Whirlpool VT266

Great when it works, but not for long enough – Just read all the other reviews below and chuckled to myself. Too many "one-off" reviewers who only write bad reviews. What I can say is that at first, this unit seems quite pricey when compared to standard microwaves, and it is but this is not a standard microwave. Hell NO!!! This unit has a heating coil built in that, once you figure out how it… Read more

works, will change the way you use a microwave oven, and you will start to believe all the hype associated with this unit. Crispy, hot meat pies and pizzas, roasts, and even cheesy toast are possible with this machine in just minutes.

However, the reliability of these units is questionable at best. Ours, like many others, just managed to get past the warranty period and started making a clicking noise and stopped working. I have tried to have it repaired but by the time you pay the initial call-out fee ($60) and any subsequent parts & labour charges, chances are you have just paid for the unit all over again. Not worth the effort.

Would have loved to have given it 5 stars (see my other reviews) but poor lifespan and high costs dictate that it only get 2 stars. And likewise, unlike many other manufacturers, Whirlpool will not offer any feedback on this site, and rarely to any inquiry directly to them.

Great Microwave with Multi functions – It worked brilliantly up until a month ago. It would turn on, make a funny ticking sound, then shut off after a few seconds. I spoke to Whirlpool warranty, but as it was out of warranty by 4.5 months they couldn't do anything. They suggested I contact Whirlpool themselves for our local repairer. When I spoke to Whirlpool customer service, the… Read more

lovely gentleman was able to book in the repair under warranty. It was repaired by a local technician under warranty and its all fixed and we love using it again. The technician said he had another exactly the same model microware in for repair with the same problem.

We've had this microwave for 2.5 years. We would use it up to 20 times a day, mainly short heating times, 30 seconds at a time. We use it for heating baby bottles, defrosting food, warming up breakfast and using the crisp function 4+ times a week for our even meals like roasts, pies, pizzas. It gets a real workout here.

The outside of the unit gets quite hot after using the crisp function. But it is working like an regular oven on this setting so its bound to get hot. It's much faster at cooking than a regular oven. I usually adjust cooking times by about half on the packet or suggested baking time of whatever I'm cooking. And no preheating either.

I dislike that after it has finished cooking, it beeps, then keeps the noisy fan or cooking sound on until you open the door. Maybe it's a warming function?? I think it shuts off after about 5 mins if the door isn't opened. I guess its handy to know that you've left something in there so the food isn't forgotten.

Overall we love it, and appreciate Whirlpool's after service care when it stopped working.

Loved the VT266 but – After just over 10 months my VT266 stopped working. It would go for just 4 seconds and stop and what sounded like the fan was making strange noises also. As it was still under warranty I called Whirlpool who very quickly arranged for a replacement. I was told it would be a larger upgraded model. When the replacement a GT286WH arrived, I was… Read more

bereft. Its only a 700w, same 25L but no timer, and to change the clock time, if you get it wrong, its turn the power off, wait and then turn on and retry. The instructions are very, very vague and limited, even on the website. I emailed to Whirlpool with my disappointment but yet to hear. The replacement model looks clumsy but unfortunately I did not research the replacement prior to signing off on acceptance of the replacement model and now am stuck with this ugly monstrosity until it reaches its use-by date. This will be my third crisp and grill, a function which I love and use frequently, but it may also be my last if Whirlpool continue to compromise on their features and designs.

Of course -- it is good while it works ;-) – Who isn't happy as long as things are working as designed? I pronounced our VT266 dead today, after a strong 50Hz sound was very noticeable, clearly indicating a fault. We made three attempts to heat up our lunch; the third one being made to prove it is indeed dead; after a minute the typical electronic smell came out of it; a.k.a. magic… Read more

smoke, when I decided to switch it off and let it R.I.P.

We cannot complain; after 4.5 years of service. We used it daily; crisp and all... it worked reliably. However, 4.5 years of live seemed a bit on the short end... but in today's throw-away society, it seems to be an expected outcome.

Whirlpool VT266 – Don't know who Wally is.We didn't buy a Whirlpool VT266.-------We did buy a Whirlpool some years ago..No longer have the microwave.The Whirlpool we had was great until it stopped.Cheaper to buy another,than repair .My wife was very happy with the whirlpool,it was easy to use.Had many great functions,easy to clean  Show details

Great Microwave – Have had it since 2012 and hoping it doesn't break like some of the other reviewers have reported. The microwave and defrost functions work fine. They are under powered, but have gotten used to adjusting cooking times. Controls are intuitive and the cooking functions/numbers are shown on the panel behind the door for reference without having to… Read more

fetch the manual. Last but not least, the crisping function is great - wasn't sure if it would just be a novelty, but has proved to be really handy at quickly cooking things. Pizza's and toasted wraps would be the most common things I do and take less than 10mins depending on the quantity of toppings. After grilling it does stay pretty hot so I leave the door open for a while to give it a chance to cool down as it's kept in a fairly small nook.

For the $$ you pay could be 10 times better – I BROUGHT THE VT266 THEN UPGRADED to the newer one and brought my husbands mum one as well her one make loud noises and I gave mine to my daughter and went back to the old one love the grill on it but now the dile that makes the number doesn't work. Grrr not sure if I will waste good money on another one  Show details

Crackled and smelled – Lo and behold. 2 days after the 2 year warranty expired it made a crackling sound and then emitted a horrid electrical smell and a clunk. The nice man at the good guys answer.. should have purchased an extended warranty and then you would have been right. Thanks for that. Pity there are no other brands with the crisp and grill function or whirlpool would never ever get another look in.

Caught on fire 3 years young – This microwave was ok the low wattage made cooking longer I was heating milk when it caught fire, I called service not for a refund or a replacement but for them to properly look into why this happened they asked for proof of purchase then photos they just called saying it was due to a build up of oil I never used oil in it and cleaned it… Read more

regularly she talked me round in circles basically I have to pay a service provider to tell me why it caught on fire. Bad/dangerous product terrible customer service I will never buy another product from whirlpool again microwaves should not catch fire my last microwave last 14 years and just stopped working it never caught fire.

bulb blew and nightmare to replace it – I bought this less than 2 years ago. After learning how to drive this beast ...instructions less than clear I fell in love with its jet defrost. Cooking depends on many factors and I never get the same result twice with the same recipe.... now the bulb has blown... whirlpool can't tell me how to replace it ..it's not covered by warranty so… Read more

10 days later I found out he bulb is $26 a little excessive I think and yep still no way to replace it as noone seems to know how.... it's like an adventure..... one I could miss quite happily I am afraid.

Great. Until it stopped working – Loved using this microwave until 3 years in and it just stopped heating. Seems to be one of those products that just makes it out of warranty before breaking. No more Whirlpool products in my house and forget recommending them to a friend. Contacted Whirlpool and they were unable to help apart from advising that I could get it serviced at cost to me. Not happy.

Love it! Microwave Plus plus – Crisp & Grill function/plate & the steamer baskets in particular gives added flexibility. Been using it for about 2 years now and find it excellent. Recommended. There is also an independant facebook page by someone who loves the Whirlpool Crisp & Grill, with all sorts of recipes & tips, well worth checking out if you own one.

Bizarre noise and gets really hot – Had this for 2 years and it always made a horrible noise after being used for 10 or more minutes. It always got really hot on top. It now doesn't work. When we turn it on it does that weird noise and stops completely after 8 seconds.

Pretty Good – The microwave part is underpowered at I think 800w - but that seems par for the course. The manual could really do with improvement but google is as usual a great resource for desired information. The various options work well and it is a viable alternative to a 'convection microwave'.

Perfect microwave – Our family had this product since 2011 and till now it works well. I use steam and Crisp & Grill function a lot. Love it! I steam rice, potatoes, corns, green vegetables, dumpling, and crisp & grill chicken, meat and cake. It's really wonderful! My husband and kids said I am a good chef. crisp & grill, steam

Une – My husband and I brought one of these a little over three years ago. We were very happy with it. Found it easy to use and loved the crisp and grill functions. If I had reviewed it a week ago I would have given it five stars. Last week the microwave caught fire, my husband is a fire fighter and assures me that this is a less than desirable… Read more

feature! I am aware that it is three years old however we would not have expected this.

We are now in a bit of a bind needing a new microwave. We were very happy with the functions of this one and from our research there appeared to be no competitors for this type of microwaves unique functions. we are reluctant to purchase another of these microwaves due to the dangerouse nature of what occurred but due to its unique functions we may end up with the same again. Easy to use, great even defrosting, unique crisp and grill function Caught fire.

Love it! does everything it claims and in microwave time – I have had this for 1 month. So far I have Baked cakes, biscuits and zucchini slice. Steamed vegies and dumplings. Roasted chicken (20min.) , potatoes and grilled chicken (3.5 min.) Plus so much more! Very well priced and about the same as a standard good brand microwave, yet you get so much more. Love it. Versatile. Fast. Easy to use. Can get… Read more

quite hot on top. not suitable for placing in a microwave cabinet space. instructions are a little light on however there is a Facebook page and a couple of recipe books made for this model.

Wonderful – I live alone don't use my big oven, this little treasure gives me the occasional pie or other goodies that need crisp pastry, cooks cakes and roasts, and so quickly, 7 minutes to crisp up a frozen meat pie, couldn't ask for better . So hard when you are elderly and cooking for one, this fits the bill perfectly Dies everything it says, good recipes… Read more ·  2

that really work, large size would be good for a family whereas smaller version perfect for one to two people Nothing

this new model terrible – I purchased the original crisp grill years ago and was extremely happy with it. The knob on the timer started to fail so I purchased the newer model. This has been terrible from the start with a screeching noise intermittently while it was cooking. Now it has failed completely. I am now having to replace it but it wont be with a whirlpool.

Great value – This microwave does a really nice job. At first the settings were daunting and the reviews i read made it sound like the functions were really hard to use. It's not hard to use....just read the manual and you get all the info you need. there is also a quick reference card that comes with it which i leave next to my microwave in-case I need a quick… Read more

reminder.

I purchased this microwave to replace an old one which broke and I am so glad I did. The crisp function is EXCELLENT. it is perfect for hot weather because you can get an oven finish without heating up your house! I can cook home made pasties (from frozen) in about 8 minutes and they get an excellent oven-like finish.

You can cook just about anything in this microwave and it is definitely worth the money! Excellent cooking speed and heats very evenly Cant use plastic too soon after using the crisp function...just think about the order in which you should cook though. (plastic will melt otherwise)

Works better for me than a convection microwave, and cheaper!! – Aside from using it as a basic microwave, I really only need these to crisp/melt cheese and cook things like chicken nuggets and wedges etc. Maybe one day I'll get around to trying some of the other functions, but I'm finding the jet crisp menu so much quicker and better than the Sharp Convection Microwave I had previously. 7 minutes to cook… Read more

chicken nuggets and wedges, along with a few pieces of carrot and pumpkin for a hungry kid, magic! Instructions are a bit thin! Yes, I will now look at the facebook page...

How do I use it – If I could ever decipher which program to use, how long to set it for,no doubt it would be good. WHERE can I find some comprehensive instructions on how cook with it I would be happy. On the box it states I can cook gingerbread men in 2 minutes ,cakes 5 minutes, pizza 10 miutes, chips 15 minutes, roasts 35 minutes. Good. HOW !!!! A… Read more

comprehensive cookbook giving details of the range of cooking methods is possible essential.

Lacks comprehensive usage data.

Heap of Rubbish – Only had this for 11 months and has been back to whirlpool twice. Masters not interested in helping me and whirlpool could not care less. Love the product if it works well but it only has lasted twelve months and that makes it very expensive. Would never buy whirlpool again as they are only interested in selling to you and that's all. No after… Read more

sales care at all.

Update:

Last you heard from me I was getting no help about this microwave. My husband rand Consumer Affairs and since then action was taken. Everyone concerned was very helpful (except Whirlpool). We now have a new microwave from Masters. If you have trouble with Masters just go in and see them and they couldn't be nicer. If it works for more than 12months everything bad warranty service and expensive.

Best choice for its features and price – I had researched a lot of microwaves. I wanted something that not only microwaved but could grill and do other stuff. Convection microwaves seemed the best option but it was pretty pricey. I was at first not too sure if I should get whirlpool but this microwave has proven to be invaluable. It crisp pies & chips perfectly. The time it takes… Read more

from frozen to cooked perfection is amazing. I tried the steaming bowl but it didn't work too well -maybe because I didn't do it properly. I think its a good option if you want a microwave that gives you a little bit more without the price tag. The crisp function None

9 years on and better than expected ! – UPDATE 9 YEARS LATER… If only they still made these … thankfully 9 years on and still going meanwhile the kids have grown up and moved out ! The grill plate started to get a few scratches around the 4 year mark but still very usable and roti pizzas come out the same as it’s always done ! For something that’s reasonably priced in the middle range… Read more

it’s definitely value for money !

Previous review 9 years back… Just got this a few days ago- almost got the sharp steamware but based on owners feedback decided not to. Just made dinner for the kids- breaded salmon patties, roast potatoes, steamed broccoli & carrots, hollandaise sauce - healthy and no pots and pans used. Just some olive oil brushed on the grill pan. All came out very well and got thumbs up. Half the price of the steamware. If I had this longer I would have rated it higher but I need to see how long it will last under a lot of use as I will definitely be cooking in it everyday. UPDATE: It's June 2017. My microwave is still performing well and im still satisfied 4 years on. Only issue is the black hot pan is starting to chip a little but otherwise still usable. I would have removed the "con" but i don't have that option. Value for money - so far does what it's meant to do Lets see how long it will last with everyday use

Thankyou productreview.com.au – Now religiously check this site before buying anything after getting stuck with a washing machine that sounds like a jet engine and coffee machine that can wake the neighbours 3 doors down. Looks wise I dont really like it but performance is incredible. First shot was a pie which like others have said was crisp and oven cooked on the outside and… Read more ·  3

evenly cooked inside, all done in 5 minutes and to quote Manu, "cooked to perfection". The steamer dish works fantastic, takes a bit longer than I would of thought but still quicker than a pot. The best thing was leftover pizza from the fridge which I cooked on crisp, the crisping plate heats up like a pizza stone and toasted the bottom, unlike a normal microwave which makes it soggy. Honestly preferred my re-heated pizza from the fridge over straight from the shop. Previously had a Whirlpool microwave so I am not finding the controls and settings hard to figure out like some others have. I love it.

Doesn't look as nice as other microwaves.

Whirpool VT266 Crisp and Grill – Microwave was ok. Until it died after 10 months. I called up Whirlpool and they created a service job, but the technician could not find the fault - this left us without a microwave for three weeks and a still faulty microwave that produced an intermittent high pitched unbearable noise when being used. I put up with it since the Customer Service… Read more

couldn't care less. We tried again after the microwave also started smoking and provided the technicians with film and sound evidence. Finally, we were told it would be replaced since it could not be repaired.

We have now been without a microwave for over 4 months and still have no replacement eventhough the item is still under warranty. Whirlpool Customer Service is non-existent, it's difficult to undertand the staff, they don' t give out their last names and won't let you speak to a supervisor. Email communication was also fruitless - they asked me 4 times to send in a proof of purchase and then confirmed the receipt only to ask for another one when I followed up on the telephone. We are now taking legal action. Based on our experience with customer service I will never buy another single Whirpool item, no matter how good the reviews of an appliance might be.

Customer Service

Happy so far – Purchased yesterday. Just cooked frozen pies and they were nice, crispy, just like from an oven only in half the time. Didnt have to preheat the oven etc. I would like better cooking instructions, like times to cook a frozen pie and what setting to use, I just put it on twice, so all good. Bit disappointing that the light doesn't show what… Read more ·  6

you are cooking very good. Crispy plate, being able to grill too, cooking containers that came with it, seems good value for money. Lack of basic cooking instructions. Poor inside light whilst cooking.

Love it! – Recently purchased this last month, was sceptical about how it wold work but so far has been excellent, cooks party pies in about 7 mins and toasted slivered almonds in 5 mins with the bonus of not burning them like I normally do in the oven when I forget about them! Well worth it. Crispy pastry items.  Show 3 replies

Glass Plate broke in half! – Not happy bought this on the 18/12/12 and just over a month later I was heating up some veges and heard a loud bang and then dong dong noises opened up the door and the glass turn table plate had completely broke in half! Called masters where I bought it from they said I had to deal directly with Whirlpool call them and they inform me that the… Read more

glass plate is not included in the warranty as it is an 'accessory' (without the plate the microwave won't work! So it should be included as a part of the microwave)

therefore I need to pay another $80 for a glass plate plus go pick it up in my time! Not happy and will not be recommending or buying another whirlpool product again.

Bad warranty service!

Best Microwave ever – I love the variety of food that can be cooked as if it is a real oven, (which I haven't used since I bought thias microwave). I ca do a whole roast meal with the Crisp function, which I could never be bothered to do in an oven - too much effort when cooking for one person to use a costly oven. Like others, I would have liked more instructions… Read more ·  2

on use as the 2 cards provided are limited. Haven't figured out evenn a fraction of what it can do, eg fitness feature, and still a bit unsure and doing a lot of guessing for times with the defrost. Have tried unsuccessfully to find more info on using the function keys.

Biggest disappointment is the quality of the accessories. The non stick coatinng on the round tray was severely scratched by the handle attachmennt the first time I used it. The handle scratched the teflon coating completely through to the base metal. I like that I can use any teflon coated pan in the micro. have not tried metal tins though.

Even so, better than the convection microwave I had previously, which cost three times what this one costs. Can cook a whole roast meal on one plate with the crisp function. Limited instructions and poor quality accessories.

Best Microwave Owned Yet – After a terrible experience with an other brand (reviewed here) we happened upon a live demo at Good guys of this VT 266. The chap waxed lyrical about it's grilling function amongst other aspects and the sample of frozen bits defrosted and crisped certainly hit the spot along with the curiosity. After being burnt, pardon the pun, with past… Read more ·  1

micros this far cheaper device certainly looked the goods. After considerable thought and Good guys sale disc, we opted.

Well what do you know. The best micro by far, ever bought! We both couldn't believe the quicker, non burnt/singed defrosting of various stuff. Especially the ability to put frozen (in our case) chicken strips in the supplied tray, press the jet crisp button the right number of times and press go. Results in seven minutes you would pay for. (perfect).

Reheating of fridged food now is a lot quicker. No longer hot top and cold bottom. All in all so far so good. We have only had this for a few weeks and as yet have not used all the functions. Caution the habit of putting stuff on top, when grill operates the casing gets pretty hot and I worry the vents blocking.

Comment has been made that one needs to press off when done. Hasn't bothered me, so far. I need to turn the car off too, when finished. Great grilling from frozen. Quick even warm up. The price. You are expected to be knowledgeable in its operation.

Fantastic product – Bought this crisp and grill microwave a few months ago, over the years I have had more than over 8 or 9 microwaves, all top of the range, but this one is the best I have ever owned, it does not fill up with condensation and is fantastic with frozen pies, they do not get soggy and are just like you get them out of the oven. Easy to use controls,… Read more

sleek and does a great job with all of my cooking. While defrosting it wants you to turn the food and the the turntable still keeps going when it is finished.

Very happy with this purchase – My last microwave LG RIP so time to update a new one. Originally was going to buy a good brand name one like smeg/Electrolux but after reading the reviews here I decided to give whirlpool a go. So far I tried roast chicken, chips and chops and I must say I am very impressed with it. No waiting time for oven to heat up, easy to clean, save… Read more

electricity bill. Also quite easy to use once following menu carefully. It is a 21st century gadget, and more than just a microwave. Easy to use, good results, compact, easy to clean Initially not too keen on the look, but fits in quite nicely in my kitchen

Excellent for just about everything! – Have had my Crisp & Grill since Oct. 2011 and have never looked back.....Frozen to crispy pastry meat pies, pizza, fish fingers, chips in just 12 mins or so..half the time of a convection oven and you don't have to preheat unless cooking some raw foods. Roast potatoes, chicken, as good as you can get.....Easy to clean....Power… Read more ·  3

saving....Inexpensive for what it is. Much better than just a microwave. Not sure why mdd didn't have the beeper turn off, as it beeps once every minute for 10 mins then turns off automatically after that. Love it!!! Power saving..Quick & convenient..Does what it should..Easy to clean..Auto power off if you don't open it after a while once finished cooking. Not sure what mdd is talking about there! :S Could definitely use a better instructions manual though. Had to guess a few times with some foods cooking times.