

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I’ve never been one to give a lot of thought pertaining to microwave operation, just something I’d taken for granted. I believed they all shared the same basic control modes, i.e. tap the number of minutes and seconds on the number input pad, hit start and wait for the ding. Upon receipt of this unit (after an original shipping snafu that Panasonic expertly and hastily resolved) I have to admit feeling momentarily bewildered as I went to type in a minute and a half for my burrito heat time, only to realize there is no numeric entry pad. Instead cooking times are input via rotary dial. Despite the control scheme being radically different from what I was accustomed to, I was able to overcome the modest learning curve and re-train muscle memory to operate it as quickly, sometimes more so, than our conventional microwave oven. Comparing this new unit with our existing above-range GE microwave, I find foods in the Panasonic NN-SD96LS heat much more quickly and evenly. My family also note that it operates much more quietly than the traditional unit. Without doubt the unique feature most surprising is the “Steam sensor”. It modulates both the cooking time and power, based on the amount of steam and moisture produced by the cooking foods. I've deducted ½ star for "Sensory Cooking". it is a very cool feature in theory, i was unfortunately unable to get 100% consistent results (albeit, following weeks i'm sure i'll fine tune which foods need more/less time). The other ½ deduction is for the slight learning curve and time imprecision to make the transition to rotary dial. Physical dimensions Height : 11.80 inch Width : 21.22 inch Depth : 17.44 inch Weight : 43 pounds Capacity : 1.3 cu. feet Wattage : 1100 watts Warranty : 5-year Magnetron Control Scheme (buttons) -Popcorn (3 levels) -Sensor Reheat -Sensor Cook -Power Level (10% increments) -Auto Defrost -Keep Warm -Cooking Timer / Clock -More (increases 10% cook time) -Less (reduces 10% cook time) -Stop / Reset -Quick 30 button Sensor Cook pre-programmed food items 1 - Baked Potato 2 - Fresh Vegetables 3 - Frozen Vegetables 4 - Frozen Pizza 5 - Frozen Entrée 6 - Casserole 7 - Fish Filet 8 - Rice 9 - Pasta 10 - Stew Pros + pleasing aesthetics + sleek, rounded corners + well-built solid metal assembly + Rotary dial = twist, zap, eat + innovative control scheme + Quick-30 second button + Sensor Cook food items + effective auto-defrost mode + far more efficient than GE microwave + super quiet operation at full power + 10 pre-programed food settings Cons -inside light could be brighter -mild learning curve adjusting to rotary dial -max granularity time cooking is 5 second increments (scaled at 1-min, 5-min, 10-min, 30-min) CONCLUSION ——————— If you’re in the market for a mid-size countertop microwave oven with a solidly built metal body (not plastic!), attractive sleek profile, and innovative features, it is my recommendation you give the Panasonic NN-SD96LS microwave oven serious consideration.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The Panasonic Model NN-SD69LS is a powerful 1100 watt, 1.3 cu ft. capacity, countertop microwave oven. The rotating glass turntable is a large 12.75”. The approximate dimensions are: Exterior: 21.25” wide x 16.5” deep x 12.0” tall – Interior: 13.875” wide x 14.75” deep x 8.375” tall. The NN-SD69LS is a hefty 43 lbs. Features with dedicated control buttons include 3 level Popcorn setting, Sensor Reheat, Sensor Cook, 10 Power Level settings, Auto Defrost and Keep Warm and Add 30 Seconds. The cooking tray rotates whenever the oven is in operation. Tray rotation cannot be switched off to accommodate large square or rectangular platters or casseroles. The audible, end of cycle beeping alert feature also cannot be switched off. The large, white LED display is bright and easy to read from across the room. None of the function labels on the display and none of the switches are illuminated. Most of the labeling lacks contrast and is not particularly easy to read. The Auto Defrost feature requires determining the weight of the frozen food and using a Conversion Chart and Defrosting Chart to estimate the correct “Auto-Defrost” setting. We found it to be more effort than it was worth. Sensor Cooking and Sensor Reheating rely upon the detection of steam in the oven cavity, produced when food is heated. If the door is opened to actually check the temperature / doneness of the food, the steam vents out and the “Sensor Cooking / Reheating” is defeated and cancelled. We found this feature to be of little to no benefit, as well. Every microwave oven that we have owned or used since the 1970’s has had a digital touchpad for setting cooking time, power levels, timer functions, etc. Many also included additional “feature buttons” or other dedicated function buttons, to augment the numerical touchpad and facilitate the ease of use and convenience of the microwave oven. The Panasonic NN-SD69LS, and several other Panasonic microwave oven models, deviates from that standard. Rather than providing a numeric touchpad, this microwave employs electromechanical buttons for feature/function selection, and an electromechanical rotary dial for setting time intervals for cooking, defrosting, timer, etc. Where a digital touchpad permits direct entry of any digits or combination thereof, the rotary dial application of the NN-SD69LS is more restrictive and more limiting. There is no ability to set intervals in 1 second increments, at all. The minimum time interval which can be utilized is 5 seconds. For setting intervals of less than, and up to 1 minute, the rotary dial advances in 5 second increments. From 1 – 5 minutes, the time accumulates in 10 second increments. From 5 – 10 minutes, the time setting adds 30 second increments. From 10 – 30 minutes (which is the maximum cooking time available) and for timer settings between 10 – 90 minutes, the time increment is 1 minute intervals. If you need to heat something for 1 minute – 35 seconds, or 5 minutes – 15 seconds, or any other combination that does not conform to the fixed time intervals provided by the rotary dial, you will need to abandon such precise time settings. It is apparent that those incrementally longer time intervals are by design intended to reduce the number of full rotations of the rotary dial needed in order to arrive at the desired setting. Nevertheless, you are still required to spin the dial quite a bit, and are restricted to accepting a time setting which may only approximate the setting that is actually needed. Through daily use of microwave ovens, we often ascertain relatively precise cooking settings for certain foods. The ability to set cooking times with greater accuracy and precision is valuable, as it enhances the convenience and ease of use of a microwave oven. With the less granular settings available with the rotary dial, it necessitates adding additional cooking time after a cycle has ended, or using the next longer available interval, and standing close watch over the cooking progress in order to manually shut off the microwave before the food burns or liquid boils over. We find the rotary dial, with its limited and imprecise time interval settings to be a nuisance and inconvenience. That is the very antithesis of why we all own microwave ovens; for convenience and conservation of time and effort. Many Panasonic microwave models offer a beneficial technology which enhances microwave cooking and reheating. Panasonic is one of very few manufacturers who have offered Inverter Technology. Most microwave ovens, including the Panasonic NN-SD69LS, use conventional magnetron (the microwave energy producing component) technology. Conventional magnetrons run only at full power level. When using a “reduced power level”, such as when defrosting, the microwave still runs the magnetron at full power, but cycles the magnetron on and off for varying time intervals. You can see and hear the magnetron cycling in pulses. Resultantly, the food is being exposed to full power microwave radiation during the “on” pulses, and no microwave radiation during the “off” pulses. When set to “50%” power, the conventional magnetron is still producing 100% power through the alternating on and off cycles. The common phenomenon of uneven cooking, burning hot outer edges and cold centers of food, and the need to rearrange or stir the food in order to get a more even cooking result is typical. Inverter microwaves however, modulate the power level of the magnetron. Therefore at the half-power level, the Inverter Magnetron will only emit 50% power, rather than pulsing on and off at 100% power to simulate a lower power level. The application of lower power levels on a continuous basis, results in more evenly cooked food, defrosting without cooked or burned edges, and the ability to keep foods warm until you are ready to serve them. An additional benefit of Inverter technology is that the large and heavy transformer and high-voltage capacitor which power the magnetron are replaced with a more compact and lighter power supply. In fact, while this 1.3 cu ft. NN-SD69LS weighs a substantial 43 lbs., a Panasonic 1.3 cu ft. model with Inverter technology weighs over 15 lbs. less and has slightly reduced external depth. Inverter microwave ovens are typically quieter as well (fan noise, notwithstanding). I can attest from first-hand experience that a Panasonic Inverter Technology microwave oven heats evenly and produces excellent cooking results, particularly at reduced power levels such as those used for reheating and defrosting. The NN-SD69LS does generally perform basic cooking well. Its cooking speed is just as expected from an 1100 watt oven. The Panasonic NN-SD69LS is powerful, at 1100 watts, although in the same price range Panasonic also offers more powerful, 1200 watt and 1250 watt models. The “Easy-Clean” interior of the NN-SD69LS is apparently coated with dark gray epoxy paint. The dark gray color, coupled with an anemic, incandescent interior light makes it a challenge to see the interior well. This is particularly problematic if you are conscientious about keeping the interior clean. Splatters on the interior of the oven cavity (which still occur even with best efforts to always properly cover or wrap food when cooking) are very difficult to see without employing a supplemental light source. While it is true that microwave ovens with white interiors will show every splatter, it is actually much easier to keep the interior clean when you can actually see the dirt. The interior light of the NN-SD69LS is not only lacking in brightness, it is my understanding that the bulb is not user replaceable. Cleaning the interior of fresh splatters requires some scrubbing effort. Cleaning “baked-on” splatters which eluded cleaning due to poor visibility would undoubtedly be a challenge. The 1.3 cu ft. interior is spacious, albeit poorly illuminated and dark. It easily accommodates large dinner plates and most casseroles on the large 12.75” diameter rotating glass tray. The microwave oven is large and relatively heavy. The electromechanical controls, comprised of mechanical buttons and a rotating knob, in lieu of the much more common electronic, touchpad controls may be a “matter of taste”. However, we find the unusual controls to be a nuisance and inconvenient. The inability to select precise cooking/timer settings is limiting, restrictive and inconvenient, at best. Being limited to setting cooking times in 5, 10, 30 and 60 second increments, while spinning a dial for many revolutions, is far less convenient and efficient than using a simple and straightforward numeric touchpad. The lack of Panasonic Inverter Technology on the NN-SD69LS, may also diminish the efficiency, performance level and most importantly, cooking results (even and thorough heating without cold centers, burned edges and the necessity to repeatedly rearrange or stir the food being heated/cooked). Each of the foregoing limitations of the NN-SD69LS when taken by itself, affects the convenience, user-friendliness, efficiency and user-satisfaction associated with this model. Considered together, they suggest considering other models. Other Panasonic models might be better choices. Panasonic offers similarly priced (and even lower priced) microwave oven models with the same 1.3 cu ft. capacity, with the same 1100 watt and even higher powered 1200 and 1250 watt capability, electronic, numeric touchpad controls and Inverter Technology magnetrons. I believe that one of those Panasonic models, particularly with the attributes of touchpad controls and Inverter Technology, might represent a superior choice and value, and will be more satisfactory in terms of convenience, cooking efficiency and results, and user satisfaction.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This microwave is a tad larger and more powerful than the one it is replacing at 1100 Watts versus 900 Watts. So it did take a little getting used to which power level and the amount of time to use for different foods. The dial used to select the cooking time also had a learning curve as the increments change depending how much time is already on the clock. For example, under 1 minute the increments are 5 seconds, from 1-5 minutes it’s 10 seconds, from 5-10 minutes it’s 30 seconds and after that the increment is 1 minute up to 90 minutes, max. This makes selecting the cooking time a bit imprecise and also makes setting the clock a bit cumbersome if the power goes out because you have to scroll through every minute, though thankfully it’s only a 12-hour display. You can also use the “add 30 seconds” button to select the time or add more time during heating. I was most interested in the one-touch reheating and cooking function as it eschews the need to manually select a power level and time for your food; instead it uses sensors to track the moisture and humidity of your food to determine when it’s hot enough to be considered reheated or cooked. However, this also means that it won’t work with very dry foods like bread or pastries, and the manual recommends against this mode for raw/uncooked foods, beverages (like tea), and frozen foods. I tried this mode on a variety of foods including leftover cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes, and steak pulled straight from the fridge. The unit runs for an un-predetermined amount of time, as it’ll only stop once the sensors detect enough steam/moisture, however, it will count down the last 30 seconds before it’s done. Using this setting, the potatoes and vegetables came out great, piping hot and ready to serve in just a few minutes. The steak on the other hand, came out well-done rather than the originally cooked done-ness of medium. You are able to select, however, to increase or decrease the cooking time when using the sensor by 10 or by 20%. You do have to make this change each time though, as it won’t remember for next time that you prefer to reheat at 20% less time. The only thing with that mode is since you don’t know how long the reheating cycle will take, you just have to wait around until the unit beeps or starts the end of cycle countdown. The one-touch cook button allows you to select by number from 10 different pre-set common food types like frozen pizza, rice, and pasta. The "sensor cook" numeric key is printed on the sticker on the inside edge of the door for quick reference, but the manual provides both the key and further instruction on how to utilize each setting. Again, you won’t know how long the cook time will be in advance, but you can adjust the time by the same 10 or 20% up or down. There’s also an auto-defrost button that only requires that you enter the food weight, up to 6.6 lbs or 3 kg (the units are only able to be set/changed when the microwave is plugged in). You do have to convert ounces to the decimal portion of a pound though when entering the weight. The auto-defrost worked fine for a 1 lb block of frozen ground beef that I was defrosting for chili, but depending on the thickness, it may not defrost throughout all at once, so I had to remove the outer defrosted meat from the block and let it rest to thaw completely after running the defrost cycle. Other foods you may have to turn/flip part way through, based on the weight of the food, and the microwave will pause and beep once to alert you when it’s time to do so. The multi-stage cooking options are interesting as it lets you set up to three different stages for cooking, including a delayed start, cooking for different periods of time at different power levels, keep warm, and resting time, so for example, if you want to heat something on high for 3 minutes, rest for 5 minutes, and then heat again at 50% power for another minute you can choose all those settings upfront before hitting start, and it will run those settings back-to-back. Overall, the microwave performed to my expectations in efficiently heating my food evenly. After using it a bunch we got better at selecting the amount of time and power needed to reheat/cook our food without overcooking it. It’s also fairly easy to clean the interior, though we always use a microwave safe cover over food to prevent splatter. It has a couple of cool features like the multi-stage cooking and sensor modes, but the one thing I would have liked better would be if the dial for selecting time and weight was a numeric keypad instead, and maybe some backlighting for the controls because they can be hard to read even in normal lighting but is near impossible with the lights off.

I’ve had the microwave for a month. It heats up quickly and is easy to use with the twist of the knob. I didn’t realize there’s no other way to set time besides turning the knob, that’s kind of annoying to keep turning when you need a lot of cook time. However, I haven’t read the manual so maybe there is another way to add time lol. It is huge and takes up a lot of space. But the performance and look gets 5 stars!

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This is definitely a nice counter top microwave. The stainless is a nice touch, helps match with the rest of the household appliances now a days. Sleek design, 10 auto cook menu with sensor cooking, dial knob with push to start and 1100 watts of cooking power. All in all a nice microwave that does what it was meant to do.