Customers are pleased with the 2.2-Cu. Ft. Built-In/Countertop Cyclonic Wave Microwave Oven's size, even cooking, and powerful inverter technology, noting that food cooks perfectly and evenly. Many appreciate the ease of use once familiar with the controls, although some found the control panel and touchpad required a learning curve. The quality of the product is also frequently praised. While some users found the microwave noisier than expected, others highlighted its quiet operation.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 67 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Size
Cons mentioned:
Control panel
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Panel interface is different
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I bought this Panasonic microwave to replace an older model because it is the same size as our old one and I did not need to buy a new frame and mounting kit. The control panel is very different from the old one, but we have adjusted to it fairly well. I do miss not having a number pad for setting the run time. The +/- symbols run very quickly and it is hard to get the exact time you need on the first try. I think Panasonic was trying to correct a problem that did not exist!
Overall it is a very good unit and it works well
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We're thrilled to have earned your 5-star rating. -M
Pros mentioned:
Size
Cons mentioned:
Control panel
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Panasonic Built-In Microwave
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This Panasonic microwave fit nicely into the built in area above my range. The trim kit was a bit of a pain to install and required carpentry skills which Best Buy took care of. Despite having no numerical keypad, and a bunch of unusual symbols, the microwave works well.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Your 5-star review means a lot to us. Thank you for taking the time to share your rating with us and the rest of the community. -C
Pros mentioned:
Quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great upgrade
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Posted . Owned for 1.5 years when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My last microwave oven lasted more than 20 years. This unit is far superior to many of the microwave units I have researched.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback! -C
Pros mentioned:
Cooking evenness, Inverter technology, Size
Cons mentioned:
Control panel
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Powerful and stylish microwave
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I'm a terrible cook so I pretty much eat food cooked in a microwave all the time. I previously had a smaller, low power microwave. It did the trick but wasn't the greatest due to it's small size and low power. It was a 0.7 cubic foot, 900 watt microwave. Needless to say, this one is significantly larger and more powerful. Just from this alone, it took a bit getting used to. Normally, with my older microwave, if I was cooking something that said to cook it for 3 minutes, I'd have to cook it for 5 in my older microwave. This habit is kind of hard to break.
This Panasonic Prestige Plus is pretty much the last (hopefully) microwave I'll ever need. It's powerful and I can put much larger leftover bowls. Cooking time is much less now since this is a 1250 watt microwave. This thing cooks quite evenly which my older microwave did not. Cooking soup or TV dinners, the food is evenly cooked however I noticed the bowl gets much hotter than before. I managed to defrost some steaks as well which went pretty smoothly. My older microwave couldn't even do this.
To be honest, this thing has so many features that I haven't even been able to use them all. It's quite robust in that respect so this is more than just a microwave in my opinion. One of the drawbacks to this the touch panel. Most microwaves I've seen usually have some text on the buttons so you know what it does. This one does not. I had to read the instruction manual to figure out what the buttons do so, over time, I'll get the hang of it. Other thing to keep in mind is that this microwave is pretty big. It's almost twice the size of my older one so you'll need to have a large space to put this thing in. Fortunately, i have a stand alone cabinet which just happened to be big enough to place this thing on to.
While this isn't for most peoples needs, I think it;s a great appliance to have. For those people, like me, that use microwaves religiously, having a top end microwave really helps out in the long run.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the review..
Pros mentioned:
Inverter technology
Cons mentioned:
Control panel
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great Sensors , Small Learning Curve
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My previous microwave sensors broke down to the point I was unable to use any of its features except manual time entries. I was in the market for a reliable microwave that has good sensors to reheat my food. I have been very impressed with the Panasonic microwave on re-heating up food along with the features. However there is a small learning curve trying to navigate through their touch panel.
Pros:
Price per Features (ex:"3 Stage Cooking", "Keep Warm", "Inverter Turbo Defrost")
Uses Inverter Technology
Sensors
Large Capacity
Includes "Microwave Shortcuts" and "Cooking Techniques"
Cons:
Touch Panel
Learning Curve
::Installation::
The installation was very easy and arrived in good packaging. When installing remember to remove the film that is protecting the surface from scratches. There is a little paper marker to notate however if in a hurry you could miss it as the film blends in very well. The manual that comes with it is like a book. There are so many features and how to navigate through the touch panel that I wished Panasonic created a "Cheat Sheet" chart.
::Cooking / Reheating::
This microwave uses Inverter Technology which basically means the power level adjusts per heating heating load. It uses a power motor instead of a magnetic coil which is suppose to be more energy efficient. I am unable to speak towards the energy efficiency as I have not noticed a difference however the Inverter heating method has been very impressive. This technology allows for things like defrosting / cooking food alot faster with less nutrient reduction. I really am impressed with how large the capacity is within, you can pretty much fit a small turkey in it.
::Owners Manual::
The manual is so huge that I actually had to create a separate section just to talk about it. It is packed with so much useful information that I strongly recommend to read through it. I know many discard manuals however it would be a huge loss if you discard this one. First section is installation / safety features, however past that is where the true value comes in. They have a nice "Cookware Guide" to assist with the container you are placing inside to warm up. They then have a large dedicated section for the input panel functions and icon descriptions. I wish they had ability to input digits instead of using a +/- bar for timer. The next section of the manual they go into some of the unique features. For example the "3 Stage Cooking", "Keep Warm", "Coffee/Milk Feature", "Popcorn Feature", "Sensor Reheat / Sensor Cook Feature" and "Inverter Turbo Defrost Feature". The next section includes the Defrost Tips and Sensor Cooking Chart which I recommend reading through to get the most out of your sensor cooking. I was very impressed on how you can take advantage of the sensor cooking on this microwave. After that section there is a random "Microwave Recipes", I call it random because it is placed between the sensor cooking and cook timer features. It would have been better to move that to its own section so its not missed. I have tried the Mac n Cheese recipe and it turned out really good! My favorite section of the manual is towards the end (pg. 24-27) the "Microwave Shortcuts" and "Cooking Techniques" I wish they had this as a separate book or at front of manual. The information is extremely valuable as cooking with an Inverter is different versus a magnetic.
Overall I would recommend this microwave for anyone in the market for an upgrade or replacement. The features, inverter cooking method and sensory are very impressive along with not having to worry about using a magnetic heating element.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the review..
Pros mentioned:
Inverter technology, Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
It’s huge and heats and reheats like a beast!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
So I wanted to use this for a weeks or 2. To see how great it could be. And I’m glad I did. I always bought those cheapo tiny microwave ovens that were just good enough. I said those would do just fine. Until you get something bigger and better. I have definitely been missing out. This huge microwave oven will heat and reheat anything you put in. We have 2 young children and they like what every toddler likes and we need/want to feed them quickly. This will cook in way less time. I myself don’t enjoy leftovers or reheating my food. I like it fresh. But this would heat it up perfectly. I didn’t know what inverter tech was. But it makes a huge difference. Amazing. My wife is soo happy. We buy pizza frequently and this will fit the whole box of large pizza. Crazy. Also the touch buttons are bright but not over done. They also kinda tell you what to press. Very cool. High tech. Stainless steel will need to be maintained tho. Fingerprints add up. But easy to clean. Great product from a great company. Good luck. You will love this for sure.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the review..
Pros mentioned:
Cooking evenness, Inverter technology
Cons mentioned:
Control panel
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Big Improvement
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
We got this Panasonic microwave to replace a roughly 5 year old one.
The black and stainless steel body and touchscreen controls give it a nice modern look.
Controls do take some getring used to as they are no number buttons only pictures/icons so you'll want to read the manual to familiarize yourself with the controls. A plus is that they are backlit and easy to see which is a huge plus over our old one that had buttons that were near impossible to see.
The Cyclonic Inverter technology wasn't a huge selling point for us, but after using this Panasonic it has proven to be worth it. Leftovers have been reheated perfectly each time and Frozen entrees and vegetables have been cooked perfectly without needing to add additional time. We haven't used all the features so far but we are very happy that we got this Panasonic microwave.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the review..
Cons mentioned:
Control panel
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Microwave with Pizazz
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Funny thing happened when we received our new Panasonic microwave oven, my family got excited with the new oven. Never have we given a microwave oven a second thought, this one was obviously innovative and stylish, looks lovely in our kitchen.
This is our second Panasonic Inverter microwave. The previous was the last generation Inverter oven which we have used for well over a year, which is still going strong without any issues. It has performed marvelously, and the quality and durability are top notch.
The new NN-SE985S is built upon the same excellent engineering as the previous unit and packed with new innovations.
Inverter cooking technology compared with older microwave technology:
- The older microwave cooking method is achieved by turning on and off only the high heat which creates hot and cold spots throughout the food. My experience with the older method was that food typically was a bit rubbery and many times overcooked.
- Inverter ovens cook with a steady stream of power at what ever power setting you select which cooks the food evenly throughout. If you set your power setting to medium, then your unit will not cook at high turning on and off (for instance) but will cook at a continuous 50% of power. It makes a huge difference.
Panasonic has also implemented what they call Cyclonic Wave Technology which “surrounds food with ultra-efficient 3D waves to create a fast, even, and healthy cooking experience” and Turbo Defrost which allows you to defrost and cook your food faster while retaining flavor, texture and nutrients.
One innovation that at first caused a scratching of the head was there is no longer a number keypad, the menu is driven with simple to use timer features and “Picto Labels.” What they call Picto Labels are simply well-designed Icons. After reading and familiarizing myself with the new menu control panel found that the new layout is far superior and smoother in operation.
The innovation list goes on with new features for sensor cooking and an interactive menu screen with step by step cooking instructions.
The unit is 2.2 cubic feet which is considerably larger than out last unit which I believe was 1.6 cubic feet, yet the foot print is not as large as I had imagined. Fits nicely into the same space as our last unit.
If you do purchase the Panasonic, make sure to remove the lovely blue plastic shipping cover. At first glance I thought it was a nice blue hue of stainless steel.
Like the lit control panel for use at night. The one improvement I would have liked to have been included in the design was for the control panel to light up at night by simply touching the panel. To light up the control panel at night you must first open the door.
We cooked our breakfast this morning using the Panasonic and was able to place three large breakfast bowls on the glass tray together and everything came out deliciously.
Big thumbs up. With my experience with the last unit I highly recommend you taking a good look at the Panasonic unit, believe you will be delighted with the new Microwave by Panasonic.
Bon Appetit
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the review.
Pros mentioned:
Cooking evenness
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Next Gen Microwave
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
PROS:
- It really is a gorgeous appliance in your kitchen! The stainless steel and glass/touchscreen interface is really crisp.
- I love how big the microwave compartment and turntable is. I could fit very big plates and bowls in here without worrying I am making it to full.
- The biggest pro: it cooks food perfectly! I definitely could tell that the food was cooked more evenly. No crispy edges with cold centers, just very even distribution of heat during the cooking process.
- The controls were a newer style for me but I got used to them and liked what they were trying to do!
CONS:
- Its a BIG microwave. It’s good because there is a lot of space in it but just be aware of it’s dimensions.
- This does not mount over the stove which would be nice but that’s not what this microwave is meant for.
- I wish there was a number pad like a traditional microwave but I got used to not having one and it’s fine now.
- For being pricey and state of the art, I wish it had Google Assistant / Amazon Alexa integration but it doesn’t. I do not need this but that’s how most products are going and I’m surprised this didn’t have it.
BOTTOM LINE: This high end microwave is worth the investment given how great it cooks food. It’s missing a few older and new features but overall you will adjust quickly.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the review..
Pros mentioned:
Cooking evenness, Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Back where we belong
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Our very first and best microwave ever was a Quasar (Panasonic) back in the 80s. When we needed to replace our built-in microwave, the latest in a series of expensive and unreliable models, I was thrilled to find this Panasonic product. So far, we're very happy with it. The company is innovative so the microwave is quite different from others. As others mention, it does take a little time to learn how to operate a unit that uses symbols instead of a number pad. We've kept the manual handy for reference, but we mastered the basics quickly. The oven cooks evenly and well. It was large enough to fill the space previously occupied by other microwaves with their trim kits. That was a big plus. I'm really happy to be back with Panasonic after so many other microwaves seemed to fail pretty quickly.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the feedback.
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great microwave, trim kit is horrible
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
As others have stated, this microwave is unique in that it doesn't have the standard number pad on the front. All of the features are available through the picture buttons that take a small adjustment to get used to; but you adjust after a couple of days. The main issue that I have with the Microwave is the trim kit. First- it's expensive, the trim kit is literally half the cost of the microwave. Second- it is difficult to install. I got it to replace a kitchenaid microwave that also used a 30" trim kit; but when I went to put it in, it wouldn't fit. I ended up having to hire someone and pay an additional $175 for them to cut into my cabinetry to make it work. There are several complaints about the trim kit in the reviews, so I know that my experience has been shared by many. If you are getting this for a freestanding counter microwave then I'd recommend, but if you are installing it then I'd say to picck an easier one to install.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for sharing your experience with our microwave! We apologize for any inconvenience you experienced with the trim kit installation. -M
Pros mentioned:
Cooking evenness, Ease of use
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Panasonic Cyclonic Microwave
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Great microwave. Was concerned before purchase regarding the change in button options but ends up being super easy to use. There is no more guessing on time/power level for heating/cooking food.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the glowing review and the 5-star rating. We're delighted to have provided you with a positive experience. -M
Pros mentioned:
Cooking evenness, Inverter technology
Cons mentioned:
Touchpad
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Had it for about a month now and it is excellent!
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Finally a microwave that cooks evenly! Excellent machine with a lot of power. Takes a little while to get used to the touch pad with icons.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the review.
Pros mentioned:
Cooking evenness
Cons mentioned:
Control panel
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Heats food very well
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This microwave cooks really well. The sensor cook/reheat/defrost is near perfect. Reheating pizza has always been an issue with past microwaves but the Panasonic heated it perfectly. My one complaint is the control panel is not very intuitive.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for your 5-star rating! We are happy to hear you are pleased with the product.
Pros mentioned:
Cooking evenness, Quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Ranger Mike
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Panasonic continues to make outstanding/dependable quality products so very happy to have purchased this exceptional microwave. Cooks food easily and perfectly.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We deeply appreciate you took the time to provide us with your feedback! We are happy to hear the product meets your expectations. -M
Pros mentioned:
Size
Cons mentioned:
Noise
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Nice Microwave
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Large size interior. Buttons hard to figure out. Adjusting power level inconvenient. Fit perfectly into our cabinet space. No quieter than our previous microwave.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the feedback.
Pros mentioned:
Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great value
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This microwave is huge! You definitely have to read the manual in order to know what each picture button means, which is my only complaint. I would rather have words. But it works very well. It looks nice. I love it.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the review..
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Buck
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Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I am well pleased with the microwave and installation.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Hi Milo! Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear you’re pleased with both the microwave and the installation experience. - S
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Modern and stylish
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This microwave works perfectly and heats food fast. Lightweight and adds great look to my kitchen. Its touch screen is lights up and easy to see.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the review..
Pros mentioned:
Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic beyond words!!!!!!!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Absolutely fantastic beyond words!!!! The Panasonic-Genius Prestige Plus 2.2 Cu. Ft. Microwave with Sensor Cooking is incredible. Yes.....it is huge, but so was the Whirlpool Microwave it is replacing. The trim from the Whirlpool fits perfectly this new Panasonic. Haven't used everything yet since this is a brand new addition to my kitchen. But, I am beyond impressed with everything the Panasonic-Genius Prestige Plus does. Will definitely have to sit down and read the "book" of how to operate this microwave to its fullest potential. Love, love, love this microwave.