Others say...

"LED Started to go after 5 months"
I had no complaints about this machine for the first four months (would have been 4 or 5 stars) but I will now have to return it - which is a massive hassle given its size. The LED readout has burned out on two of the vertical bars. It's actual two sequential bars in two columns for a total of 4 sections of the LED that are unreadable. You'd think that might be minor until you realize how often you look at the microwave to tell the time or see how much time remains with your cooking. It becomes untenable quickly.

"Great product"
Purchased this for summer home - needed powerful but compact unit and this is it. Looks great, heats as promised and easy to use. Only 'complaint'- the numbers are too faint for someone with macular - but this isn't unique to this unit. I read all the reviews for the variety of units I could have purchased and this one rated the highest - which proved correct. Next time I need a new microwave, will definitely put Sharp at the top of the list.

"Sharp 1.25 cu ft mircowave"
cool design, powerful, a good product overall, I expect it to be quite reliable like other Sharp products, but you pay for that modern stainless steel styling.

"A product NOT made in China ... it's made in Thailand."
I've waited quite awhile to review this product. Why? Well, I wasn't really sure of the quality and wanted to wait and see what would go wrong. After all, this is a very inexpensive microwave. So I waited ... and waited ... but since product models come and go quickly, I thought I had better put my 2 cents in before this model became history.

First, let me comment on the looks of this unit. That's what attracted me in the first place. It's a very modern looking unit with a very nice brushed stainless steel face. Unfortunately, it's a fingerprint, finger smudge magnet (yes, I knew that going in). But a little window cleaner keeps it looking great (just be prepared to do this every time you touch it -- either that, or wear gloves).

For whatever reason, I was surprised how big this unit was, but I shouldn't have been. Both the picture and the dimensions are correct (which is kind of a first). I measured 20-3/8 W x 12-1/4 H x 16-3/8 D (add another inch or so for the power cable mount on the back). The power plug (that goes into your outlet) needs about 3 inches of clearance. In other words, this unit will take a good deal of counter space. And in all honesty, I really didn't need a unit this large. Still, it's one of the more attractive microwave units that I've looked at.

As had been stated, almost all of the controls are behind the door. It really doesn't effect me because one has to open the door to put in the food. It's just different, that's all (and gives it a very clean outside appearance, which I really like). It does have a minute timer on the outside (I'm surprised how often I use that button) and a button for popcorn as well as start and stop/clear buttons. You push the panel below those buttons to open the door. It has a large, heavy glass turntable (about 12-5/8 diameter ... they got this dimension right as well) so one can cook some pretty large meals. The inside dimensions are: 13-7/8 W x 8-3/8 H x 14-7/8 D.

It's a 1200-watt unit that's pretty noisy, but probably not any louder than others in this power range (aren't all microwaves noisy?). It has several different types of settings (see the features listed by Amazon), and I wish I could tell you all about them, but I don't often use any of them (I just go by what the food product suggests). I don't even use the popcorn button (I do it the old fashion way ... by listening).

So how does it cook? Average, I guess. Really, no better or no worse than any other microwave that I've had. I couldn't tell a discernible difference. It cooks pretty well and fairly evenly, although occasionally there is a semi-frozen spot when I defrost. I guess my biggest complaint is how the power set button is incorporated. You want a power setting of 30? Then be prepared to push this button 7 times (90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, 30). And to tell you the truth, I haven't really figured out the defrost settings for certain items (like bread). I just "guestimate" with the power settings, but I get most items defrosted without too many problems (just takes a little practice). In my own defense, I lost (or misplaced) the manual a month after I purchased this product.

Not being any sort of a cook whatsoever, I'm not sure how valuable this review will be, so let me apologize if this wasn't helpful to you. In any case, I rate this unit an 8 (or a solid 4-star rating), meaning that I think this is a very good product and an excellent value. It's certainly cheap enough, has worked well for over 11 months (and absolutely nothing has gone wrong ... knock on wood), and it still looks great (after I clean it). And it's easy to clean inside and out, and does what it is suppose to do (and probably a lot more). To tell you the truth, I wasn't really expecting much from this unit, and if it broke I knew I wouldn't be out much money. So imagine my surprise when after almost one full year of continual, everyday use, it looks and operates like new.

"Sleek looking machine, with good performance"
We are really impressed with this microwave. It looks really cool and it is different as the buttons are inside the door, not on the outside. Not only does it look cool but it performs good also. We have not used it much, but so far so good. I would recommend this microwave to anyone. It is a good machine and well worth the $109 price tag. Unfortuanately mine arrived with a small scratch on the door. I called Amazon and rather than returning and getting a replacement, they knocked $30 off. $79 for this machine - what a deal!