Panasonic Microwave with Inverter Technology NN-SD997S

Hi, guys. Megan Wollerton for CNET here, bringing you a review of the Panasonic NN-SD997S Microwave with Inverter Technology. So, this large stainless microwave costs $300. That's actually a mid-ranged price for a countertop model. This microwave has a 2.2 cubic foot capacity, which is a really large size and it has 1,250 watts of power. I really like the look of this microwave. It's kind sleek and looks a little high-end although it's a mid-ranged price. I also really like the blue LED light display. The buttons and the dial are also well laid out and really easy to see and use. The most unique feature of this microwave is the inverter technology. So, inverter technology works by maintaining a steady lower power level. Most other microwaves actually vacillate between a high power level and a very low power level to achieve that mid range. We tested that functionality by making omelets. The Sharp R-820JS actually performed better than the Panasonic because it has a lower wattage of 900 and its convection, so the heating technology is just totally different. The Panasonic omelets were still good but not quite as good as the Sharp. Another high-end feature of this microwave is the sensor technology. A built-in moisture sensor actually detects the doneness of your food and you don't even have to input a timer. There are 18 sensor presets that range from ground meat to potatoes to omelets. There's also a sensor reheat function. It didn't do that well, though, when we tried to reheat day old pizza. This microwave also has an inverter turbo defrost feature, which defrost your food really, really quickly. I actually defrosted a chicken drumstick in just 58 seconds and it did extremely well. I used this microwave's frozen on tray sensor to make Stouffer's frozen lasagna. I did 2 different tests and for the first test I used a single serving frozen dinner and the sensor performed perfectly. It was absolutely delicious and it looked great. For the second and third tests, I used a double serving frozen dinner. The sensor actually underestimated the amount of time it would need to cook. So, even though it generally worked well, there were a couple of anomalies that may require some trial and error on your part. Overall, this is a great mid-ranged microwave. It looks good, it produces delicious food and most of the features work extremely well. I wouldn't necessarily buy this for the Inverter Technology but I think it has enough going for it that justifies the purchase anyway, especially if you have a large family or regularly cook a lot of food in your microwave. Thanks for watching. I'm Megan Wollerton for Cnet.com.