Appliance Review: GE JES1139 Microwave Oven
My husband and I sat down together and made a list of requirements as well as a list of things about the former microwave that we were not pleased with. We had narrowed our list down through this process of elimination. We knew we did not want to own another Sharp brand microwave. We did not need all the buttons nor bells and whistles that some brands and models provide. We knew we wanted something basic really just to warm foods. The deceased Sharp brand microwave was so huge and it took up a great deal of counter space, so we were considering purchasing a smaller model. With these things in mind, we were off to Lowe’s to purchase a microwave!
There were several microwaves that met all of our requirements, but we ended up purchasing the GE JES1139 counter top microwave oven. It is a 1.1 cu ft, 1100 watt microwave. We chose black to match all of the other appliances in our kitchen, but it was also available in white. It was the perfect size for us at approximately 11 3/8 in H x 15 1/8 in D x 20 3/8 in W for outer dimensions and approximately 13-7/32 in H x 9-1/8 in D x 13-23/32 in W for interior dimensions. It features a digital clock, a removable glass turntable, auto and timed defrost, a hidden child lockout feature and several convenient buttons for beverages, popcorn, cooking and reheating. It came with a limited one year warranty. We were prepared to pay up to $200 for the microwave, but only spent a little under $90 for this one that serves our purpose.
We brought it home and set it up with ease! We took it out of the box and were using it right away. This microwave takes up so much less counter space than the previous one. It is very simple to start. To warm or cook something all you do is press the time cook button, enter the time you want the food to cook, make sure the door is shut and then press start. For easy cleaning, you simply use a cloth, baking soda and water.
This microwave can be used as an extra timer to time something else. This is really nice if you have multiple items cooking in the kitchen and not enough timers! You can also delay the start of the cooking process to start at a specific time in the future. The power level is adjustable and can also be programmed to change during the cooking process. There are express cook buttons that are one touch to cooking for 1-6 minutes. Also, there is an add 30 seconds button, so if you see that your item is not quite done, you can just push the button and add 30 seconds.
The child lockout feature is my favorite! You no longer have to worry about your child accidentally starting the microwave and potentially microwaving something that should not be microwaved or starting a fire. It is a hidden feature, so there is no indication that if you “press here” you will turn the microwave on. Just don’t teach them how to turn this feature back on!
As far as performance goes, we have been very pleased with our purchase. I defrosted some frozen vegetables using the auto defrost and the time was right on. They were just like I wanted… defrosted, but not cooked. It also heats food well and evenly. We have had no food with cold spots or overheated spots.
The GE JES1139 microwave oven provides everything we need in a microwave oven and nothing unnecessary. We would definitely buy it again! Anyone interested in simplicity in a microwave should seriously consider this one!
