GE Profile Spacemaker Microwave Oven: Model PVM2070

If you're in the market for a new microwave oven, the GE Profile series offers the PVM2070, a 2.0 cubic-foot over-the-range microwave oven. This model installs conveniently above the stove surface although the installation does require 2 people due to the weight of the unit and may require extra braces on the wall studs to support the weight. Generally, each model of microwave requires a different brace, so don't assume that you won't need to re-install the bracing if you're replacing an existing over-the-stove microwave.

Standard features on this model include a rotating glass base, removable rack to double your cooking space, adjustable vent speed, grease, adjustable light, and a "side stirrer" which acts as an internal fan to evenly distribute the microwaves throughout the oven for even cooking. The interior surface is easy to clean and the glass plate and shelf are dishwasher safe.

Featuring a touchscreen control panel, the "Easy Guide Menu System" automatically leads the user through each step of the cooking process for ease of use and option selection. The main menu screen lists the basics - cook, reheat, and defrost with 2 custom choices available (standard options are a 30 express cook and popcorn). The screen is illuminated for ease of viewing and easy to clean. The buttons are fairly large as well so no need to squint to see them.

Pressing any of the main options will direct you to a secondary menu. For the "cook" menu, you can then select express, time cook, select food, select beverages, soften, melt, auto time-cook (which you can program for your common needs), or delay (great for heating veggies while the rest of dinner is still in the oven). Each screen that comes up also has the "back" option for returning to the previous menu.

Cook options also give you standard power adjustments (1-10) but these aren't as necessary with this model as with others since many options are pre-programmed. These special programs utilize the oven's humidity sensors so it's important to only use microwave cookware covers or vented wraps. Tight-sealing plastic containers can prevent steam from escaping and cause the food to overcook. This model allows you to easily touch "more done" or "less done" as necessary without opening the door or re-setting the cook cycle.

The "select food" options are programmed for popcorn (ONLY in regular microwave popcorn bags or a microwave safe popper), fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables, ground meat, potato (this works great, wash the potato, poke a few holes with a fork, and put it in the oven with no wrap or paper towel and the sensors cook it to perfection), fish, chicken pieces, canned vegetables, rice, frozen pizza, bacon, and eggs.

This model also has the special feature of cooking by beverage type - water, coffee, tea, milk, or hot chocolate. For tea, a mug of water with tea bag added will result in quite a perfectly brewed cup of tea for even the most persnickety sipper. A glass of cold milk can become a warming evening drink with a single push of a button, and the hot cocoa feature is very popular with the kids.

For bakers this microwave provides the convenience of one touch softening of butter (1/2 stick, whole stick, or 2 sticks), frosting (1 can), 2 cream cheese settings, and 2 ice cream settings. The ice cream softening works perfectly. No puddles on the sides of the container or goopy spots - just easy to scoop ice cream. I'm less than impressed with the soften butter feature, however, I generally need to run it a bit longer to actually make it as soft as I'd like (without actually melting it).

One really great feature on this model is the melt functions - melting chocolate for holiday baking or dipping is a snap. The melt menu gives you the options of melting butter, chocolate, marshmallow, caramel, or cheese.

The GE Spacemaker Profile PVM2070 also takes the guesswork out of reheating with selections for a whole plate, beverage, pizza, pasta, vegetable, casserole, rice, or soup. You can also defrost foods by type and weight or use the 1 lb "quick defrost" feature.

The oven has the standard clock and timer functions and a few others as well. Many of these other features are nice, but only if you want to take the time to program them. You can adjust the volume of the beeper, program the light for use as a night light, set timer reminders, turn the turntable on or off, add custom cooking options, get a reminder for cleaning the grease filters, or change the display options. The flexibility of the touch screen is handy, especially for the elderly or home alone kids since the pad can be programmed to show only those options which are useful without too many "extras" showing up that may be confusing to some.

Standard safety features include a child lockout and vent boost. The touchscreen menu also allows for troubleshooting and help menus at any step. These are great features to have - no more digging around for the instruction manual - it's all right on the screen.

Issues that may arise during use:

-The turntable make a "clunking" sound if not perfectly centered on the mechanism. This doesn't immediately affect cooking performance and the turntable still rotates fine, it's just noisy.

-The sensor cook features will malfunction if the interior surfaces aren't kept meticulously clean.

Suggested Retail Price (from GE - November 13, 2008) - $669.00

General Reviews:

Installation - C

Ease of Use - B

Cooking - A+

Value For Purchase Price - A-

Best Features - Automatic beverage heating/tea brewing, baked potato cooking, re-heating plate