Cooking and the microwave are generally synonymous around this house. Although I don't rely on it as much anymore, I still keep a microwave for warming food quickly when the kids are hungry and cannot wait. Usually we purchase a unit that is the cheapest one available. I'm not one who needs lots of frills in a microwave, just heat my food. Though purchasing a cheap one means we'll be replacing it at some point, it works for us and our space, which is pretty small. Our current model is a small GE 1100 watt Microwave Performance My main goal in a microwave is for it to heat my foods, without killing them. Occasionally I need to defrost some meat as well. Our GE microwave seems to do pretty well with this. Our only major concern so far has been heating popcorn. The last bag I went to make did absolutely nothing. Outside of this though, the microwave heats like I need it to. Settings/Features The GE microwave has some very basic features. There is one-touch buttons for minutes up to 5 minutes, one touch start for 30 seconds and six buttons at the top for pre-set options like popcorn. I've never used these as I find it easier to just put in the amount of time I need instead. Ease of Cleaning In general for cleaning all I need to wipe out the inside with a clorox wipe or paper towel. The goo seems to just lift off. The plate inside is dishwasher safe so if it gets too bad I just put it in the next load. Ease of Use With the one-touch buttons, the GE microwave is pretty easy to use. I've been able to teach my children how to use the microwave in order to help out with the cooking. The only thing that threw me off though was the start. Other microwaves we've owned have the one-touch start add 1-minute to the time. This microwave adds 30 seconds to the time. So I have gotten used to pressing the "1" button and then the start in order to get 1:30 in time. Durability We have had the GE for around 4 years now and it is holding up alright. I can tell it is starting to lose its effectiveness though so I'm sure we'll need to replace it after a while. Design The GE JES1142WD is a simple basic microwave. The size is small enough it easily fits on my small counters and I still have room to place storage baskets on top for spices. There is a plate included that rotates as the microwave is running. The inside space is alright for the kids' plates or reheating containers. It is almost too small though for our dinner plates as the just barely rotate in there.

lilsquibb

Lansing, MI

We bought this microwave about four years ago at Best Buy. It is similar to a GE microwave that we were given. I love how easy it is to figure out the buttons. We find that it cooks microwave popcorn perfectly on that setting. Even my children can operate it when I am watching. It also has defrost, reheat, and beverage buttons that I use almost every day. Our GE microwave sees a lot of use. Unfortunately all that use has led to the bottom lining of the microwave bubbling, peeling and rusting. This is the second GE microwave with which this has happened; we threw the first one out but are continuing to use this one for now, though I am not sure how safe it is. I would like to try to repaint the bottom with applicance paint, but I would need to consult a professional for advice on whether this is a good idea. Still, it seems a shame to toss another microwave that works just because the interior paint is coming off where the turntable wheels rub. My mom's Sharp Carousel microwave has lasted for 25 years. I guess they do not make them like they used to.

Aiming4Simple

Lincoln, NE