Sharp R395EST / R395EBS
Verified57 reviews
It’s so noisy and fan runs for some time after. My old Panasonic 10 years old lot quieter. I’m disappointed. Works fine so far but only months old but very loud.
Follow-up · It works as a microwave fine no issues with it that way, easy enough to use, but as an example I use it for 15 seconds to a quick heat the fan runs for about a minute afterwards, doesn’t make sense plus as I said so much noisier than my old Panasonic
good previous experience with Sharp as had many here so bought this for c 360$ at JB Hi Fi. Less than 3 years later now, I will be donating it to the landfill today before it catches fire. Pretty rubbish for a lightly used and well cleaned microwave Show details
My 1200W Inverter Microwave R395EST is only 20 months old and I am aware that it is out of warranty. I paid $379 for it and expected quality. However, the paint is badly flaking off the round indentation 'track' that the ring/wheels and turntable… Read more
follow when operating. This microwave collects a LOT of condensation. The earlier similar Sharp model that I owned for 8 years did not collect condensation. I have to wipe out the inside of this one every time I cook, which is sometimes twice per day because this is how I steam my vegetables and reheat food and coffee. I've owned microwave ovens since 1981 and have never had one that has had a condensation problem. I can only think that the condensation has caused the paint flaking problem. I should have complained about the condensation when it was new but decided to put up with it....until now!
Follow-up · After several emails and sending photos several times to the company that looks after claims for Sharp, I was issued with a Return to Supplier Notice that entitled me to a refund of the full amount originally paid for the microwave. Lots of effort on my part to achieve this outcome, but in the end I was satisfied with Sharp's handling of the situation. Thank you!
Reviews with attachments
Had a perfectly working Sharp microwave bought new from Retravision or Archie Martins in around 1982. Yes, that's right it was 40 years old! Never failed, never had to be repaired, never needed any new parts. Used every single day for 40 years straight. On that record, when the steel chassis rust started showing through, decided a new one was a… Read more
sensible upgrade. A better appearance, matching other newer applicances and modernised home decor/wood trim made sense. After previous 40 year experience with Sharp, I never even considered any other brand. Why would you if your only experience of a microwave has been that if you buy Sharp it will last 40 years?
Found this model (which is still current as opposed to this site saying discontinued) on Flybuys as a redemption. It was the right size, the right look and had a reassuringly familiar control layout to the previous 40 year old one, so not scary to have to relearn everything again just to use it. It arrived from Harvey Norman via Flybuys and the difference was immediately obvious. The 40 year old Sharp weighed a tonne and was all steel construction. This new one was all plastic and was feather-light by comparison. Old one would stay put under its own weight and friction with rubber feet, new one would slide all over the place when pushing the door open button, and had hard plastic feet. Had to install a wooden retainer strip in the cupboard alcove installation to prevent the thing sliding everytime it was used.
18 months old exactly (out of warranty) and the display starts dying. Intermittently at first, then permanently one segment of the display numbers is completely dead. Then a second segment dies and now the thing is hard to use because you can't tell the times you're entering. Then a third segment starts dying, going very dim. Microwave is now 29 months old and is basically unusable without a reliable display. My god has Sharp quality gone to the dogs. From 40 years old with no failures of any part, to dead and only good for landfill in under 3 years!
This microwave and probably Sharp more broadly are the absolute embodiment of the terms 'planned product obsolescence' and 'enshitification'. My microwave experience is the perfect example of humankind's devolvement to making things worse. The days of striving for perfection and quality and long-lasting are well and truly dead and buried. All you can buy these days in 2025 is junk. Junk that is only home in landfill.
Edit/Update: Model changed from EST to EBS; Age of unit changed from 20 months to 29 months. I have all the same experiences of every other reviewer in here and confirm they are all being 100% honest in their reviews and photographs. I have the same bubbling stained paint on the inside roof, I have the burn marks on what I assume is the microwave generator, I have the peeling scale on the inner floor, I have the reported grinding and skipping noises of the carousel drive and I have the dying pixels in the digital display as well.
The build quality of this Sharp microwave is quite frankly the worst I have ever seen for any kitchen appliance I've ever encountered. Mine started going wrong in an intermittant way at 18 months old, now another 10 months on, the number of faults are so many and varied that I have to honestly look at it and seriously question whether repair even under warranty for free would be worth the inconvenience of having done. The build quality is simply so bad, that any repair would only be very temporary until the next thing breaks or dies and then you're back to square one again.
Others may say that a clue was in the 1yr warranty offered. It was obvious that Sharp had built something designed to start failing the moment it was plugged in, by the fact they only warrantied it for 1yr, but if you look around at all microwave manufacturers, they all offer only 1yr warranties! This Sharp unit shouldn't have even been let in the country for sale to the public. It really is that bad that it should have been stopped from being imported at the border for not meeting even the most basic expectations of reasonable quality demanded by the ACCC.
To anyone even considering this microwave as a purchase/gift/reward claim or anything else, please read the reviews, believe them and look anywhere else. DO NOT even consider Sharp for a second.
Quick update for new information: Sharp have advised they have no interest in supporting Sharp products anymore in Australia. Warranty claims will basically be ignored or bounced back wherever possible. Similarly Harvey Norman Commercial have advised they have no interest or influence over what products or support Sharp decides to bring in, as they are only a wholesaler and don't make those decisions for manufacturers. Do with that information whatever you wish, but my new strategy for microwaves given their appalling across-the-board reliability and quality is to buy the ANKO ones from K-Mart only and return them under money back replacement every 11 months and then buy another one. This is properly horrific from an environmental sustainability perspective, but what other option is there when no microwave will last under ideal conditions for more than 3 years absolute best case?
Microwave only lasted 21 months. We hardly use it, domestic use for odd leftovers and now stopped working 9 months out from warranty. Do not recommend! Cost me $274 in June 2023.
Hoped for the best, got the worst – The time come to replace my old sharp microwave that lasted 7 years, so I bought another, just after the 12 month warranty ran out the plate started to rattle and the door would fog up with condensation. Show details
Reasonable microwave – My Sharp Carousel (R350j) sadly died after 25 years of flawless service. Goodbye old friend. I purchased this oven (R395est) as a replacement. Only had it a few weeks so can't comment on longevity. Due to being an inverter model, the first thing I noticed was how much lighter this is than my old one, but it also didn't feel as solidly built.… Read more
It's much quieter, but I find the interior light not as bright. This may be because my old one is white inside as opposed to this one which is a drab grey and that this window has a darker tint.
Pros: . Powerful and quiet . Fan that comes on after use is also quiet and helps cool the electronics and remove steam from the inside. . Bright LCD screen with large digits. . Easy to operate. . Has a numberpad (I hate microwaves that don't have one). . Looks great.
Cons: . The oven I received had a manufacturing blemish on the inside plastic window (plastic wasn't moulded properly and has a small raised area in the middle). . No backlight for the buttons. . The stainless steel is a fingerprint magnet (a duller and less shiny finish would be much better). . The open button is poorly designed. On my old oven, the entire button pushed in so you could press it anywhere to open the door. On this oven, you can only press it on the left hand side (right near the door), so sometimes your fingers get in the way of the door. . Interior light should be much brighter. . Controls are easy to navigate, but sometimes require too many button presses. . Build quality could be better (metal is very thin, much thinner than my old microwave).
- +1
Horrible Quality Lasted 12 Months 3 days NO WARRANTY – Had one Previous Lasted 14 Years , as many others say Sharp Quality is not what it used to be . Sharp Australia Phone on website says Disconnected / Google Sharp 1300 Number Rings Out / Facebook page No Response to Message but it was read . Photos show interior coating flaking off , bubbling on interior top surface , rust in the folded seams like… Read more
it was put together and not coated properly , Yesterday my daughter reheated a Pizza Slice and it had an internal Electrical Storm and filled the House with Toxic smelling white smoke . Rang a company called TEMPO who do Sharp Warranty repairs and they could not help because they claimed the serial number was wrong . Added bonus it also ( like some LG reviews ) interferes with Wireless network in the house the past month unless there is some radiation leak that was the case of the fire .
Positive reviews
The best microwave ever – I purchased a Sharp R395EST 1200W Inverter Midsize Microwave so I could warm and reheat stuff. This is for when I move into my own unit in March 2021. The staff were kind to me and the service was great Show details
Good microwave – Like the options it provides and the design is sleek and blends in well with other appliances in my kitchen. Easy to clean. Only downside is the defrosting option - it will only sensor defrost meat if I put in at least 500g and unless I'm standing next to it to press start again, it will come up as an error. This can be frustrating when it has 'sensed' the weight and type of meat but will not defrost fully without a couple of attempts. Show details · 1
We're Sharp fans, but with reservations – Our previous Sharp microwave died after around 10 years, so we're pretty happy with the brand. The think we always disliked about it was the long cooling cycle. After researching our replacement, we had to buy basically the same microwave. We knew it would most likely have the same annoying characteristic, namely whether an item was heated for 5… Read more · 1
seconds or 5 minutes, there always followed at least 30 seconds of cooling off. Since not every microwave oven requires this, it seems Sharp could build into the logic an appropriate cooling down cycle length. It does everything well EXCEPT keep the time! Our main stove has a very reliable digital clock but the Sharp microwave clock gains approximately 5 to 10 seconds per day which sounds petty except that after a week it's a minute ahead of the stove and after a month you just have to reset it or go mad looking at the pair of them. And don't assume resetting the clock is intuitive! Far from it- the manual comes out every month until we wrote the steps out on a note and keep it handy. The same goes for trying to select a power and a time. Just don't go there! Food heats quickly and evenly- but just use the time selection to save your sanity.
Negative reviews
Terrible microwave only lasted 2 years and 2 months. Previous Sharp Carousel lasted over 15 years. Cheap made and never heated as well as old model. Will not purchase a Sharp again. Show details
Absolute Rubbish – Well I should have known,I read the reviews but we bought it because the inside compartment lights up ,not even 20 months old and the rotating part is making a grinding noise so we are just waiting for it to stop working I will never buy Sharp again it's the worst micro wave we ever bought stay right away from this company. Tim p.s We paid $379.00 Show details
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If it looks like junk, feels like junk, then it probably is – Everywhere in life you have to pay for your education. I have just been educated never ever to buy rubbish made by Sharp ever again. This microwave has all the elegance of a tin can lying on the side of the road. Looks, sounds and feels like cheap junk. Usability is atrocious. You need to have thumbs and finger of the Incredible Hulk to press… Read more
the Start or Stop buttons, or any of the other buttons for that matter. What's more if you don't press in the exact right spot then not even the Hulk can help you. Good luck if you have any form or arthritis. Same for door opener, has a wide lever do open the door but you can only press it in one small area on the left. Have you chiropractor's number hand if you miss it as you will end up with a dislocated thumb. Steer well clear of this junk if you have any form of arthritis, weak hands, or long manicured fingernails as it will be all but a useless ornament taking up space on your kitchen bench. Straight to the scrap metal yard where it belongs.
Recent reviews
No faulty or return policy… fake – Microwave doesn’t work. Despite purchasing from appliancesonline on the 3rd Apr, I called on the 11th Apr and they’re arguing it’s past the 7 days return; while dismissing the fact that IT DOESNT WORK! Called support again and the same excuse. Will call Consumer Affairs tomorrow… Show details
Uneven heating and died just out of warranty – When you pay for a quality microwave and it dies just after the warranty period ends, it is pretty devastating. From the very start, I questioned whether this microwave was actually worth the money. It seems to burn the edges of food when the centre and top are still cold. 30s is too long for chicken wings but 3min isn't long enough for a piece… Read more
of lasagne?
Porridge always explodes, reheating a cup of tea has smelt like burning and had smoke in the machine. Also, any bowl or cup reheated leaves the container too hot to touch even if the food or liquid is still luke warm. The amount of times I burned my fingers trying to get a bowl out just to stir the food so it heats evenly...
And now it shorts out our whole switchboard as soon as it's plugged in - not even heating anything. For no reason, nothing happened to cause it. Anyway, I'd advise to stay away and choose a different brand.
The worst microwave I bought in my life – I bought it early October 2022 and second half of September 2023 started to not heat as a result I kept looking for the receipt but I went overseas 27th September 2023 and when arrived back I contacted the good guys 20th of November 2023 which made it easy for me by saying bring it to the store it is under 3 year’s warranty, then 22nd I took it to… Read more
the store the counter person said it is covered only for 12 month I bought a sharp microwave to use it for 11 months and chuck in the bin as to fix privately will cost you same price of a new one.
Not Quality – We use the microwave everyday for steaming vegetables and re-heating food. The programming options for cooking, reheating, and defrosting are not intuitive at all. Purchased this model 23 months ago and has now stopped heating food and periodically has E-5 on the display. Terrible quality for a $300 microwave. Will be sticking with the Panasonic from now on. Show details
Worked well until it died at 20 months old – Worked well whilst it lasted, but it didn't last long (less than two years). It replaced my cheap Kmart microwave which lasted over 10 years. This more expensive one had peeling paint at 1 year and then just stopped working. Error E5. Thankfully I managed to get a refund due to Australian consumer law even though it was out of warranty. Never buying Sharp again. You clearly don't get what you pay for these days. Show details
Need a torch to read the control panel – We bought the 395EST to replace our old Sharp Microwave - really disappointing that there there is no backlight on the control panel keys - if using at night have to use a torch to see what buttons you are pressing. Show details
Short useful life – Purchased Christmas 2020 now September 2022 and unit has failed. Contacted Sharp but told too far out of warranty. My last Panasonic microwave lasted 12 years without a problem and is now back in service!. I would suggest anyone think carefully before purchasing a Sharp microwave. A useful life of less than 2 years is not really acceptable imo. Show details
Disgraceful quality and reliability - hallmark of 21st century kitchen appliances… – Bought this around 3.5 years ago because my boomer parents had Sharp carousels that would last decades. Microwave died today, it trips the circuit breaker as soon as you fire it up. Considering in was upper-middle tier range in price, this is absolutely unacceptable. My “cheap and nasty” Black and Decker microwave from Bunnings lasted 10+ years… Read more
and had never actually failed when it was retired.
Next time I’ll buy an Anko for 50 bucks from K-mart, if it lasts even a year it’s better return on investment then this pile of garbage from Sharp.
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Worked for 24 months - Not good enough Sharp – This microwave worked for only 24 months. I purchased because of previous Sharp microwave working for many years. 24 months is not long enough for the cost involved. Do not purchase a Sharp. Show details
Thoroughly disappointed – My precious sharp carousel lasted 10 years, so naturally I wanted to purchase another. This microwave is great aesthetically but that’s it. After less than 12 months it was corroding and Sharp do not care and have simply told me to stop using it. Their customer service has been atrocious. Expensive junk. Show details
After much Research I am happy, but not completely, with my Purchase!!! – I purchased this Sharp Microwave Oven on 23.2.2022 from Harvey Norman. This purchase was made after much research including reviews, etc. The main reason for purchasing this particular model was how it would look in my kitchen with the other Stainless Steel Appliances. This microwave is in fact Black, but still blends in very well with my existing… Read more
appliances. Packaging was excellent and fully protected the microwave from any damage. I would like to point out though that the use of polystyrene packaging should be halted immediately as the only place you can send it is in to landfill. A substitute, that would enable the packaging to be recycled, should be a no-brainer for any manufacturer who has an interest in the future of our planet. Setup was easy and I was happy with the way that this microwave looked. Easy to set the time - easy to operate - and easy to open the front door. There were a few things that I feel I will not get used to and this could be an issue for me. First, the time display is far too bright. There is no setting to adjust the brightness. At night it looks like a very strong beacon and coupled with this, it is really hard to read due to this brightness. The second is, even after the microwave has completed the cycle you have set -It keeps running?? I have never had a microwave like this before. Very off-putting as you feel that you are getting radiated when you remove your food. Obviously this is not the case but very unsettling none the less. The last is the keypad. When you are looking directly at the keypad it appears that it has not been made very well in that you can see a raised section on the pad rather than conformity all round. Perhaps my OCD is kicking in but I have included a photo so you can make up your own mind about this.
Terrible microwave – This microwave is completely terrible. Purchased in September 2019 and chose Sharp due to having various Sharp microwaves previously that have performed really well. This one dehydrates and overcooks all of the vegetables when used on the vegetable program both fresh and frozen. The Frozen peas turn out liked dried ones. The only good setting is… Read more
the melt soften and this works well. After a year the light started flashing intermittently on some programs or not a working at all.I considered replacing it with another brand but it appears that there is not one microwave available that has a good review and so have decided that I may as well struggle with this one and use it manually or cook my vegetables on the cooktop. Really disappointing as my first ever microwave was a Sharp and it lasted 24 years and was still going when I replaced it and regret doing so.
Died after 14 months! (12 month warranty) – Microwave had error (E6) after less than 14 months. When I contacted Sharp customer service I was told that 13 months would have been OK to get repaired under the warranty by my time frame was too long. Very disappointed as it really seems that these products no longer have the quality that they have previously had. The products last the minimum required timeframe. Do not buy this product unless you want a microwave for less than 12 months. Show details
Don’t waste your time – Terrible, when you reheat the food is always cold in the middle and boiling on the edges. When defrosting, it cooks the edges and is still frozen in middle. Is also loud. Show details
Dead after 3 years – Microwave lasted just over 3 years. Now it needs a new diode worth a few dollars, but you have to buy the whole inverter unit for $330.00, more than the cost of a new microwave. It needed a new globe after 6 months. It replaced a Sharp microwave that was 25 years old and still working. But things have changed. No more Sharp for me.
My last Sharp Microwave – 3rd Sharp Microwave in 3 years. Works well but they no longer work for long after warranty expires if I'm going to get rubbish chinese model I will buy a no name brand for less than half the price Show details
Disappointing for Sharp - very slow for 1200W – This is our 3rd Sharp 1200W inverter microwave. The others were great for 5 years. This new model heats a lot slower than previous models and struggles to cook. I feels clunky to use. Buttons require more force. LED display too bright. Previous model was made in Thailand this one is Chinese. Show details
So much for CHOICE recommendations! – We bought this unit for almost $400 based on Sharp's good name and a high placing in the Choice road tests. Early in the warranty, the sensors blew and the microwave stopped heating. We had it repaired under warranty but it's now out of warranty and the sensors are going again. We have to run a defrost program twice or 3 times for our food to… Read more
even partially defrost.
The light also started to dim and has now blown... It's an LED!! They're meant to have 50000+ hours of life and we've had this product less than 2 years. A replacement light unit is expensive and requires disassembling the microwave to replace. I queried having it done via the retailer and was told globe replacement was expected of purchasers, not something they will consider as a service.
Waste of money. Won't buy based on Choice recommendations again. Questioning whether or not to even give Sharp another try. Maybe we got a lemon?? Maybe their products are all lemons. Unsure.
Nothing good to say – Light flickering Clock fast Cooling down fan goes too long Over heat on sensor Another crap load of land fill that was definitely not worth the money, had a Panasonic for thirty years, this thing lasted two. You have got to be kidding me Sharp. Show details
Poor design by a usually good manufacturer – Same comments as many others. Purchased in July 2018 from Domayne, Kotara NSW. Clock races ahead. Needs to be reset after a few weeks. Oven lamp is strobing/flickering. Food will be overcooked unless time or power is reduced below those given in instruction book. Where do I buy replacement oven lamp? Show details
Dont BUY this! A cheaply made product.Don't waste your money – Further to my original review the second microwave at work has died completely. That's two of these pieces of junk firstly having both lights fail and now both no longer heat. Poorly made plastic pieces of crap. So overall including my personal one that's 3 in 12 months that have all had lights fail and blown up! Great work Sharp. We will never buy again from Sharp. Show details
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I have had this Microwave now for a month. I thought I should give an update about the 3 negatives… Read more