Panasonic NNSD967S 2.2-Cubic-Foot Microwave, Stainless Steel

Best Panasonic NNSD967S 2.2-Cubic-Foot Microwave, Stainless Steel Review

Made popcorn correctly right out of the box, using that specific setting (no other foods have that specific button preset). Uses something Panasonic calls "induction" to provide intermediate intensities rather than cycling on-off. That provides a consistent result but is still a little tricky to learn the correct setting. Keep the manual handy because this MW rarely uses full power as the recommended cook rate. There is a quasi-automatic setting that detects doneness level automatically and shuts off. It mainly works by manual adjustment of the cooking rate (% of full power from the instruction manual for the type food) and detecting when sufficient steam is being outgassed. Seems to work fine for vegetables. Have not tried it yet for other foods.

Uses a spin-knob to set timer, which is sometimes convenient but sometimes annoying compared to a keypad. Unlike a keypad, however, it is easy to set in the dark because the indicator is bright - mostly too bright at night, and with no adjustment (dimming). It ends up being a nightlight in the kitchen but also signifies vampire power use. It would have been better to have the light only come on when the unit is in use.
The turntable is glass and works very well. It is easy to clean but scary in the possibility of dropping and breaking or chipping.
The entire unit is about 20 lbs lighter than the similar-sized unit it replaced, part of which is attributed to the thin gauge metal and plastic from which it is made. However, the price, compared with the unit replaced, is roughly one-third using inflation adjusted dollars.