For years I've had a oven with a cooking probe that could tell me when something was done, but in a microwave you can't have a metal probe, this is where the Breville, Smooth Wave comes in. It has multiple humidity/moisture sensors that measure the steam/heat released by the cooking/headed product to determine level of doneness and/or temperature. After installation which was a breeze, even setting the clock has a short cut, I re-heated cup of coffee using the beverage short cut button inside the front door (see open picture). After pressing the beverages button I was prompted for the number of cups to be reheated, I closed the door and selected one (same type of procedure for all short cut selections, you tell it want you want to do and it asks you the quantity or weight of what you cooking/reheading. Any how, a cup that had little coffee in it took about 40s an a full cup took about 90s, but both were heated to about 140 degrees (tested with IR thermometer). And after each was done the microwave displayed END on the screen, but the light inside the microwave stayed on and the fan kept running (different from what I'm used to when running my previous microwave where it turned off and is dark inside until I open the door). I'm sure the microwave is venting any vapors out so it can accurately be used again, but still being able to see inside is another nice feature, thay you will grow to like (hay don't forget the coffee you put in her a minute ago! - who hasn't). Later I defrosted 2 big (frozed) chicken legs/thighs that weighed about 2.5 lbs. Defrosting meats properly without cooking them was one of the features that most interested me in this microwave oven, I previously had a very expensive convection/microwave w/inverter tech; that could not defrost a product with any accuracy. While the Breville was defrosting my chicken I could see it was changing power levels, starting higher and dropping down, after about 9m the Smooth Wave chimed that it was complete. I took out my pan and the ends of the legs were warm but the rest was cool, not icy probably about 75-80 degrees. Success! just what I was hoping for, it seems to know what it's doing. Now on the real microwave, test.... Popcorn, Orville Redenbacher's Buttered popcorn. Not the most difficult thing to cook but the one that tends to go just a little wrong quite often. I'd rather have a few (and I mean a few) unpopped kernels than have any burnt taste, and I'm sure we've all gone that extra 10s to get the last kernel to pop only to lift out the bag and see it's burnt on the bottom, an you know it also burnt inside :-( I select the popcorn from the food type menu (top of list) , place the bag on the center of the turntable and and tell it is a 6.8 oz bag (much larger than the 3.2 oz default); About 3.5minutes later it chirps that's it done (btw you can choose the tones used), I open the door, lots of steam escapes, I carefully remove the hot bag, shaking it, a last kernel pops, and I don't hear the rattle of uncooked kernels, and the bottom of the bag is just barely turning brown. I pour it out into a bowl, it smells great, and looks good, I add some sea salt and did in. When finished 5 kernels didn't pop (one of those tried). Well I could not have been more proud of the job my new machine just did. Yes, it's as "simple" job but it does not seem like all microwaves are up to the task of doing it well (or in this case perfectly). I did a few other chores, melted butter, steamed some broccoli, re-heated some mac & cheese, all worked as I would have expected, the Smooth Wave knows what it's doing when you tell it how much you have. I tried softening butter from the refridg and from frozen, and the frozen took a lot longer (all on a low power setting it choose) but came out the same softness os the one from the refridg, just a little soft to the touch, but not melted. All told, I'm sold on my new smarter machine, one you'll get used to it staying on after it's finished, and it will be a new friend of yours in the kitchen.