Panasonic NN-SN966S

UPDATE 7/2022: I just noticed this review I wrote was now 5 years old and this model IS still being sold. So I thought I’d note this unit is still going strong. Used several times daily for over 5 years without a single hitch. Other than the need to wipe it down when someone forgets to cover a bowl of spaghetti. But alas, they haven’t seem to have invented the self-cleaning microwave yet so it looks like I’ll be using this one until they do. ORIGINAL REVIEW 6/2017: I waited for nearly a year of use before posting this review. And having briefly re-reviewed a few of the lower ratings/comments, I can say I have not experienced any of the specific complaints reported (i.e. door button sticking, poor door fit, wi-fi interference (although that has a lot of variables), etc.) What I can say is that this microwave is big and powerful. I remember pulling the turntable glass out of the box during unpacking and saying "holy cow, I could nuke a whole cow" on this. At just over 16" in diameter, what you can cook is 2-3 bowls of frozen vegetables at the same time. While the unit is certainly one of the larger non-commercial microwaves I've seen, the large cooking area appears to come more from efficiencies in Panasonic's design. In other words, more cooking area out of the same footprint of a microwave of this size from a few years ago. When I was first evaluating this purchase I wasn't sure if the "Microwave Inverter" technology, now unique to Panasonic due to licensing/patents, was gimmick or not. But now I don't believe it is (despite at least one non-Amazon/independent buying guide that tried to claim otherwise). This unit doesn't "pulse" on and off during the cooking cycle like other microwaves I've used. It's more like the described "steady stream of power" which definitely reduces cooking time and makes trips to the kitchen faster. However, you do have to be aware that similar to switching from a standard toaster oven to a convection toaster oven, cooking times need to be reduced or your food will truly be "nuclear" (ok, overheated). The inverter technology also appears to improve defrost mode in my experience. If you flip the food as instructed, it generally avoids partially cooking the edges of food like other non-inverter units I've used over the years. The only thing (or two) I personally didn't love about this unit was the power function on the controls. I'm used to hitting "power" and then a number. This unit starts at power 10 and you have to hit the power button 1-9 times to reduce it to the level you want. Admittedly, part of my aggravation is having had "power #" a habit long ago formed. But I actually find it less efficient this way. Also, I feel I should comment that the "cheat sheet" for the smart cooking modes is on the inside of the door on the bottom, conveniently printed for those of us that like to keep a magnifying glass velcro'd to the side of our kitchen appliances. I don't know why manufacturers think this is a good placement or print size but this issue is not unique to Panasonic. I guess my disappointment is that after buying a microwave several years newer than my previous, the leap in generation fails to provide any leap in improvement in the capability of the timer/display and keypad controls. Simply allowing you to scroll through the cooking options to appear on the display by hitting each number. (i.e. hitting "Sensor Cook" and then 1 would display "Frozen dinner", then 2 would display "Popcorn", etc.) would be a welcome improvement on the printed microscopic label approach. However, I can't honest say these cons outweigh the pros and I feel this is a very good unit overall. I'm not sure how often the models change over time, so this review may not be relevant for very long. But in general, I wouldn't hesitate to consider the Panasonic brand and their unique "Microwave Inverter" technology again if I had to. (Hopefully at least 9-15 years from now. ;-) ) Happy nuking!

Don't buy this microwave. I purchased mine in Sept. 2023and now my keypad is non responsive. $250 00 for 2-1/2 years of use. I'll never purchase Panasonic products again

Panel went out prior to even a year after purchase. Microwave started beeping continuously and very loud. No buttons on panel work, therefore microwave doesn't work. Called to activate warranty because as I said prior to 1 year. First called Amazon extra warranty we paid for (Asurion I believe was name) because it was a 3 year warranty. Asurion said I had to go through Panasonic first because their warranty didn't start until at 1 year mark. Called Panasonic customer service. Panasonic said no, use Amazon warranty because they can't ensure how long it was in Amazon warehouse prior to arriving to us. This back and forth lasted for weeks with me contacting both companies. Finally, Panasonic said, "Oh, you're now 3 days past your year warranty." So, I said "fine, I will call Amazon warranty again, maybe since now 3 days past manufacturers warranty I can get any traction. This has been nearly a month of back and forth". Amazon/Asurion warranty then proceeded to tell me, because it was a known flaw in Panasonic and because I started inquiry with Panasonic a month ago that they would not cover it either. I have been contacting both companies back and forth for a year now, limping the microwave along. Thankfully, because it is occurring to SO MANY PEOPLE, there are YouTube videos on work arounds. Can't be fixed, but can be tricked is how some state it. Videos state you essentially have to keep microwave unplugged until moments prior to microwaving. Immediately after microwave done, you unplug it and pull your food out. It is annoying and frustrating but it was working while we navigated both warranties refusing to stand behind the lies they sold us. Problem is, now that we have done the work around for a year, the work around is no longer working. I have Essentially paid $350 for 2 years worth of microwaving, in addition to the 3 year warranty I purchased above and beyond. It is a pile of junk and Panasonic KNOWS AND KEEPS SELLING IT! Panasonic customer service agent WAS aware of this malfunction because apparently they receive numerous calls about it. Customer service agent said, "Usually there is a switch behind control panel to reset this problem. They failed to put one on this model. There is nothing we can do to fix it. And, you are 3 days past your 1 year warranty being out." I now have a $350 paper weight. Have lost numerous hours of my life arguing with Panasonic warranty and Amazon/Asurion warranty, and I am about to have to fork out another $300 for another microwave. Do yourself a favor... don't buy this microwave. Don't give Panasonic nor Amazon Asurion your money. Go elsewhere. They know the problem and have not issued any warnings nor recalls. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

Built-in microwaves are difficult to find and the one I was replacing was no longer available. I was happy to find this Panasonic with the coordinating frame kit available on Amazon for a reasonable price with fast shipping. Install was fairly simple. I like all of the features of this microwave and I like the nice bright interior light. The clock runs perfectly which I was worried about because I have an oven directly beneath and it that also has a clock and my toaster oven constantly gains time and gets several minutes ahead of the microwave and oven clocks which drives me crazy! I was happy that the microwave clock is accurate and it matches the oven. I'm also happy with the instruction manual, it's thorough and easy to find what you need. Pros: Bright interior light Cooks/heats evenly and quickly Sensor reheat works well Looks nice Cons: - I don't that you have to push start after selecting the "quick 30 sec" button, my Whirlpool would just start automatically when you pushed the 1 min button and I prefer that - My Whirlpool had a reference for the sensor cook items inside the microwave door. And/or it would list the items on the display as you pressed the sensor cook button to go through the options. This microwave doesn't have anything listed on/in the microwave and only has numbers (1-14) displayed as you press the button, so you need the manual to know which number corresponds to the item you're cooking. - This is for the frame kit, not the microwave: the vents in the frame are large and get dust inside very easily which bothers me because it's very difficult to get the dust out. The openings are sharp so whatever I try to use (paper towel, microfiber cloth, swiffer duster) gets caught and/or shredded and I still don't get all of the dust out. Overall, I'm very happy with this microwave because it looks nice, it was a great price and works great.

It's been 5 years and our microwave is showings its age, most noticeable are the rust bubbles/ bulges along the front bottom edge, they make uncomfortable, i worry about leakage. . The turntable seems to turn a tad slower than in the past. So I decided I would check out what the latest and greatest microwaves are in 2023. I knew the size I wanted (2.2 cubic for countertop I'm stainless steel). So I'm reading along and this one catches my eye. Fair price, ooo all the specs I want! Sounds promising! I read a little bit more and then I started to giggle. I'm reading about MY microwave- that I purchased on the *exact same date* (June 6th) in 2018. What are the odds? I hadn't noticed the "you purchased this" banner- its late and I was trying to get thru the specs quickly. It's been a great workhorse for 5 years. Still works great, I'm just concerned about those rust bubbles on the bottom edge possibly affecting the seal. I don't have one of those testing tools (and with my autistic kids, that's probably a good thing- they'd obsess and start checking it 5 times a day). So I'm not totally convinced if I should get a new one or not. But I can tell you this model has been great for the last 5 years (and we tend to be hard on appliances, esp microwaves). I esp like that I can program one thing with 2 different times & temps and it smoothly segues through the change. Or that I can set a delayed start and 2 times! I rarely use the sensor but it's nice to have. It defrosts well if you're careful and don't push your luck. (Push your luck and the edges start cooking while the center is frozen). We don't actually cook much in it anymore, other than streaming vegetables, as we were recently given a toaster oven/ bake/ broil/ air fry unit. It's very low profile and actually sits right under the microwave. The microwave does mostly thawing, reheating and steaming chores. It's still the best way to stream veggies. And I've perfected reheating homemade bearnaise sauce in it (not easy to reheat any egg based sauce, they tend to curdle). My kids have perfected Ramen in a microwave safe measuring cup, vs boiling water on the stove. So if you're looking for a new microwave, this little workhorse has served us well for 5 years. Heck, Amazon's price is only about $3 more than in 2018! You really can't go wrong with this one. Not sure if we're even going to buy right now but it's served us so well it will Def. Be on the short list for replacing itself :-)

If you are finally shopping for a replacement for that microwave your family has been using since the 80's, this model nn966 2.2 cu. ft. is the replacement you are looking for. Its just as huge, just as over-powered, and is just as easy to use. You wont even have to retrain your family how to heat leftovers. If you are upgrading from a much smaller unit, however, you will need to retrain everyone so they don't keep setting off your smoke alarms. Be warned; this box really cooks. And, remember, they simply do not make them like they used to. In a big box store, you can compare the various makes and models. I did. Although earlier or perhaps lesser models do appear to have less robust door latches, models nn965 and nn966 both have very different latches, even different from each other. This model has a more refined and very sturdy door latch, and that gives me hope that the widely reported problem has been resolved. This unit (I purchased) latches firmly, and sounds exactly like another unit we have had for several years. By all measures, this latch appears to conform to industry standards. The differences do not stop there. model nn966 also has slightly raised buttons, where the nn965 and other models have perfectly featureless and flat touch screens. These are small pressure sensitive push pads that depress when you poke them. The great advantage is that blind and visually impaired users can feel the buttons. Feeling the slightly raised button also helps any user know exactly where to press; a feature some touch screen users will well appreciate. The surface of the control panel remains seamless, so cleaning is still easy. I went with the 2.2 cu. ft. version. It is cavernous inside, but its not consuming any more counter space than our 2.0 unit. The 16-inch glass turntable is shaped like any other but rides well above the bottom of the cooking box, so removing it for cleaning is simple. This may also improve the evenness of heating. It runs at the same loudness of any large unit, and it beeps just like you expect; no surprises. A close look at an assortment of microwaves shows that they all rest on tiny metal feet about the diameter of a nickle or penny. Although these feet sadly never appear to be adjustable, they are always placed a few inches back from the front edge of the unit and frequently far back from the inner edge of the door. Placing nickles or pennies under these feet still appears to be the universal trick for leveling a microwave. Given the substantial weight of the unit, tipping appears to be no problem and neither does it appear to be that leaving the unit to overhang a deep cupboard shelf is any problem at all. My plans call for the unit to rest on a custom built shelf above a kitchen counter, because I have no desire to sacrifice over 30-inches of counter top work space. This may well be one of the largest and most powerful microwaves intended for residential use. It can accept any stupidly tall coffee mug, a number of moderately sized serving dishes, or even a 16-inch pizza. Once you learn how to adjust it properly, you can even keep that pizza nicely warmed through an entire football game. Just be sure to remove it from the box. And, yes. This unit will incinerate popcorn in well under 2 minutes, so adjust your programmed settings accordingly. When you get it programmed, everyone can make it perfect every time ... until you change your brand of popcorn.

A great microwave! I waited almost a year after purchasing this appliance to write a review so I could honestly say how it really works over time. I have owned GE units and was very pleased with them but they did not last more than a few years. So when the last one gave out I decided to find one that boasted a better long term lifespan. The GE and the Panasonic have many of the same features. They are large and they have numerous cooking features. The GE names the cooking features the Panasonic gives you a numerical code that you lookup on a page in the manual. I printed it out and posted on the fridge. The Panasonic is more accurate in the defrost mode and the reheat mode. The interior light is better in the Panasonic. The revolving tray is identical in both models. I also think the automatic food cooking settings are more accurate on the Panasonic. For example vegetables don't come out overcooked. It takes a bit of getting used to when using the numerical codes on the Panasonic but after a while you remember that 9 is for potatoes and 8 is for vegetables.

I'm on my third unit now. The first was returned for a loose door, it would rise and drop 1/16" on the right side and pull in and out 1/16" as well. I figured this was a dangerous defect. My Sharpe Carousel is solid as rock and it's 33-36 yrs. old. The second one had the same defect. Also, it wobbled making me think my counter top wasn't flat since the feet aren't adjustable. Now I'm thinking they're all like this so I used it a bit and found if it sets overnight, the first time you try to open the door the latch doesn't function. Come to find out, if you lift the door at the bottom right corner with your finger tip and press the latch it pops right open. This is a combination nuisance so I sent it back. This is my third try, a charme? Idk yet. It has the same loose door only something < 1/16". It's tight enough that the latch works every time and it sits flat on the counter so the second one was also bent. If I try for a forth I don't know the odds of getting a better or worse unit so I'm keeping number three. It's a beautiful microwave, silver metallic with black and stainless trim. It's very big and quite powerful. I'm only using power level 8 so far and that's faster and hotter than my old Sharpe on full power (of course she's pretty 'long in the tooth'). It's not as intuitive as the Sharpe but that's what instruction manuals are for and in short time I think I will become accustomed to the Panasonic. Why there is so much slop in the lower hinge of a 21st. century microwave is beyond me. Maybe Panasonic doesn't think it will affect the lifespan of the unit. Maybe when the warranty is up the door falls off the next day. I'm going to take the chance it lasts or I can fix it with a YouTube video. Right now as of this writing, I'm happy with it!

large interior, easy to use and the sensory reheat is a dream (just not for use on liquids) - food only it cooks till it senses steam then stops - love it 1250watts seems to be the most powerful countertop model i could find - the 1200 w takes a full 30sec more to reheat coffee

Excelente producto

It stopped working after just 4 years, the display started cycling through 'P1 to P10' repeatedly all of a sudden.

Habrá sido mala suerte pero en menos de 2 meses dejó de funcionar, lo tuve que regresar.

Muy buen tamaño y su funcionamiento bueno