Ever have a microwave die on you? Every have that microwave die on you right in the middle of cooking? Every just want to take that microwave and hit it with a hammer? Of course you have! We all have at one time or another.
Recently, the microwave that I have had for over 6 years decided to die on us. The funny thing is that all the buttons would work except for the start button, which made cooking very difficult to do. We put up with this aggravation for over a month. I held out until Mother’s Day to get a new one. Money was an issue and at the same time so was quality! So I looked at the same brand name as my dieing one for it had been such a good one for those 6 years and of course knowing that this brand name is trustworthy I had no other choice in my mind. So off to Wal-Mart® we went!
The Product
After entering our local Wal-Mart Store and heading off to the household section we discovered that there were a lot of microwaves to choose from. Ranging from 40 dollars up to over 150 dollars. Of course we looked at the 40 dollars one, budget you know.
The one I choose was a Sharp® Carousel® compact size .8 cu ft, 800 watts. There is a Carousel turntable that will rotate dishware in sizes of 8 x 8 square and 2 quart round properly with no problems. (In fact its just like the old one, but newer and a different color.) The Carousel is 11 5/8. Model number R-209F or R-209FW.
There is an Express Defrost™ that will allow you to defrost frozen meat with no problems. Also you will find the Minute Plus™, which is my personal favorite and is great for heating up food quickly.
You will also find buttons for Popcorn, which offers 3 settings where you would use according to the directions of the package.
You will also find buttons for Baked Potatoes, Fresh Vegetables, Frozen Entrees, Dinner Plates, Beverages and Rolls/muffins. Each of these has preset settings for your convenience.
There is also a number pad that allows you to cook with the temperature and speed that you desire. For instance, I cook rice in my microwave all the time. I will put one cup of rice to 2 cups of hot water, salt (butter if desired), cook on high for 5 minutes and then on power level 5 for 15 minutes. My rice comes out perfect every time!
You also have a clock that is easy to set and there is a handle that allows the door to open quickly. I have to say here that my old one had the lever that you pushed to open the door and this feature we will all miss. But the handle on the door is smooth and plush to the door making it very attractive.
This microwave is white. In all the years that I have owned microwaves I have never had a white one.
Of course there is a booklet that comes with the unit and I strongly suggest that you read through it. There are sorts of tips on how you may want to use your new microwave.
Company Info
You can call Sharp at:
1-800-237-4277
or write to:
Sharp Electronics Corporation
Customer Assistance Center
1300 Naperville Drive
Romeoville, OL. 60446-1091
Or you can go to the website at:
http://www.sharp-usa.com
How I Feel
Well once again I am a happy camper. The price of this microwave was $49.88 and just within the budget. It was like I stated earlier my Mother’s Day gift from my children. And the best part for them is that they didn’t have to go and look for anything, I picked it out myself. (Well hubby was with me since he was paying for it.) And had it not been for my getting this microwave my 17 year old would have not gotten me anything. She didn’t even get me a card! I tell you, teenagers have no idea how much they hurt they’re Mother’s! They are to busy hating us instead of loving us! LOL! (Well, it’s not really funny, but better to laugh than cry I always say.)
This is only the 4th microwave that I have had in over 23 years and my 3rd Sharp®. I, for some reason just get along with Sharp® microwaves and I hope that this new one will be just as great for my family.
My son, who is now 9 can use it easily, which is very important to me. And of course the rest of use can use it easily as well. I love to heat things up in the microwave as most people do and I am not sure how we survived without microwaves before! And of course one of the other favorites for my family is the popcorn button!
I do strongly suggest to use a cover as much as possible with your foods, teaching your children this concept takes a college degree I think for I have not accomplished this task. But, if you can manage it, teach them to use covers when heating up foods! Trust me on this, you will be glad you did later on when you realize the mess that can be made in a microwave. And never let them put an egg in the shell in the microwave or tinfoil for microwaves do not like these items at all! For that matter when I think about it, husband need to be taught this as well.
There are many containers out there today that are microwave safe and many good ones. You will also find several to choose from in the household section of most stores. Be sure you buy a microwave that will hold your dishes if you decide not to purchase any type of microwave containers. And, I do suggest using a paper towel when cooking bacon or sausages. A lot of times we will heat up rolls or bread and use a paper towel to lay them on.
Clean up is very easy to do. Just wipe clean and you’re set. I do recommend wiping as you go though, makes for easier clean up. I like being able to take out the Carousel and hand washing or putting it into the dishwasher for cleaning. And I always keep mine wiped down on the outside!
As stated earlier I am once again a happy camper. For the money and the quality the Sharp® Carousel® is the way to go.
I hope that this has helped in some kind of way.
God Bless!
©LKD 2003
price is US Dollars