LG NeoChef MS2596
Verified157 reviews
Neat oven - had a white model which I broke after repeated occasions of cooking without contents. Could have been more than 10 minutes in toto. The newly purchased black model is running well. Little nigs: Thinq provides maintenance no operation, no battery-backed DRAM to save 24 hour time, dinky spin box like time setting, and no weight sensing in case unit is powered on with nothing inside. Show details
Firstly, I should say that I am no stranger to LG products. For instance, I have an LG fridge which is superb. Absolutely no regrets buying it at all. It does everything well, including the warning alarm if you accidentally leave the door open. So when we needed a new microwave - despite our old Panasonic going to heaven after about 15 years of… Read more
loyal service - we decided to buy an LG microwave instead.
We've had it now for about three months and there's nothing (touch wood) wrong with it. It performs as it should. Except everyone in our family has two common gripes: (a) the controls are not as straight forward and intuitive to use as the Panasonic, and (b) the irritating melodies it plays.
We can live with the former, although it still baffles us a little when we want to do something other than a straight reheating. But the latter is a continual annoyance. Instead of a ding - once - which would be adequate, it plays a tune. And it repeats and repeats if you do not remove the dish from the tray. That's right, it nags at you! Talk about annoying when you're watching TV in the family room. On top of that, I did a cycle (I cannot recall which now) and it played a tune every 30 or 60 seconds during the heating process. What's the point of that? In fact, when it first did that, I thought the heating cycle was over. It fooled me. To make matters worse, the tunes are simply horrid.
With the above said, it is pretty good microwave for its price. And its compact. I think its benefits outweigh its cost, i.e. provided you're happy to put up with the unnecessary tunes.
- +2
After using this microwave for two months, one day when operating all the small speakers started being packed there followed by burning electronic smells with smoke coming out of the machine. LG is making me jumping through hurdles to try to get a warranty claim. And now apparently the closest Repair Centre which I have to personally go and… Read more
drop the machine off is a 50 minute drive which I have no way to get to.
LG really should do better. It just feel like they are trying to avoid taking responsibility of their own faulty products.
Reviews with attachments
LG 25L Microwave - First Glass Act! – Looks superb with its all glass door hiding all the menu buttons. Open the door and exposed is its full menu. The various functions have proven to be spot on. "Reheating" mode for drinks, casseroles and soup produced the perfect eating and drinking temperatures. "Popular Menu" cooks both frozen and fresh vegetables firm and soft without being… Read more · 1
mushy. Rice was nice and fluffy, and the bacon, crisp and tasty. The defrosting of meat was a real surprise - no cooked edges and evenly defrosted. In fact, during all the cooking and heating menus, stirring of dishes didn't seem necessary like in other microwaves. Another plus is the simplicity of just having Start/Stop and Timer slide needing only finger touch controls. Cleaning is a breeze so far - wipe with towel and its ready to go. Great microwave that's small enough for a galley kitchen yet big enough to use.
Great size microwave – I bought the smallest microwave I could fine to have in our galley space. Despite its size, the microwave surprisingly is able to fit larger items with ease. We only use our microwave for reheating food and nothing else so it fits our purpose. Show details
Great! but… – Had this microwave for 2 years with no issues after this replaced our previous LG microwave of 10 years. Until recently, we haven’t had any issues; the display isn’t working properly as some of the lines are missing from the numbers & letters, which makes it very frustrating when 9 looks like 5 & 8 looks like 6. Other than that it works fine. Show details
I love the sleek look of this microwave and I was happy with Appliances Online customer service. My 3 star review relates to the functionality and safety of this product. I have owned this microwave for close to 2 years, Nov 2023. I've seen other reviews with horrific photos of the same microwave rusting and others with broken glass door issues,… Read more
none of which are relatable to my concerns. I wipe the internal part regularly as it forms condensation and would/could form rust if left about, as visible in photo attached. 1. I'm a bit disappointed with the hidden handle, which makes it difficult to open without the microwave moving forward from its position on the bench top. Small issue but annoying. 2. I also don't like the "train track" noise it makes intermittently during operation. Not sure if this is standard for this microwave or if I've ended up with a lemon. 3. But what concerned me the most was the static electric noise it recently started making during every operation. As it was a safety concern for me, I contacted LG for support on warranty. I dealt with an LG Dealer Support service (3.5 star) and Appliances Online customer service (5 star). I was offered a replacement within a week of submitting my concerns. My new microwave arrives next week. I am happy with the outcome.
Rusted through. When I tried to lodge a warranty claim with an offshore call centre I was advised it must have been all those metal implements I have used on the machine. I disputed this and asked that LG put that in writing to me and email it so I could escalate to Fair Trading and I am still waiting for a formal response from LG a week later. After now seeing the other reviews and photos of the same I feel somewhat bolstered not just me. Show details
Positive reviews
I never liked microwaves, until now! – In my opinion, this microwave is hands down the best one on the market. It's no surprise that it has earned the title of CHOICE Australia's Best Microwave Brand for two consecutive years. The ease of use is unparalleled - I was able to set the time in just 30 seconds, which is impressive even for a supposedly simple task. The operation buttons… Read more
located inside the door are clear and straightforward. I used to be intimidated by similar appliances, but the LG makes cooking a breeze. The legend of popular items is a helpful feature that ensures I always use the correct function, and it's easy to understand too.
Although I never stand in front of microwaves while they cook, the window is easy to look through in case I need to check on the contents. I was initially apprehensive about getting a full black model due to concerns about fingerprints and cleaning, but the surface wipes clean so easily that it still looks brand new.
As someone who is meticulous about keeping appliances clean, I can confidently say that this microwave will maintain its pristine appearance for years to come. My absolute favourite feature is the little song that plays when it finishes heating - it never fails to put a smile on my face!
Good, but – Overall the unit has worked well. Don't expect to be able to warm you stuff for anything other than multiples of 10 or 30 secs. IE if you want to warm you coffee for 15 secs, you'll have to settle for 10 or 20. Four months out of warranty the unit started arcing, sparking and flashing inside on the right side. I have a call in to LG about replacing it or getting a store credit. It may be out of warranty but a fitness for purpose case has merit. Show details
Neat, stylish and useful – We've been very happy with this microwave, had it for 8 months. Compact but large enough for what we need. Love the fact it's an inverter, it's so much better than my old one, both in speed and thoroughness of warming. Wonderful for defrosting, even softening ice cream and butter works well, it has dedicated functions for these and more (great… Read more · 1
job with frozen meat). Cooks potatoes really well. Smart mirror-like black finish. The 'ready' tone is pleasant but shouldn't nag quite as much as it does! Good build quality LG!
Negative reviews
A year after buying this microwave I noticed under the glass plate where the wheel turns the lining had started to lift and was rusting. The next couple of months it got considerably worse. I rang customer service and was told to email receipts and photos of the rust. I complied with their directions and waited six months before ringing them. They… Read more
will not replace or refund as I had misused the microwave. I don't know how because that was all the explanation they gave. Don't buy this product and the LG after service is a big ZERO
9 months after purchasing this Microwave, it stated to spark when we were cooking in it. We took it back for a replacement. We chose to get the same one again. 3 months later, the same problem occurred. We opted for a refund. Show details
Find out how LG NeoChef MS2596 compares to other Microwaves
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Owned for less than a year and a half and it has already failed! Do not waste your money on this. The warranty condition is trash and the effort LG expect you to make in order to fix their error is unfair. Will never buy LG again! Show details
Recent reviews
Reasonably good but could easily be improved – We particularly wanted a small microwave oven to fit in the space available for it. It replaced a 1200 watt Sharp which was good but was badly corroding on the ceiling of the inside. The lesser power of the LG [1000 watts] is more noticeable than I anticipated but it still does the job. My main complaint is the lack of ease of setting the cooking… Read more
time. All other microwaves we have had allowed the user to use a key panel to put in the required time. With the LG you can slide your finger along a line in an attempt to arrive at the time you want or tap the plus sign or the start time to add 30 second or 10 second increments respectively. It's probably OK for some but I have not mastered it yet - admittedly I haven't spent a lot of time trying. My only other complaint is the irritating jingle it plays to signal it has finished. That same jingle is on the other very similar LG microwave we have at our beach place [bought May 2020]. I was hoping they had stopped the jingle and gave up trying to find out in store or online. It should be just a short beep and should preferably be capable of being disabled. Yes, we did get another in November 2024 so we can't be too disappointed with it.
Terrible rusty microwave – DO NOT BUY this microwave. It is a terribly made, rust bucket of a microwave. It started rusting around the 12 month mark and continually got worse and worse.
Very disappointing – I have been really disappointed with this microwave. Whilst it looks good, it’s incredibly slow to heat things and heats unevenly e.g. trying to warm a single bowl of pasta and after 4mins some sections will still be completely cold. This is problematic at the moment as I am pregnant and need all my food to be thoroughly reheated so I will probably have to get rid of it. Show details
Not a long life – My LG 3596OB bought 30/7/20 died today. It lasted 4 years & 4 months. Used in a single person household. Probably only used once or twice a day. Like a previous reviewer, it made that zapping sound as if metal was in the microwave. There was a black mark on the right hand side panel. I thought it would've lasted longer. It was clean inside. Show details
Great when it works but don't expect it to last long! – Don't buy these unless you purchase extended product care. My original one died just after the 2 year warranty expired. Had it replaced under extended warranty and now the replacement has died 14 months after the previous one. Like other people here it just stopped heating food. Lights and control panel and fan worked but food comes out the same… Read more
as it goes in. I suspect the inverters stopped working. Choice rate these highly, and when they work they are great - just don't expect it to last. Have now changed brands, no more LG kitchen appliances for me.
Rust appears to be a common issue with LG Microwaves – I bought my microwave last year in April. I’ve had many microwaves over the years and never had an issue with rust. This unit has rust all along the back bottom joint and on the side and a few spots on floor. I clean regularly and wipe out. I’ll never buy LG again. Back to Westinghouse for me Show details
Poor quality – I bought the LG Neochef smart inverter 25L microwave, thinking that it would be a 'quality' product, I was very wrong. It doesn't heat food evenly as it claims, and now that i've had it for a year, it has drastically lost power, even on the full power setting. It's supposed to be 1000w, yet it takes much longer to heat food, than my very cheap old 700w microwave.
Stops heating every 6-12 months – Have had this microwave fixed several times under warranty and its just stopped heating again! Now no longer under warranty. Lady at the appliance repair shop told me last time I picked it up that they have this model coming into be repaired often with the same issue. Do not buy this microwave. Show details
Find out how LG NeoChef MS2596 compares to other Microwaves
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Breaks every two years – Purchased this in 2020 and so glad I got extra warranty through Harvey Norman. In 2022 it started sparking like it was going to explode, so I took it in to HN for a replacement. Now, in 2024 the new microwave is doing the same thing!! I would be wary of this product. Show details
Dangerous electrical failure - the magnetron melted (with photos) – I bought this microwave a bit more than 2 years ago and it ran fine. However in past few months it made an intermittent buzzing sound with a bright orange flames/arcing emitting behind the mica sheet which covers the magnetron output (the metal device which produces the microwaves). As you can see in the photos, removing the mica sheet cover… Read more
(guided by an electrician), the magnetron has melted a hole in itself which is causing microwaves to leak out and cause arcing. The microwave is no longer safe nor useable.
2 stars because the touch interface and time slider was great when it was working.
Good till it rusted – Had this microwave for just over two years before I noticed it was rusting. I got in touch with LG and they insinuated that the rust on the interior floor and ceiling was due to pooling, which was my fault and that rust is not covered by warranty anyway. This is a bit rich as it seems to be a well know issue judging by these other reviews. Not sure I will buy LG again, which is a shame as they have historically had some good products. Show details
not again – I purchase this microwave because I believed that LG has a reputation of good quality products plus smooth design. But to my disappointment, my microwave only lasted 2.5 years. It wouldn’t heat up. I went to Harvey Norman where I purchased the product,they said that although there’s 10 year warranty of the parts but I will shoulder the labour cost… Read more
which is cheaper to buy a new one. I went to Kmart,bought microwave that will do the job same as the LG neochef with the fractyion of the price.
Cheap rusty rusted through – I find it easy to use it’s the quality mine is rusted out only a couple of year old , it replaced a Sony one that was 33 years old and didn’t rust out. So now the turn table doesn’t work because of the rust. Can’t add the purchase date ect as receipt is faded and can’t log into the log page. Show details
Dangerous! Do not buy – I bought this microwave December 2022. I liked the model, heated really well and fast, was a definite improvement to my 15 year old Sharp microwave in terms of performance. I noticed in April (6 weeks ago) it stopped heating the food/milk evenly. Since then the food is cold in areas and very hot in others. It seems to have lost about 25% of… Read more
power, as I have to cook the food for longer, to get somewhat the same temperature as before, mixing it in between. In addition, around the same time the microwave suddenly interferred with the wifi and TV. I would heat up something in the kitchen and my husband would loose the connection during a Zoom meeting. Once the microwaved finished, the connection re-established itself.
I called LG to report this and it seems to be a known issue. They had trouble shooting steps and suggested to change the wifi to 5GHz. However, the wifi is already on 5GHz and the customer consultant said" Oh madam, that is risky, I will get onto to it right away". It is known that when microwaves leach the unit can interfere with TV and wifi. This is a major concern, I do not want to expose myself and my family to it or anyone else, thus I am writing this review.
Perhaps related, the internal safety plate has rust spots, photo attached below. This happened only 4 months after delivery. This is not tomato sauce, because I wipe the microwave regularly, the stains do not come off.
This is very concerning and I was disappointed in how LG responded to my claim. The customer care consultant said: Just to manage your expectations, this is what you will have to do..." LG suggested for it to be checked over by the technical team. To do this I would have to drive to Wendouree (56.6 Km from where I live) to deliver it, have it checked over, possibly have it repaired, then drive all the way again to pick it up. I oredred the microwave online, because I live in the country, 110 kms from Melbourne. It is simply not acceptable for me to do this with a defective microwave that has the potential of causing significant harm to my health and is defective 4 months after purchase.
Under Australian Consumer Rights I have the right for a refund for an item with a major fault. This is a major fault. I had a microwave for 15 years, and it still worked fine when I replaced it with the new inverter technology. This microwave has issues only 4 months after purchase. The LG case number is CNP230515734407.
To make it clear to LG and Appliance Central: My expectation is to receive a full refund. I use the microwave several times a day and will no longer be able to use my one now due to the risk of harm.
Repaired once already now internal rust 2.5yrs old – This microwave is junk. Do not waste your money. You are better off spending $50 at kmart. The invertor stopped working at 1 yr old. The qualified repairer took over a month to have it repaired, LG refused to provide a replacement product for this time, or extend warranty. Now at 2.5yrs old the internal surface has rust flaking off. This… Read more
microwave is cleaned once per fortnight with diluted dishwashing soap and a soft cloth. No food has built up on the internal surface, no abrasive clothes or cleaning agents have been used. We do not live near the ocean.
My previous $50 kmart microwave lasted 12yrs, and has now sat in kids mudkitchen exposed to all elements for 2.5yrs and still has NO SURFACE RUST, inside or out.
Rust in a 2.5yr old well looked after microwave is a 100% a manufacturing fault of the protective coating of the metal.
Customer service was horrible.
LG customer service states,
" rust is normal wear and tear and is not a manufacturing fault."
"Rust is not covered under their warranty."
"They have fulfilled all requirements under Australian consumer law."
Requested a copy of the assessment report so i had all this in writting. This was denied by customer service. I asked to take this higher and was told a representative would email me. So far no response.
Please do not waste your money and contribute to landfill. Avoid this product.
Arcing and sparks from it is very common it seems – Bought this microwave about 5 years ago and like a lot of people here posted we experienced arcing and sparking on occassionally for no reason but only momentarily. Now at 5 year mark, it's completely dead. The waveguide disintegrated and even the chassis underneath the waveguide has burnt out and disintegrated. Won't be buying LG microwave ever again. This microwave should be recalled! Show details
Do Not Buy A LG Microwave Please Stay Away – Have owned for 2 1/2 years and no longer works very poor for the money you pay, also had a family member have a similar issue with an LG microwave but that was within a year still under normal warranty. Did speak to LG, its outside of any warranty and the closest service centre is an hours drive just to have it looked at and then would only be… Read more
covered if it was a faulty "magnetron". Not worth buying with all the issues you see online about LG Microwaves. Please do your research if your thinking about buying an LG Microwave.
Big Bucks For Quality - NOT, – Decided to buy a quality microwave in the hopes it would last. Within 1 year it was broken. Hour & half to service agent. Another year gone & it’s broken again! LG quality has degraded badly. Won’t buy any LG product ever again. Off to Kmart. Jan 24 - has broken again - off to the tip Show details
Horrible. Dont Buy – Worst appliance I've ever owned. Barely over 2 years old & it already has issues. My last microwave (Sharp) lasted over 10 years & so when it stopped working I thought id buy an LG because I have quite a few LG items at home & have always been happy with them but the LG NeoChef should be recalled because it's nothing but a piece of junk. It heats… Read more
food when it wants too & other times you can spend up to 20 minutes sometimes longer trying to heat up food. The door has to be left open after each use so that the hot steam & moisture can dry out. This has to be done no matter how short or long it was in use for & then I have to clean & dry it thoroughly because if not it grows mold in it. I don't know anyone who has had to do all of this with their microwaves after each use & this includes even after warming up coffee for 30-40 seconds. I have NEVER EVER had any appliance grow mold. I've never even known or heard of anyone getting mold in their microwave. On top of all of this its also got rust inside it & also what appears to be some kind of burn mark despite nothing having been burnt & since other reviews mention theirs catching fire, im now concerned the burn mark is a sign of something faulty just waiting to catch fire. If your looking into purchasing an LG NeoChef, DONT ! Seriously dont buy one. Do yourself a favour & save your money & purchase a different microwave because the LG NeoChef is not only a useless piece of junk but it's also a dangerous health hazard.
Caught on FIRE! – After 2 1/2 years with no problems it caught on fire! A flame shot out of the right-hand panel. I had to pull the power plug. We are not alone in this highly dangerous experience. Searching for others we found the review on this page plus another similar review elsewhere.... and no, before you ask, we did not have anything metal in the… Read more
microwave.
Update: We have been contacted by LG. We have a receipt but it is too faded to read properly. The fact of our purchase is that we have the machine and it caught on FIRE. Our suggestion to LG that they check with the retailer was met with silence and we have waited several weeks now for a response.
There is a problem with this microwave and LG are aware of it. Purchasers need to be made aware by LG and LG need to take responsibility for their poor manufacture. They have a legal responsibility to replace faulty machines and to compensate for damages this microwave might do to your home.
Be careful: FIRE SHOOTING OUT FROM THE INSIDE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MICROWAVE after only a few years of use.
Died within 14 months – Bought as a factory seconds appliance in May 21, with minor scratches on the door and a 12 month retailer warranty. Worked well till July 22 when the heating became intermittent and finally died. With good reviews for the LG brand, I did not expect it to die so quickly. LG would not honour the normal 24 month warranty because it was bought as a… Read more
factory second, and the cost to repair it is more than the cost of the appliance. It is going straight into the landfill where it belongs.
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Now my LG dishwasher displaying nE which is an issue with its parts. I hope my LG TV and LG french door fridge are fine.