RCA RMW1199 1.1-Cu-Ft Grill Combination 1000-Watt Microwave, Stainless Steel

Best RCA RMW1199 1.1-Cu-Ft Grill Combination 1000-Watt Microwave, Stainless Steel Review

This review of RCA RMW1199 1.1-Cu-Ft Grill Combination 1000-Watt Microwave is at this time pretty tentative, as this unit is new on the market, new to me and has no reviews so far. As I play with this unit a little longer, I will periodically upgrade my opinion.

For now:
The closest to compare it with I could find are: GE JES1384SF Microwave (rated so-so), Haier MWG10018TW (bad reviews all over), SHARP R-55TS (little data to compare) and Emerson 1.1 cu. ft. Microwave Oven, 1,000-Watt, sold by Walmart (poor reviews). Emerson is priced cheaply and made accordingly. All other models, even the ones with poor ratings, are priced much higher than RCA. So we score on the price.

I next compared it to my old Goldstar (it was good till it lasted) of the same size and (presumably) power, which died recently after over 15 years. This new RCA is much more powerful! It cooked in about 3 minutes what the old Goldstar would need to cook for about 5 minutes. Score again on the power.

This thing looks really nice, with clean geometrical lines, big window and brushed stainless steel finish. Score.

Grilling, cooking and care: The manual is very clear, it has step by step instructions with examples. Spanish and English versions are conveniently in separate brochures, so there is no flipping pages in search of "my" language. Setting up an option is very easy and as I use it more, I expect to have it all memorized in no time. Grilling went as I expected, a few minutes to crisp the outside of already hot (microwaved) meal. It would take at least 30 minutes (just to crisp) to accomplish the same using conventional oven. There was no difference in the taste! Cleaning is very easy, a few swipes of dump rag and a rinse of the tray if needed. As this unit is more powerful than I am used to, I already overcooked a few dishes and have good experience in cleaning it :) I say we score really big on the functionality of this unit.

My gripes:
I did expect this unit to be louder, due to its finish and extra grilling function. It is louder, but no more than I expected. Maybe less. It will be a distraction when talking on the phone right next to it, but not a few feet away. I suppose that the high end units are whisper quite, but for this price I cannot see a reason to complain. It is not bad at all.
I do not like the inside light in this oven. It seems dimmed and doesn't allow for much observation of the inside while in operation. The interior is white! The description here said it's stainless, but it is white. The interior finish has a few minor imperfections, but nothing to cry about. In total, my 'gripes' come down to one star deduction. I hope this is a fair grade.

I would like to point out two things, both are mentioned in the manual, but not stressed enough:
1. There is a table of what dishes can be used and it is very important to notice that metal dishes can be used only in grill function, while paper and plastic only in microwave function. For combined functions only oven quality glass or ceramic can be used. It is a safety issue and children can make a serious mistake if not trained properly. Paper and plastic plates will burst in flames under the grill, while any metal dishes will repel micro waves, also resulting in a possible fire.
2. It is really important to keep this type of oven clean; spills that shoot up and accumulate on the grill, if not wiped clean, will burn and the food cooked under it will smell bad. Imagine vanilla milk smelling like burned bacon :) I find it easier to clean it with a dump cloth when the grill is still well warm to the touch.

I will post an update as soon as I discover anything special, good or bad. Otherwise, I will update in several months to a year.
Happy cooking.