Sharp R-305KS 1-Cubic-Foot 1100-Watt Microwave Oven, Stainless

Full Overview

Sharp R-305KS 1100 Watts Stainless Silver Microwave

Technical Details

- 1100-watt mid-sized microwave oven with 1-cubic-foot capacity
- 12-5/8-inch-diameter turntable provides even heating; 23 automatic settings
- 4 defrost, 6 cook, and 6 reheat options; Short Cuts for melting, softening, and warming
- Minute Plus; popcorn key; auto-touch controls; 4-digit 2-color lighted display; interior light
- Measures 20-1/2 by 17 by 12-1/4 inches; 1-year limited warranty

I conducted a good amount of research before deciding on this Sharp microwave oven. I wanted my new oven to meet the following important criteria and have the following features:

* a carousel and be able to fit a dinner plate
* at least 1000 watts of heating power (this has 1100) to heat food fast
* classy looking, compact stainless steel design
* name brand reputation for reliability
* around 100 dollars or so, give or take a little

I've had good luck with the Sharp brand. My previous microwave oven was also a Sharp unit, I had purchased way back in 1995. It was a full-size unit though, and I wanted to get something smaller, in stainless steel, since we recently re-did our kitchen in stainless steel. 'Luck would have it' that our old 1995 Sharp unit broke down shortly after we re-did our kitchen in late 2005, so I jumped at the opportunity to get another Sharp. The new R-305KS works flawlessly, and cooks even faster and more even than my older, larger unit! I must have reaped the benefits of improved microwave technology over the last 10 years or so that i've owned the older Sharp oven. All in all, a SUPERB VALUE and a SOLID PERFORMER!

I had another brand which did magnificently for 12 years. I couldn't find one similar in the same brand, so went to the Sharp. It is the size that a couple almost 80 years old can use best. We do little cooking in the microwave - more reheating coffee, or warming up food that has already been cooked on the stove. Oh, it does cook our oatmeal daily - generally 3 min at 50% power. Price was right, and shipping was included. Why not 5 stars? -- we prefer the door with a handle like our previous microwave had. For those who prefer "push" over "pull" - it is a 5 star.Sharp R-305KS 1-Cubic-Foot 1100-Watt Microwave Oven, Stainless

We love this microwave. It is great looking. It is powerful - all cooking times are less, which we have to get used to. It is roomy inside but compact - doesn't take up all of our limted counter space.

The reason you see everything from 5 star to 1 star reviews for this microwave is that it all depends if the product is working or not. If this microwave works it is functional and relatively easy to use, but if it konks out -- you have a useless appliance. Sharp knows it is not worth repairing and in all likelihood another microwave will be purchased. Not even 9 months after buying this microwave it made a loud sound and no longer would heat. Personally I want something reliable and am tossing this microwave and moving onto another brand. I am having surgery in a month and will need a microwave and am at least thankful it did not stop functioning just after my surgery. But in all honesty it is not worth playing Russian roulette when you have other microwaves to choose from. Reliability is important to me. There are too many of these types of complaints about this Sharp microwave on Amazon. Why take a chance? Stay away from Sharp microwaves.

I purchased this microwave about a year ago and have been pleased with it for the most part. It has consistent heating over the whole food and is quite powerful for the price. The size is also a welcome feature, in that my previous microwave was about 0.7 cubic feet. The stainless steel is easy to clean and adds a contemporary look to the kitchen. My favorite feature is probably the popcorn button which quite literally pops exactly the number of kernels in the bag without burning the popcorn. It is not a feature-filled microwave, but has warm, soften, reheat and defrost options. I only use the defrost beside the cook because I never took the time to determine how they work. Unfortunately the defrost is the only major flaw I can find with the microwave. It is not terribly difficult to use, but as far as I can tell you are unable to "tell" the microwave that you want to cook anything over 2 lbs. Aside from that it is a solid built, good powered, cheap and easy to use.

I am usually really nervous when making purchases over $75, so I did alot of research on microwaves when my old one was taking 7 minutes to boil a cup of water. I found that Sharp has a good reputation for customer service. (Thankfully, I haven't had to find this out on my own.) So I decided to stick with Sharp. I also decided that a decent microwave for home use should cost no more than $100. (Free super-saver shipping on heavy and/or bulky purchases is a no-brainer!) Models with too many functions (ex: cooking whole turkeys) were just not necessary because most households rarely use advanced features. Personally, I throw a slice of pizza in there and pop it on for 1 minute... I don't even check the heat settings. If a microwave takes too long to decipher the setting codes, doesn't that defeat the purpose? This model has just enough features so you're not overwhelmed, in the event advanced settings are required. The 1 cubic food is a decent size. (But you STILL shouldn't cook a turkey in it!) The 1100-Watts really does the job. The first thing that was cooked in it was the infamously finicky microwave popcorn, and it came out beautifully with the popcorn button. (It even has settings for mini popcorn bags which are gaining popularity.) I'm also happy to report that it now takes around 45 seconds to boil a cup of water. Very happy with this purchase!

The first one from amazon, the door would not open. The internal opening mechenisim was broken. Sent it back to amazon, what a pain. Got a new one. It worked for a week, but not well. Weak power, strange noises.Then just stopped working. Too late to return to amazon. Must find a repair place, none very local. Don't buy things like this from amazon, buy from a local dept. store with a good return policy. Also, stay away from sharp. the old ones were great, new stuff is not...

I waited three months to review this oven so I could get to know it first through daily use. It really heats everything up very well, fast and evenly. I haven't really used the special programmed things like the melt feature or different heat levels enough to say anything about them. I mostly reheat leftovers and coffee, and it does a great job with that.

I researched ovens thoroughly before choosing this one. I wanted an oven that had a lot of power, and this definitely has it, but I would have preferred a smaller size if I could have found one that just had basic buttons and not all the Popcorn and other programmed fluff settings. The oven itself has a rather cheap hollow feeling to it, like the sound and extra-light feel when closing the door, but the oven itself works well. The only problem I found has been intermittent, and this is that sometimes (probably 1-2 times a month) when I hit the Start button I hear an extra click and the clock blinks out, I lose the programmed heating time and the clock time. I have to reset the clock and re-enter my heat time. This, of course, has never happened to my husband, only me for some reason. A minor inconvenience, and one that had I bought this from a local store I would have taken back and exchanged.

Actually, if I hadn't already returned the first oven Amazon sent me, I would have returned this one as well for exchange. The first oven they sent me had a dent in the top surface, and the white enamel was chipped and peeling off the inside. Now that I think about it, I had to return an expensive digital camera recently because after working with it a month it appeared to be a lemon. Personally, any higher priced or bulky products I plan to purchase I think I will get from a local retailer even if they're a little more expensive. A local retailer dealing face to face with customers usually tries to have better quality control, and if I have to return something the process won't be a long drawn out ordeal through the mail. Sometimes less expensive really means cheap.

I purchased a Sharp microwave oven, which worked fine for 7 weeks.
I used it to heat soup, and for oatmeal in the morning.

One morning it just broke.
The door closed, the light and fan came on, but there was no heat.
It emitted a burning plastic smell.

Sharp service told me that I needed to have a Sharp-authorized technician examine it before it could be replaced.

Unfortunately, the nearest Sharp-authorized service location is a two-hour round trip drive for me. They don't accept shipments, nor are they are not open on weekends.

This means that in order for me to obtain warranty service on this relatively new product I would have to *take a day off work*, as it is too far to drive on my lunch hour.

Also, one cannot return a product to Sharp for examination; as per the warranty you must "hand carry" or ship the item to a service location (if your service location accepts shipments; mine doesn't).

So I believe my current options are:
1) find a local microwave service place, and pay for the service myself
or
2) throw the oven away

I recommend not purchasing any Sharp appliance unless you know that a Sharp-authorized service location is close by.

Best Regards and Good Luck!

Mark

This is a replacement microwave. Every Sharp microwave I have purchased, whether for my family or as a gift, has been exceptional. The features, looks, quality, etc., are the best.