Once again, our OTR microwave has bought the farm. This will be like the 4th or 5th one we've had since buying this house in 2002. We had a GE when we moved in which lasted pretty well, then a Frigidaire which lasted maybe 3 years, then a Samsung, which lasted for like a year and 2 months (never again!), then another Frigidaire which lasted maybe 6 years. I think we are going back to GE again - they seem to have the longest lasting ones and they are available (which is key -- don't know if you've tried buying appliances lately, but some of them have months long backorders!)

I am debating between a regular normal microwave for $295 (GE JVM7195skss) or a convection/microwave combo (GE PVM9179skss) for $510. Both have the same installation charge ($150). The regular microwave has a stronger vent fan which would be nice as we have a long duct run to the outside, but the convection one can be used to bake like a 2nd oven as well as being a microwave.

So on the one hand, these don't seem to last long so I am hesitant to spend more than I have to and having a convection bake feature would just be another thing that could potentially break. On the other hand, I'm on the hook for the $150 installation fee every time I replace one of these suckers so maybe I should buy a higher quality and it might last longer. Last year I invested in a standalone electric turkey roaster for the turkey which frees up my oven for other holiday baking -- prior to that, I was definitely hurting trying to pull off thanksgiving with just one oven -- but I still think the 2nd oven feature would come in handy, but probably only on the holidays. As far as making frozen pizzas or whatever, we typically use our toaster oven (if cooking for 1) or the big oven (if cooking for the family) and don't need something in between.

I dunno - I'm torn. I bought the cheaper one yesterday but it won't be delivered for like 3 weeks so they said I could upgrade if I want.

What say you, oh wise ones?

Get the regular one. We had a convection once, and we hardly ever used the convection part of it.

Will using as a convection oven require a lot of cleaning. Doubt they have a self cleaning feature.

We have the OTR convection/microwave.

For whatever reason, using the oven feature makes the noisy vent fan run constantly - on high. If that weren't enough, the fact it runs on 120 volts means it takes forever to warm up.

The microwave works fine and we use it a lot, but the convection oven option was a waste of $ because we never use it.

We have an electrolux Icon (not Ikon) spiffola microwave that came with the house. At the time I considered removing it and replacing it with a 2nd regular oven but was told that the m'wave convection thingy would work just fine, no need for a second oven. Wrong! It doesn't work just fine, you need an MSc in electrical engineering to switch it to that function, and it really never works.

We still use it virtually every day as a microwave. The rest, IMO, is a waste of money.

Seems unanimous.....I'll keep my regular microwave! Thanks!

Thanks
When my GE dies I will get another GE.
Saves changing the wall bracket that supports it.

I find Panasonic to be a reliable brand. Not sure if they have a microwave.

Jf

I’d say the average buyer of a convection oven is a person who does a lot of cooking or an institutional user like a restaurant which will give it a high usage rate. Otherwise a microwave oven should be sufficient for the average individual/family.

I’ve had my Hitachi microwave oven for about 30 years now. Never had a problem with it until recently. It has a digital touchpad control panel that stopped working. Hitachi doesn’t make microwave ovens any more and I can’t find anyone to service it.

I can’t complain too much if I got 30 years worth of service out of it. But I suspect the problem is with the touch sensitive key pad and microprocessor. Analog models with mechanical dials and knobs are less expensive and less complex. That’s what I’ll look for next if they even make them that way any more with everything going digital now.

Q-L, a friend was looking for a microwave with a dial because her mom had trouble with the digital touchpads. She found a lot of choices for commercial models with dials at online restaurant supply houses.

I have a Frigidaire Professional Series (means it looks nice) that's 15 years old and still trouble free.