Whirlpool Convection Microwave Review and Tutorial | Watch this before you buy! Model# WMH78019HV

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Have you ever used a convection microwave? It really is a transformative appliance to have in your kitchen and can really make life a lot easier! If you liked this video, you might like to see the unboxing and installtion of this microwave: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXm6eHaIhMploqs

[@cphn9316]

Hi Joe, think I'm a little late replying? We've never used a convection / microwave, so we have to base our decision on whether to invest in one (expensive) on honest people like yourself, which I might add, seem to be hard to find. We are still taking this microwave under consideration, weeding through reviews is daunting, you know, all those reliable, unbiased reviews..lol. Since you have have had some time to use this microwave, how well has it held up?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

@@cphn9316 so far so good! Everything has worked as it should and I'm pretty happy with it so far. A few critiques, but none are deal breakers... 1) the convection talks longer than you would think to pre heat... In faxt it takes about the same time as a normal oven.... Weird. 2) that door is huge... Don't hit yourself in the face like have.. Twice... Also, the door is heavy... When you open and close it, be gentle... Don't close the door too hard... Not saying it will break, but I always try to be easy on stuff, especiay if it has plastic parts... And 3) a lot of the cute features never get used.... Mod tof them are pointless to me... The only ones I ever use are microwave, butter melting, manual convention, and auto popcorn...and lastly 4) the fan isn't storing enough if the range is blowing a little smoke... But I figured that since my fan is on circulate... Those always kinda suck... We can't hook in up in vent mode in my house, but I would assume that would work way better.

[@marybethgaskill1766]

Live in a 5th wheel and I use this for all my cooking and baking. I’m very pleased with it

[@JoesPhenomenal]

I loved mine. Had to leave it behind when I sold that house though. Will be getting a new one for the studio when I finish construction though.

[@luciano5689]

Thank you for the excellent review Joe. I decided to buy the same model and have been very happy. Agree with you with respect to steaming. The vegetables came out a bit on the soft side. I think that would be a simple firmware fix from Whirlpool. The Alexa voice commands to turn on and off hood lights and vent work really well.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Thanksfor the kind words, Luciano! I think you can use Alexa to schedule turning that light on and off, too, like a smart night light if I'm not mistaken.

[@PhxDesertGal]

I think this model has been discontinued as I recently bought the new version Model WMH78519LBOO. The old one would not hold the temps for using conventional. I am really looking for a grilled steak as this model did not come with any recipes. That metal rack is really for using the convection feature and not for just microwaving anything. I reported the problem with previous one 3 times. First time under their warranty and 2nd and 3rd times with my home warranty which 3rd time my claim was refused. I really thought Whirlpool would replace it since it turned out to be a lemon, The most they would do for me was give me a 40% discount. Really helped as this new model was $732. I have been using the convectional ones for many years. Started with a GE but when I moved I needed a black one and GE did not have it so I went with Whirlpool to match my Whirlpool refrigerator.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

That sucks... Sorry to hear it. Ours has been pretty solid, and has held temps well. A little slow to preheat though. The metal shelf that goes in there is just for microwave duty though... Has to be removed for baking.. I guess it can warp from the heat or something. As far as grilled steak goes, the best you'll ge tout of one of these is going to be baked, or possibly broiled. The heater is on the side though, so poebbaly not the best for broiling... Unless maybe you sear it on the range top and finish it as a bake with the cong bake function.

[@PhxDesertGal]

The steak did not come out very well. Next time I will sear it in my cast iron skillet and then transfer the skillet into the oven to finish. The large metal rack is for when you bake and I did have the same with my old one. You also get a smaller round one. I tried baking corn muffins and they came out great. I would like to try the air fry if I ever find directions. Just what I dislike about it is there are no real instructions and recipes. The first MW oven I bought actually had a large hard cover recipe book with great color photographs and made cooking very easy. But now manufacturers find any way that they can to cut corners.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

I think the only company that gives out nice recipe books these days is Ninja. All of their stuff comes with one... It's a nice treat! I think you're better off with the cast iron and oven combo... That's the way restaurants do it, and it's hard to beat that awesome cast iron crust!

[@Abzman73]

Here's my personal experience with this microwave. Maybe a month after installing the Wifi kept disconnecting some time after midnight and time would reset and flash. Often the time is auto set to a random time around 1 or 2am. Worked with tech support to reset and update firmware. Worked well for a few more weeks then the same issue again. The worst part for me though is, maybe 3 or 4 months after light use and no baking at all the door separated from the metal part where the pull end is. I could tell something was broken. Added tape to hold the piece together. After some 3 months the keypad started going crazy and the door separated more. You see it after opening. I disassembled it and found pretty much every screw stanchion crumbled in pieces as well as some tabs all on bottom part of the door. Further and long investigation I found the entire inner plastic removable frame to be warped. So the warpage put pressure on the screw stanchions and thus all broke. Here's the real problem, believe it or not the side where you pull the door open had no screws nor any attachment between the heavy door and the metal hinged part. So all the force is on some very skinny small screw stanchions. In all, only 3 small screws hold the door to the metal hinged part. I find this as a terrible design and would never purchase such an appliance again unless I see a design change. I'll be doing a video on this. I am an engineer by trade.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Yeah.. I've seen a few people have similar issues. We lef tours behind when we sold the last house, but up until that, it always worked really well for me. Didn't notice any cracks or anything, but I had seen some complaints before, so I really kinda babied the thing.

[@Abzman73]

@@JoesPhenomenal Thanks for sharing.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

@Abzman73 you got it.... I did get the version with all the stainless on it and around the door.... That might have helped strengthen it and prevent the cracking possibly?

[@cphn9316]

Joe, your videos are done well, simple concise and informative, keep up the good work. We are currently on the hunt for a reliable (hard to find), works as advertised, convection/ microwave oven. This Whirlpool multifunction over the range oven is intriguing. I have two questions 1) , how well does the vent fan work? Does it have strong suction power, can you do some type of demonstration showing how well it sucks smoke such as smoke from a couple of extinguished candles on a pan on the front burner of your stove? 2) How bright are the lights shining down onto the stove top and are there intensity settings for them? Thank you.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Hi! Thanks for the kind words! The light has I think 3 or 4 brightness settings... Works pretty good for me, but my range has a glass top so it's more reflective. That might make it seem a little brighter, but it works well for me in any case. The vent fan is only slightly better than your average microwave vent fan on recirculation mode which is only good for really light smoke and kind of useless if it gets thicker than than... Also in that setup it has trouble pulling smoke from the front burners. If you have the ability to, I'd definitely set it up in external exhaust mode and hook it up to a vent... A lo tof people don't have that option in their kitchens though.

[@alisonbarksdale1625]

Bought ours in 2019, worked great until late 2023. The keypad goes crazy & you have to reset - by unplugging. Happening almost daily. I wouldn't advise buying this for your kitchen.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Well that sucks. Haven't heard that complaint yet.. Usually what I have been seeing is cracks forming around the door.. That was one of the reasons we got the stainless version. Those kinds of issues are more common these days on kitchen equipment since they make them so much more complicated that they used to be. Fortunately we haven't had any issues yet with ours. It'd be interesting to see how many people are having the keypad issue though.

[@myutube6422]

We discussed this when you bought it, the door getting really hot, eventually destroying the electronics. Did you find that to be a concern?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

I remember! So far it's been rock solid. Even on long convection bakes, it hasn't been more than mildly warm. So far so good.

[@mistiappleyard3788]

Mine was manufactured in 2017, I remember buying one and something was wrong, sent it back. Got replacement and am still using it. I think I got this unit either at the end of 2017 or beginning of 2018. Either way, within a year or so it started acting goofy and I'd have to unplug to reset. I still have the same problem but it won't easily reset by unplugging. When I open the door the light will be out. That prepares me to know that if I try to use the unit, it will give me a door open close error. It will keep telling me to close the door. It doesn't matter how many times you open and close the door, if the light isn't on when you put the food in, it's not going to work. I never set up the wifi connection and was wondering if there might be an update available with that feature if I get it connected. Today's date is 12/31/2022.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Hmmm.... That sounds like it's not detecting that the door is open... Or maybe it can't tell if it's open or closed so it won't start or something like that. If it's mechanical, then updated wouldn't help.. But if that were the case, resetting wouldn't really help that, I would imagine. I'm not sure if they have firmware updates for it, but if they do you'd need to have it on wifi to get em. Might have to check with their service dept on that one. The only problem I've really heard that people have had with these is the door cracking. I have the stainless one, so it's got more support to help out for that, but there's no telling how people are treating the door... I know a lot of people that shut those things kinda hard, so ya never know.

[@MrThleckey]

Great review. I have looked at the show notes and comments but can't find your amazon link. We are doing a kitchen remodel and this would be a great replacement for us. Just need the link! Thanks

[@JoesPhenomenal]

They didn't have the Whirlpool available on Amazon at the time. Just checked for you and it still looks like they don't have it there. However, originally my first choice would have been the Frigidaire version of it so I could match it up, which I did find a link to.. It's the regular stainless version though, not the black. Here is goes it ya wanna see it: amzn.to/3fRrB7b

[@Sazonman]

I have a Whirlpool conventional microwave and I've never used the convectional part, but this evening I'm using it for the first time...take alot of time to preheat it. 🚫 using it everrrrrr again, Rather just use my whirlpool convectional range oven, it preheats much faster

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Yeah....That preheat is surprisingly long. Maintains the heat pretty nicely once it gets there though.

[@moonhsu9111]

Hi Joe, I’m waiting your YWMH78019HZ whirlpool over range microwave. My microwave door in the interior door panel is loose therefore the keypad is not working well. I call whirlpool warranty department and they say I need a new door. Do you have channel that show how to install or replace this microwave door?

[@rujanshrestha6730]

Doesn't the steel rack get spark in micro mode?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Hi! That microwave comes with 2 racks. One is for the baking mode and the other is for the microwave. In my new combo oven, it just comes with one, however. The thing with microwaves isn't neccessarily the metal being in the microwave. It's the sharp edges on the metal. Stuff make do be used inside there is all smoothed out. You can see that there is a metal screen on the inside of the microwave window that has all the tiny holes in it. That's why that can be in there. I can't remember the exact science as to why the edges are a problem, but I do remember that it was something that seemed pretty simple. Weird to put metal in there anyway. Took me forever to get used to that.

[@jasonbennett499]

Sounds like app may be good for those with poor eye sight.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Hey.. Never thought about that. Good one, Jason!

[@bonnshacks2730]

Good review! Do you know if there is a convection safe shelf that fits in this microwave?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Hmmm... Not that I've seen... I thought that was pretty weird that the included one wasn't safe for that... dunno why they couldn't just include one for that. Wasn't a fan of the little round one they give ya.

[@peterpowers4851]

I lost interest in it when you said connect to wifi. Can't say I ever had a need for my microwave to connect to my wifi.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Yeah... I get ya. I connected for the review, but I never used the features associated with it. You can connect it to your phone and if you use the convection, it might have some use to monitor a bake or something.. I guess I might be useful for some people. Who knows.

[@stevegrant406]

I have 1 brand new and it makes a loud buzzing sound almost like the fan or blower is stuck. Never has been used, is there anything that needs to be removed prior to installing?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Hmmm.... Do you have it installed to recirculate the fan or is it hooked up to a vent to the outside?

[@richsellskc]

any reason why this model is now discontinued ....and on the company website? thanks

[@JoesPhenomenal]

No idea.... maybe replaced with an updated version?

[@ImADish]

Any problems with the door now that you've had it a while? I'm concerned the electronics and weight could be an issue with it eventually not closing/opening right. Thanks!

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Mine stayed really, solid, but I got the version with the stainless frame, so it might be more resistant to that over the plastic only ones. We bought a new place recently though, so it had to stay behind for the buyers, but will be getting another once I finish building the kitchen.

[@ImADish]

@@JoesPhenomenal Gotcha. I am looking at the stainless frame. Congrats, btw!

[@JoesPhenomenal]

@@ImADish Thanks!

[@Yanceysd]

Have you used the air fryer ? How does it work compared to a designated air fryer?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Hi, Yancey. Ours doesn't have an air-fry option. It micowaves, steams, and convection bakes. You can probably sort of do it with the convection bake, but I'd be surprised if it did a really job on that setting. Air fry modes will typically run the fans a lot faster as far as what I've seen.

[@Yanceysd]

@@JoesPhenomenal thank you I searched for a model number and this video popped up so did not even think to compare the numbers since they looked the same. I am trying to figure out how the air fryer mode compares to actual air fryers. Combining a couple kitchen appliances would save on space. WMH78519LZ has an air fryer function.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Does it come with some sort of air fry basket also? On mine the convection bake works surprisingly well. How do you plan to connect it? To recirclulate exhaust, or see you putting in a vent to vent it outside?

[@danacambria4630]

Thanks so much for the review. I have 2 questions 1) How does toast come out and 2) With the convect mode can you pick a temp and set an amount of time? Thanks again!

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Heya, Dana. Haven't tried to make toast in it, but I can try and see for ya. I suspect it would come out nice though, but will probably take too much time.. Want me to try it out for you? Also, on the convection oven controls, Yes you can pick your temp and time both.

[@dsfavs369]

No you don’t have to try. Our microwave broke so we need a new one and I cook most of our food in the toaster oven so I figured I would combine to two. I can do toast in the toaster oven on 400 for 4 min and get good toast. If it doesn’t work I’ll just get a toaster. Thanks again!

[@JoesPhenomenal]

OK... Should work fine though. I think your Toaster oven might warm up faster though.

[@darlenedybas9706]

Thank you Joe! Adding a bar area to my basement area where I have 2 guest rooms … didn’t want a full kitchen .. have a small refrigerator,sink and counter thought this would help make guests comfortable… do you think it’s too complicated for elderly folks?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

No problem... I think it's fine. Running the different functions is only a couple of button presses on the presets. Just be sure that if they use the metal shelves, they know which one is OK to use with either the microwave or convection oven..... Or you can just put those away to be safe. Lol

[@Sotweetie]

I find the number of setting options on this machine to be absolutely ridiculous, I use two buttons on my microwave: "Quick Start" and "2" 😅

[@JoesPhenomenal]

I know, right?! I do use a few more buttons than you, though. I use the auto popcorn feature, the butter melting, and also the baked potato button as well. Those all work really nice.

[@giveadoggyabone1]

How can a microwave have a metal shelf?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Weird, huh? It has something to do with the material used....and also if there are sharp edges... that's where it sparks. The microwave comes with 2 metal trays. One is for microwave only and will melt in convection, and the other is for convection only and will spark in the microwave.... confusing, eh?

[@Mriver71]

Hello my friend! I find it complicated, I thought it had a button where it tells me to use the microwave and convention. If I press start, does it work with convection or microwave? How do I alternate them? Or do they both work at the same time?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Nomally if you just start it normally from the keypad, it defaults to microwave mode. To use the convection oven feature, you have to start it from the menu on the left side I think. Just remember that you have 2 racks. the built in shelf one is only for microwaving, and the round one is only for oven use. Don't mix that up, or it will cause problems.

[@Mriver71]

@@JoesPhenomenal OK understood! Thank you!

[@JoesPhenomenal]

@Mriver71 anytime!

[@dontdoxmebro]

I feel like the button menu has too much going on. I just need numbers and a start button

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Definitely more complicated.... And for the most part, you end up not using the vast majority of them.. Good for people that link to tinker a lot though.

[@LauraMedlock]

I can’t even figure out how to set the clock now that the power went out. So I can’t use it😢

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Here goes the manual online... not sure if it's for the same model, but the menu should be similar. Hope that helps! www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201809/use-and-care-w11247855-revA.pdf

[@daveshostack4950]

I THOUGHT YOU CAN SHORT OUT THE MICROWAVE IF YOU ANY METAL IN THE MICROWAVE. PLEASE ADVISE. CAN YOU COOK A PIZZA MADE FROM SCRATCH IN A CONVECTION/MICROWAVE COMBO, WILL THE PIZZA BROWN UNDERNEATH THE PIZZA. WILL IT CRISP?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Heya Dave. It's not so much metal in the microwave that causes that sparking, it's the hard edges of it. If you look closely at the window on the front of it, there is metal mesh with little round holes in it so you can see inside. Weird stuff.... That being said, That microwave comes with 2 metal trays that go inside the microwave. There is the one you can see there that is a shelf that sits in there about half-way up. That is good for microwave use only... if you use the convection bake options for the machine, that has to be removed because the bake temps can warp it. If you use the Bake functions, there is a different tray (actually a metal stand) that you can use in the oven for that. HOWEVER, that stand is only for the convection baking and is a problem if you try to use it doing microwave stuff..... nice and confusing, eh? Rectangle one for microwave.... Round one for convection bake. On convection bake, the machine works just like a regular oven, so you've from-scratch pizza will work good in there and get nice and crispy... Just make sure you use the bake function when you do it, and you're all good. Hope that helps!

[@daveshostack4950]

@@JoesPhenomenal Did you buy this oven or was it given to you free to do the review? How much does this oven cost? Are there cheaper versions of Micro/Convection overn combo from walmart that you recommend

[@JoesPhenomenal]

@@daveshostack4950 We bought this over at RC Willey. Back when I got it, I think I paid $549 for it. I did my own install though, because I didn't want to give em any more than I had to, if you know what I mean. There were a few different ones available, but at the time, there were all sorts of supply chain issues, and this was the only model I could get without having to wait on backorder for...and my existing one was dead, so I needed to do something. What I was looking for was the clean front, convection bake ability, and a black stainless finish. It was between this one, a samsung, and a frigidaire gallery. Wanted the frigidaire to match my range, but couldn't get it... Couldn't really tell you which of the 3 is really better though, since I only have this one a a frame of reference though, unfortunately. I can tell you that having convection bake on a microwave is pretty awesome... comes in handy when you need more than one oven, but I probably wouldn't use it as my main one... My regular range actually preheats a little faster...

[@daveshostack4950]

@@JoesPhenomenal stay away from frigidaire. customer service is terrible. my wall frigidaire a/c from pc richard was junk. trying to get a replacement from frigidaire was impossible. pc richard gave me a refund.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

@@daveshostack4950 Noted! Thanks for the heads up.

[@sudiandrews9074]

Is this the same as an air fryer

[@JoesPhenomenal]

It's a microwave that can also convection bake. Air frying is similar.... kinda like convect baking with higher temps and fan speed, basically. This doesn't do that part well, though. Would be a welcome addition if it did, however!

[@kevink1835]

How long does the preheat function take?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Surprisingly long. I figured the unit is so much smaller than an oven that it would be super fast, but a preheat to 350 ends up taking about 7 or 8 minutes.

[@bridgettelindner2527]

I love it.

[@chickenmuffin]

Question: Why didn't you get the Frigidaire one?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

You know...that was my first choice at the time, but I can't remember what the reason was that I went with the Frigidaire over it... It was either just not available, or it didn't have the convection function on it.

[@chickenmuffin]

@@JoesPhenomenal I'm going to get the convection Frigidaire to match the range I think.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

@@chickenmuffin that's a good choice... I checked back on what was going on when I ordered originally, and what happened was my existing one was dead, and the frigidaire convection model was out of stock due to supply chain issues... If it had been in stock, I would have done the same as you, most likely.

[@kelvinrivera6743]

This convection microwave is not reliable at all. After a year of use and always with problems with the light, door, and the convection feature this microwave just stopped working. Very disappointing as it looks great and when it worked it was good. Will never buy a Whirlpool again.

[@JoesPhenomenal]

It seems like quite a few people have had a problem with the door cracking and the the connection in there getting messed up. I never had that problem, but maybe that was because I have the stainless version so the door is stronger... Maybe?

[@moonhsu9111]

Watching

[@Helen-gq8kp]

did anyone try toasting bread in it?

[@JoesPhenomenal]

The oven is in the side and blows across. You can toast bread in there, but you'd need to flip it, and it doesn't really do it as good as a toaster... Takes a lot longer, too.

[@nogamenolife7407]

F this thing impossible to use without watching a video

[@JoesPhenomenal]

Definitely, they probably overdid it a little on the features... A lot of them are just fluff for the spec sheet.

[@ottomatic7823]

Adult men really need to stop wearing ball caps backwards.....

[@JoesPhenomenal]

I wore it that way on purpose in an attempt to draw attention away from my lazy eye and the thing growing out of my neck. Great success!!

[@ImADish]

@@JoesPhenomenal No worries! Didn't notice either -was all about the content! Thanks for your review. Convection/micro is where I'm going to go. Was on the fence, but I'm over it now. Thanks!

[@JoesPhenomenal]

@@ImADish Any time... I'm builing a studio on our property right now.. I still am doing a convection m/w, but it's built in with a convection oven with it in a wall unit so it can serve as a double oven if I need it.