- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Best Countertop
- Best Small
- Best Over-The-Range
- Notable Mentions
- Recent Updates
- All Reviews
- Comments
Whether you're heating leftovers, defrosting dinner, or popping Popcorn, the trusty microwave is a quick and convenient choice. If you're looking for the best microwave, you might want a model that heats evenly so you can avoid hot and cold spots in your food.
However, after months of investigation, we've found that microwaves, from the cheapest budget model to a commercial model that costs over $1,000, don't significantly differ in how evenly they heat food. Also, the latest microwave technology development, the inverter, doesn't really make a difference.
You can read all about our journey into the heart of microwaves. We also wanted to be sure that inverters, which allow a microwave to maintain a constant power output at any power level, really didn't change how your food gets warmed up. You can also read about everything we tried and our conclusions.
It turns out that microwaves, in general, are just okay at evenly heating food. The evenness of heating depends on the placement of your food in the microwave and its thickness. What you're heating also matters: food with a higher water content heats differently than drier food. If you heat the same food in the same container in different microwaves, the results are indistinguishable from each other when you actually taste the food.
So, your next new microwave won't blow you away with its superior performance. The good news is that you can get pretty much any microwave you like. Once you know what kind of microwave you want (classic countertop or over the range) and what size you need, you can consider its power output (some microwaves are faster) and features. Features like multiple different power levels, a kitchen timer function, and popcorn, reheat, and defrost modes are standard for most microwaves. Some microwaves have a mute function for stealthy microwave use and have a built-in steam sensor for more automatic cooking.
Below, we'll point out models that offer good value, organized by size and feature for your convenience. Your best microwave might be the one you find on sale! Check out our list of the best over-the-range microwaves if that's what you're looking for. If you're looking for something that can make crispy foods like French fries and chicken wings, you might be looking for the best air fryer or the best small air fryer.
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Best Value Countertop Microwave
Power9.4The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS is the best microwave if you're looking for a great value option. This medium-sized 1100-watt microwave can heat food faster than some models with similar price and power. The light inside the cooking chamber makes it easy to see inside while your food heats up. Like pretty much every microwave, it has quick-start programs, a defrost mode, and a few presets for specific foods, including 'Popcorn.' It's also equipped with a steam sensor, which allows the microwave to detect steam and automatically adjust the cooking time for some programs. You can also mute the controls, all for a budget-friendly price.
If you want a microwave with a button instead of a handle for opening the door or find that design easier to wipe clean, the Panasonic NN-SN67HS is a good option with similar features. However, it's slightly more expensive.
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Best Value Small Countertop Microwave
Power6.3If you want a microwave that will fit in a cramped kitchen, the GE JES1072SHSS offers good value. The smallest microwaves we've tested are generally less powerful than bigger ones, and this 700-watt microwave is no exception. It heats food slower than most, but its very compact design will fit into crowded kitchens, RVs, and dorm rooms, and its cooking chamber is a good size for reheating a cup of coffee or zapping a bowl of ramen or mac and cheese. It has no steam sensor, but you can mute the controls.
If you want a faster small microwave, the Insignia NS-MW09SS8 is a good option. It's not quite as tiny as the GE but has much more power. For a very fast and more compact microwave, the LG LMC0975ST is a small 1000-watt microwave that heats food just as fast as any microwave we've tested. It has a sleeker look than most microwaves since the door hides most of its controls. However, its higher price means you're paying a premium for inverter technology that doesn't make any difference in performance for the vast majority of uses, so unless you like the look or want the very fastest microwave, it's probably not worth the extra money.
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Best Value Over-The-Range Microwave
Power8.8If you're looking for the best microwave oven to install above your stove, the GE JVM6175SKSS is a good-value option. It's among the least expensive over-the-range models we've tested, comes in many different colors to match your kitchen, and heats food as fast as any higher-end model. It has a steam sensor that works with programs like 'Popcorn' and 'Beverage' to detect when your food is hot and automatically calculate the cooking time. Like all over-the-range microwaves, it has a fan and light for the cooktop below. The fan can be set to four different speeds. There's also an indicator to remind you when to replace the grease filter, and you can mute the controls.
Naturally, you can pay more for extra features. The Whirlpool WMH32519HZ has a cooking rack that you can use for two-level cooking or with its 'Steam' and 'Simmer' modes, which ask you to place a bowl of water under the rack and your food on top. The LG MVEM1825F has a companion app that you can use to send cooking information to the microwave, adjust the fan and light, or mute the controls. However, both of these microwaves are more expensive.
Notable Mentions
- Toshiba ML-EC42P(SS):
The Toshiba ML-EC42P(SS) is a combo air fryer, oven, and microwave that can heat and crisp food. It has features similar to the more budget-friendly Toshiba EM131A5C-BS, including a steam sensor for more automatic cooking. However, we haven't tested how it performs as an air fryer or oven.
See our review - Breville the Smooth Wave:
The Breville the Smooth Wave is a high-end microwave that has a bigger LED screen than most microwaves and uses dials instead of buttons for its controls. Its 'Soft-Close' door closes noticeably quietly. However, it's not as fast as the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS, which is much cheaper and has many similar features like mute and sensor cooking.
See our review
Recent Updates
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We've checked the text for accuracy and verified that the products are available.
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We've made minor updates to the text for clarity and checked that the products are in stock, but our recommendations have remained unchanged.
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Oct 11, 2024: We've made text updates for clarity and added a link to our new 'Best Small Air Fryers' recommendations, but our picks haven't changed.
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Aug 06, 2024: We've made minor text updates and checked that the products are still available.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above represent the best microwave ovens for most people, based on value. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.
If you'd like to do the work of choosing yourself, here's the list of all microwave reviews. 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.