The Sharp SM327FH doesn’t mess around with combination functionality and to me, that’s a good thing, keeping the price down and the focus on just being a good quality microwave high.
Navigating the microwave is pretty intuitive once you get the hang of things, and its simple design is clearly laid out.
The white model I reviewed did seem a bit outdated in terms of styling, but I think a move to the stainless-steel model would fix that, but it does cost an extra $20.
At $349 from The Good Guys, its not the cheapest microwave on the market, but it’s also not an outrageous spend, with a price tag that puts it right in the middle of most microwaves, before heading into the built-in market.
- Inverter means more even, faster cooking.
- Flatbed design means larger real capacity and easier to clean.
- Plenty of auto-cooking options.
- Streamlined layout and intuitive controls once you get the hang of things.
- Cooks very evenly, with food coming out hot and ready to eat.
- Smart menus prompt you and navigate you through various cooking modes.
- Outdated design.
- No combination features (although I believe this is for the best).
- No smart functionality (not compatible with voice assistants etc).
- Makes noise once finished.
In a market saturated by combination microwaves which claim to replace other appliances, Sharp’s latest offering promises to be a master of one, rather than a jack of all trades.
Where other microwaves promise to double as a grill or an air-fryer, the Sharp SM327FH Flatbed Microwave excels in its craft, one upping its similarly priced competitors in everything a microwave should be.
Sporting a flatbed design, plenty of auto cooking options and inverter technology, its hard to look past the SM327FH as the ideal microwave. So what’s the catch?
Design and Features
The Sharp SM327FH sports a rather minimalist design that doesn’t particularly shout out at you. The model we we’re given for review was the SM327FHW, which in basic terms, means it came in a glossy white finish like the one above.
Whilst this does make it $20 cheaper than the stainless steel SM327FHS, the white finish does cheapen the appearance by more than that when compared to other black and stainless-steel microwaves.
The stainless steel model (SM327FHS)
In a practical sense however, the design is straightforward and logical, exactly what you want in a microwave that doesn’t pretend to be anything else.
The controls on the right side of the are straightforward, clearly labeled and easy to navigate. The ‘Smart Menus’ section covers quick buttons for Defrost Meat, Defrost Poultry/Fish, Pasta, Potato, Vegetables and Rice/Quinoa.
Below you find the Convenience section, which lays out quick commands such as melt/soften, reheat plate and more. However, the most interesting of the lot to me is ‘Favourite’.
The Favourite button allows the user to store three different cook times and power levels, perfect for those who frequently meal prep their food for the week like myself and are constantly using the same settings.
Navigating and assigning favorites is not exactly intuitive and could be a tad confusing unless you’re using the provided operations manual. That being said, its not difficult and easy to navigate once you’ve learned how.
The flatbed design means that the already large 32L (325mm x 520mm x 410mm) capacity of the Sharp SM327FH is even bigger, and super easy to clean.
I do also have to note how much I love having a numpad on a microwave, something that seems to have become less and less commonplace to be swapped out for dials and other less convenient alternatives in the attempt to make the device more aesthetic.
This only further establishes the SM327FH as a no nonsense, dedicated microwave.
Performance
Cooking with the Sharp SM327FH was exceptionally simple, as it should be with a microwave. Boasting a max power level of 1200W, the microwave has 11 power levels that can be adjusted all the way down to 0W (for some reason), allowing the user to tailor the cook to their liking, whilst also unlocking less energy hungry options.
Being an inverter microwave, meaning it has more precise temperature control and delivers heat in an even stream rather than fluctuating like a traditional microwave, I was hopeful that cooking would turn out evenly cooked and heated, with a shorter cooking time.
I first tested a frozen carbonara, one that in my experience, has come out with uneven heat distribution when cooked at the recommended length of time.
I tested the microwave at 1000W for 7 minutes, as the label suggested and as it should have, the carbonara came out evenly hot.
Trialing the microwaves ‘Defrost Meat’ feature, I brought in 500g rams of frozen chicken breast mince. Maneuvering through the menus was super simple, with a click of the ‘Defrost Meat’ button allowing you to select from mince, steak and roast.
Once selected, it asks for how much the meat in question weighs. Choosing 0.50kg, the microwave proceeded to start cooking for 2 minutes and 55 seconds. I was a particular fan of this, and a really handy feature for someone unsure of how long something needs to be in the microwave.
The mince came out nicely thawed but did lose some moisture in the process. Doing it quickly like it did is also a plus, as microwave defrosting food, particularly high-risk foods such a chicken can lead to bacteria breeding at an accelerated rate.
Volume wise, the microwave isn’t particularly loud, but does continue to hum away once something has finished cooking, which is a tad annoying.
It’s a small thing, and a cooling function that isn’t particularly uncommon, but one that could be annoying for those who have finished microwaving their food and are ready to sit down and watch television, having to wait a little longer before the background noise dissipates.
Cleaning wise, thanks to the flatbed design and large capacity, wiping it down was really easy and quick.
The Sharp SM327FH doesn’t mess around with combination functionality and to me, that’s a good thing, keeping the price down and the focus on just being a good quality microwave high.
Navigating the microwave is pretty intuitive once you get the hang of things, and its simple design is clearly laid out.
The white model I reviewed did seem a bit outdated in terms of styling, but I think a move to the stainless-steel model would fix that, but it does cost an extra $20.
At $349 from The Good Guys, its not the cheapest microwave on the market, but it’s also not an outrageous spend, with a price tag that puts it right in the middle of most microwaves, before heading into the built-in market.
- Inverter means more even, faster cooking.
- Flatbed design means larger real capacity and easier to clean.
- Plenty of auto-cooking options.
- Streamlined layout and intuitive controls once you get the hang of things.
- Cooks very evenly, with food coming out hot and ready to eat.
- Smart menus prompt you and navigate you through various cooking modes.
- Outdated design.
- No combination features (although I believe this is for the best).
- No smart functionality (not compatible with voice assistants etc).
- Makes noise once finished.