Sharp SMC1169KS 1.1 cu. ft. 1000W Smart Countertop Microwave review: a clever appliance you can control with your voice

These days, you generally know what to expect when buying a microwave. It’ll have Express Cook functions, preset auto-cook buttons, and at least one defrost option. But did you know microwaves have smart capabilities?

When I was given the chance to test the Sharp SMC1169KS 1.1 cu. ft. 1000W Smart Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven, I took it, simply because I wanted to see how Alexa voice commands would work with a microwave.

Over a week, I used all the various functions and features. I got a better idea of how Alexa can simplify using a microwave, even if it might not save you more time. Read below for my full review of this Sharp microwave and why it may be the right choice for you. If it's not right, check out our guide to the best microwaves for more options.

Alex Temblador

Alex Temblador has been reviewing household products since 2020. She has tested everything from vacuums to coffee machines, mattresses, gardening tools, hot tubs, and more. Alex reviewed the Sharp SMC1169KS 1.1 cu. ft. 1000W Smart Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven in her 104-year-old home in the Dallas, Texas, area.

Sharp SMC1169KS Smart Countertop Microwave: Key specs

Sharp SMC1169KS Smart Countertop Microwave: Price & availability

Sharp prices the SMC1169KS 1.1 cu. ft. 1000W Smart Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven at $149.99. It’s sold through Amazon for the same price. I couldn’t find it listed at other retailers like Walmart or Best Buy. However, it appears to be sold through smaller appliance stores or brands for a much higher price (between $200-$240).

Considering the size, wattage, and ability to work with Alexa, I’d say $149.99 is reasonable. My research shows that most microwaves with Alexa capability are more expensive. Even microwaves that are smaller or with lesser wattage are priced higher, so this is a great find.

Score: 9/10

Sharp SMC1169KS Smart Countertop Microwave: Setup

Setting up this microwave wasn’t as easy as I hoped. To begin, I removed the microwave from the cardboard box and packaged it in foam pieces (which I don’t think are recyclable). After plugging in the microwave, I tried to set the time, and it worked at first. I don’t know what happened, but suddenly, the microwave time was an hour ahead. No matter how much I attempted to fix it, I could never figure it out (and I tried over multiple days). Finally, my father managed to set the correct time in the microwave. Unfortunately, the next day, it was an hour ahead.

This microwave comes with a Child-resistant Door Lock that I found bothersome. The door remains locked for the cooking time, plus 30 minutes after it finishes the cooking operation, until you hit the 0/Unlock button. This means that you can’t just push the door button to pause or stop the cooking time because it won’t work. I disabled the Child-Resistant Door Lock because I don’t have a child. Disabling the Child-Resistant Door Lock took seconds and made for a better testing experience for me.

The last thing I needed to do was connect the microwave to Alexa. By doing this, you can command the microwave to set a cook time, pause, resume, or stop a cooking process, resulting in a somewhat hands-off cooking experience (of course, you’ll have to add and remove food). You can even set up automatic cooking functions through Alexa voice commands. It can be difficult to remember all Alexa instructions. However, they’re written out in the manual, so you can reference it as needed until you remember them all.

Setting up the microwave with Alexa was a hassle. I first connected the microwave to the Alexa app on my phone. It was a very simple process and didn’t take long. Unfortunately, the microwave occasionally got disabled or did not respond through the app, and I had to reconnect it through Wi-Fi.

Mostly, I had no trouble controlling the microwave through the app. However, it was frustrating that the app had to be open to operate the microwave. I couldn’t flip through other apps or close the app because voice commands wouldn’t work. With that in mind, I’d suggest connecting an Echo or some other Alexa device so you can continue with your work or use your phone and still control the microwave.

Eventually, I borrowed an Echo for testing purposes. Connecting the Echo to the microwave took far longer than it should, likely because the Echo I used was an older version. Once the connection was made, I could command the microwave easily—as long as I remembered how to phrase the voice commands. If you don’t say the command exactly as it’s written in the manual, Alexa won't complete the task, which is a drawback.

Score: 6/10

Sharp SMC1169KS Smart Countertop Microwave: Design

The Sharp SMC1169KS 1.1 cu. ft. 1000W Smart Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven is a sharp-looking 1.1 cubic foot microwave with a 43-inch power cord. Most stainless steel microwaves are black with stainless steel accents. However, this Sharp microwave has a bright stainless steel color with black accents, making it stand out in a kitchen.

The control panel on the right side of the microwave is split into various sections. The top section features pre-programmed cooking functions: Potato, Beverage, Veggie, Frozen Pizza, Popcorn, and Reheat. Below is the Auto Defrost section with buttons for Meat, Poultry, and Fish. The next sections are Time Cook, Power Level, and Time Defrost. This is followed by the number pad section, which also doubles as the Express Cook function.

The control panel bottom has four buttons: WiFi Connect, Timer/Clock, Stop/Clear, and Start/+30SEC.

This particular microwave has a built-in rotating plate and a removable 12.4-inch glass plate. It doesn’t have a handle but rather a push button that pops the microwave open when you press it.

You can control Alexa with over 50 voice commands and Alexa connection capability. To utilize this feature, you need to download an Alexa app or connect to an Alexa product.

Last but not least, this Microwave Oven is ADA-compliant. This means the design makes it an accessible option for those who require an ADA-accessible kitchen.

Score: 8/10

Sharp SMC1169KS Smart Countertop Microwave: Performance

When cooking, heating, or reheating food, the Sharp SMC1169KS 1.1 cu. ft. 1000W Smart Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven did a solid job. Although I don’t have a lot of countertop space in my own house, I think this microwave is the right size for most people and has an excellent power level – 1000 watts – for most of their needs. I dislike loud microwaves, and though this Sharp unit wasn't the quietest, it wasn't that loud, either. It had an average sound rating of 65 dB. 

You must press the Time Cook button followed by the cook time and power level to set a designated cook time. Otherwise, you can use the Express Cook function. This is a short cut that lets you push numbers 1-6 to cook between 1 minute and 6 minutes at the highest power level. The Start/+30SEC button allows you to add another 30 seconds to the cooking time or increase it in 30-second intervals. There is no memory procedure feature, which means you can’t save your own preset cook times/power levels.

One of the most convenient aspects of this microwave is the preset auto-cook function. There are six different options – Potato, Beverage, Veggie, Frozen Pizza, Popcorn, and Reheat. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the cooking time based on the auto-cook function you choose.

• Potato: (1) 4:40, (2) 7:30, (3) 11:00
• Beverage: (1) 0:50, (2) 1:30, (3) 2:20
• Veggie: (4.0 oz., U-1) 3:00 (U-2) 2:20, (8.0 oz., U-1) 5:00  (U-2) 3:10, (16.0 oz., U-1) 8:00 (U-2) 5:00
• Frozen Pizza: (4.0 oz.) 1:30, (8.0 oz.) 3:00, (14.0 oz.) 3:40
• Popcorn: (3.3 oz.) 1:40, (1.5 oz.) 1:10
• Reheat: (9.0 oz.) 2:30, (12.0 oz.) 3:30, (18.0 oz.) 4:30

I tested these preset functions in a number of ways—like cooking a baked potato, heating water to make sweet tea, reheating leftovers, and cooking frozen broccoli. Everything worked well, especially the Reheat, Veggie, and Frozen Pizza buttons. About the Beverage button, 50 seconds wasn’t enough to heat one mug of water to the temperature I needed to make tea. I found that one minute and thirty seconds resulted in a better temperature.  

Similarly, when I hit the Potato auto cook function twice, I found that seven minutes and thirty seconds didn’t completely cook two very large potatoes. However, I think time would be enough for smaller or medium-sized potatoes. (It should also be noted that cooking a potato in the microwave takes less time than cooking it in an oven or air fryer. Both take between 30 minutes and an hour to do.)

This microwave’s popcorn setting is Orville Redenbacher Certified. This means that the Popcorn button is designed to perfectly cook the Classic Size (3.3 oz.) or Single Serve Mini Bag (1.16 oz.) of Orville Redenbacher's Microwave Popcorn. I did not have Orville Redenbacher popcorn on hand. However, I thought 1 minute and 40 seconds was a reasonable cooking time for the popcorn bag I tested this feature on. 

Where most microwaves have Timed Defrost and Weight Defrost buttons, this Sharp microwave lacks a Weight Defrost option. Instead, Sharp has included three preset Auto Defrost buttons based on meat type – meat, poultry, and fish. There are different cook times based on meat ounces. For example, the Auto Defrost Poultry button has different cook times depending on 24, 32, 40, and 49-ounce poultry cuts. I really liked this feature, however, I wasn't always sure how much the meat I wanted to cook would weigh.

Other features of this Sharp microwave include kitchen timer mode and Multi-Stage Cooking. Sharp suggests using the Multi-Stage Cooking feature to defrost food and cook it. Essentially, this function allows you to cook for a certain amount of time at a specific power level, followed by a different amount of time at a different power level. The microwave automatically switches between the two cook times and power levels.

Throughout the testing process, I sometimes pressed buttons directly on the microwave and sometimes controlled it with Alexa voice commands. To be fair, it is pretty cool to see the microwave start up after an Alexa voice command. I also liked that Alexa paused, resumed, and stopped the microwave when I asked it to. This is a really helpful feature for those with accessibility needs or simply for users who are busy in the kitchen and need some help from Alexa. 

However, using Alexa took longer than pushing the microwave buttons. For one, I had to remember the Alexa commands exactly as indicated in the operation manual. It was easy to recall “Alexa cook for 30 seconds,” but I just couldn’t recall the different ounces of fish used in the Auto Defrost Fish set. I also couldn't remember that I had to phrase it as “Alexa, defrost X of Fish.” I wasted time flipping through the manual to see the exact phrasing. Sometimes, Alexa asked me questions about my commands, like “For how long?” or “When do you want me to do that?” In the time it took me to answer, I could have just pressed the button.

Alexa has over 50 voice command options, and I highly doubt you can immediately remember them. It will take some time, and perhaps once that’s complete, you’ll find that using Alexa with the microwave is the right option for you. In the meantime, you must be patient or use the microwave buttons.

Cleaning-wise, there’s not much to do with this microwave except keep the inside clean. Cloth and water clean the microwave well, though I occasionally use dish soap for tough jobs. You can hand wash the glass tray or throw it in the dishwasher.   

Score: 8/10

Sharp SMC1169KS Smart Countertop Microwave: User reviews

There are no updated reviews of this Sharp microwave on the Sharp website. As of this review, it has a 4.6 out of 5-star rating from 48 reviews on Amazon. Customers praised this microwave for its ability to cook at faster speeds and how easy it was to set it up with Alexa. One reviewer pointed out that they also had trouble setting the time.

A few reviewers noted that this microwave has a 12-inch glass platter and a similar; the previous version was 14 inches in diameter. However, it didn’t seem to affect their use of the product. Overall, most customers found this Sharp microwave to be a well-made microwave that suited all of their needs.

Should you buy the Sharp SMC1169KS Smart Countertop Microwave?

Buy it if...

 Don’t buy it if…  

How does the Sharp SMC1169KS Smart Countertop Microwave compare?

If you don’t need a microwave that’s quite as large, powerful, or with Alexa capability, consider the Cuisinart CMW-70 Microwave Oven. It’s cheaper and a quality microwave. Both microwaves have multi-stage cooking functions; however, users can also set up three Memory Procedures or a saved designated cook time with the Cuisinart microwave.

The GE Smart Countertop Microwave Oven is a comparable microwave with Alexa and Google Assistant capabilities. It may be slightly smaller (.9 cu. ft.) and more powerful (900 watts) than the Sharp microwave, but users might be interested in Scan-to-Cook Technology, which allows you to scan the barcode of frozen foods to send the exact cook time directly to the microwave.

These days, many microwaves double as grills and air fryers—and if that sounds like a good fit for you, check out the Samsung 1.2 cu. ft. Countertop Microwave with Power Convection in Black Glass. It’s a much higher-priced unit than the Sharp microwave. However, Samsung offers crispy foods and voice control capabilities through Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung Bixby.

How the Sharp SMC1169KS Smart Countertop Microwave was tested for this review

At Top Ten Reviews, we provide thorough product reviews to ensure you make confident purchases. Our experienced team conducts extensive research, testing, and analysis to offer accurate and honest assessments.

Our testing process includes in-depth evaluations under real-life conditions, covering aspects such as performance, design, and price. Each product is tested and rated based on specific criteria, resulting in a final star rating.

Alex Temblador reviewed the Sharp SMC1169KS 1.1 cu. ft. 1000W Smart Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven. Her week-long evaluation included testing auto-cook functions, Alexa capabilities, and hands-free usage, providing comprehensive insights for potential buyers.

See more about how we test.

• First reviewed: August 2024