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Panasonic NN-SD681S Genius Prestige Review

No More Uneven Microwave Cooking!

I’ll jump straight in! When my last microwave was working, I still had those annoying moments when the beep went off and I eagerly took the food out thinking it was ready to eat. However more often than not, I had to stir everything around and pop it back in again.

Panasonic NN-SD681S 1200 Watt Sensor Microwave with Inverter Technology, Stainless Steel

Panasonic NN-SD681S Genius Prestige
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This is one of THE most annoying aspects about many microwaves and I’m sure you’ll agree since I know I’m not the only one who has this complaint. In fact it’s probably the main reason you’re reading this review. Although I have some excellent technology in store for you with the Panasonic NN-SD681S Genius “Prestige” 1200 Watt microwave, I also have some really handy features to point out as well.

So if you’re looking for a microwave oven that doesn’t do anything other than sit there unless you want to heat some soup, the odd pack of popcorn or a cup of coffee this model may not be the right choice. Instead, you might want to take a look at the more basic Kenmore 73092 Countertop Microwave I have reviewed for you.

So, on with the Panasonic model!

How Uneven Cooking Has Been Eliminated

I love this piece of technology, and considering I’m not the sort of person that really goes in for that sort of thing, this is saying something! What the manufacturer has done is use a patented system called inverter technology. Confused? I was.

Microwave ovens that use the traditional method of cooking only have one temperature setting which is high. You might be thinking that’s not the case because you’ve used various power options on microwaves you’ve had before. However if you select say, low power or even defrost, a traditional microwave will still use the high setting but pulse the amount of energy it sends to the food.

This is what results in uneven cooking and in some cases, items of food being burnt to a crisp! With inverter technology, you don’t get this problem. Without getting too technical, inverter technology uses a real temperature. So, if you choose low, you get low!

This means no more soup that’s burning around the edges and cold in the middle. In fact it’s one of the best ways to “microwave cook” and still get the fresh cooked taste that can be achieved with a tradition hob or oven.

Power, Capacity and Looks

I think I’ve probably given you as much information as I should about power (without sending you to sleep), but just to re-iterate you get 1200 watts of output. The capacity inside is 1.2 cu ft and the dimensions of the unit overall mean it will easily sit on you countertop.

You might not believe this given the capacity but the circuitry needed for inverter technology is such that the parts inside are much smaller. This means more space for your dishes and a light-weight unit overall. Oh, and I mustn’t forget that you can also have this microwave as a built-in unit but you will have to order the trim kit for this to be possible.

Panasonic NNSD681S control panelWhen it comes to looks, you can’t go wrong really. The microwave is silver in color with a stainless steel door and all the controls are neatly set to the right hand side. The controls themselves are a handy push button style and include a pop-out dial. Above that you have a cool looking blue LED display which can be used as the timer and a clock. It will even display the power level for you.

Added Features

It doesn’t stop there! This microwave thinks! Well, not exactly but what it will do is use the included inverter technology to help with a variety of cooking jobs, and without too much intervention from you.

For instance, you can use the turbo defrost, melt/soften button and the one-touch sensor (cook or reheat) and the microwave will automatically adjust the power levels needed by sensing the amount of steam that’s being produced. This all adds to one-touch cooking but with perfect results.

If you thought the pulsing method that other microwave ovens had not been used, you’d be wrong because this is utilized when you simply want to keep food warm. Again, a sensor measures the amount of heat being produced and adjusts accordingly so food doesn’t keep cooking.

Aside from all the above, it’s worth knowing you can activate the child lock (although the door will still open when the button is pushed), it’s equipped with a turntable and there is a light inside. However, the light will only come on when you’re cooking and switches off when the door is opened.

Finally

Personally, I think that if you’re looking for a quick way to cook but still want the same results you get from a conventional oven, this model of microwave is the answer. Just be prepared to learn as you go because there is a lot to this little beast! I’m even considering buying one to replace my last microwave.

If you’re interested, take a look at Amazon where I recently found some great deals on price.

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