Worth buying a decent microwave?

BUDFORCE

BUDFORCE

BUDFORCE

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I generally agree with "buy cheap buy twice" dishwashers etc, buy decent ones and they last and work out cheaper in the long run.

However in my experience it seems to not be the case for Microwaves.

I bought a decent Panasonic one in the last 10 years that didn't last, however my first ever Panasonic one lasted about 15 years and was actually still working other than the metal was starting to corrode.

I've also had cheap ones last a long time, the one I've got is easy 5+ years, probably 7 or 8 years, it's still working but the wheels on the spin plate are worn and it's making a horrible loud grinding noise.

So, if you were to buy a Microwave, cheap and cheerful or decent and made to last?
 
Bouton Aide said:
Buy one decent. Saves throwing away a microwave to landfill unless it gets recycled ofc.
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Yea but, if you buy an expensive one and it breaks, that still goes in landfill.

I apologise though, I guess my question should have been - in your experience, do expensive premium microwaves last longer than cheap ones.

Edit: Also because unlike most appliances, really in terms of functionality, a cheap microwave isn't really different to and expensive one, you put food in, turn it on, it heats it.

Okay I'm probably going to get some push back on this saying, yes but such and such microwave doesthis, but in my opinion, a microwave is a microwave, the only reason I'd buy a good one, is for it to last.
 
There's so little to go wrong in a microwave. There's a motor turning a plate and a fancy electromagnet.

I guess if you really wanted a microwave to last you'd go for one with as much stainless as possible and no turntable to reduce wear and corrosion risk.
 
My last somewhat expensive one fell to bits quicker than my current cheap one seems to be. The expensive one's pop-handle for the door broke, so we had to brute force it to open. Then, later, the whole thing just failed at about 4-5 years old. Current one is at least as old as that and fine - probably been used a lot more too, with my 10-year-old being home a lot (lockdown) and wanting jacket spuds for lunch.
 
I had this microwave for about 8 years - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sharp-R959SLMAA-Combination-Microwave-Silver/dp/B00E7RWIDO - when I redid the kitchen I decided it was too big to just be doing baked beans in and so I swapped it out for a smaller one. The old one even though about 8 years old, still worked as new, still looked almost like new and I was able to sell it for nearly twice what I paid for the little replacement. The reason we originally went for the big one is because it had an oven and grill in it as well, but we found ourselves pretty much just using the oven/micro combi to do a baked potato in 25 mins :)

Basically, yes the expensive one was better and lasted well, but if all you do is microwave baked beans then get one for about £70 should suffice.

This is what I swapped to - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HD2GJN2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (Was £55 when I got it from Marketplace for damaged outer box)
 
cheesyboy said:
My last somewhat expensive one fell to bits quicker than my current cheap one seems to be. The expensive one's pop-handle for the door broke, so we had to brute force it to open. Then, later, the whole thing just failed at about 4-5 years old. Current one is at least as old as that and fine - probably been used a lot more too, with my 10-year-old being home a lot (lockdown) and wanting jacket spuds for lunch.
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Exactly what happened to the Panasonic one I bought, I did pull it apart but the mechanism in the door lock was (mostly) plastic and the plastic had snapped, also becuase the door mechanism is linked to a kill switch so it turns off the microwave when you open the door, its actually somewhat complex, I did glue it back together, but that failed quite shortly after and there is quite literally no way that it could have been fixed, short of maybe 3D printing replacement plastic parts.

Bouton Aide said:
Get it fixed then or buy a cheap one and get it fixed if it breaks.
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As above, I do generally try to fix things if I can though.
 
We have a couple of basic Panasonic Inverters - they generally last a few years though seem to have some common faults - but last long enough. We had the same Panasonic ones years back and they lasted ages but then when they started having problems bought something far more expensive (will have to look up make/model) in between but they lasted less than 18 months before needing more spent on replacing parts to fix than just buying another Panasonic which has worked for 2-3 years so far.
 
See I double checked, the one I have now which I reckon is 7 - 8 years old is from Asda and was really cheap.

Rroff said:
We have a couple of basic Panasonic Inverters - they generally last a few years though seem to have some common faults - but last long enough. We had the same Panasonic ones years back and they lasted ages but then when they started having problems bought something far more expensive (will have to look up make/model) in between but they lasted less than 18 months before needing more spent on replacing parts to fix than just buying another Panasonic which has worked for 2-3 years so far.
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See this is exactly what I am trying to find out, as mentioned above, now your post, expensive microwaves not lasting.

I am thinking it might be a case of "buy expensive buy twice" or "buy cheap, get lucky" becuase I am not getting the impression that decent premium microwaves are lasting.

But obviously see what others also say, like I said, my first Panasonic Microwave lasted easy 15 years, but then that was going back probably 25 years when it was pruchased, I am not sure if manufacturing standards are the same, or maybe more recent Panasonic in partilcular (going by the posts in the thread anyway) are no good.
 
We've just bought the basic Panasonic model - I think from Argos - has all the features we'll ever need and more and they easily last a few years even though there seem to be some common design issues with the current models. I just don't see the advantage of spending more.
 
Bounce said:
£800 on a microwave seriously?
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Thats nothing, the one the other half really likes was over a grand :eek:

Just take a look at Miele's microwave range for example now

They start at £460 and go up to £1,149.

https://www.miele.co.uk/e/microwave-ovens-1013130-c

And they arent even the most expensive microwaves you can buy

In my defence, the £800 was a lot of years ago when £80 microwaves didnt exist, a cheap one was over £300.
 
I have a preference for a microwave with a top and bottom grill, and my last one that had this, a Sharp, lasted for years and years before it gave up the ghost.

When I looked to replace it, again, Sharp was the only brand I could find that had both grills, so bought another one, had it for around three years now, still going strong.
 
I bought an expensive Panasonic in 2016 or 2015 around £250

It's basically an oven/grill with full size elements that has a microwave option though.

I don't own an actual cooker just hot plates and that.

seems way more energy efficient than a real cooker would be and it hits 250c so...

the lightbulb inside just died on me the other week, other than that no issues at all, I'll take the cover off and pop a new bulb in at some point.

EDIT:
oh damn it was 2013 found where I posted pics when I bought it
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/forums/posts/24416382/

this is what you call a grill element in a microwave
9h2Jehq.jpg
and look at that oven fan at the back just like a normal electric oven :D
 
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