Customer Reviews

Panasonic Prestige NN-SD797S, 1.6cuft 1250 Watt Sensor Microwave Oven, Stainless Steel

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I installed this microwave oven as a built in using a Panasonic TK-729SAPH Stainless Steel Trim Kit (27" width) for all 1.6 cuft Panasonic Stainless Steel Microwave models.

I purchased this oven because I like its looks, it can be installed as a built-in and its performance is rated very highly by Consumer Reports.

I am happy with the cooking performance of this oven. Items cooked in it are heated evenly. I have found the sensor cooking mode to work well.

Minor annoyances include that the door open button requires a pretty firm push to open the door and the control knob can't be used to select a power level. The control knob can be used to dial in the cooking time, or if you push the sensor cook button, the dial can then be used to select a sensor cooking mode. However, the power level is selected by repeated pushing of the power level button. If you want 50% power, you need to push the button five times. Obviously this isn't the end of the world, but it annoys me. I'd rather push the power level button and then dial in the power level I need using the control knob.

This oven looks great installed as a built in, it cooks well and I am happy with my choices. If I was going to do it all over again, I would still choose this oven and trim kit.

With so many contradictory reviews on microwaves, my head was spinning from having to choose, and I finally went with this model. We've had it a few months now and overall I am extremely pleased.

5 stars: Cooking.
It cooks faster and more evenly that any microwave I've ever owned. LOVE this!

5 stars: Size.
Holds much wider dishes than a similar microwave of the same size.

5 stars: Stainless.
I've never noticed fingerprints on it. Looks great!

5 stars: Clock.
I don't know what problems this or similar microwaves had, but I have never had a problem seeing the
clock from any angle. It's bright blue and obvious. The knob is lit with a cool light blue ring.

4 stars: Ergonomics.
No problems opening it. My 7-year-old has had no problems. The buttons are a bit small if you're gonna
be picky about it. I lowered score down because the knob does increase in too large of increments after
the one minute mark.
Update after 1 1/2 years: I never notice any problems with ergonomics or button size when I use it.

4 stars: Power Levels.
Someone said they didn't like hitting the power to lower the power level, but it's a much simpler system
than I've had int eh past, and as rarely as you lower the power level, is not a big inconvenience. This
microwave can actually cook at lower levels, instead of just doing intermittent heating/not heating.

3 stars: Sensor reheat.
It can really overheat things sometimes. Usually I take them out at the first beep and
don't let it go on to a countdown cook. Better than just sitting there and testing the heat level.

2 stars: Quick minute.
I miss the "add 30 seconds" button on our last microwaves. My daughter knew that if
she hit that 30 second button 3x, it would cook her lean pocket. And one push does a quesadilla. 1 minute
increments aren't as accurate. In the past microwaves, the 30 second button also just starts on its own
and the quick minute function does not. You have to click that button plus start.

Update: Owned it for 1 1/2 years. Still feel the same. The Sensor Cook (versus reheat) does seem to work well, although I forget to use it. I still use sensor reheat even though it can overheat things a bit. (I tend to underheat them if I'm doing it by guessing). It's still the best MW I've had for evenly heating and it's still going strong.

Bought it over one other, similar microwave, mainly to see if the inverter technology really works. It does. It's a great leap forward for humankind.

The knob is retro! Which in this case means solid. I did not buy it for the look, but it's funny when visitors think maybe it's a TV/microwave combo. It's solid like a 60s TV. And big.

This thing is big. I wanted big, so it's ok, but you might take out your tape measure to help conceptualize just how big it is. I am thrilled with how much I can cook or heat up in 1 batch--1 Correlle Winter Frost dinner plate plus 1 CWF bowl both fit on the turntable, and there's still room to stick some 1-4 oz. containers.

The stainless is nice. I have a mostly white kitchen, and white plastic on appliances turns yellowish over time, so I am glad there was a stainless option.

It gets the job done, whatever the job is. Buy it without fear.

Then double-check that Amazon is using the correct shipping address, and check again after your order goes through, and possibly once more before it ships. It's heavy and very bulky if you have to carry it home from work. If it isn't your mistake and you have to pay $30 to get it home anyway, it kinda puts a damper on the arrival of a fine appliance.

We purchased this microwave to replace a 5-year-old Panasonic that was performing beautifully until our 15-year-old had a mental lapse and decided to reheat coffee in a stainless steel and plastic travel mug. The ensuing flames scorched the micro's interior pretty badly and made us fearful that there was electronic damage, so we decided to replace the unit. We had been very happy with our previous Panasonic but were open-minded about switching brands if there was something better out there now that would fit our cabinet (our micro is below the countertop on our kitchen island). We did quite a bit of research and couldn't find any other microwave of this size that got better ratings and reviews, so we ordered ths one. So far we've used it for basic reheating, popcorn, defrosting, and cooking both fresh and frozen veggies -- it works great for everything. Like the old Panasonic, this turntable can handle a 9x13 Pyrex dish. The family likes the dial control and had no problem adjusting to it; Mom is having to adjust to the new Sensor Cook settings (accessed via the dial instead of labelled touchpad buttons) but otherwise is very happy with the performance and looks of the unit. The dial and brushed stainless control key area show fewer fingerprints than the previous touchpad did. The door mechanism feels solid, unlike a number of the micros we looked at in the stores. Bonus for us was that the old trim kit fit the new micro!

I owned a Panasonic microwave for the better half of 15-20 years and it worked wonderfully. Out of concern that a microwave lasting so long may not have the same radiation protection as it did when it was new, I upgraded to Panasonic's most expensive consumer model, the Genius Prestige Inverter Turbo. 3 months out of the gate and H-98 error appears. Panasonic sent me to the only authorized distributor within 2 hours of my house and it took over a week to have the new and special "Inverter Turbo" replaced (with a refurbished part, no doubt).

One year later, the microwave has H-98 again and customer support does nothing more than say it's been over a year since purchase, all costs must be burdened by me.

The abundance of web questions and reviews due to H98 errors is becoming ridiculous. Recall your product, FIX the problem, don't keep selling faulty merchandise!!

Microwave worked great for the time when it was...working. But spending $150-200 for a microwave that needs replacing yearly is entirely unacceptable. Will not buy another panasonic; that's for certain. Would not recommend it either. Not at all.

We purchased this model because (1) the NN-SD797S is powerful and has a spacious interior, (2) it got a top rating from Consumer Reports, (3) the Amazon price was very competitive and (4) our previous Panasonic had lasted 15 years! It has not disappointed. We use it for all the standard tasks: heating frozen foods, cooking vegetables, reheating dishes, making popcorn, etc. The oven heats food quickly, evenly and the interior will accommodate a medium-sized casserole dish. It is easy to clean inside and out--and the stainless steel exterior looks good. Oven controls are easy to understand and operate, and they feel solid. The "sensor" heating/reheating feature tends to overcook food for my taste, so I quit using it. This is my only real criticism. We've had it for 1 1/2 months and are very satisfied.

HAVE HAD SEVERAL SHARP CAROUSEL MICROWAVES OVER THE YEARS. LOVED THEM. THROUGH WORK HAVE USED 20 - 25 DIFFERENT BRANDS AND MODELS. A SMART PERSON I KNOW TALKED ME INTO BREAKING AWAY FROM SHARP AND TRYING A PANASONIC.

THIS IS THE BEST MICROWAVE I HAVE EVER USED. THE INVERTER COOKING MAKES THE THE REST LOOK LAME. IT COOKS SOOOO MUCH MORE EVENLY. OTHER MODELS I HAVE USED WITH SENSOR REHEAT LEAVE THE FOOD COLD IN THE MIDDLE. YOU HAVE TO TEST CENTER AND STIR AND PUT IN FOR A BIT LONGER. SO FAR I HAVE NOT HAD TO DO THAT ONCE WITH THIS AWSOME PANASONIC PRESTIGE. GREAT PRICE, GREAT LOOK, GREAT PERFORMANCE. IF I EVER BUY ANOTHER SHARP OR G.E. MICROWAVE IT WILL BE A GIFT FOR SOMEONE I HATE.

INVERTER TECHNOLOGY IS FAR SUPERIOR. I have been using this for over 6 months now. Th defrost button is magic. I have not found anything negative about this model.

DEAR PANASONIC, PLEASE TAKE A CRACK AT DESIGNING AN ELECTRIC CAR THAT WORKS AS WELL AS THIS AND FREE US FROM THE SLAVERY OF THE OIL BARONS.

The inverter feature of this oven may seem to be window dressing, but it really does effect the way foods cook in this oven. Thawing is more even, and without any cooking of the outer layers of the food. Because a moderate heat is applied continuously rather than a high heat in bursts, things that used to splatter when cooked at a reduced cycle setting no longer do, and food is heated through more evenly.

For the first 1.5 yrs of owning this microwave, I was in love. It heats evenly, it's fast, it's easy to use and it can fit quite a bit in the interior. The door latch started sticking around 8 mos in, but I could deal with that. Just a minor inconvenience.

Then a few weeks ago, it would suddenly stop heating in the middle of a cycle. Just shut down. So we took it in to an authorized Panasonic repair shop, who found a bad inverter and some other parts. Essentially, every major component that runs the microwave failed! Since it was out of the 1 year warranty, Panasonic would only cover $85 in inverter parts. The remaining repair with labor would be $95 - over half of what I paid for it just over a year earlier! The shop is apparently seeing a lot of the Panasonic NN models, which is a shame. I really like this microwave, and I didn't abuse it. We might have used it 2-3x a day to reheat food and that's all.

We had had a Sharp microwave prior to this and it lasted 11 years. We only replaced it to get a larger microwave, it never had an issue. Now the newer Sharps seem to be prone to fires. I've got a GE on order now, hopefully we'll have better luck. We gave the Panasonic to the repair shop, it'll make a really pretty doorstop.

Bottom line - I'd find another manufacturer until Panasonic addresses this issue. Microwaves should last a lot longer than 1.5 years.

Spent lots of time researching. This model Panasonic Prestige NN-SD797S, has a beautiful BLUE LCD display that is easy to read at any angle. The interior light comes on when cooking and when open the door. The dial timer is easy to use even though I had a touch pad for 12 yrs. The popcorn auto select is too short for my popcorn. I use the 'quick minuite' for each tablespoon of corn I want to pop. Unit is VERY Attractive visually. Noise level is average. Defrost works MUCH better than my 12 yr. old GE. Whats not to like unless it quits in under 10 yr.?

KEEP all these electronics on quality SURGE protecters. I even use UPS for my freezer (12 yrs) & fridge (12 yrs.) I also pay $6 mo. for the utility co. surge at the street. Keeps errant lightning & line surges from entering the house!

Just because you specify a model # in your search does not mean the search won't include stuff you don't want. VERIFY that the model is EXACTLY what you specified.