My old microwave finally died on me after a good, long run – almost 14 years! Mostly I just use it for reheating leftovers and frozen dinners, with the occasional popcorn craving. This Farberware looked like a good option, and the reviews were decent. Plus, I’ve always had good luck with Farberware products. There’s this ancient Farberware coffee pot I still use that’s practically older than me, and a little countertop convection oven that’s been going strong for over 16 years! So yeah, I’m a Farberware fan.
This new microwave is way smaller than my old one, but somehow it still has almost as much space inside. It’s also 1000 watts, so things cook a lot faster. My popcorn goes from “kernel” to “crispy” in 3 minutes flat, compared to the 4:30 it took in the old clunker. The controls are easy to use for basic stuff. Need something warm for 5 minutes? Hit the 5 button and walk away. Simple! But if you want to get super specific with the cook time, like 3 minutes and 20 seconds, it gets a little fussy. You have to set the power level first, then punch in the total cook time. Seems like a lot of extra button presses for something so simple.
It’s also a bit louder than my old microwave. Not like a jet engine taking off, but definitely noticeable. I got used to it after a few days, and it’s not a huge deal since I live alone. But if you share your kitchen with sleepyheads who don’t appreciate late-night snack attacks, the humming and thumping might be an issue.
Overall, for under $100, I can’t complain. If it lasts as long as my other Farberware stuff, I’m golden. Even if it doesn’t, it wasn’t a huge investment. Considering the price and how fast it cooks things, I give it 5 stars. But just keep in mind the weird time input thing and the noise factor. If those aren’t dealbreakers for you, it’s a great little microwave! Read more…