Community Chat

[SeaMaiden]

 This Panasonic microwave oven came with the house we bought 25 years ago. It probably is well over 30 years old. I am in shock and sad . I had to heat something on the stove tonight that I normally microwave and really did not know how!  I can not live without my microwave. I use it for everything!  So out shopping I go tomorrow.  Guess I will stick with    Panasonic. Any suggestions? I am sure they have changed in 30 years.

[sophiamarie]

@SeaMaiden  Don't panic.  Mine went out two weeks ago too, as I was heating a bag of Birds Eye Steamers...... My husband ran out to Target (after looking at some reviews) and got a Korean brand (Daewoo) for $56.00..... It works just as great as my Kenmore did, which we had for many years.  

Microwaves are really "throw-aways" nowadays anyway.  they are so cheap, it's not worth worrying about.....  He uses it to heat up his coffee all day long and can't be without it, so he was back before the sun set in the West......

BTW - I hope you get one that turns by itself.  I have never had any other kind and we have had many microwaves over the years.  

[ValuSkr]

My microwave is old too, 26 years, original with the house.  I wonder how much longer it'll last.  Is yours built in?  Mine is, so I think I'd have to hire someone to install its replacement, when the day comes.  Not surprisingly, it's gotten hard to find microwave turntables.  I'm making do with the one I have though the brake is broken.  I think Nordic Ware still makes them but I'd have to order online since they're not sold in stores.

[QVCkitty1]

My Panasonic died last month, but it had a good long life, so I got on Amazon and ordered another Panasonic, it' a great product. Microwaves are great are they not, no learning curve , just plug in and use.

[Janey2]

I recently had to replace a 5 year old high end microwave. The salesperson told us to be happy you got 5 years out of it. They now usually last about 4years. They are all made in China in the same place. 

[Melania]

We have had great luck with Panasonic and the fact that your lasted 30 years say it all. Appliances today are not made to last that long anymore deliberately.

When we needed a replacement we couldn't find a Panasonic to fit our space so we went with GE. Bad, bad idea.

It crapped out within 3 months and they kept sending repair people to "fix" it which ended up costing them more than 6 times what the hunk of junk was worth. It was under warranty and GE insisted on fixing it. It made no sense. It would have been cheaper to just replace it.

We just gave up and got rid of it. 

My parents moved to an apartment that had one so they gave us their one year old Kenmore. It fit our space and was huge inside. So far so good.

[SeaMaiden]

@ValuSkr  Not built in. Just sits on a shelf in a closet.  Husband is going after work tomorrow to replace it.  The next thing I need to replace is the water heater BEFORE it starts leaking....way past its replacement due date. Everything in our house is just old like ME. .

[Catty2]

My old Panasonic microwave is still going strong.  In fact, maybe we have the same model - it has dials not a touchpad and is 600W.  In fact, I worked for Panasonic for 6 years back in the 1970's.  Hoping they still make quality products. 

[Kachina624]

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@ValuSkr wrote:

My microwave is old too, 26 years, original with the house.  I wonder how much longer it'll last.  Is yours built in?  Mine is, so I think I'd have to hire someone to install its replacement, when the day comes.  Not surprisingly, it's gotten hard to find microwave turntables.  I'm making do with the one I have though the brake is broken.  I think Nordic Ware still makes them but I'd have to order online since they're not sold in stores.

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Turntables come built in to all the microwaves I've seen.  I bought my over-the-stove model a couple years ago at Lowe's and they installed it.  You'll probably find the newer ones are a lot more powerful than the older models.  My first microwave, a GE, was 450 watts and cost $400.  

[catwhisperer]

I am an old fuddy duddy. I grew up without a dishwasher, microwave, and cell phone and am still surviving. I do have a 15 yr. old microwave that DH uses to heat up food and I keep a cell phone in my purse in case of emergency, but other than that, I have no use for these items.