Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN686S Stainless Steel Countertop/Built-In with Inverter Technology and Genius Sensor, 1.2 Cubic Foot, 1200W

The best part about this brand of microwave is that it works - no hassle. My first Panasonic Inverter lasted 15 years. Replaced it b/c I wanted a smaller one. Gave it away to a coworker who says it’s still working 5 years later. Still looks new. So, instead doing the smart thing + buying another one, I bought a Toshiba based on the over 15k reviews. First one came dented. Sent back. Reordered and hated it. Cheaply made, door was noisy to open + close and within a year had to throw it in a dumpster. The back blistered and the inside was stained (could never get any food stain to go away). Idk if I just got a bad one or not, but this Panasonic is hands down a superior machine. Pros: minimalist look, no handle, easy to use, reheat option - did I mention it works??? My fridge + stove are black stainless, but my dishwasher is reg stainless, and the microwave sits right above it on the counter. I was thinking about replacing the dishwasher to match the rest, but the microwave kind of pulls it together, + the look is aesthetically pleasing now, so saved some $ there. Cons: in dim light, the operating panel is harder to see, and I still haven’t figured out how to permanently disable the child lock, but tbf, I haven’t spent any time reading the manual other than having to press 0 to open the door. I think that a child safety lock should be something you have to purposefully activate, not come already enabled. So, if you want a reliable, attractive, microwave that has an inverter and multiple cooking options, I cannot recommend Panasonic enough. The LG models are more expensive and aren’t nearly as attractive. I was tempted to buy the small Breville, but reviews were mixed. Btw…if it matters, Panasonic is one of the few microwave brands that isn’t made in China. That was a nice bonus for me. I’ve had this model a month with no issues. Some ppl didn’t like the dark gray interior, but I do. It’s different and makes it look more expensive than it is. Honestly, if I became a millionaire overnight, I’d still buy Panasonic microwaves. They’ve never let me down.

I absolutely LOVE this inverter microwave!! I used to sell appliances, and we also sold these (in a larger size). I always knew that when my old GE microwave crapped out, that I wanted a Panasonic inverter microwave next. FIRST, an inverter microwave is SUPERIOR to a regular microwave. It’s more powerful, cooks faster, doesn’t change the texture of your food (ie- frozen bread can be thawed in it and it comes out soft and not ruined), it does a great job with defrosting overall, and doesn’t turn hot dogs into rubbery sticks. Time to heat a cup of coffee to a perfect hot temperature is only slightly more than a minute. I have a small shelf built into my kitchen cabinets on which a microwave sits. It really only can accommodate a small microwave with a small interior. But this fits and it has a nice big interior in which I can put full size plates and casserole dishes. Now let me address some negatives. The sensor technology, which senses steam, doesn’t work the greatest. You have to leave the food uncovered to get it to work its best, which means the possibility of food “popping” and getting all over the interior of the microwave. If you cover the food, even loosely, the steam sensor can’t pick it up. With foods that I can put in without any cover, I often find them not hot enough, even with the additional time feature, but sometimes it’s perfect. So the sensor is hit or miss. One disadvantage is that the directions on frozen foods don’t work with this, so you have to learn how long to cook things. So if your Marie Calander’s meatloaf dinner says 4 minutes on high in a 1200 watt microwave, that’s going to be too long in this one! I did buy the extended warranty (through Amazon) because when I used to sell the larger version of these, I had more than one customer who told me theirs died after a couple years. But the inverter technology is so superior to a regular microwave, that I wasn’t discouraged by that. If it dies after my extended warranty, I”ll just buy another! This was made in Communist China for Panasonic, which is a Japanese company.

Attractive unit with excellent performance. One little problem: the control panel is not backlit, so midnight snacks are a bit problematic!

I have no complaints about this microwave whatsoever. It's been a joy to use & the settings I use most aren't complicated. 1200W of power and changing the power level (which I do frequently) is super easy. It's a beautiful microwave. It's as large inside as my old one but has a smaller footprint. Speaking of prints: If you hate fingerprints on stuff, you'll be dismayed that the brushed stainless part at the bottom does show fingerprints. However, it doesn't bother me -- I'm more concerned with getting good use out of it and I absolutely do. If you don't know what difference an INVERTER makes, I can tell you what I know. In other microwaves, if you turn the power level down to say 50%, that just means it'll cycle *full power* 50% of the time which can make your food cook unevenly. With the inverter, when you set power to 50%, it runs at 50% power the whole time -- which means your food cooks more evenly. I'm very happy I purchased this microwave. I've been using it to make full meals since the super-hot heat came on this summer & it has changed the way I cook some things. EXTRA NOTE: The unit came with some advertising for Anyday cookware to get the most out of the microwave oven. Well, I bought that cookware since the heat of summer was already upon us & it's amazing cookware. It's how I cook fish now!

Highlights: - button to open the door is extremely easy to use. Other MW with push button to open often takes efforts - it is beautifully made with front door have mirror like surface One thing I wish it would have : visual indicator on display of when cooking has finished. It makes beeps, but if you miss it and forget - visual reminder (say word "Done" ) on display would be helpful.

At first glance this appears to be a great buy. It does heat well, has a pleasant end of cycle tone, and is not too loud. BUT, from the beginning the child lock feature was a royal pain in the rear. Every tiny little electrical power glitch would reboot it and then you are at the child lock default which is LOCKED. And the three step sequence has to happen quickly or you have to try again. Sometimes you have to pull the power cord and start over. We had read in reviews that the face is difficult to read and found that to be true unless you have bright lights turned on or leaned down real close. (NO we are not that old or blind) The door was okay to open in the beginning but continued to get harder to open. Then it would lock closed even without a power outage or program change. Yesterday while heating up some holiday food it locked up and refused to unlock through any means. My wife ended up punching it with her fist until it opened. Later it did the same thing for me and punching it didn't work. So I pried it open with a screw driver breaking the latches and today it is in the dumpster. We started using it April 30, 2025 and it is in the trash on Dec 26, 2025. Under warranty at most will get me a replacement. I don't want another one of these POS. We have no kids or grand kids. This child lock thing should be more reliable and designed so you can choose to never have to deal with it if you choose to. Like the LG Neo Chef MSER1590S that has a simple button on the side that with a quarter turn you can turn off the child lock for good or reverse it later with a quarter turn. One of those LG's is on our counter now and operated quieter too.

I have this model for several years now. It is my first inverter microwave oven, after several non-inverter microwave ovens, and there is no going back. the inverter allows you to heat soups rapidly at 100%, or pasta/rice slowly and evenly at 30% without any popping or burning. This is not the same as the power settings on non-inverter microwave ovens. On non-inverter models, it cycles the power on and off, between 100% and 0%, every 15 to 30 seconds, which can overheat some foods. The inverter literally limits the amount of power to your desired setting without cycling on and off - just a smooth stream of power from beginning to end to allow for even heating without burning.

Has all the features I like in a microwave: don't have to press anything but the amount of time to start it...no power level, (although you can choose different power level if you want) no "cook time" button to push first...just put in the time and start. accurate sensor heat option. roomy inside. when cycle is finished, there is a one time tone. I can't think of anything I would change nothing about this oven.

excelente horno. todo lo calienta muy rapido y bien solo hay que calcular el tiempo de calentamiento de alimentos si te pasas te puedes llevar una no muy grata sorpresa. SOLO PRODUCTOS INVERTER

Had a Panasonic very similar to this that burned out. This is apparently a common issue with ALL microwave brands.... none of them have perfect review scores due to this or other issues. Debated whether to even get a Panasonic again, but it is still rated better than many other brands. So far the new one is working well. Very powerful, probably more than our last one. Hopefully it has a longer lifespan.

Me gusta porque está mejor que el que tenía viejo, pero no aporta tanto como para decir que es mucho mejor, calienta rápido pero no es tan homogéneo, si es algo sólido como frijoles congelados es lo típico que calienta lo exterior más que lo interior, y si le pones más tiempo pues arde lo exterior y deja tibio lo interior, es la misma tecnología que un micro de toda la vida.

This is a great microwave. It warms really well, and works across the board on all food types. Noise levels are medium. Would recommend.

Powerful and good looking appliance.