Originally manufactured for the Lowe's chain of home centers, the General Electric JES1656 microwave oven is now available at other retailers. Although we have seen it referred to online as a cheapie microwave, we don't believe this to be the case. In fact, with its desirable set of features, we find the 1.6-cubic-foot JES1656 to be a particularly good value.

Unlike many microwave ovens sold by home centers, the JES1656 offers a sensor for both cooking and reheating. This type of convenience system is superior to most automated programs on microwave ovens, but is difficult to sell in a big box store because the value of a sensor is hard to convey with a simple description on a box. Since the JES1656 also costs more than a non-sensor equipped oven, its value is often not made clear to the customer.

Quite simply, if you plan to use the automated settings on a microwave oven, a unit with a sensor simply performs better. A sensor uses microchip technology to determine when food is fully cooked, instead of relying on simple, arbitrary preset cooking times.The difference is most notable in preparing larger quantities of foods. A microwave with a sensor will adjust for various portion sizes and ingredients and give you more accurate and consistent results time after time. For just this reason, we recommend the GE JES1656. It adjusts to portion sizes and does an outstanding job of cooking vegetables, baked potatoes and popcorn. It's also better than average at reheating leftovers. The JES1656 doesn't often overcook them or serve them up cold in the center.

A fairly large microwave oven, the JES1656 takes up quite a bit of space on the counter. A better solution may be to place it on a convenient cart. Unfortunately, even as large as it is, no built-in kit is available for this model.

When it comes to defrosting, the JES1656 can hold its own with the best of microwaves. It offers a staged, automated defrost or typical manual defrosting by time. We also like the scrolling display that prompts the user with hints for best results. Even more interesting is the setting that allows you to adjust the speed of the display. If you find the instructions moving too fast, you can always slow them down to a more manageable speed.

Far from an under-featured model, GE's JES1656 comes with stellar equipment and makes a great choice for those who don't plan on making it a built-in unit.


Pros: Excellent defrost system and sensor, well featured
Cons: Very large for an oven, cannot be purchased with a built-in kit

Warranty
1 year, full; 5 years, magnetron tube