Author Topic: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?  (Read 1716 times)

JennyB

  • Old enough to know better
Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« on: 24 March, 2020, 10:07:36 pm »
Replacing an ancient one whose turntable had given up.
Jennifer - Walker of hills

Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #1 on: 24 March, 2020, 10:45:22 pm »
Have a Panasonic flatbed, much more convenient than turntables.

Ours can also grill, roast and steam, but haven't used the latter yet.

Model NN-DS596B, about £300 a couple of years ago at John Lewis. Our 3rd Panasonic in about 40 years, they last well!

Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #2 on: 25 March, 2020, 07:11:28 am »
They rely on various methods to stir the microwaves, which are  more or less effective, although there are still likely to be hot spots except on the more expensive variants, but I wouldn't chose any other kind.

If you're feeling like it, if it is just the turntable motor that's gone, they can be bought very cheap from china (and not an awful lot more in the UK)

Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #3 on: 25 March, 2020, 08:29:01 am »
Have a Panasonic flatbed, much more convenient than turntables.

Ours can also grill, roast and steam, but haven't used the latter yet.

Model NN-DS596B, about £300 a couple of years ago at John Lewis. Our 3rd Panasonic in about 40 years, they last well!
We also have a Panasonic - ferkin expensive, but it's our main oven and grill as well (it doesn't steam).
It's our second one, the previous one, exactly the same model, lasted seven years of almost daily use. The old one died of oven heater element failure which killed the whole machine, with no parts available to repair it.
I think the only function we've never used is something called 'chaos defrost' - I fear it may cause the end of the world as we know it........ oh....
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #4 on: 26 March, 2020, 11:15:36 am »
Hmm, we have a built in microwave. It's 20 years old, and the start button is getting tempremental. Replacement flatbeds seem to start around the £550 mark  :o.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #5 on: 26 March, 2020, 07:10:10 pm »
Have a Panasonic flatbed, much more convenient than turntables.
They're crap for playing LPs, though.

I'm here all week.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #6 on: 26 March, 2020, 07:40:18 pm »
What's the advantage, other than not having a turntable to derail every time you use it, clean, rust and go wrong?

Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #7 on: 26 March, 2020, 07:41:49 pm »
Mainly more usable space I think, given the turntable will only be, what, 60-70% of the floor area.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Wombat

  • Is it supposed to hurt this much?
Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #8 on: 26 March, 2020, 09:16:55 pm »
Have a Panasonic flatbed, much more convenient than turntables.

Ours can also grill, roast and steam, but haven't used the latter yet.

Model NN-DS596B, about £300 a couple of years ago at John Lewis. Our 3rd Panasonic in about 40 years, they last well!
We also have a Panasonic - ferkin expensive, but it's our main oven and grill as well (it doesn't steam).
It's our second one, the previous one, exactly the same model, lasted seven years of almost daily use. The old one died of oven heater element failure which killed the whole machine, with no parts available to repair it.
I think the only function we've never used is something called 'chaos defrost' - I fear it may cause the end of the world as we know it........ oh....
We had an early Panasonic combination microwave in about 1987 or so, it cost a fortune, about £480, and lasted all of 3 years before its liner disintegrated. They had a known problem with them, but insisted on charging £180 for a replacement liner, and as  the entire machine was built onto the liner it would have cost more than a new one to have repaired.  After that and an expensive Technics cassette deck (part of the same firm) that died after 2 years, I forswore their products...
So, anything but a Panasonic, is my view.  Philips used to make small ones sans turntable in about 1987, I bought loads of them for a chain of hairdressing salons I designed.  I rather though they'd all be like that now, but apparently not.
Wombat

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #9 on: 26 March, 2020, 10:01:02 pm »
Have a Panasonic flatbed, much more convenient than turntables.
They're crap for playing LPs, though.

I'm here all week.
But they need sheeting and roping and it's too easy to overload the rear axle.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Valiant

  • aka Sam
    • Radiance Audio
Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #10 on: 05 April, 2020, 12:16:41 am »
I had a flatbed in my last flat that my brother now lives in. It worked a treat and seemed to cook evenly. Easy up was minimised. A bar at around £90.
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JennyB

  • Old enough to know better
Re: Flatbed Microwaves - worth it?
« Reply #11 on: 05 April, 2020, 01:50:27 pm »
Got a De Longhi on the way from Argos now. I looked up when we got the last one - 29 years ago.
Jennifer - Walker of hills