KitchenAid vs Profile Speed Cook OTR Comparison

Jake Stone, Appliance Specialist, Frederick

Posted on May 24th, 2020

When most people think of microwave hood combinations (aka Over-The-Range microwaves) they think of that thing they use to pop popcorn and reheat coffee for the third time before they dump it out and pour a new cup, and, occasionally, to turn on the fan when the smoke alarm starts going off. But these versatile little appliances that so many of us take for granted can actually offer a lot more. Today, I’m going to talk a little about the Profile PSA9120SFSS and KitchenAid KMHP519ESS speedcook OTR microwaves.

First off, what is speedcooking? It was introduced by General Electric back in 1999 as their Advantium oven. Essentially, a speedcook oven is a microwave with separate heating elements that allows it to brown and crisp foods like a regular oven, but four to eight times faster. This is not to be confused with a “normal” convection microwave that cooks primarily with the microwave/magnetron but has a fan that spins hot air into the unit to help with some browning. A speedcook oven functions more like a normal oven with the microwave to boost the performance.

GE Profile OTR Microwave (PSA9120SFSS)

The Profile speedcook microwave has a classic OTR microwave look; controls on the side, hidden vents at the top, and a couple of mesh grease filter inserts on the bottom. On the exterior, stainless steel framing surrounds a charcoal grey/black glass door. The glass touch control panel on the right side is a nice fit-&-finish upgrade from other Profile OTRs that have coated vinyl controls. It also has a knob for ease of usability. The Profile has a stainless steel interior with room for a metal rack that lets you cook two levels of food at once. It’s 1000 watt microwave does a fine job of reheating, making popcorn, and the full bevy of other normal microwave uses. The knob allows you to add or reduce cooking time on the fly, as well as scroll through menus quickly. At that point, the microwave ends and the true potential of the unit comes alive. Advantium technology uses super-hot halogen lights for its oven cooking, and believe me - they work. The unit can be used just as a regular oven, adjusting the cooking from 250° to 450°, and it will cook just like a normal oven. But when using the Advantium mode, you trade out the glass tray with a non-stick metal one and can use the internal racks or the broiling stand. If you engage the speedcook option, you pull up a menu of 170+ preset recipes, and then it pulses between the halogen heat and the magnetron to cook things in basically half the time without worrying ever about preheating. The preprogrammed recipes include everything from steaks and whole chickens to desserts or frozen pocket sandwiches.

KitchenAid OTR Microwave (KMHP519ESS)

The KitchenAid microwave oven is a more unique, serious looking unit. The full-width door makes it look wider than it actually is. It’s fully framed in stainless with black glass and glass controls along the bottom of the window to deliver a seamless look. The filters on the bottom are heavier duty than the Profile model, a offer a more professional baffle filter system that effectively traps grease and steam during those times where you’re doing a lot of cooking. In terms of performance, it’s important to note that the KitchenAid is primarily a microwave - and it’s a good one. After all, 1200 watts is nothing to sniff at and it’s actually a little bit larger inside than the Profile. Its interior has a nice, non-stick coating that makes cleaning easier, and features all the classic options like popcorn mode and a reheat option right on the front. As for the speedcooking, it has a more limited menu of two categories - crisp and grill - and about nine preset recipes under each. Without a knob, you’re relegated to clicking through menus and pressing arrows back and forth which is not a big deal but feels less user-friendly. It also uses halogen lights for the oven elements. When it’s time to use the speedcooking option, you set a small, non-stick tray on the glass turntable and or the rack for multiple levels of cooking.

Both models are great options to fulfill your over-the-range microwave need. If you’re looking for a very effective vent hood and microwave combo with the ability to do some speedcooking, and a sleek, heavy-duty professional look, the KitchenAid is a great choice. If you’re looking for a solid microwave hood but a great and versatile oven/speedcooker with user friendly controls, the Profile Advantium is the original and still arguably the best.

Shop these two speedcooking microwave models below