LG - NeoChef 1.5 Cu. Ft. Mid-Size Microwave - Black stainless steel

I needed to replace a larger LG microwave oven (2.0 cu ft) that died after 22 months. Though this model fit the bill perfectly (the one that died was larger than I needed) I was hesitant to buy it because of complaints by reviewers about the controls. Instead I bought another LG 2.0 cu ft microwave oven that was dead out of the box. At that point I was done with LG microwave ovens but none of the other brands had the features I wanted. I love this microwave oven. It’s the nicest one I’ve owned (so I’m lucky the 2.0 cu ft behemoths broke). Here’s what makes it so good for me: - The size is perfect. I knew 1.1 - 1.2 cu ft models would be too small inside and the 2.0 cu ft ovens take up too much counter space. - Power! I wanted at least 1000W, at 1200W this oven has plenty of power. My previous oven was also a 1200W model but I’ve had to reduce cooking times slightly because this has a smaller interior. - The controls were my biggest concern (No numbers? What madness is this?!?) but I now consider them to be the biggest strength. It’s ok that most of the numbers are inside the door because I have to open the door anyway to put the food in. I don’t miss the number pad at all. I’ve found it’s faster to set the cook time using the slider than with a number pad. The ten second minimum interval is just fine: if I have to cook something for 90 seconds and flip it once halfway through I cook it for 40 seconds, flip it, then 50 seconds. This isn’t rocket science, people, literally - extreme precision is not required here. As for the reviewer who was bent because he/she couldn’t nuke something for 15 seconds, try cooking for only 10 seconds because this is a powerful oven and 10 seconds may be long enough or just stand there for 15 seconds and find something real to complain about. - I hate hate hate microwave beeps. Seriously, I would stand near the microwave oven as cooking neared completion just to open the door before the beeps started. My son would nuke popcorn then go back to playing video games and I would open the door after the popcorn was done so I wouldn’t have to listen to beeps every minute. Now that you understand that about me you’ll see why I love the tune this oven plays. It’s not as loud as the beeps which is a good thing in my opinion. A microwave oven is not like a conventional oven in that food has to be taken out when the timer goes off or the food will burn. If a pot pie sits in the microwave for an extra couple of minutes it’s not a big deal. I also have an LG washer and dryer so I’m used to being serenaded by my appliances (and I quite like it). - The Smart Inverter works well. Cooking something at 50% power really cooks it at 50% power and not 100% power for half the time. - This microwave oven looks great sitting on the counter...the black stainless steel is very nice and with most of the buttons on the inside it looks sleek. I don’t use the clock - I’ve got a weather station and an oven both with clocks in addition to a wall clock...I don’t need a 4th clock in the kitchen. Though it’s not shown in the pictures (which are probably renders and not photographs) there is a cheat sheet for program cooking inside the door). Extended warranties are for suckers but replacement plans are not so given the uneven quality of all microwave ovens these days (my last died after 22 months) I bought the replacement plan for this microwave oven. I like that LG came up with a better way to control a microwave. The changes to the panel aren’t just about aesthetics but makes the oven easier to use too.

Our old microwave died and we were without one for weeks (so inconvenient) because we just couldn’t agree on one that had the features we wanted for a reasonable price. I found this model online and went to the store to see it in person and, after reading the specs and seeing the features in person, I decided this was the one. This is certainly an upgrade from the one we had. First, there’s no button to push to open the door, which I prefer when cleaning. With older children using it, the button was forever greasy or dirty and when you tried to clean it, the door would open. Not anymore! And since the buttons are hidden behind the door, there’s less chance of them getting pressed while cleaning. I love the stainless interior, easy clean up in comparison to other microwaves. LED lighting inside makes it a very modern looking unit. The size is perfect, not too large or small. Heats very evenly, which is something a lot of units (like our old one) didn’t do. Also, the unit does make pleasant sounds when setting the unit and plays a little chiming tune when the cycle ends. Some reviewers seem to find that annoying, but I find it fun and charming! I’ve actually run the unit for 10 seconds just so my family and friends could hear it because it’s so interesting a feature! Granted, setting the time could be easier, it runs in 10 second increments and you need to press and hold the buttons to make it increase more quickly, but most of the time, people use microwaves to reheat, so this isn’t that much of an annoying feature. I do recommend getting the extended plan on this unit, or anything you buy that plugs into an outlet for that matter. Our old one was done in by a power surge, something we get frequently where we live and have lost many electronics to over the years. It’s worth the small amount for peace of mind.

We bought this to replace a GE unit that lasted about 6 years. We bought it based on other reviews. We must be the exceptions, because we hate this machine. The controls to operate it are on the inside of the door and they do not light up, making it very difficult to see them. The timer feature is also on the inside of the door, so if you want to use it to time something that is not in the microwave, (which I often do), you have to open the microwave to set the timer. When you set the timer, it automatically starts at 10 seconds (WHY???) and then you have to hold the button until it reaches the time you want. I miss my old unit. I pressed 3 on the outside and it timed for 3 minutes. The alarm is so annoying. It's not a beep or a buzz. It's a jingle, like in a commercial. I wish there was some way to adjust it to something different. I seems to cook well, although it took 6 minutes this morning to boil 2 cups of water. My GE did it in less time I think. There is a popcorn setting (inside). There are other codes listed on the inside, potatoes, pizza, dinner plate, etc., which we have not used. I do like that it lights up inside during cooking. Other than that there isn't anything I really like about it. Best Buy has a 15 day -YES!! 15 days!!! return policy on appliances. So we cannot even return it. I may put it on Craig's list, since so many others seems to think it's fabulous, it should go quickly.

I picked this microwave out of the lineup at my local Best Buy store, and I'm so glad I chose this one! So far it's truly been a delight to use. - Door design is minimalist, not overloaded with the usual mostly useless buttons (1-9, popcorn/frozen meals/etc.). Slider timer is fast and flexible, but just pressing the Start button gets you 30-second cooking. Recessed handle is much cooler than the usual sticky button or awkward door handle. - Sensor keeps my oatmeal from boiling over and cooks it to perfection (1/2 cup oatmeal + 1 cup water, no need to cover while cooking). - LED interior light looks ghostly but actually shines brightly on the food. - Top and sides are textured durable powder-coated paint. (We bought the model in black. BTW, in case anyone's wondering, the white also has the textured powder coating, and the stainless steel has a smoother-textured brownish-gray painted finish. They're all very pretty, but the black was best for our decor.) - Sound effects are pleasant. (Note, however, that if you're hearing impaired, the volume is pretty soft. My husband works around this by using his phone to time his cooking.) - Operation is very quiet. So far, we don't have anything to complain about, but if we run across anything, I'll try to remember to update this review...

I recently upgraded from a not so old Samsung Microwave that was a combo grill and convection oven which the buttons started getting sticky having to repeatedly press the start button over and over again and long pressing it for it to start. I ordered this based on the reviews and manufacturer videos I watched and it seemed very unique and had all the features I was looking for since I didn't need convection or a grill since all my old one did was waste time pre-heating and taking longer than just going out to the grill. When this microwave arrived it was beautiful and still is. I love how much bigger the inside space and color is and I love the inside ring that is a hexagonal shape instead of a typical circle. I love the touch buttons and music it plays when it is done. It isn't the same music as their brand of washing/drying machine but it's quicker and much more pleasant. I use this mostly for cooking morning bacon now with the sense heat and it works amazingly just don't cover it up with a plastic lid only a paper towel so the microwave can sense how much moisture content is being released. No problems at all and no worries with the extended warranty. The buttons are easy to use the lid is easy to open and close, the clock light is beautiful. Just can't wait till the next time I get to use it because every time I do it's just amazing. You won't regret this buy.

This microwave Replaced another one that finally gave out. I selected this one for a number of reasons. First, the size. Then I feel really good about my experience with LG products. It is also a smart contemporary Look & Design. I was considering the stainless version, but saw a white one on sale and it fit better with our kitchen. It works really well and I do like the cooking time & set up. Very clean outside and all the controls needed hidden inside a door that opens without a push button. Simply rest your fingers anywhere along the right side and a gentle pull voila it’s open. It has a large rotating glass tray that is perfect for a 14” pizza. It is quiet and has a soft audible reminder when your food is done. Classy. Lastly, 1200 Watts heat things quickly and the LED lights are bright enough to see everything while it is cooking. Works Great! It is definitely worth a look, especially with a 10 year warranty on the Magnatron & a Great sale price.

I needed to replace an old microwave that had serviced me well for 10 years. When the turntable stopped rotating, the food was never cooked right. I had an idea of what I was looking for. Needed a countertop, medium size, preferred a stainless steel look and at least 1200 watts. After looking at several models and reading through those reviews I came upon this LG. It ticked all the boxes I was looking for until I read that it had no number pad to enter in the time. That concerned me but after reading other reviewers who felt that way at first I decided to give this one a go. You can easily enter time with this, down to 10 seconds from the outside +/- touch area or do the same on the inside. It has a very clean look to it, the LCD lighting is great and most important, it cooks food extremely well. I'm very satisfied with my choice and Best Buy had this delivered to my door in 2 days. This is not a high end appliance but you get a lot for the price. The face is stainless steel but the rest seems to be a lacquered grey material, either steel or aluminum. Also the chimes when food is done cooking. They are soft and they're not what many may be used to from a traditional sense so if that's important to you, this may not be the microwave for you. It cooks food extremely well and is very easy to clean. It's a winner in my book.

I wanted a microwave with a small footprint but with a stylish look. This one was a perfect fit. I bought it in White (color) because my kitchen is white. The design looks great and not cheap like most other white microwaves. The door has a surface like an iPad, just easy to clean with no edges or corners. All touch screen style 'buttons' (but no real buttons; just a sensitive touch field). Start/Stop, Duration can be selected with closed door -- other settings like defrost, reheat, etc have their touch buttons inside (you need to do that with the door open. The touch is a little different from most other microwaves where you usually have to press pretty hard to get the selection. Here, you just touch it very slightly and if you push too hard it doesn't work. The sensor reheat works for me and food is even warm inside thicker pieces. I believe this technology works better than in other microwaves. Sensor Reheat has different programs for different type of food. Defrost has also food settings to choose from, e.g. bread, meat, etc. -- it works for me very well and accurate. I have not used sensor cooking yet -- it also offers different programs like potatoes, veggies, etc.. The turntable with 14 inch is larger than it was in my former full-size high-end GE microwave which was just under a year old -- it had a 13"+something turntable but its size was twice the neat size of this LG NeoChef. It's personal preference what you like and my reason to buy the NeoChef was its superior design and size, the availability in White, and the cooking technology.