The Sharp SMC1162HS is a budget-friendly countertop microwave. It offers more power and space in its cooking chamber than some very small microwaves while still being a compact option overall. However, it lacks some fancier functions like sensor cooking.
Our Verdict
The Sharp SMC1162HS is a very fast 1000-watt microwave. Some 1200-watt microwaves, like the Panasonic NN-SC67NS, heat food even faster, but it's not a huge difference.
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Heats food quickly.
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Has a mute option.
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No steam sensor.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sharp SMC1162HS comes in a few different colors: Stainless Steel (SMC1162HS), White (SMC1161HW), and Black (SMC1161HB). There's also a Stainless Steel (SMC1169HS) variant that has integrated Alexa, so you can control it with voice commands.
We tested the Stainless Steel (SMC1162HS) variant without Alexa, and you can see the label here and here.
If you encounter another variant, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Microwaves
The Sharp SMC1162HS is a budget-friendly countertop microwave. It heats food very quickly, especially for a 1000-watt microwave. Its cooking chamber is bigger than the smallest microwaves', such as the Toshiba EM925A5A-BS, but it's still a relatively compact option.
However, if you want to try a microwave that can use a steam sensor to calculate the cook times automatically, you might prefer the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS, which is about the same size and price.
If you're looking for a recommendation, check out the best microwaves and the best over-the-range microwaves.
Test Results
It's a medium-sized microwave, so it can easily fit dinner plates or bowls, but it isn't ideal for reheating food in big mixing bowls or casserole dishes. The light inside makes it very easy to see into the chamber.
It has simple controls, but they include all the basics you probably expect from a microwave: it has dedicated buttons for specific items like popcorn and frozen pizza and for modes like reheating and defrosting. The manufacturer says the 'Popcorn' button is calibrated for Orville Redenbacher-brand popcorn and includes a setting for classic size (3.3 oz) or single-serve (1.16 oz) bags.
While it doesn't have a dedicated mute control button, you can silence it by holding down the '8' button for three seconds.
However, it doesn't have a steam sensor, so you'll have to manually set the cook time. You can also defrost by weight, like with most microwaves.
When heating food in shallow dishes, heating evenness depends on factors like what you're heating and the placement of your dish, not on what model of microwave you're using. You can read more about our investigation into microwave performance here.
Just like with shallow dishes, heating evenness in deeper dishes like bowls depends on your specific container, where you place it, and what kind of food you're heating. There isn't any significant difference between microwaves. You can read more about our investigation into microwave performance here.