The Panasonic NN-SN77HS is a big countertop microwave. Its cooking chamber is deep and wide but not as high as many microwaves', so keep that in mind if you need to reheat beverages in pitchers or bottles. Its controls don't stand out much from other microwaves but include sensor cooking and defrosting, a 'Standing Time' option, and a mute function.
Our Verdict
- Very fast heating.
- Wide and deep cooking chamber.
- Sensor cooking and mute function.
- Cooking chamber is a bit short.
The 1250-watt Panasonic NN-SN77HS heats food particularly quickly. It's faster than some microwaves with a similar advertised power output, like the Breville the Smooth Wave.
- Very fast heating.
- Wide and deep cooking chamber.
- Sensor cooking and mute function.
- Cooking chamber is a bit short.
Changelog
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Updated Mar 23, 2026:
We added a note about the Panasonic NN-SN68QB in the In-Use Noise box for users who want a microwave with quieter operation.
- Updated Mar 04, 2026: Version 1.1 of our microwave test bench adds a score for Internal Capacity and adds tests for Ease of Use and In-Use Noise. For a more detailed breakdown of the changes, see our full changelog.
- Updated Jul 10, 2024: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This microwave comes in one variant. You can see the label for the unit we tested here.
If you encounter another variant, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Microwave Comparisons
The Panasonic NN-SN77HS is a big countertop microwave that heats food faster than most microwaves we've tested. If you need even more space in the cooking chamber, the Panasonic NN-SN975S is the only countertop microwave we've tested with a bigger chamber. This model's chamber is a bit short for its overall size. If you need more vertical space, consider the Panasonic NN-SN67HS or the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS, although these models heat food slightly slower.
If you're looking for a recommendation, check out the best over-the-range microwaves and the best microwaves.
The Panasonic NN-SN77HS and Panasonic NN-CD66NS have different strengths. The NN-SN77HS heats food significantly faster and has a much bigger capacity, despite both models being about the same size overall. Tasks like adjusting the power level require fewer steps. On the other hand, the NN-CD66NS is a multi-function microwave that can also air fry, bake, and broil. It's also much quieter. While its controls aren't more convenient overall, the dial and physical buttons provide better feedback.
Test Results
The chamber is wide and deep but not that high. The light inside isn't bright enough to provide great visibility into the chamber.
Aside from a slightly different layout, its controls are very similar to other microwaves from the brand, like the Panasonic NN-SN67HS or Panasonic NN-SN975S. You can easily start a quick 30-second cycle, mute its controls, and it has plenty of modes aside from manual cooking. There are sensor reheat and defrost functions and 15 'Sensor Cook' programs. These modes use a sensor that detects steam and automatically adjusts the cook time. You can set it to keep your food warm at a low power setting, program a delayed start, or set a 'Standing Time' for foods like microwave dinners that are meant to sit after cooking. The main way its controls and programs stand out from other Panasonic models is the addition of a 'Coffee/Milk' button.
It's a little louder than most microwaves. If you prefer something quieter, consider the Panasonic NN-SN68QB.
All microwaves perform similarly when evenly heating food in shallow dishes. Heating evenness depends on what kind of food you're microwaving, how much of it, and in what container. If you're interested in knowing more about microwave performance, check out our investigation here.
Like with shallow dishes, you won't notice a difference between microwaves when evenly heating food in deep dishes. Evenness depends on what you're heating, not what microwave you use. You can read more about our investigation into microwave performance here.