Excellent quality for the price
5/5
Used to have a Panasonic NN-DS596BBPQ (2 of them which both averaged a lifespan of about 1.5 years each from new) before we got this one and can safely say that the Smeg's price-to-quality ratio far outweighs that of the Panasonic(s) we owned before they both failed. However, the Panasonic(s) had more functions for those culinary chefs but where unreliable, whereas the Smeg keeps things simple and straightforward and does what any and every combi-microwave should do. As for the Smeg's reliability, it is still something yet to be seen as we've only owned it for less than two weeks and therefore it's too soon to say. As for any literate person using this microwave will find that the instructions are not as complicated as most users claim the product to be.
In comparison, the Panasonics we had were advertised/marketed as 27ltr capacity but when we measured the internal dimensions they worked out to be ~24ltrs whereas the Smeg measured to be ~34ltrs as advertised/marketed. However, becaue the Panasonics did not have a turntable like the Smeg does, we found that the practical useable volume (space) inside both the Panasonic(s) and the Smeg is pretty much the same given that the Panasonics are 27ltr (~24ltrs) and the Smeg is 34ltrs and this was also evidenced by the size of the trays that we took out from the Panasonic which fitted perfectly into the Smeg as if they had been made specifically for the Smeg. Should you not belive this, just get a tape measure and measure for yourself.
As for the energy efficient ratings; non of the microwaves come with any, this also inludes all the other microwaves we've owned and I don't know why this is so (not to say that there are'nt some without energy efficient ratings, it's just that we've never come across one).
