Customer Reviews

LG LMV1680WW Over-the-Range 1-3/5-Cubic-Foot Microwave Oven, White

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

I recently upgraded from a GE Spacemaker XL with the purchase of an LG over-the-range microwave - 2 cubic ft., black, item number: LMV208SB.

the Good
- attractive to look at, matches my kitchen decor perfectly
- large LCD display is easy to see and read
- includes many advanced and basic settings
- has an "EZ-ON" feature which allows you to start cooking instantly with the press of this button
- has dedicated buttons for popcorn and hot dogs
- door opens on its own, there isn't another button that you need to press like on other microwaves for the door
- the price was exceptional and with Amazn's free shipping I defy anyone to find another retailer that can match their price
- comes with a 1-year warranty and if LG is anything like GE (I have no idea) they won't bat an eye if you call them for service even when the appliance is a few years old
- More/Less Arrows allow you to subtract or add time while the microwave is in operation
- tells you when to turn over food, when you're defrosting
- extra large cooking capacity, and with the wrack it nearly doubles in size
- 1100 watts of power

the Bad
- it is incredibly heavy and bulky (nearly 70 pounds), have at least 2 strong men who can lift it when you install it
- the door makes a loud clunking sound when it closes
- there isn't a "quick cook" button like GE had, the closest this has is EZ-On, however that automatically defaults to 30 seconds
- the unit doesn't constantly keep beeping to remind you that your food is ready
- sometimes foods tend to get slightly soggy when taken off the "hold warm" setting
- the rotation cannot be turned off if it is set to keep warm
- it's doing a number on my plastic dishes that are microwave safe, they're slightly bending, however since they're so inexpensive I do not mind too much

the Ugly
- it is a beast to clean/keep clean
- it is a fingerprint/dust magnet
- picks up streaks very quickly
- it can pick up scratches very, very easily

the Exceptional
- the Soften button allows you to soften butter, ice-cream, cream cheese and even frozen juice
- with the cooking sensors the microwave cooks everything to the perfect temp and then shuts off automatically, this is great for TV dinners
- with the Reheat button you can quickly heat up anything and the microwave will bring it to the perfect temp without any effort on your part
- dedicated defrost settings for vegetables, beef and chicken
- with the Hold Warm button I can now leave whatever I was cooking in it for up to 90 minutes and it will stay nice and hot, this'll save on power because I won't have to turn on the oven for this
- able to automatically turn on the Hold Warm feature to follow another cooking function
- EZ-On feature can be extended in 30 second increments just by pressing it
- Custom Cook can be programmed to cook any single time you use the most often (my only complaint about this is you still need to press the Start/Enter button)

Things to Remember
- never use a brillo pad or abrasive sponge on this as it could scratch very easily
- although I don't know why you would want to, never turn the microwave oven on if nothing is inside it
- when you first get it, sometimes it makes slight crackling sounds as it's in operation, these are normal
- when this arrives it will look HUGE in the manufacturer's box, don't worry that's just how it looks in the box

If anyone has any suggestions on how to keep this looking perfect and nice and shiny and glossy please let me know. Right now I am using Mr. Clean Power Wipes on the outside, then I gently buff it with a dry paper towel to buff and shine it. But it's not very practical because it's a lot of work and lint, dust and fingerprints still seem to find a way all over the microwave no matter what I do or don't do.

**Update** I recently started using Fantastic Clean & Shine spray with a microfiber towel (on the outside door and on the inside-after I clean the inside with a sponge, as well) and it works very well. So far, this is the best product that I have found to keep it looking shiny and new (the outside mostly). Keep in mind there are different varieties of Fantastic Cleaner, you're going to want to get "Fantastic Clean & Shine" spray.

Overall this is a very useful item and one of the most used new appliances that I have purchased for my kitchen in ages.

I bought this oven to replace a Whirlpool of equal size. I like the LG. It's a little more powerful, and the moisture sensor seems to work pretty well. It's a heavy beast and you will want to use the template that comes with it to lay out the installation bracket positions and holes for the support bolts. Get those right and the installation is no big deal. It does take two people to horse this 60 lb. appliance into place while starting the bolts, threading the cord etc.

It took me a couple of hours from opening the box to firing it up and I was a cabinet installer in my youth. Still, no big deal.

Tip: use a light spray adhesive to attach the layout template to the bottom of upper support cabinet.

This microwave (2.0 cubic ft/1100 watts) has everything we wanted and heats fast. Based on 1 week of experience would definitely recommend.

The reviews here appear to be a mix of the larger and smaller version...maybe that explains some of the different experiences? The vent fan is NOT loud, esp on the lowest setting (there are 5). The door does clunk if you just push it shut, but if you try to shut it quietly, it does.

Put it up myself, not easy, but doable for me (41 y/o male).

Some of the nice features:
- Popcorn button
- E-Z on (instant 30 seconds with each push)
- 5 Vent fan speeds - and vent fan can be set to auto-shutoff (1, 3, 5 min etc)
- Beeps/sound can be turned off
- Turntable On/Off
- More/Less buttons (10 sec increments)

Brochure here
[...]

Manual here (pages 8 and 9 show touchpad and explain buttons)
[...]

UPDATE 9/20/2011:
Still going strong, none of the problems others have noted.

After a nightmarish experience with Maytag customer service and our last microhood (laughable warranty coverage) we needed a replacement that wouldn't break the bank. I'm wondering now if we should have spent more money for better performance.

Specifically, this unit heats noticably slower and MUCH noisier that the $300 Maytag unit we replaced. The exhaust fan is so loud (even on low) we have to raise our voices considerably to talk amongst ourselves in the kitchen. Also, I notice that the door shuts hard and loudly. I should mention that I have little ones at home and I am not particularly sensitive to loud noises.

The look of the unit is better than most in this price range and installation was fairly easy for my hubby and I. If you think you'll be in your home for a number of years I would invest more money into a higher end microhood but, if you're like us, and just need something functional for 1-2 years this is an ok option. Just be sure to think about whether the loud operation noise will bother you.

Amazon's shipping was fantastic and very quick.

This microwave is wonderful. The quick heat buttons are convenient and easy to use. If you read Consumer Reports, it says this (or similiar) microwave has only a useful space of 0.9 cubic feet. Not so. This has a full 2.0 cubic feet of space which is great for cooking a ham or a large casserole dish. Very sharp design, useful and adequate lighting underneath. For the installation/do-it-yourselfers: It's 60 pounds and you have to lift it above your shoulders if you are installing over a stove. Follow the instructions to the letter, and all will turn out great. The directions are very good. Note: If you can, remove your stove before installing the microwave. The mfgr doesn't mention this, but it made things a lot easier (and I got to clean under it!)...2-3(-3 preferred) people are definitely needed to install this safely due to its weight and awkward size. I recommend this microwave highly!

I am changing my five star to a one star review.

The front plastic has two ugly cracks in the bottom corner.

We have never slammed the door. We've actually been very gentle with the door, and I think the way the hooks hold the door much be generating the stress as a design flaw.

Absolutely do not buy this.

It cooks food fine, and prior to this problem I had no complaints, but I'll never buy another LG product. This is absolutely unacceptable quality. I wouldn't satisfied if this had cost $15.

I'm totally enamored with my LG washer/dryer and had really high expectations on this microwave. I've had it about a month now and while it's a good microwave, I have to admit I'm not completely overwhelmed by it's greatness.

The good: It has the sensor cooking, it's very powerful, it has a shelf so you can cook a number of items at once and I can fit my 9 x 13 casserole dishes in there!

On the other hand: It's loud (louder than my dishwasher and wash machine), the sensor is a little hit and miss and the shelf is a bit low and gets in the way whenever I place a no-splatter cover over items I'm cooking.

The sensor bases the cooking on the amount of moisture in the microwave, so the problem could be that I'm covering the items too tightly or not tightly enough. But it's been undercooking on the Sensor Cook items and overheating on the Sensor Reheat items. It's not a huge issue. I can still leave the kitchen and know that the food will be somewhat close to what it needs to be if I'm not back in time.

Overall, it's a definite upgrade from what I had. And if you're searching for a sensor-cook over-the-range microwave at a good price, this one will work for you.

As a side note, Amazon provided great customer service. We received the microwave about a week after ordering, but it came with a big dent in the corner of it. (Whoever shipped it didn't provide any extra packaging and I'm sure it happened during shipping.) I contacted Amazon and they provided a return mailing slip and sent a new microwave that arrived days later in great shape.

We've had this one (in White) for just over a year (14 months). The door handle began showing small cracks and now the entire front door has hair fracture cracks through out, the panel in the front now slides down where the tight seal of the plastic door against it used to be. VERY cheap microwave. We are not "hard on it" and in fact only use it a few times a week and the door is opened and closed with normal strength by adults. When we first got it we were most annoyed by how low the light feature was for shining on the range (we actually installed an Ikea spotlight on the wall and stopped using the too dull light in the microwave) and how loud the fan was. We lived with that, but the door now looks awful (and who knows how safe the unit is with so many cracks that we can see)so we are just going to get a new (NON LG) one. Be careful, it looks like a good price but do some google work on this model and their door frames. NOTE: I had to give it at least one star by Amazon, would not have otherwise.

I bought the 1.6 cu ft white one of these. My older and twice as expensive Whirlpool died and I didn't want to spend another 500 bucks on something that I now realize is a "disposable" item. When these break, almost any repair will cost as much as a new unit so I decided to stop buying top tier on these ovens. This unit was easy to install. It's lighter than my Whirlpool was, so I was able to hoist it onto the mounting plate myself and start the top screws without a problem. I think perhaps those who are complaining about the weight bought the larger model? Who knows. Sometimes it's hard to tell what some folks bought in these Amazon reviews.

As others report, the fan is REALLY loud. Wow. And low fan is just as loud. The fan is definitely the down side. I found that the light is bright enough. Cooking is fast. The control panel is very Spartan. Oh, it has all the buttons, but where my old microwave said Pizza and Casserole etc. in the display, this one just has a numeral and you'll have to refer to the book a bit until you get the hang of it. Most of my cooking is just hitting the quick button anyway, so let's be real. I'm glad it doesn't have a lot of features I'll seldom use and that I would have had to pay for. The door looks solid enough to me. I see no problem with keeping it clean that others have reported, but perhaps that's because mine is white? So it's a good basic microwave, as cheap as they come and it works just fine. I consider it a 5-star cheap microwave.

Edit added:
Well, it has stopped working properly after 6 months. Most annoying is that the interior light will not turn off even though the door switches are working properly. While I liked the Spartan controls, my wife learned to detest that "feature". I've decided not to have it repaired under warranty, but to be rid of it and buy a unit with better build quality. I'm dropping it down to 3 stars. It will probably be discontinued soon anyway but hate to leave my former rave review in place without changing it.

A little over a year and microwave is dead. It turns on, buttons work but food does not get heated. LG Customer service again terrible with this product, they should change their dept name to customer disservice. They alone will stop me from ever buying LG again. I am disappointed with LG and my thousand sworth of appliances. Will NEVER purchase LG again for anything, and now dont care if rest of appliances match or not."