Onida Microwave: Power Barbeque 28. Review on Onida Power Barbeque 28

I bought the Onida Power Barbeque 28 mainly because I was looking for a Microwave to grill a full chicken. Also I wished it to have a convection facility along with microwave.

After carefully looking at all available microwaves in the market, I decided on the Onida Power Barbeque for mainly 3 reasons:

1) Because it had a very good looking front screen, it was sleek, steel finish and black, unlike the others which looked white and plastic. The look of the Onida went very well with the dark furniture of my newly designed interiors

2) It had a spacious interior space to grill a full chicken with a rotisserie facility ( where the chicken turns around slowly) and a steaming facility for vegetables which came with a plastic steamer kit. Just what I wanted for healthy eating.

I had also looked at the Samsung model with similar features, but it was priced over my budget and looked quite bulky.

The Onida Microwave seemed like a dream deal, when the staff of not one, but three shops (which included chroma, where I finally sealed the deal) insisted, that the comparatively low price was because the product was made in India and did not have import costs like Samsung did, and it did not in any way reflect on the quality of the product. They also stressed on the fact that Onida has the best customer service possible.

My previous microwave was a Daewoo which I had bought from Dubai. It had functioned beautifully for a few years, till one of the buttons on the feather touch panel refused to work. That's when I realised what a pain it was to have an imported product because the local electronics shop not only did not manage to effectively repair the panel, but also charged me exhorbitantly to 'repair' it. I eventually had to sell that microwave for scrap.

Determined not to repeat this mistake , I thought I should buy a reputed ''made in India microwave, with a warranty.

Also, the Onida model did not have a fixed panel of buttons, instead it had individual buttons, which, I was informed, that if it did get spoilt could be easily replaced unlike one panel touch screens.

What more could I ask for, it seemed like I had finally found my perfect kitchen appliance!

Unfortunately I could not make full use of my warranty period because by the time the renovation of my house was complete, the Microwave had been lying in the carton for 6 months, hence my utter shock, when my microwave started giving problems just 6 months into its working I was informed that the warranty period had lapsed.

The first problem that I faced with it was that the glass plate just stopped revolving. It got stuck, hence heating food in one direction only and unevenly.

I called the 'great customer service' only to be told to wait numerous times, before soemone actually arrived at my doorstep. Also, the visiting fees for this was Rs.375 !

I was informed that the motor was spoilt and needed replacing, so I did pay and buy a new motor, thinking it was sheer bad luck and that I should have started using the microwave in the first week I bought it so that I could make use of the full warranty period.

Again everything seemed to go fine till last week, that I heard a loud crack from the microwave. When I opened to look, nothing seemed amiss, but the table stopped turning again!

On close inspection I realised that the pivot supporting the turntable had broken. I called the complaint line once more and the service person came home asking for Rs.375 and said that the pivot needs to be replaced with a new one and that the motor was spoilt. A spoilt motor once again! I couldn't believe it .That would cost me a total of Rs. 1100 for a part that I had just changed six months back paying the same amount! To top it, the service centre tried to convince me to go through the deal without getting the company in between, where he would not charge me the visiting charges, but I refused because I know once an appliance is touched by a local electrician, the company wont any longer take responsibility. So I asked him to get it done through the company. He now says the part has not reached him from Onida. When I call the complaint like I do not get satisfactory responses and have been told to wait longer. Also the service person has not come home after that and the customer service agents on the phone are most unhelpful. This has been a very frustrating experience and I wish I had not fallen for the lies of the sales persons, who seemed to have obviously been paid for it.To add to this, one of the buttons have become extremely hard to press.

If it wasn't for the bad customer service and faulty parts ( I know you must be wondering what else could go wrong!) I must say the features of the microwave are quite user friendly and it does make a good grilled chicken or fish...but only if I can get to use it again. On second thoughts I have not saved any money on it, because the difference in price between the Samung and Onida has already been superseded by the repair expenses.

So, I urge you to reconsider if you are thinking of buying an Onida Microwave, because electronics are bound to get spoilt, but the least you expect is for it to wokr for long before the first problem occurs and when it does not to be spending lots and be kept waiting for service!