SHARP QUALITY AND INNOVATION PACKED WITH FEATURES

Reviewers note: The microwave unit shown above is not a Sharp R-1874. The model described in this review is an over-the-range style unit, and has a very attractive and modern-appearing stainless-steel front, with cooktop illumination and two-speed exhaust fan.

I purchased the Sharp R-1874 convection/microwave to replace a 12-year-old Sharp over-the-range microwave unit. This was an upgrade - the old one worked perfectly. I bought a new stainless range, and I liked the style of the new Sharp. Trying to put a holiday meal together with one oven requires more organization than I can gather with a houseful of people - How to bake the dinner rolls at 450 degrees when you have an oven full of dinner staying warm. The convection versatility and ease of operation of this oven make it a must for anyone who cooks for a crowd. Now I can serve the food hot without compromise.

Sharp has refined the installation procedure - the mounting plate is now one piece, and threaded rods secure the unit, replacing the clumsy lever and thumbscrew system. The oven interior is stainless, and seems easy to clean. The old-style glass turntable has been replaced by a heat-proof ceramic one - not so easy to clean, especially if you convection broil.

This unit has so many functions, the designers chose to shrink the keypads rather than make the control panel bigger. The interactive display assists with concise instructions for each cooking function.

My first meal was boneless pork chops. The preheat cycle for broil takes about 20 minutes, so plan accordingly. There is a signal at the end of preheat, and the display gives easy to follow instructions. I included a raw potato cut into steak fries and tossed in olive oil and seasoning, and placed on the rack with the chops. The cookbook that comes with the oven is very helpful when getting started; it has a chart for everything. 16 minutes later the potatoes were just right inside and nicely browned, and the pork was perfectly done with a lot less effort than a frying pan.

I did the product research on-line, but chose to buy from a neighborhood appliance store. I paid $525.00, which was comparable to on-line vendors when you consider that delivery was free; I've heard the unit doesn't ship well in the original packaging.

The noise level of the convection cycle is slightly more than the microwave, but acceptable. The exhaust fan is much quieter than the first Sharp it replaced.

This oven is very capable. It will take a while to try all the different cooking combinations. They have packed in a lot of features and designed it to be a user-friendly appliance that encourages experimentation. If the Sharp reputation for quality holds true for the R-1874, this is a great product at the right price.