Panasonic NN-SD997S Genius "Prestige" 2.2 cuft 1250-Watt Sensor Microwave with Inverter Technology & Blue Readout, Stainless Steel

Customer Reviews

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151 of 153 people found the following review helpful.
You get what you pay for!
By Jeff Kraus
We've had this microwave for several months now, after replacing an old one that was having trouble (which 1/4 of the plate that it decided to heat on any given day was apparently determined by the phases of the moon, or possibly sun spots).First of all, this is a good size microwave. If you are upgrading from a smaller one, be sure to check the dimensions listed in the product description before ordering.It's very well built. It gives the impression that it's probably going to last forever. All of the buttons, the dial, the door and its release mechanism are all very solid. The inner rotating tray and the rotation mechanism that it sits on are also well done -- even with a really lopsided load, the rotation of the tray remains smooth.The performance of this microwave has been stellar. As mentioned in another review, the Popcorn mode is perfect -- I have yet to see a single burnt piece come out of a bag. The "Sensor Reheat" mode has been spectacular for me as well. Just put the food in, and press the button. I use it all the time for leftovers, and wow! As a matter of fact, just yesterday I used it to reheat a plate that included ground beef, mixed vegetables, and a large amount of mashed potatoes -- nothing was overdone, and the mashed potatoes were hot all the way through!The unit itself is quiet -- it probably operates at about a third of the volume of my old one (admittedly, that's not saying much). My girlfriend thinks it's hilarious that the display says "Enjoy Your Meal" after it finishes heating.There are a number of features that I haven't tried, since I haven't had a need for them yet. If I end up using one of these features in the future, I'll update this review with the new info.All in all, it's a great machine. Easily the best microwave I have ever owned. It's expensive (mine was an open box item at a local retailer, purchased for $179), but the capabilities (and the distinct sense that it will last forever) make it a worthwhile investment.

167 of 170 people found the following review helpful.
Great oven, but pricey
By C. Bennett
This is a terrific oven:* Huge on the inside, very space-efficient on the outside. The turntable is 16.5" (42cm), and has 9.5" (24cm) vertical interior clearance. I was even able to mount this above our 24" built-in oven by modifying the trim kit.* The "Inverter" technology really works. Everything cooks evenly without hot-spots. Consumer reports gives top marks for similar Panasonic ovens, and I can see why.* The "Sensor" technology (measures steam) is usually reasonably accurate. So far we have not burned anything. Popcorn is perfect.* The controls are intuitive, and the dial simplifies use.* The front panel is uncluttered, and does not show fingerprints.Issues:* Expensive* You can't "add time" once the oven starts (though this would seem easy to implement with the dial). (see below for update)* We have owned this for one month of heavy use, but some reviews indicate long-term reliability problems. (see below for update)FYI:* The description is incorrect: the dial is fixed, and does not "pop-out" on this model.UPDATE March 2010:1) After >2 years of heavy use, this oven is still working great. Some of the text near the knob has worn off, but otherwise it looks just like new. At least for us, reliability has not been an issue, and we use it constantly.2) The comment on this review is correct. You can add 1 minute while the oven is in operation with the "Add 1 minute" button. However, our previous oven allowed you to simply rotate the knob and add an arbitrary amount of time (say, 5 seconds). This was more intuitive and flexible. In any case, this is not a major issue.3) We stumbled across an easy way to set a series of cooking steps if you don't want to use the 'sensor' function: set the power level, set the time, set the power level, time, etc. When you press 'start', the oven will step through the each of the power settings in sequence for the times specified. This is useful if you want to run at full power for a few minutes, and then step down to a lower power. For instance, this is how I cook oatmeal, and now I rarely get an over-flowing bowl.Bottom line: We *definitely* would buy this model again. This is an excellent microwave oven.UPDATE October 2011:Almost 4 years of heavy use, and still going strong. Based on our experience, this microwave is highly recommended!UPDATE January 2013:6 years of heavy use, and no issues. In 2010 I was concerned that the front panel text would *all* eventually disappear, but it is about the same as after the first two years.

96 of 103 people found the following review helpful.
I'm still in LOVE with this microwave!!!
By One Tree in the Forest
NOTE: UPDATE -- I've had a chance to try many more of the features. They did not name this microwave GENIOUS for nothing! Bit by bit I have been trying more and more of the "automatic" functions. Bear in mind, I missed several generations of Microwaves because this one was replacing an approximately 20 year old model. This is the first microwave I have tried that could defrost frozen food without cooking it too. It cooks both rice and pasta very nicely (but I haven't yet hit the vessel/lid combination to keep it from boiling over a little). Overall this microwave has replaced electric woks, electric fry pans, quick cookers and other electrical devices I generally used in the summertime so I did not heat the kitchen up when cooking the evening meal. I recommended it to a friend and he too is in awe of it (same model, also purchased from Amazon). There are only 2 things I don't like. I miss repeated beeps telling me my food is ready. If I miss this one's announcement - well, too bad. The other thing is that it is difficult to monitor the food's cooking progress through the window which I assume is as it is to provide cooks from harmful micro-waves. * * * * * * * * * *This microwave almost seems "overbuilt", even though it weighs about 1/2 as much as my original Plastic woodgrain covered 600W Panasonic microwave from 1974 (that cost $600 new). I still have that old Panasonic, with a stainless steel cavity--which makes more sense to me than a painted cavity and a stainless steel exterior. I have relegated that old one to sterilizing starting soil for my greenhouse and other things garden related.Until recently I was using two 700W GE microwaves (also old, 1988 and 1990) until one burned out. When I started to shop for a replacement I only considered Panasonic and GE models. I usually research "long term" purchases very thoroughly, and this was no exception. I got GE's annual catalog that has really good comparison charts for all of their microwaves. Panasonic did not have a catalog, but had relatively good descriptions and comparison charts that could be printed off the internet. I compared everything (except price which is my usually my last considered criterion and in this case was $200. maximum tax and shipping included). I numbered the ones I liked best as 1, going down to 3. Lower than that I just crossed out. I didn't get any 1's in the current GE models although there were some very good ones. I had more 1's and 2's than cross outs in the Panasonic pages I printed out. Then I really got down to hard core comparing and this one, Panasonic NN-SD997 was the only one that got a 1+ after my last review of the #1's. THEN I looked at the price and was frustrated big time. Panasonic is selling it for $279.95. Amazon is my first choice of supplier because of savings on tax and shipping. I was pleasantly surprised (actually astonished), Amazon was selling it for $196.96. I ordered it instantly!!! THIS IS A WONDERFUL UNIT, and a purchase I cannot imagine regretting.Many microwaves seem to die from keypad failure, something I've never experienced. (One Sanyo microwave I killed and replaced with the second GE had a failed magnetron (precisely timed immediately after that part's warranty ended). THIS UNIT HAS NO KEYPAD!!! It has a convenient minute/second dial (knob). There are some multi-function buttons for various features (like power output) and all the directions are easy to understand and LOGICAL. The cavity is huge, and if you have not had a microwave more powerful than 1000W stay near it for awhile while you're getting used to it. I've used microwaves over 35 years and I almost started a fire with this one (not in the oven, in the garbage can where I put the smoldering food!). For best results do not place food in the center of the carousel, but rather with the item's center about halfway between the edge and the center. Even heavy casseroles placed in that way do not cause the carousel to "derail". Especially when using it on full power, you get better results turning the cooking container 180 degrees halfway through cooking time.There are 2 things about this unit that I strongly dislike. I knew about one before the purchase: This unit does not beep periodically/repeatedly every several minutes after the cooking time is over. This one gives you 5 beeps at the end of the time, and that's it. I sorely miss the reminders, but not having them is not a deal breaker. The other thing I don't like is the visibility into the cooking chamber. It is nearly impossible to see what is in it, let alone allowing the user to see how the food is doing. The best viewing is on my 600W Panasonic, with the 700W GE's being only a little less good. I think perhaps as microwave ovens became more powerful it was necessary to provide the user with more protection from the actual microwaves that are produced. The instruction booklet is very thin because this microwave's usage is so intuitive and convenient it is nearly self-explanatory. I WOULD BUY THIS UNIT AGAIN AND HAVE RECOMMENDED IT TO OTHERS.