If we talk of retro microwaves, most brands tend to make compact ones which do not take up a lot of space and have a limited interior cavity. Swan, with its 25 Litre SM 22070BLN Retro instead, is closer to the modern ones in terms of dimensions.
Keeping that aside, it very much classifies as a retro microwave. It is not costly at $100, but is it worth your money? Let us find out.
This is our Swan 25 Litre SM 22070BLN Retro Manual Microwave review.
Pros
- Heats food quickly for a 900-W microwave
- Comes with a 2-year Manufacturer Warranty
- More spacious than most retro microwaves
Cons
- No pre-programmed cooking settings
- Catches rust quickly on the inside
Specifications
- Product Type: Countertop
- Overall Dimension: 11 x 19.2 x 15.8 inches
- Capacity: 0.9 cubic foot
- Primary Material: Metal
- Weight: 28 lbs
- Wattage: 900-Watt
Design and features
The Swan 25 Litre SM 22070BLN Retro Manual Microwave comes in five different colors – Black, Grey, Cream, Blue, and Green. All of them have matte-like finish, giving them the old-school feel. The microwave is quite large, stretching 11 x 19.2 x 15.8-inches and weighing 28 lbs, because of its body being mostly made of metal.
The overall look of the device has been kept clean with the door handle, and two manual knobs finished in silver accents. Even the branding is minimalistic with the name written in the front middle without being obtrusive in any manner.
Talking of controls, it is all basic here too. There are two manual knobs, placed parallel to each other on the right side of the device. The upper one lets you set the timer (between 0-30 minutes). The one below it allows you to switch between six power levels (including Defrost). We reminisce about the old days while turning the knobs every single time.
Pulling the accented handle, a 270mm glass turntable greeted us. Remember that it is a 25-litre capacity product, so you will have enough space to accommodate most standard-sized dishes comfortably.
Overall, the Swan 25 Litre SM 22070BLN Retro Manual Microwave is built well and offers the basic features. We would have loved to see it incorporating an LED timer, but cannot complain given the nostalgia factor that it is looking to achieve.
Performance
The Swan 25 Litre SM 22070BLN Retro Manual Microwave is a 900-Watt, 0.9 cubic foot oven capacity machine. We have a mixed feeling about it and here are the reasons – if we consider the price and compare it with other retro microwaves in the market, it is almost on par with most of them. If we look at the form factor, we believe that the company rued the chance of fitting in more power.
Other than that, the knobs performed well and were very responsive throughout. The microwave is good at heating food, and the turntable allows even cooking. You can also control the level of heat (from low to high), and it too performed amicably well.
One gripe that we had with the product is condensation. After a few months of occasional usage, its internals start reacting to the air, and there is no way you can prevent it from rusting. We haven’t come across this in other products from its completion or even from Swan’s lineup.
Wrap up
The Swan 25 Litre SM 22070BLN Retro Manual Microwave is a decent product. It passes the nostalgia test with flying colors, but lacks enough functionality to call it a complete product. But if you are cool with what it comes with, the product is a good buy.
