1 Great for cakes!
I was hesitant to purchase this unit after seeing the less than stellar reviews posted here, but I decided to give it a try anyway. So far, it does everything that it is advertised as being able to do. I made a devil's food bundt cake and it came out bakery moist, not dried out as I usually get from my regular electric oven. The control panel is intuitive and it has many useful features. The unit is larger and heavier than I expected, but it does have a fairly impressive interior volume. I like the high and low interior racks which allows you to bake two 9" cakes pans simultaneously. I checked the interior temperature of the oven with a professional grade oven thermometer, and it was within a few degrees of the stated temperature. Overall, this seems like a versatile and useful appliance. I hope that reliability is not an issue. I'll keep my fingers crossed!
2 The best of both worlds -- microwave and convection!
This is the second Sharp microwave convection oven I've owned. My first one lasted for 15 years!!! When that one finally died in September, I had to have another just like it. Yeah, Amazon had it! I've now had this unit since early October and I've had no problems at all.
Sharp has improved this model since I bought my first one in 1989. It now prompts you as to the next button to push for programming the "sensor" cooking, has a separate button to use as a kitchen timer, allows you to preheat the convection oven at one temperature and then set the actual baking temperature at a different temperature, and has a higher wattage (than my old one).
The one thing I most like about the convection cooking of this unit is how evenly it bakes everything...and all my baking products (cookies, pies, etc.) seem to finish cooking at least 5 minutes sooner than the suggested cooking length.
In reading the other reviews for this item, I certainly have NOT had the same experience. I bought this item directly through Amazon as a NEW item, not through the "new & used" option.
I believe you will be very happy if you decide to purchase this product.
3 Used or reconditioned
These are used or reconditioned microwaves. Even some of the packing was missing and broken. It is not what I expected from the add; now hoping that it all works?
Due to the weight, just hate to pay shipping cost again.
4 Give me back my 15 year old unit!!!
This Sharp will not cook Pop-Corn, Convection will not get above 150 deg. Takes 4 minutes to heat a slice of pizza.
But it will heat the plate !! Taking any plates out will require Asbestos Gloves !! My unit is 15 months old and I am going out today to buy a new one. ( Not a Sharp )
5 Doesn't work, carry in unreasonable
I have the same unit in black, which is a little more expensive, just for the color. This unit is extremely heavy. It took two of us, and a chair with wheels, to move it 15 feet and get it onto the counter. I've had it one month and it stopped working. If I want in home service I have to pay. It has to be carried to a service center. It weighs more than my 32" TV. Sharp did give me the phone number of the only two service centers in my general area, one was Sears. But when I got it there, after talking to Sharp 4 times about service, Sears asked where my letter fro Sharp was, authorizing them to do the repair... aaahh.. letter?
Before it broke, it heated unevenly and isn't as powerful as the 1200 watt unit I gave away to have the combo micro / convection. It does't pop corn very well at all, but it does heat my coffee. What a mistake. The Sharp sales info line was every helpful BEFORE they had my money. Now that they have it, their attitude has completely changed. They have a very "business like" attitude and basically could care less. It's disappointing.
The unit is huge on the outside but not nearly as large on the inside as my old microwave oven which was so much smaller on the outside. I made a huge and costly mistake. If you have to have a convection oven, get one with a reasonable warranty for service for such a large, heavy appliance.
On the other hand, Amazon has been WONDERFUL! At least I did something right when I made this purchase!
