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After testing the Panasonic NN-SN966S for more than 15 hours, we can confidently say that this is an excellent microwave for big families and busy households, and it’s especially good if you want to prepare large batches of food at the same time.
It also works great if you’re starting your business as a caterer or a café owner, where you can use it to thaw ingredients or reheat food that you’ve previously prepared.
Specifically, what we really enjoyed was the innovative inverter technology which drastically improved cooking results.
- Elegant Exterior
- Big Cooking Capacity
- Inverter Technology
- Turbo Defrost
- Keep Warm Feature
- Child Safety Lock
- Beeping can’t be turned off
Our Review of the Panasonic NN-SN966S
Table of Contents
To prepare our detailed review, we decided to put this appliance to the test. Of course, it looked exceptional with its large cooking capacity and its user-friendly straightforward menu, but would it pass the test as a reliable appliance?
Fortunately, the Panasonic NN-SN966S proved that it’s as reliable from the inside as good as it looks on the outside. The following features caught our attention and made us believe that it’s one of the top models in its category.
Elegant Exterior
To start our review, we decided to examine the exterior before exploring this appliance’s functionality. This microwave has a shiny stainless steel exterior which adds elegance to any kitchen.
We specifically believe that it will enhance the look of a contemporary or modern kitchen, but it’s so versatile, it can fit into other décor styles thanks to its minimalist design.
The cooking functions are accessible through a touchscreen control panel, which displays all the cooking information on an easy-to-read LED screen. Picking the right cooking setting is a straightforward task, which is definitely a plus if you’re using it in a café kitchen or a busy household.
Size and Installation
With a big microwave like this one, there’s always a concern of not having space to fit it. The outside dimensions of this appliance measure 14 x 23.9 x 19.4 inches, so you might think that it won’t fit if you have limited countertop space.
But we’ve got news for you! You don’t have to discard this oven because it’s more than just an ordinary Panasonic countertop microwave. You can buy the installation kit and use this as a built-in model, even if you have a small kitchen.
Despite is size, this microwave only weighs 37 pounds. This is because the interior is made of aluminum, so it’s almost 8 pounds lighter than other models of the same size and capacity.
While it’s still not a portable model, if you’re a caterer and you need a large-capacity microwave, this unit will be easy to move around.
Cooking Capacity
This Panasonic 2.2 cu. ft. stainless-steel microwave with inverter technology has a big cooking capacity that allows you to prepare large amounts of food in one go. It can even fit a big chicken or a medium-sized turkey.
The design devotes more to the cooking space and less to the electronic parts, as it fits a 16.5-inch turntable to accommodate larger pans and trays with no issues. The rotating turntable contributes to the even distribution of the heat, so your food heats and cooks evenly for the best results.
Moreover, we believe that this model will also help you save on your energy bill because you won’t have to turn on the appliance several times to cook a big batch of food.
Power Output
While most microwaves just reheat leftovers, this Panasonic 1250 watts microwave offers so much more, thanks to its high power output.
With this output, you can cook multiple dishes to perfection in a fraction of time. The power output can be adjusted into 10 different levels, giving you maximum versatility, whether you want to slightly warm up your food or quickly reach the boiling temperature.
Once you press the 30 seconds button, the power automatically sets to 100%. The Delay Start option is another cool feature that we appreciate, as it allows you to plan your meal in advance by setting the timer.
Inverter Technology
Although this microwave looks like the other models on the market, it excels with one outstanding feature that aims to improve your overall cooking experience.
The inverter technology provides a steady stream of cooking power at all temperatures. As a result, you can say undercooked and overcooked food goodbye, thanks to this great microwave’s 3-stage cooking.
After trying this feature, we can guarantee that you’ll be able to poach, braise, and even steam food with flawless results. Food will be evenly cooked from center to edges, and you won’t end up with food that feels cold and soggy in the middle while the edges are burned and bitter.
Delicate food will perfectly simmer giving you the flexibility you need in the kitchen. The inverter technology will also help you retain the color and nutrients of any dish you decide to prepare.
Turbo Defrost
Investing in this high-quality microwave means that defrosting any kind of food will be a piece of cake. The Inverter Turbo Defrost option allows you to thaw all ingredients to a perfect finish in less time, giving you the opportunity to prepare delicious food for your family.
A common problem with other microwaves is that when you defrost food, you either end up with frozen food in the center of your container or cooked outer edges. Not with the Panasonic NN-SN966S.
The unprecedented inverter technology distributes the heat evenly, so food thaws perfectly without being cooked. You can use this microwave to melt butter to a nice creamy finish and start preparing lunch or dinner in no time.
Preset Menus with Sensor Cook
The Panasonic NN-SN966S is designed to eliminate guesswork and facilitate cooking for those who are always in a hurry. For this reason, it offers 14 convenient Preset Menus that cover the most used functions that any kitchen might require.
These include pizza, pasta, soup, oatmeal, as well as frozen entrees, and veggies. Whether you’re using this appliance to prepare breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the results will be outstanding. Moreover, there’s a special setting for popcorn that adjusts the power into 3 different settings.
We love the Genius Sensor, which characterizes all the outstanding Panasonic Genius microwaves. This feature calculates the level of humidity in your food and automatically adjusts the power output and heating time, so you can press one button and have your delicious food ready.
Sensor Reheat
With a big household, it’s likely that someone might not be home on time for a meal. But thanks to the Sensor Reheat that will be able to enjoy tasty leftovers no matter what
Even if you’re using this oven in your café or while catering, you can use this control to reheat individual orders instead of preparing the whole dish from scratch every time. Now think of all the time that you’ll save by pressing the Sensor Reheat button.
This feature calculates the humidity level in your food and adjusts the power to heat the dish without overcooking the ingredients. It retains the juiciness of your food, so it will look, feel, and taste like it has been freshly made.
Keep Warm
Some foods are best served warm, and this microwave will help you plan your meal successfully. The Keep Warm feature works for soup, sauces, hors d’oeuvres, gravies, and desserts that you have previously prepared.
It keeps the food at the right temperature until it’s time to serve. If you’re preparing a big family dinner, you can save time by preparing these items in advance.
Child Safety Lock
As a family microwave, the Child Safety lock puts your mind at ease when you’re away from home. This feature prevents access to all the functions of the appliance, so kids won’t be able to use it without your permission and supervision.
There’s a sequence that activates this feature, you need to press the Start button 3 times. To remove this feature, you need to press the Stop button 3 times. We would have loved if there was a single button to use and remove this feature, but we can live with this arrangement.
Panasonic NN-SN966S Reviews: What buyers are saying
The reviews agreed that this is an exceptional microwave oven with outstanding power output and several convenient Preset Cook Menus.
Most users were impressed with the huge interior of this appliance, but some of them felt that they needn’t worry about having enough countertop space since there was an option to install it with a built-in kit.
People who bought this microwave felt that the low noise operation is a big plus when you’re cooking food at night.
They also loved how this inverter microwave shortened the cooking time. Frozen food and dinners will be ready in almost 4 minutes.
They noticed that the door closes and opens easily and that the oven is well-lit and easy to clean, allowing them to prepare tasty food every time. However, some of them wished that there was a way they could turn off the sound, although the beeping isn’t that annoying.
Final Verdict on the Panasonic NN-SN966S
At the end of our review, we can wholeheartedly say that this unit is an exceptional choice for families and food-related professionals, thanks to its spacious interior and easy-to-access Preset Menus.
We love how the inverter technology managed to improve our cooking results whether we were cooking or defrosting food.
Although the beeping can’t be turned off, and the Child Safety feature isn’t that easy to activate, we still loved this unit and believe that it’s one of the top choices if you’re looking for a spacious microwave.
- Elegant Exterior
- Big Cooking Capacity
- Inverter Technology
- Turbo Defrost
- Keep Warm Feature
- Child Safety Lock
- Beeping can’t be turned off
He likes to call himself a ‘tech freak’ and if you ask him anything about whatever tech-trend is on these days, he will likely go on for hours.
Apart from his passion for technology, Lucas has worked in an appliance store for many years and is also an over-enthusiastic foodie.
He considers his job at ConsciousEating a ‘dream come true’ because it allows him to explore the two things he loves the most in the world: technology and food.
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