Hisense HMVZ173SS microwave review: Strong performance but needs a larger turntable

Microwaves, like the Hisense HMVZ173SS, are used by most of us. They’ve become a common household appliance to the point that most new homes don’t come without them. Most households used to buy countertop microwaves, but now that many homes have over the range microwaves, those sometimes need to be replaced. There is a huge number of choices for over the range microwaves from a myriad of brands. Microwaves are one of those appliances that can sometimes be a crap shoot. In this review, we take a brief look at the Hisense HMVZ173SS over the range microwave. A strong performer that could use a bit more room inside and maybe a larger turntable.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Before we jump into the review. I completely concede that finding the perfect microwave is impossible. That goes for anything you buy, really. There are pros and cons to it all. There are a few things that I disliked about the Hisense HMVZ173SS microwave, but these are things one gets used to after using a previous microwave for years. That said, let’s get into this review.

Hisense HMVZ173SS: The Quick Take

The Hisense HMVZ173SS microwave is a strong performer. It does an excellent job through all of its power settings and presets. It actually did a better job than our previous and larger Samsung microwave at reheating and cooking foods. So props on performance. I also loved that the turntable holder was raised higher than our previous microwave and held the plate much better with no slipping.

My one minor gripe is that the interior feels small, and the turntable is smaller than I’d like. Though, Hisense did an outstanding job at making a turntable that is easy to put on and doesn’t slip nearly as often as our old Samsung. My last critique, and this really has nothing to do with the microwave, this is purely our fault. The mounting holes were further apart than our old microwave, and I had to remove the cabinet to install this. So be sure to check dimensions before buying and make sure it will fit.

Overall, this is a solid microwave, well worth the sale price of $299 and MSRP of $329.

Specifications

The Hisense HMVZ173SS has the following features and specifications:

• Capacity (Cu. Feet): 1.7
• Exhaust Fan Maximum Capacity (CFM): 300
• Cut-Out Depth (Inches): 15.5
• Height (Inches): 16.42
• Cut-Out Height (Inches): 16.5
• Microwave Size: Large (>1.5-cu ft)
• Cut-Out Width (Inches): 30
• Turntable Diameter (Inches): 12.4
• Depth (Inches): 15.41
• Weight (lbs.): 50.26
• Depth with Door Open (Inches): 39.98
• Width (Inches): 29.88
• Number of One-Touch Cook Options: 9
• Appliance Type: Over-the-range microwave
• Number of Sensor Control Pads: 2
• Charcoal Filter: Yes
• Number of Vent Speeds: 3
• Child Safety Locks: Yes
• Power Level(s): 10
• Control Location: Right
• Recirculating Filter: Yes
• Control Type: Electronic
• Reheat: Yes
• Sensor Cooking Controls: Yes
• Convenience Cooking Controls: Yes
• Speed Cook: Yes
• Cooktop Lights: LED
• Timer: Yes
• Defrost: Yes
• Turntable: Standard
• Vent Fan Location: Back
• Door Swing: Left swing
• Vent Type: Vertical Exhaust
• Fingerprint-Resistant: Yes
• Wattage: 1000
• Interior Light(s) Type: LED
• Melting/Softening Option: Yes
• Number of Convenience Control Pads: 9
• Smart Functions: No

What’s In The Box

• Hisense HMVZ173SS Microwave
• Manuals and Documentation
• Hardware and Templates

Design

The design of the Hisense HMVZ173SS is fairly standard fare. You’re not looking at anything unique here, stainless steel and glass with a handle and control panel. It looks excellent, it’s simple and familiar. It goes well with other stainless appliances. Not much to really scream about, but also nothing major to complain about. The stainless does pick up fingerprints, if your fingers happen to be greasy or have food on them. Clean hands won’t leave much fingerprinting, but dirty ones will.

Nothing much is going on around the sides, back or bottom. The standard vents, filter, light and mounting points are all there. The front has the familiar pull handle door with glass and it works just as expected. The control panel is even standard. Though, I love the clear and large font used to label all the buttons. The clock is also big and bright, and the program buttons are easy to understand and use.

The interior is lit up well with LED lights and the material inside is white, which makes the lights even brighter. The turntable is a bit smaller than I would have liked, our previous microwave was 1.8 cubic feet (ca. 51 l) and the Hisense HMVZ173SS is 1.7 cubic feet (ca. 48 l) so maybe this had something to do with a much smaller turntable plate.

But, the turntable mounting point is raised high, and the plate sits on it way better than our previous microwave. We have yet need to fix the plate from slipping off the mounting point. That is a great thing, as I would get frustrated with our old microwave because the plate constantly fell off the mount.

Overall, this is a simple and standard design that caters to those who just want something familiar and easy to use. Why reinvent the wheel? Make some improvements to performance and functionality but keep the design. Great idea.

Install

Lowe’s offers installation for appliances, I would highly recommend going this route. Especially if you’ve not installed an over-the-range microwave before. It will make your life easier. My other recommendation is to MEASURE your space, cabinet and find out where the current mounting holes are and where the new ones are. This will save you a ton of headaches.

I don’t think this install would have been an issue had my cabinet not been a pain in the butt. The Hisense HMVZ173SS fit nicely and perfectly into the old space, but the mounting holes on the Hisense are a little further apart and my cabinet didn’t have the room to accommodate those mounting points.

So what I ended up doing, which is probably not recommended, was to remove the cabinet and install a new shelf. I anchored that shelf to the studs in the wall and mounted the Hisense HMVZ173SS to that. I basically left the space above without cabinet doors. There is still work to be done, but I accomplished the installation and it looks decent, though not perfect.

I would say that the installation is fairly simple if you measure and check everything before purchase. It is important to check every detail. Since this was sent to us by Hisense, I had not thought of doing that and I chose to modify my existing space. It took longer than expected, but that was not the microwave’s fault.

Overall, I think the installation is not too hard but I would recommend having Lowe’s do that for you. Especially if you’ve never done it before.

Performance

On the performance front, I was very impressed. At least compared to our old Samsung unit. Multi-stage express cooking allows you to customize power levels and cooking times, and the presets were outstanding. Especially the popcorn setting, our old unit would burn the bagged popcorn, the Hisense HMVZ173SS has cooked the bags perfectly.

Hisense says that its even-wave technology reflects and scatters microwave energy for even heating and defrosting performance. Defrosting and heating performance was also excellent, again, to compare to our old Samsung, this unit performed these tasks faster and with better results. There are 8 auto menu cooking options including snack menu, melt/soften, potato and more.

The 300 CFM, 2 speed venting system removes smoke, and unwanted odors from your kitchen and it does a good job, but can be a little loud. The LED lighting is bright and most welcomed. This unit also comes with a 2-year warranty, which is pretty spectacular for a microwave.

Overall, I thought the performance was the high point of the Hisense HMVZ173SS. It outperformed our Samsung unit and with a 2-year warranty, that’s pretty outstanding.

Price/Value

The Hisense HMVZ173SS is priced at $329, but can be found at Lowe’s on sale for $299, sometimes lower. As of this review, it is on sale for $299. I think there is a lot of good value here. It’s not an appliance you’re going to buy for astonishing looks or design, but it performs just as you need it to.

Wrap Up

Simple microwave. Solid performance. The installation process is something you should consider, but that’s with any microwave. The price point is spot on. The warranty is outstanding. The turntable is slightly smaller than I would like, but it is not horrible. Overall, I’d recommend it.

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