Panasonic NN-SN667: Just Fine By Me, and a Genius to Boot

Author's Rating:

Pros: sensor technology, inverter technology, good looking

Cons: glare off door and clock face

The Bottom Line: 
The Panasonic NN-SN667 Microwave Oven is one fine oven.

Author's Review
At one point not long ago we owned three microwaves, two small and one fairly large. The big one, however, bit the dust just before our cross-country move, leaving us with two; both just about big enough for a dinner plate or a large bag of popcorn. That just wasn't gonna work for the reunited household; so something larger was called for. We measured the available space - then we went shopping.

There are lots of microwaves out there, in case you weren't aware. Some are also convection ovens (more than we were willing to pay); some have an extra-deep cavity (too big for the counter). There were brands we didn't trust and ovens that were too small (why bother with a new one?) and too large (counter space again). According to Goldilocks, the optimum size seemed to be about 1.2-1.4 cubic ft; and in that size range what looked like our best buy (at BestBuy, in fact) turned out to be the Panasonic NN-SN667, a white (NN-SN667W) one - the Genius model, which has "genius" printed on the front in gold script. Genius refers to a steam sensor that can be used to automate cooking and reheating.

This 1.2 cubic-foot oven has 1300 watts of power where many its size are 1000-watt models, and it has all the usual capabilities of a full-size microwave. There are, of course, 10 power levels and the obligatory digital clock and controls. The NN-SN667 upgrades from base ovens in that it has a steam sensor (the genius) for use in re-heating cooked foods or cooking raw foods, with individual control buttons for the two functions. Sensor cooking times can be adjusted up or down using "More" and "Less" buttons if needed. The soft-touch control panel includes the clock and digital timer. Inside the cavity, we find a tempered-glass turntable plate about 13½" in diameter, in a cavity about 14½" square and 8" high. The oven has a small overall footprint (a main reason we chose it) of about 20-3/8" x 16" x 12" high.

This Panasonic model uses relatively new microwave technology called an inverter to adjust its power level. Most microwave ovens have only two true settings, 100% and 0%. Different power "levels" for those microwaves are created by pulsing the microwave generator: ON for 30 seconds and OFF for 30 seconds works out to 50%, for instance: it's a clunky solution, eh? Inverter technology, however, changes the microwave generator power while holding output steady to attain different power levels. This technology makes the microwave lighter and more powerful; but the biggest selling point (according to the manufacturer) is that the microwave cooks and defrosts more evenly, reducing the likelihood of the bane of microwave cooking: cold centers and overcooked edges. Does it work that way? It seems to.

Life with a Panasonic NN-SN667 seems more pleasant than the considerably smaller GE JES735WJ it replaced (which is still sitting in a cabinet for emergencies and overflow situations). Like all electronic devices, it has its own slightly idiosyncratic programming tricks; but once you've figured them out, it's dirt simple to use. The small owner's "manual" (when will they start calling them "owner's pamphlets"?) has hints for defrosting and cooking techniques. Our occasional usage of the sensor for reheating has been effective and easy to use - unfortunately, we typically forget about it. One thing we've learned over the months, however, is that this oven is more powerful than other ovens we've previously had, so if the instructions on your Lean Cuisine say to cook 8 to 9 minutes, go for the low end of the range.

The inverter technology seems to do the trick: stuff coming out of the oven is evenly heated compared to other microwaves. The power-level trick works quite well, and there's no disconcerting "on-off" cycling in the sounds coming from the generator. It does put out some RF interference, but we probably wouldn't notice if our under-the-cabinet radio weren't mounted immediately above it. By microwave standards, the machine runs relatively quietly.

The intangibles of a microwave seem be just fine to me. I find the NN-SN667 a good looking unit, white on white with clean lines and subtle features. The see-through door has a horizontal effect of alternating white and black lines. The control panel is black lettering on a white background with silver buttons for special functions (sensor reheat) and START/STOP. One thing we have noticed is that the clock is hard to read when you're looking down at it from a high angle, though it's just fine to read from across the room. A second possible problem is that it's hard to see through the window if the room is light, since there's a lot of glare off the glass. This isn't as noticeable when the room is darker or when looking straight in.

Overall, we're quite satisfied with our Panasonic NN-SN667 microwave. Other microwaves from the same manufacturer have lasted about ten years, so we expect it to serve well for just as long.