Sharp SMC1655BS review

The Sharp SMC1655BS is a useful comparison for someone who prefers turning a dial to typing a cooking time. It combines that interface with sensor menus and a 1.6-cubic-foot cavity. The main reservation is physical space: its depth and the manual's surrounding clearance requirement make it a substantial countertop appliance. Choose it for a routine the dial improves, after checking the dish and the location.

The dial is the deciding feature

Many microwaves have similar-looking feature lists but feel different during a repeated task. The SMC1655BS uses an entry dial for time, weight, power and sensor-menu selection, as shown in its exact operation manual. That is the reason to examine this model rather than choose it solely because the capacity falls between a compact oven and a very large one.

If you often add an approximate interval while watching food, turning a control may be more intuitive than entering digits. If you consistently want an exact uncommon time, you may prefer a numeric keypad. Neither interface is automatically simpler for everyone. Before buying, imagine the sequence for your own breakfast or evening leftovers: select a function, enter the setting, confirm and start. A prominent dial does not necessarily mean one action does everything.

Capacity helps only if your cookware fits

Sharp's manufacturer specification sheet lists a removable 13.6-inch glass turntable, sensor functions and a stainless-steel finish. That tray makes this a plausible candidate for ordinary plated meals, but it is not a universal maximum-dish guarantee. A handle or a square corner can be the part that catches, even when the bottom fits neatly on the tray.

Choose a familiar plate, a tall covered bowl and your widest rectangular container as three separate checks. Do not combine their dimensions into an imaginary ideal dish. Think about the route through the door and the space for your hand or mitt as well as free rotation. If the main requirement is a very wide serving platter, compare actual cavity geometry elsewhere instead of assuming 1.6 cubic feet is enough.

Sensor assistance is useful for variable portions

The documented sensor menus make the SMC1655BS more relevant to leftover-heavy households than to someone repeating one known timed task. A person who wants less initial timing guesswork can use that assistance, then assess the result. A person who heats the same mug every morning may get more value from a smaller appliance with a familiar shortcut.

It helps to separate “automatic” from “appropriate for everything.” For a mixed dinner plate, dense and delicate ingredients may need different treatment. For a small quantity of sauce, a cautious manual interval may be easier to manage than expecting a food category to understand the serving. The sensor's presence supports a particular convenience requirement; it does not prove superior measured uniformity or make every container and portion eligible for every program.

Allow for the operating space, not just the metal case

The exact manual lists an exterior 21.8 inches wide, 19.3 deep and 12.8 high, with four inches of space to adjacent surfaces at the top, sides and rear. Sharp's specification sheet instead gives 19.0 inches deep and 13.0 high. Both identify the same model, so a tight installation needs actual-unit measurements rather than choosing whichever figure fits. The manual identifies 1,100 watts of output separately from 1,550 watts of electrical input, for a grounded 120-volt, 60-hertz supply. Its eleven power settings include zero output.

Those measurements make this a poor appliance to squeeze into an almost-matching shelf. Put the planned footprint on the counter and include room for the open door and a landing area for hot food. If it leaves no practical workspace, the nominal middle-size capacity does not make it a compact choice. The specification sheet explicitly lists no trim kit, so a cabinet-opening answer should not produce an automatic recommendation.

The tradeoffs behind the questionnaire match

“I prefer a dial and want help reheating changing portions.” This is the model's clearest fit. The control style and documented sensor function address both preferences, provided the operating space is sufficient.

“I have a shallow counter under low cabinets.” Start with the measurements. A microwave can be physically supported by a counter yet still lack the specified open space. If you cannot satisfy the manual, changing the questionnaire's preference for dial controls will not cure an installation mismatch.

“I need a child-resistant door or no beeps.” The manual documents a control lock, but the sources reviewed do not establish a newer two-step door system or a mute feature. Do not infer either from the lock symbol or the fact that another Sharp product offers it. Essential requirements need confirmation on the actual unit and its supplied instructions.

“I want the microwave to brown dinner.” Compare a convection combination instead. A sensor menu and more power settings help manage microwave cooking; they do not add a separate dry-heat cooking system.

Replacement and ownership checks

For an existing owner, retain the exact model code when seeking a tray, roller guide or other accessory. A glass plate that seems similar in diameter may not sit correctly on the drive. Inspect the door, hinges, seal surfaces and supplied accessories when buying an older or open-box offer, and use qualified service for problems involving the oven itself. An attractive listing photograph does not establish the condition of the item being sold.

Our recommendation is conditional but clear: shortlist the SMC1655BS when a dial genuinely improves your daily interaction and you can dedicate the required space. Choose a different interface if exact keypad entry is easier for you, or a smaller body if the microwave would dominate the only preparation counter. The best reason to accept this model's footprint is a daily task made simpler by its controls, rather than spare cavity volume you rarely use.