Home > Consumer Reviews > Sharp R-930CS 1-1/2-Cubic-Foot 900-Watt Convection Microwave, Stainless

I bought this Sharp to replace a similar one about 27 years old! The magnetron just quit, and it was time.
This new Sharp microwave is outstanding.
Pros:
1. Convection or microwave or convection AND microwave (combined) cooking
2. Stainless steel interior - more durable than plastic, easier to clean
3. It is what I call "idiot proof," in that the microwave's on board 'computer' will guide you step by step as you begin to press 'dem buttons!'
4. Aesthetically pleasing (black exterior)

Cons:
1. The turntable's turning mechanism is flimsy and feels unstable. The 27 year old Sharp Carousel had a turntable that was ROCK SOLID and *very* stable.
2. Poor at-the-factory packaging resulted in 3 of the interior stainless steel walls being DENTED. I figured that it was just a cosmetic problem, and that I would not return it. [Sharp loads the interior of the microwave with the heavy turntable as well as other 'hardware']

To conclude: I highly recommend this oven. It is loaded with power and with features, it looks nice on the counter, has an outstanding instruction booklet, and I expect it to last over 27 years, as did its predecessor! :)

Update: My newest Sanyo Microwave Convection oven quit after working for a little over two years. The cost of ownership was between $12 and $13 a month after I divided the purchase cost by the time the oven was available for use.

When the oven worked, it worked great, and it was easy to use.

This review is written for the charcoal colored model #R930AK which has the same features except for the color. Amazon seems to have sold out on the charcoal colored models.

My old Sharp Microwave Convection oven quit about two weeks ago after many years of faithful service. I was lost without it and I couldn't wait for the replacement model to arrive.

On Friday, like scheduled, the UPS delivery man delivered my new oven to my doorstep.

Hubby unwrapped and installed the oven on my kitchen counter. Since then I've used both the microwave and microwave-convection features almost constantly. The oven continues to work like a champ.

I'm pleased. I'd rate this oven as a good buy. The oven is quiet, efficient and cooks food well. I've noticed no mechanical or electrical defects. I'd highly recommend the purchase of this oven.

I have the same unit in black, which is a little more expensive, just for the color. This unit is extremely heavy. It took two of us, and a chair with wheels, to move it 15 feet and get it onto the counter. I've had it one month and it stopped working. If I want in home service I have to pay. It has to be carried to a service center. It weighs more than my 32" TV. Sharp did give me the phone number of the only two service centers in my general area, one was Sears. But when I got it there, after talking to Sharp 4 times about service, Sears asked where my letter fro Sharp was, authorizing them to do the repair... aaahh.. letter?

Before it broke, it heated unevenly and isn't as powerful as the 1200 watt unit I gave away to have the combo micro / convection. It does't pop corn very well at all, but it does heat my coffee. What a mistake. The Sharp sales info line was every helpful BEFORE they had my money. Now that they have it, their attitude has completely changed. They have a very "business like" attitude and basically could care less. It's disappointing.

The unit is huge on the outside but not nearly as large on the inside as my old microwave oven which was so much smaller on the outside. I made a huge and costly mistake. If you have to have a convection oven, get one with a reasonable warranty for service for such a large, heavy appliance.

On the other hand, Amazon has been WONDERFUL! At least I did something right when I made this purchase!

I put my Sharp R-930CS oven in service when it arrived 9 February 2006. At the time of this writing I've had it for a year and ten months. I read "A Customer's" review when I purchased mine, but I was hoping perhaps Sharp had enough warranty returns on the door and the turntable motor that they had improved these by that time. I've been very happy with mine up until this month when the door slumped so that you can't get it open without prying the edge of the door with your fingers. I cooked a small turkey in it at the holidays last year, but this year I had a nine pound ham in it and the turntable motor is clicking. I had to watch it and rebalance the ham to keep it going. I suspect most people who buy this oven will have the same experience sooner or later.

I contacted Sharp twice via their customer service webpage. It says, "click here to send an email to customer service." You fill in the model number and serial number and they never respond. I've checked my bulk mail the second time to be sure. It's been two weeks since the last time. Anyway it is ten months out of warranty. I figure with the door not working I could maybe get a replacement door, as the door is part of the chassis. Usually you would expect that you could still get the door open even after it's been in the junkyard. A bit of an unusual problem, as it doesn't matter how well everything else works if you can't easily get the door open.

I took the door apart and put a cabinet handle on the outside so that I can get the door opened. The problem is the door hinge pins are pressed in - so to be soft enough to be pressed into the door hinge (which is spot welded to the door frame) they are too soft to hold the door without wearing. I drilled out the top hinge pin and epoxied in a piece of a bolt for a hinge pin.

I hate to throw it away already. I would expect something like this to last for five to ten years. I had mounted the R-930CS into my cabinetry, but I found the Panasonic NN-C994S is very close to the same size. It is about an inch narrower and a fraction of an inch taller. I'm sold on the idea of having a second oven for light duty, but the R-930CS is a bit too light duty.

6/06/2009 Update: Three years and four months on, the turntable no longer works. Wish I would have rated it lower. Sharp Carousel is their trademark for heaven's sake. This type of oven relies on the carousel to cook evenly. Won't even pop microwave popcorn anymore. The ratings tricked me. I hope they haven't tricked you. I am currently shopping for the best buy on the Panasonic.

I have used this Sharp Microwave/Convection for 10 carefree years... the only appliance I have ever had that is this good. Then I made an entry error and turned a loaf of bread into charcoal and my kitchen into a smoking zone. I could not get the oven repaired, so was thrilled when I found I could replace it. It is easy to use, works wonderfully as a microwave or convection, or both at the same time. I can roast a chicken to moist, golden perfection in 45 minutes...thaw bread to crusty perfection in 8 minutes...steam vegetables. Love it!