When it comes to pleasing microwave performance it’s the simple things that matter most to Australians.
According to a customer satisfaction survey conducted by Canstar Blue, Australians are looking for microwaves that are easy to use and 86 per cent of the 1,010 adults surveyed who have purchased a new microwave in the last year, said it was an essential appliance in their home.
Ease of use was the biggest driver of satisfaction (24 per cent), followed by even heat distribution (20 per cent), functionality (19 per cent), value for money (16 per cent), appearance and design (10 per cent) and ease of cleaning (10 per cent).
Ninety-five (95) per cent of respondents use their microwave at least a few times each week and baby boomers were most likely to use theirs every day, according to the survey.
Although cooking functions such as grilling, convection and steam are available on many new microwave models, these extra features don’t seem to be attracting buyers to the category.
“Microwaves are becoming more advanced and equipped with all sorts of impressive features. But our results suggest that many consumers are simply looking for a no-nonsense microwave that they can walk up to, press a button, and quickly heat their food,” said Canstar Blue spokesman Simon Downes.
“Microwaves represent the ultimate cooking convenience and most of us couldn’t get by without them. They are perfect for days when you get home late from work and want something to eat as quickly as possible. Do you want to stand around for a couple of minutes trying to work out the appropriate settings, or do you just want a microwave that is easy to use, but effective? It seems many are looking for simplicity.”
Breville’s focus on ease of use in its Quick Touch microwave range appears to have hit the mark, with Breville scoring five-star ratings in the key research categories of value for money, ease of use and overall customer satisfaction, to receive Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers Award for microwaves 2015.
“The Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customer Award is a fantastic outcome for Breville in this very competitive category. To be the overall winner against six other leading microwave brands is outstanding,” said Sharon Lenzner, Breville senior category manager – cooking.
“Breville is the fastest growing brand in the microwave category. In just two years, we have gained five points to hold 10 per cent share (MAT January 2015, GfK) of the massive $182 million microwave category. Ease of use is the leading feature consumers are really looking for in a microwave, and the intuitive Breville Quick Touch microwave has made this a reality.
“Awards such as Canstar Blue are very influential in the purchase decision, and retailers will receive point of sale stickers to help communicate this latest win for Breville microwaves,” Lenzner said.
Breville beat out a competitive field which includes LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Whirlpool and Kambrook.
When it comes to cleaning microwaves 42 per cent of the survey respondents said they cleaned it weekly, 18 per cent said daily, 15 per cent said fortnightly, 15 per cent said monthly, 9 per cent rarely and 1 per cent never clean their microwave.
“We might love our microwaves, but many of us aren’t as kind to them as perhaps we could be,” Downes said. “One in ten people told us they have broken a microwave by not using it correctly, and the same number admitted they rarely or never clean it. For Gen Y survey respondents, that rose to 22 per cent who rarely or never get their hands dirty.”
