Every home needs a microwave in the kitchen. It can be used for cooking, reheating and defrosting but also more niche uses like popping popcorn or softening butter. This comparison review article will look at the best appliance for you and your family.
In this article we will be analyzing the microwave ovens from the brands Samsung and Sharp, pitting them head to head in order to determine the winner. We’ve researched and reviewed all aspects of microwaves including reliability, ease of use, features and more to bring you a comprehensive comparison of these two companies. But in the end, who comes out on top?
Samsung Vs Sharp Microwave Oven
Convection heating element allows for browning and crisping that is not possible in normal microwave ovens.
Beautiful scratch resistant aesthetic with Easyclean surface.
Lots of presets to make your life easier.
Features
Samsung‘s microwave ovens’ calling card is its additional grill element. This makes it a “two in one” appliance that can both microwave and grill.
Where it gets really interesting, though, is its combination microwave/grill mode where both can be set at once. Imagine going to reheat leftover pizza but using the grill at the same time to get a nice crisp on the dough and a little melt on the cheese.
Samsung microwave ovens have a scratch resistant and easy to clean exterior which makes them beautiful to look at and keeps them looking perfect for years with minimal maintenance.
Other notable features include:
– Wide range of auto cook preset options.
– Dedicated soften and melt functions.
– Auto defrost.
– Turn off clock button.
– Sound on/off button to stop the microwave beeping.
Sharp occupies the cheaper end of the microwave spectrum to Samsung, and for that reason, it has fewer features with the benefit of a cheaper cost.
It’s also worth pointing out the Sharp has a broader range than Samsung so I can try to outline some of the common features but you’ll need to have a look at each microwave yourself to make the right decision. As always, the more you pay, the bigger it is and the more features you get.
Sharp’s microwaves do commonly offer a sensor heating function. This is a great little trick with modern microwaves. If you haven’t used it, basically rather than telling your microwave a time, you tell it the type of food it is and turn it on.
The microwave automatically works out the amount of cooking time needed based on the humidity level in the oven from the food. No messing about trying to work out the right time or adding an extra 30 seconds because it’s not done yet, the microwave does it all for you.
Other features you see in Sharp microwaves are:
– Ten different power levels for low power modes.
– Preset modes including “popcorn”, “pizza”, “potato” and more.
– Kitchen timer on the LED display to conveniently time anything you want.
– Auto defrost.
– “+30 seconds” button.
Winner: Samsung.
This is a clear win for Samsung in the number and quality of features that are offered with the big caveat that you generally pay for it with a higher price. It should also be said that some of the higher end Sharp microwaves are much more feature-laden than the cheaper ones.
Power / Size Options
Samsung offers mid-range microwaves in terms of size, power output, and general budget. The size options are between 1.1 to 1.4 cubic feet, pretty average for a microwave.
The wattage is between 950-1000W which is respectable, even among high powered modern microwaves. Traditional microwaves would be in the range of 700-900W so this thing will give you rapid cooking times at that power.
The models offered by Samsung are:
Samsung MG14H3020CM microwave with grill – 950W with 1.4 cu. ft.
Samsung MG11H2020CT microwave with grill – 1000W with 1.1 cu. ft.
Sharp offers a wide range of size options with specific names for each type like “compact” or “XL Family”. These come with an equally wide range of power outputs so the larger microwaves will cook super quick but the smaller budget microwaves are low on power with slower cooking times.
All their microwaves come in a range of different colors with white, stainless steel and black being the common options.
Some of the models offered by Sharp are:
Sharp Carousel Countertop Microwave – 700W with 0.9 cubic feet
Sharp (SMC1131CB Microwave Oven – 1000W with 1.1 cubic feet
Sharp SMC1662DS Microwave Oven – 1100 with 1.6 cubic feet
Sharp SMC2242DS Microwave Oven – 1200W with 2.2 cubic feet
You can check out the full range here.
Winner: Sharp
The vast range of microwaves offered by Sharp, in all different sizes, powers and colors, give customers full choice over what they want in their kitchen. So Sharp takes this one.
Ease Of Use
Samsung microwave ovens are a beautiful piece of kit with their black mirror finish. The surface is scratch resistant and “easy to clean” so you know that modern look will last for years and years.
The interface is clear to understand with all buttons labeled and being obvious what they do. Quality of life features are pretty good too with the kitchen timer, sound on/off button and “+30 secs” button all being lifesavers for the right kind of person.
In comparison to the Samsung microwaves, the Sharp line is much more basic looking. They give the impression of electronics that were made 20 or 30 years ago. Although some people may like the look, it’s not what you expect from buying a brand new, modern electronics.
The user interface itself is good, with all buttons clearly marked. You’ll understand all the functions of the Sharp microwave just by looking at it and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to be able to work the various things it can do.
Winner: Samsung
While both companies offer microwaves that are easy to use, the modern look of the Samsungs just gives it the edge in this category.
Reliability
Samsung has a solid if not stellar reputation with their microwaves. User reports generally indicate a positive experience with their microwaves with complaints or other breakdown issues being relatively rare.
The issues that were there generally talk about the microwave not working for one reason or another. Samsung does offer a 1-year warranty on all parts with all of their microwaves.
Sharp has a decent record of reliability with complaints and other reports of faulty parts of breakdowns being relatively rare. Sharp offers a 1-year warranty on their microwaves.
Winner: Tie
Nothing to choose between the two brands here. Both are good if not perfect with reliability and buying either microwave you can expect few, if any, issues.
Overall
This one’s a clear winner for Samsung. The abundance of features combined with a great look and interface makes it an easy choice to recommend. If you want to buy it then click here.
Any downsides? Well, if you’re not going to use the grill element at all then you’re paying extra for a feature you won’t use. I’d recommend you check out this article here to see what the top brands are in microwaves at the moment.
