finally able to talk about it....

[katie in the UP]

Tues, I went to soften butter in the microwave....and nothing!
Darn microwave took a dive.
I just had to have the GE Profile series (it matches my new stove).
We bought it 2 years ago (October)!
$600=2 years

We went to Sears found almost identical Microwave/Confection oven for $400. We had a Kenmore before the GE and it lasted 7 years.....
Is it one manufacturer that distributes them all under different names and costs?? Other than the handle it looks exactly like the GE (and 2 years later...it costs $200 less).

RANT OVER

Does anyone else depend on the microwave for cooking? I use it as a 2nd oven....very necessary before a large Holiday meal

[duonyte]

Yeah, I use my microwave for cooking all the time - precooking veggies so they saute more quickly and in less fat, warming up liquids, other stuff. I had a Kenmore that was very reliable. I think the one I have now is a Sharp that I got for free when I bought a TV it has to be more than 10 years ago.

I was in the middle of baking breads - multiple loaves - when the oven died. And I remember when we were preparing for a party at my parents' house over Christmas one year when the water heater died - no hot water for washing dishes was the immediate horror - forget showers, we would have managed for the evening - but the kitchen needs were immediate.

[**Tinkerbell**]

I chose a Whirlpool microwave when we built this house 12 years ago. Besides showing some finger smudge darkening on the keypad, it still works great.

Most brands are manufactured by just a few major manufacturers anymore, and then they're branded and sold under different names. But, just because the appliance says "Kenmore" it doesn't mean that it was made by LG. Electrolux/Fridgidaire also manufactures products branded with the Kenmore name.

The GE and Kenmore microwaves were most likely made by two different manufacturers (GE and LG respectively), but to make sure you'd need to check the appliance's model number with the list posted on the Appliance 411 website.

If you purchased the appliance from Sears, refer to this page to find your serial number prefix and it'll point out the manufacturer:
http://www.appliance411.com/purchase/sears.shtml

This is a link to the general appliance "Who Made What?" list:
http://www.appliance411.com/purchase/make.shtml

Hope this helps you find a replacement that won't give you trouble in the future!
*Tink

[Riverside Len]

Sears is not a manufacturer, every appliance sold under the Sears label is made by someone else. I don't think there is a single manufacturer for microwave ovens. It's possible that different models of a same appliance sold by Sears could come from different manufacturers (that's just my guess). Some years ago I bought a small chest freezer from Sears and the owners manual was for 3 different brands sold by Sears. The difference in the brands was the features and the prices. So, in this case every freezer sold by Sears came from the same manufacturer with the difference being features and price (the salesman told me the same thing). You can usually find the manufacturer of a Sears appliance by asking the sales person. The serial number plate and owners manual may also reveal that information.

As far as GE appliances are concerned, I have always had good luck with them. My GE microwave/range hood combination is more than 20 years old. Now that I've bragged about it I hope it doesn't bite me.

[kseiverd]

Got first microwave back in early 70's... husband worked for GE and got a discount. It was a MONSTER in size and weight. When it finally started to take WAY to long to do normal stuff, bought a new one... smaller, lighter, and way less $$ by then. Old one sat in basement for a year or so before MIL said she'd take it. When we moved it (totally unplugged) it started BEEPING?!?

Really don't "cook" many things in microwave. Find it great for cooking/steaming fresh/frozen veggies. In AUGUST when it's HOT and cron is wonderful... perfect for doing 1-2 ears without needing a steaming big pot of boiling water. Into a casserole with a few TBSP of H2O and something to cover... maybe 3 minutes for 2 ears and it comes out just right.

One time, got the great idea to try corned beef in microwave... what was I thinking?? Oh, it was technically cooked in no time, but don't think it coulda been sliced with a CHAIN SAW!?! Wasn't like I didn't KNOW that it takes a long time on stove, so wasn't totally bummed about that FAIL. At least I didn't plan of it being done when it dinged. Just put it into pot it shoulda gone into from the start and simmered away.

When 2nd microwave died, it was still too big and bulky for me to get down off shelf it was on... thank you, manly neighbor teenager!! Would have to go down and check, but pretty sure I replaced it with a GE that I could EASILY lift onto a kitchen shelving unit at eye level with little trouble. Know it was less than $50 and handles about anything I need it to do.

[Jacqueline in KY]

My parents owned and operated a furniture and appliance store until 16 years ago. We got the first microwave that they ever had in the store, I have no idea what year we got it, but it was a Sharp. I used that oven until about 3 years ago when I got a microwave out of our garage that was never sold in the store, it too was a sharp and is still going strong, just not at my house. Last Christmas my sister bought me a Half Time /Convection/Microwave Oven from http://halftimeovens.com/. I love it an would take no amount of money for it, except to replace it with a quarter time oven. This is the most handly gadget that I have, rarely a day goes by that I don't use it.

Sears also sells Sharp, they are, or have been for me a good brand and not all that expensive.

[Bonnie G #2]

I've had my microwave ever since we moved here about 6 years ago and not a bit of trouble with it to date - I think we paid less than $200 for it - it's a Panasonic and light enough I can move it around to clean under. What I use it for varies as sometimes I'm in a hurry and will use it for steaming, following some Micro recipes from here, melting chocolate or butter etc. I do tend to use it for something almost every day. I've been really happy with this one since I first got it.