Panasonic NN-SN686S Review (2026)

Ideal for most households, meal preppers, and anyone who defrosts meat and reheats leftovers several times a week. If you want crisping and baking in the same box, choose the Breville Combi Wave or Panasonic HomeChef instead.

Conventional microwaves pulse full power to simulate low settings, which cooks edges while centers lag. The inverter in the SN686S delivers continuous reduced power, and owners notice it most on defrosted chicken, reheated pasta, and melted butter without explosions.

At 1200 watts, full power jobs are also fast: soups, vegetables, and frozen meals track package times written for high wattage units.

The Genius Sensor measures steam to set reheat and cook times across 14 presets, reducing the usual add 30 seconds loop. Keep warm and quick minute buttons cover the small jobs between meals.

The 1.2 cubic foot cavity and 13.4 inch turntable fit dinner plates and medium casseroles, while the 20.7 inch width keeps it apartment friendly.

Against the Toshiba EM131A5C, the Panasonic adds true inverter power and 100 extra watts in a lighter, slightly smaller body, while the Toshiba counters with a mute button and a lower tier. Against the Breville Combi Wave BMO870, the Panasonic is microwave only but simpler and lighter; the Breville adds convection and air fry at a premium tier and a deeper footprint.

Buy the Panasonic for pure microwave quality per inch of counter.

On the counter, the SN686S asks for a modest 20.7 x 15.8 inch footprint and weighs 25.3 lb, light enough to shift for cleaning behind the unit. That cleaning is a real routine: owners note the door and trim are fingerprint prone, so the stainless front needs regular wiping to keep the tidy look shown in listings.

Two smaller ownership points repeat in owner reports. The button pad requires firm presses, which some owners find reassuring and others find slow, and the beeps are louder than some prefer, with no mute mode to fall back on. The interior light could also be brighter, which matters when checking food in a dim kitchen at night.

Between main meals, the small features carry daily use. Keep warm holds food at serving temperature without continued cooking, and the quick minute button handles drinks, butter, and short reheats without opening the full preset menu.

Owners who reheat several times a day tend to live on those two controls plus sensor reheat, which is why the plain microwave-only focus still feels complete here.