LG LMVH1711ST Over-the-Range Microwave Review

It's a real shame, as the LMVH1711ST's sale price of around $535 makes it one of the most affordable over-the-ranges that comes equipped with a convection mode. But, with microwaves from Sharp and GE offering better performance for just a little more money, the LMVH1711ST doesn't seem like such a good value.

Design and Usability

It will fit your kitchen's decor

Even if you don't have an LG oven, the LMVH1711ST should fit in your kitchen. With it's stainless steel exterior, vertical control panel, and black glass window, it's indistinguishable from most other microwaves. The stainless steel trim is a little lighter than what some competitors use, so make certain it matches your existing appliances before taking the plunge.

Along with the standard options and refinements, the LMVH1711ST features presets that LG touts as One Touch cooking, plus a heating element and convection fan for browning and some light baking.

{{ photo_gallery "design" }}

Performance

Consistently inconsistent

Like a Biology major who just can't learn another language, the LMVH1711ST isn't very well-rounded. After some best-in-its class popcorn popping action we had high hopes for the LMVH1711ST. However, those hopes were soon dashed by abysmally uneven defrosting and heating.

The sensor cooking modes didn't leave any cold spots, but did significantly overcook our pasta and sauce. That means you'll have to keep an eye on your food, which defeats the entire purpose of a sensor cycle. In fact, our baked potato was nearly 20 degrees too hot.

On the other hand, the LMVH1711ST's convection setting proved exceptional. It even baked cookies evenly, though we still recommend sticking to your oven for anything complex.

Before You Buy

On average, it's average

The LMVH1711ST is pretty affordable for an over-the-range microwave/convection oven combo, but its inconsistent performance proved frustrating.

That's why we'd recommend the GE PVM9179SF1SS or Sharp R-1874 as a viable alternative. Sure, this LG does some things really well. But for a few dollars more, wouldn't you rather have a high achiever in your kitchen?

Cooking Performance

The LMVH1711ST's Popcorn setting was the MVP. We found no burnt kernels at the end of the cycle, and only 37 out of around 300 kernels remained unpopped.

Meanwhile, the Sensor cooking mode impressed in our potato tests with minimal temperature variance. Unfortunately, it had a tendency to overcook the food. It heated our test potato to 203°F—a full 19°F above the target temperature of 185°F. Most other microwaves got within a few degrees of the target.

Convection setting tests are often a mixed bag on microwaves, but when we baked cookies in this LG we recorded excellent uniformity between individual cookies and little difference between the tops and bottoms.

Sound

The LMVH1711ST is a fairly loud microwave. We measured output of 55 dB during regular usage, while competitors were closer to 47 dB. Sound levels rose to 63 dB when using the extractor vent.

Heating and Defrosting

The LMVH1711ST's non-sensor power settings were a big disappointment. We heated a portion of macaroni and cheese according to the instructions on the box and recorded some major unevenness. Be sure to mix your food during cooking.

The defrost setting was also lousy. Yes, it only took 6 minutes to defrost 1 lb of ground beef. But at the end of the cycle just over a quarter of the beef was still frozen while some started to cook.

This LG took four minutes to boil a cup of water, which is just a hair slower than the best machines we've tested.