Sharp R-21LCFS Medium-Duty Commercial Microwave Oven with Dial Timer Stainless Steel 1000-Watts 120-Volts

The cooking is very even, more even than any other microwave I've ever used. I was initially concerned that there isn't a "defrost" mode or any way to reduce the power, but since the heating is so even, it actually defrosts things much more gently (with less risk of hot spots) on full power than my old turntable microwave did on its lowest power levels. The even heating also results in less splattering, and the lack of hot or scorched spots makes foods come out much better. Some foods that I used to avoid microwaving (because I didn't like the scorched or overheated spots, or bits of food that pop or explode) are now fine to microwave. I love the simplicity of the controls. It is very easy to use, and easy even for people who tend to be forgetful. If you take food out and then close the door, it doesn't start running again. The dial is quick and easy to operate, so its very easy to add time if you actually do want to cook something longer. The bottom inside is smooth (no turntable) and easy to clean, and everything appears to be very well built. I don't see any parts that look like they would be easy to damage or wear down, so I expect it to last a long time. I had an issue with an older microwave (different brand) that had a push button to release the door, and one day after only a little over a year of use, the push button door release just stopped working and there was no obvious way to fix it. This microwave has a much more robust door latch mechanism that looks like it should last a long time. I will update this review if anything changes, but so far, after using two of these for a few months, I have every expectation that they will still be going strong many years from now. Read more

Extremely durable and easy to clean with stainless steel interior/exterior. Simple controls should last very long. Liked it so much we bought another. Read more

Purchased for an elderly woman with early dementia because she was having trouble with her present microwave ... this microwave is perfect. Easy to open door, and no buttons...it has a dial! So easy. It is wonderful!!! Read more

We use 2 of these at work. Used dozens of times every day. Good units. Read more

This is a simple, well built microwave. I expect it to last longer than the other kitchen appliances. Heating is even and there's no turntable to get gunked up. There's no power adjustment settings, but I've found that cooking for half the time when 50% power is indicated, it does a great job. I would highly recommend this to anyone frustrated with a residential microwave. Read more

We're thoroughly impressed with this appliance - it's sturdy, well-designed, quiet and sufficient power perfect for our two-person household. The minimalist interface, featuring a single control knob, is a major plus. We also appreciate the absence of a rotating tray, which provides more space and reduces cleaning hassle. Read more

Overall I'm pleased with this microwave oven. It's a no-frills, simple design I learned about when they got one for the break room at work. It's roomy enough for standard needs... cup of coffee, pot of soup, popcorn, dinner plate, etc. Controls are simply one dial with lighted numerals to stand for minutes or seconds if it's under 1 minute. The lights "count down" as it's cooking, so you know how long is left. This is also a great method to figure out what time is best and choose that precise time again later. Sure, you can do that with a digital readout, but with this oven it's just a quick spin of the dial and done. Takes less than a second. The dial offers very little resistance. It spins not freely enough to keep going when you let go, but very easily so dialing in the time is effortless. It does not move as it counts down, so this is an electronic process and not mechanical (to my knowledge). It's 1000 watts, so it has plenty of cooking power. I had to remove some stars, unfortunately, because 1 year 7 months after purchasing this the door handle broke. I like the design of the door handle, but it has some vulnerable parts inside. The door latches closed and the microwave will not turn on unless the door is closed. This is a safety feature. Also if you close the door and don't activate the microwave for a while, it times out and will not power on unless you open and close the door again. Nice safety feature so you don't accidentally cook your food twice if you're absent-minded. The handle latches closed and to open it you squeeze the door handle. It's not exactly intuitive, so new users may just grab and pull until they learn they have to squeeze to release the latch. We had some house guests and when they opened the microwave door, a part inside broke, so the door would no longer latch closed, and consequently the microwave would not power on. I took it apart to diagnose the problem (not recommended). It was a complex operation just to get the door apart. **Skip to the end if you're not interested in a technical description** See the attached pictures. I found that the door latch mechanism involves a spring holding tension on the part that moves in your hand, and also on plastic door latches inside which rock on a pivot. This pivot is built onto the parts as a small plastic nub about 4mm diameter and about 6mm long, which fits into a metal hole as a fulcrum for the mechanism. There are two parts like this (upper and lower) and the nub sheared off of the upper part. The part costs about $9 and it's available online, but I didn't want to wait that long, and the unit was still under warranty. Unfortunately, the nearest authorized service location is about 20 miles away, and they couldn't even look at the microwave for several days. My original request to customer service was to just send me the part, as I was pretty confident I could put it in myself. They completely ignored this request and sent back their boilerplate reply 1) warranty applies 2) call this number. I wound up fixing the part myself by drilling through where the nub was with my rotary tool, cutting down a small machine screw to length with a hack saw, and gluing it in. Works perfectly, although I've slightly decreased the structural integrity of the plastic latch head by drilling through it. We'll see how long it lasts or if the other one fails too. If you're going to do this operation bear in mind that it's not easy to just drill through the plastic part with a drill, as the drill bit keeps jumping around on the slick plastic. A rotary tool works much better, but be careful about melting the plastic too. Do it in short sessions. Also, it is necessary to cut down the machine screw. It has to fit into a narrow area, so the length of the nub does matter. Finally, I did try just gluing the plastic nub back on with super glue, but it immediately broke off again as soon as I reapplied the spring tension. **End of technical discussion** I recommend taking it easy on the door handle, and teaching guests how to open the microwave. Read more

My mom has dementia and still manages to use it. The rotary knob to set cook time is the only control. The cook time resets when you open the door, but it's very easy to do things in increments. You can't enter more time than 5 minutes, so it's hard to burn anything up. It's powerful enough to reheat food and beverages rapidly. There's a shield over the microwave emitter inside the unit so it stays clean, even when things splatter. I'd recommend it for kids for the same reason I picked it for my mom after she destroyed two other units. It's been in use for several months now and shows no signs of quitting. Read more