GE Profile PEM31SFSS Countertop Microwave

Price was excellent. The microwave was double packed
The vendor shipped promptly. Price was excellent. The microwave was double packed, so it arrived in perfect condition. This unit replaced another GE just like it that finally died after 10 years of heavy usage. The microwave is an under-cabinet installation and the original hardware didn’t work with the new unit….backing plates and enclosure cabinet securing bolt holes were in new locations and unalike. I did not buy the installation package, so I had to improvise, as did another reviewer. I simply used the rigid cardboard box it arrived in to cut a template the exact size of the top of the unit (with the hole positions marked), I placed it under the cabinet and drilled new holes through the template with a 1/8″ pilot bit from the bottom up. Then I enlarged those holes to 3/8″ from the top down to provide adjustment room. The original bolts were the correct size, so my son held the unit in place while I set the bolts using 2″ fender washers. Worked like a charm and cost me $1.40 at TrueValue for the washers. The microwave is obviously one that I endorse, as it was a replacement….and I have the same model at our beach home and mountain cottage, plus this new one at our primary residence. I highly recommend this particular GE microwave. It is reliable, user friendly, compact, quite attractive and has all necessary functions for non-serious cooking where a larger, more powerful convection type microwave with temp probe might be a better choice. You will not be disappointed.

Doesn’t auto cook very effectively
We purchased this microwave as a replacement for another GE Profile model that finally wore out after 10 yr. Our original model was no longer made & GE said this was its replacement. The appearance is different from the old but that is OK. Old model had a curved frame & glass shape (arched). This is very rectangular & looks more sleek & modern. The old had a nice, small, discreet GE logo decal on the door. This one has a big raised metal round GE logo stuck on the bottom part of the door about the size of a half-dollar coin. I find that unattractive.This model doesn’t seem to cook food as good as the other. It takes longer. Both had auto cook buttons & the new doesn’t cook food “done” when using those special keys. Potatoes are the worst. I have to cook them twice. The older model had easy, 1-step cooking….Push “potato” & it cooked a potato completely. If I cooked 1, 2, 3, or 4 potatoes it compensated for that & cooked any quantity correctly. This one takes at least 2 cycles or else the potatoes are hard & not completely done….. Old model, Vegetables – push one button & keep pushing once, twice, thrice, for “fresh” “canned” or “frozen”…this new model, push vegetable button & look at chart in door & then press another number key for 1 – fresh, 2 – canned, or 3 – frozen….. Old model push “reheat” & it cooked the food done, hot & ready, no matter a single item, or plate or liquid……This one you push “reheat” & then 1 for pizza, 2 for plate, 3 soup, 4 pasta, etc…tedious & you have to look at the chart sticker inside the door b/c you can’t remember all the choices. For that reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because I was comparing it to the original model we had…This may function like a lot of similar microwaves but my old GE Profile model had easy 1-button commands that cooked the food as it should be cooked.A big complaint we have is there is one very WEAK (dim) light in the interior so you can’t see inside the oven while cooking. If something is bubbling over, good luck b/c you will have a hard time seeing it.We purchased this & the other for a specific reason. I wanted a built in microwave oven. Due to double convection wall ovens there was no cabinet space in a standard oven cabinet. I needed a smaller size. This is a counter top model with a trim kit (purchased separately – approx. $18. Not available on Amazon). Original purchase for old model incl trim kit was from Lowe’s Home Improvement. The Amazon price for this microwave is the same price as Lowe’s & delivers fast. Lowe’s was 2-week delivery & had to do store pick up. This came a day earlier than promised, on Easter Sunday no less, but was promised 3-day delivery & it was here in 2 days, front door delivery, yay, Amazon!As mentioned, this is a counter top model with a trim kit available to give the appearance of a built in microwave. It is very attractive in that sense. It will fit in a 12″ overhead cabinet. Instead of just having a cabinet box hole or shelf to set a microwave on, you can put this one in the hole & use the trim kits that is similar to a picture frame & surrounds the oven with a nice frame making it “built-in”…..If I can take a photo with my phone & come back to this review I will add a picture. I’m typing the review from my laptop.