Panasonic NN-DS59NBBPQ microwave

How easy is the Panasonic NN-DS59NBBPQ to use?

This model came securely packaged and was easy to remove from the box and set up on the counter. You may need an extra pair of hands to help out with the 16kg weight.

There’s not too much set up needed to get this microwave started. We just removed the cardboard inserts in the cavity, gave the inside a quick wipe, slid in the grill tray and it was ready to go.

We recommend keeping the manual to hand for the first few weeks of owning this machine as there are a number of settings and functions to familiarise yourself with. Whilst the digital display does tell you what setting you’ve chosen, the manual is needed to understand exactly what each preset means in cooking terms. The touchscreen controls on the right hand side of the microwave are clear and easy to understand, and the dial at the base of the control panel is very responsive.

As is the case with combination microwaves, this model isn’t small. In fact you’ll need to free up a generous amount of countertop space to be able to keep it in the kitchen. But, considering the number of functions it comes with and pieces of kit it could replace, it's worth the space it occupies.

This model is easy to clean thanks to its four cleaning programmes. For added ease, the grill tray is dishwasher safe. Do be aware, this model produces a lot of steam when using the steam function – this meant we were unable to see inside the microwave on these settings and, naturally, the inside was left very wet.

Results

We put this microwave to the test by defrosting chicken, cooking porridge and cooking a jacket potato. For the combination microwave settings we steamed gooey toffee puddings and grilled the previously defrosted chicken as well as bacon.

This model did a good job when cooking porridge; it was cooked through with no hot or cool spots. Although our previously frozen chicken breast was fully defrosted, we did notice some thinner spots turning white – i.e. cooking – indicating this function was a little ferocious. For our jacket potato we used the dedicated auto-cook setting. This function adjusts the cooking time depending on the weight of your ingredient; our potato weighed 451g, so we dialled in a weight of 455g as the weights can only be selected in 5g intervals. After nearly 30 minutes of cooking and 10 minutes of resting, the jacket potato has a crisp exterior, however it was still slightly firm in the centre – not the soft and fluffy results we were looking for.

We had better luck with the combination settings however. Using the steam/oven setting we cooked our gooey toffee puddings. These came out moist and bouncy.

We used the grill function on low to cook the defrosted chicken breast. Although it doesn’t grill from above as an oven would, we still achieved some slightly defined grill marks from the grill tray underneath. After cooking the chicken was still moist.

The grill function on high was used to cook our streaky bacon. The resulting bacon was crisp thanks to the evenly rendered fat. We did have to turn the bacon over to achieve the results we were looking for, but this is no different to cooking in a frying pan.

How sustainable is the Panasonic NN-DS59NBBPQ?

The majority of the packaging is recyclable, except for the polystyrene supports. We weren’t able to find any information on how to recycle this microwave after use unfortunately. But the manual does include information about where to buy spare parts and comes with a two-year warranty.

Conclusion

This powerful microwave would suit someone looking for a multi-functional piece of kit to use in place of or as an extension of their oven. It comes with a wealth of useful functions and, unique to Panasonic models, the steam function offers an added level of versatility when it comes to the variety of veggies, fish, meats, and even cakes you can cook using it. We were left a little disappointed by the core microwave functions, but with some practice, these can soon be figured out, making the Panasonic NN-DS59NBBPQ a much-loved and much-used appliance in the kitchen.

Panasonic NN-DS59NBBPQ specifications

Capacity: 27 litres
Wattage: microwave 1000W, grill 1350W
Dimensions: H34.7 x W51.4 x D45.6cm
Made in: China
Warranty: Two years

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