We purchased this microwave oven to mainly do jacket potatoes and heat up the odd thing in the winter. I'm not a big fan of microwaves and having mananaged without one for about four years, we didn't want or need to splash out on a expensive model to only use it very infrequently. As it happens, we have turned out to use it a bit more than we thought - its great for softening potatoes and other veg before putting them to roast in the oven, cutting down the time and the energy required. The facilities are certainly more than we would ever use, but may get around to it slowly. It actually seems to be more efficient and reliable than the last more expensive model we had and it certainly sturdier. What is really surprising for the modest price of it is how fantastic it looks! We have have had guests go off and buy one afterwards, simply because they were impressed at how sexy it looks. The black casing does add an expensive air to the kitchen and its much, much easier to keep clean, and far less clinical and hard looking. I would say that for the money this is an excellantly designed product, for both looks and operation it would be hard to beat, even at a much higher price.