high tech housewarming

[mountain_laurel]

thanks to a couple of generous housewarming gifts via PayPal (thanks, 2wanda, ronebofh, and yong_mi!), i can afford to buy a microwave for my new place. before i do that (which i won't do till next week anyway), i figured i'd see if anyone had any recommendations, because i know a lot of y'all are the kind of people who do obsessive product research before buying anything. i might as well reap the benefit of your experience, yes?

so anyway, i've got a budget of $80. obviously i'm not talking about an expensive unit here, but i'd like to find one that's big enough to hold a full size dinner plate. anyone have any experience with cheap microwaves lately?

Comments

[2wanda.livejournal.com]

I like my GE microwave a lot. Mine is a spacesaver, but here's a countertop model that has a $78 price tag (well, between $78 and $149, according to pricegrabber.com), and it looks like it has the same controls mine has. 1.1 cubic feet is plenty big enough.

Happy shopping!

[yong-mi.livejournal.com]

I am still using my compact Sharp microwave I got back in 1999. It has a 11 5/8" turntable and it's been big enough for our uses while not taking up a lot of space. Sharp currently has a model with similar specs, the R-220HW (http://www.sharpusa.com/products/ModelLanding/0,1058,1107,00.html), which appears to be retailing in the $60 to $70 range. (Huh, I just checked and my 8-year old microwave is the R-220BW)

[madbodger.livejournal.com]

If you had about twice the budget, I'd say go for the Panasonic inverter microwave line. Since the power
supply is small, an oven that doesn't take up too much space can have plenty of room inside. Plus various
swoopy inverter features. I almost bought myself one about a week ago, but I can't really convince myself
to buy an appliance to replace one that's working fine.