Josh Hendrickson
While you can already get an AmazonBasics Microwave with Alexa powers, it’s fairly limited in the voice commands you can do. Sharp is ready to one-up Amazon, or two-up as it were, with an Alexa-compatible Microwave in two sizes. The size isn’t the only difference, though. The more you spend, the more voice commands you get.
You may be thinking, “Why would I want voice controls on a microwave?” and that’s a fair question. When you put the food in the microwave, the buttons are right there after all. But not everyone can easily use buttons on the microwave.
For anyone who is vision impaired or has other difficulties using buttons, voice commands can be a big benefit. Sharp also fine-tuned the machine for popcorn. As long as you buy Orville Redenbacher (and only that brand), you won’t have to worry about reading the instructions or getting the time right. All you have to do is tell Alexa to “microwave classic popcorn,” and it will do the rest.
The new microwave comes in two sizes, the $150 1.1 cubic foot SMC1139FS and the $170 1.4 cubic foot SMC1449FS. Size isn’t the only difference, however. The smaller microwave comes with over 30 voice commands and an additional ten voice-only presets. The larger option has 70 voice commands and an additional voice-only presets.
Sharp says the microwaves are coming soon but didn’t list an exact date or retailer you can find them at yet. You’ll also have to buy an Alexa speaker or display to take advantage of the voce commands if you don’t already have one.
1.1 cu. ft. 1000W Sharp Stainless Steel Smart Carousel Countertop Microwave Oven
This mid-size 1.1 cubic foot microwave comes with over 30 voice commands you can use to speed up your food heating process.
1.4 cu. ft. 1000W Sharp Stainless Steel Smart Carousel Countertop Microwave Oven
This larger 1.4 cubic foot microwave steps up to 70 voice commands and a slightly larger size. Still perfect for popcorn.
