We have good news if you're shopping for a new microwave on a tight budget: after months of research and investigation into microwave performance, we found that they all heat food pretty similarly! Heating evenness really depends on what you're heating, not on your microwave, so you're not likely to be disappointed with the performance of a budget or even a cheap model. Instead, you can look for a model with enough power to heat food quickly and find the balance between quality-of-life features and price that suits you best. Ideally, you'll want a microwave that's quiet, easy to use, and one with a pretty roomy interior, so you can whip up a quick mug cake or reheat a large batch of leftovers.
We've tested more than 25 models, and below are our recommendations for the best budget microwaves. If you want to see what paying more for a microwave will get you, see our recommendations for the best microwaves, the best countertop microwaves, and the best over-the-range microwaves.
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Best Budget Microwave
Everyday UsePowerMeasured Chamber Volume:cu. ft. ( L)Cooking Sensor:See all our test resultsInstallation:CountertopThe best budget microwave we've tested is the Sharp SMC1162HS, a 1,000-watt microwave that heats food very quickly. It has a reasonably large internal capacity. You may not be able to reheat a full-sized casserole, but most bowls and dinner plates will easily fit, and the interior light makes it easy to keep an eye on your food. It's also impressively quiet during operation, and while there's no dedicated mute button, you can hold the '8' button for three seconds to silence beeps.
This microwave's controls are pretty basic overall, but it's decently easy to use. The membrane touch panel isn't as responsive as physical buttons on dials, but the controls let you start simple cooking tasks, like heating leftovers for three minutes at 100% power, with a single button press. There's no quick way to set a lower power level; however, if you like to fine-tune your recipe, it requires many button presses. You also won't find a steam sensor, so you have to manually input your food's weight or set a cooking time. Still, it has the essentials: options for defrosting meat, and quick-start buttons for specific foods, like potatoes, popcorn, and frozen pizza. If you're having trouble finding this model, you can purchase closely related variants directly from Sharp's website.
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Best Cheap Microwave
Everyday UsePowerMeasured Chamber Volume:cu. ft. ( L)Cooking Sensor:See all our test resultsInstallation:CountertopIf you want to spend a bit less, consider the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS, a 1,100-watt microwave that cooks food very quickly. Like the Sharp SMC1162HS, it has a fairly large cooking chamber, so you can heat food in most bowls, plates, and containers. It's very easy to see inside, thanks to its bright light, so you can monitor your recipes or make sure a mug of water doesn't boil over. This model is even quieter than our budget pick and features a dedicated mute button, making it a good choice if noise is a concern.
Like most affordable microwaves, this option has a membrane touch panel, which isn't as pleasant to use as physical buttons and dials. It's very easy to start simple cooking tasks, but if you prefer to choose a specific power level and time setting, you'll have to press quite a few buttons before hitting start. That said, this microwave also features a steam sensor for a more automatic microwave experience and a programmable 'Favorite' button. Otherwise, it has the usual programs, like 'Potato' and 'Rice.'
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Best Budget Over-The-Range Microwave
Everyday UsePowerMeasured Chamber Volume:cu. ft. ( L)Cooking Sensor:See all our test resultsInstallation:Over-The-RangeIf you want to save counter space by installing your microwave over your stove, check out the GE JVM3160RFSS; it's the best over-the-range microwave we've tested at a budget-friendly price. This simple 1,000-watt microwave isn't as powerful as the Sharp SMC1162HS or the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS, but it still heats food quickly and delivers similarly quiet operation. It also boasts a wider cooking chamber for heating bigger dishes like lasagnas and casseroles.
Unfortunately, it doesn't have a steam sensor or a way to mute its controls, so it's light on extra features. That said, the cooktop fan and light can each be set to two different levels. The light inside makes it easy to see into the cooking chamber when the door is closed, and you can switch off the turntable when heating food in bigger dishes that might interfere with its rotation. Plus, it's available in several colors, including 'Black,' 'Stainless Steel,' and 'White,' which is nice if you want to save money without sacrificing aesthetics.
Recent Updates
Mar 09, 2026:
We replaced the Toshiba EM925A5A-BS with the Shark SMC1162HS, as the former is out of stock. We also removed the GE JES1072SHSS as our 'Best Small Budget Microwave' to better align with user needs and made edits throughout for clarity.
Apr 28, 2025:
We've made minor updates to the text, but we haven't made any changes to our recommendations.
Mar 26, 2025:
We've made minor edits to the text for clarity and confirmed that our picks are still in stock, but we haven't changed our recommendations.
Feb 26, 2025:
We've made minor updates to the text and checked that the products are in stock, but there hasn't been a change to our recommendations.
Jan 30, 2025:
We've added some alternative options for the GE JES1072SHSS as it's been discontinued and is getting hard to find. We also made edits for clarity and conciseness throughout.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are the best affordable microwaves for most people. We factor in price, visitor feedback, and availability.
If you'd like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all microwave reviews sorted by price. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no microwave is perfect, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you look for them.