Whether heating leftovers, defrosting dinner, or popping popcorn, the trusty microwave is a quick and convenient choice. Because microwaves all heat food equally evenly (including inverter microwaves), you can choose the best microwave for you based on other factors. Compact space-saving models are ideal for reheating quick snacks, while bigger microwaves have more room for defrosting meals or heating casseroles. You may want a high-power microwave if heating speed is a priority. Features like a steam sensor can help make microwaving ore automatic, while well-designed controls allow you to select a program with minimal steps.
We've tested over 25 microwaves, and below you'll find our recommendations for the best microwaves for most people. Check out our list of the best over-the-range microwaves if you want more options for a built-in model.
-
Best Microwave
PowerMeasured Chamber Volumecu. ft. ( L)Cooking SensorSee all our test resultsMute Sounds ButtonThe Breville the Smooth Wave is the best microwave we've tested. This high-end model is a good option if you're looking for a microwave with good performance and useful extra features. It's a compact microwave, but it has a decent amount of capacity, especially for its size, making it a good option for heating food on dinner plates and in bowls, as well as some bigger dishes like mixing bowls or Tupperware containers. It heats food fast, and it's decently quiet when it's running.
This model also stands out for its ease of use and extra features. Its controls include a dial and physical buttons, which provide good tactile feedback. You can program the microwave with just a few presses, even if you want to do something a bit more complicated, like adjust the power level. You can use its various steam sensor programs for a more automatic microwaving experience. The 'Soft Close' feature helps noticeably reduce the sound of the microwave door closing. You can mute the controls entirely or opt for lower-pitched chimes instead of beeps, which is a nice feature not found on many microwaves.
-
Best Upper Mid-Range Microwave
PowerMeasured Chamber Volumecu. ft. ( L)Cooking SensorSee all our test resultsMute Sounds ButtonIf you're looking for an over-the-range microwave, consider the LG MVEL2033F. This upper mid-range microwave has a lot of capacity, so it's a better option than the Breville the Smooth Wave if you prepare meals or sides for several people in your microwave. The controls consist of a glass touch panel along the bottom of the microwave door, which can make it a little easier to reach the buttons if it's installed above your oven. While you might prefer physical button controls that provide more feedback, its glass control panel is still easy to use, especially for simple tasks like microwaving at 100% power for a few minutes.
There are several steam sensor modes, and it also includes steam and simmer functions for foods like vegetables, rice, and pasta. You can also mute the controls if you prefer not to hear your microwave beeping. It's decently quiet when it's running, but it makes more noise than the Breville the Smooth Wave or some of the cheaper options below.
-
Best Mid-Range Microwave
PowerMeasured Chamber Volumecu. ft. ( L)Cooking SensorSee all our test resultsMute Sounds ButtonThe best mid-range microwave that we've tested is the Panasonic NN-SC67NS. This mid-range model is about the same size as the Breville the Smooth Wave and offers a similar amount of capacity. It can easily fit bowls and dinner plates, as well as some bigger containers like mixing bowls. It's very fast, so you might prefer it for bigger portions, and it makes less noise when it's running as well, so microwaving is a bit less disruptive.
However, it's not as easy to use as the Breville. Its membrane touch panel doesn't provide as much feedback as physical buttons would, and even basic microwaving at 100% power requires several button pushes. That said, it's equipped with a steam sensor, so you can have the microwave detect steam and determine when your food is ready. It also includes some more unusual functions like 2-step cooking and a 'Keep Warm' program. This model is still in stock with some retailers, but we'll be reviewing its successor, the Panasonic NN-SN68QB, soon, which is a little easier to find.
-
Best Budget Microwave
PowerMeasured Chamber Volumecu. ft. ( L)Cooking SensorSee all our test resultsMute Sounds ButtonThe Sharp SMC1162HS is a great budget-friendly microwave. This microwave, available on Sharp's website, is a good option for reheating plates and bowls of leftovers and has a wide cooking chamber that can accommodate some bigger casseroles or mixing bowls. Although it's not quite as fast as the Panasonic NN-SC67NS, it heats food very quickly. It's also impressively quiet when it's running. It doesn't have a steam sensor for more automatic microwaving, but still includes the usual Popcorn and Defrost programs, and gives you the option of muting or locking the controls.
While its membrane touch panel doesn't provide the best feedback, it's still a decently easy microwave to use. You can zap your food at 100% power with a single button push, which is great for reheating leftovers and other simple tasks. However, something more complicated, like adjusting the power level, can require many steps, so it's best suited for simple heating and reheating.
-
Best Cheap Microwave
PowerMeasured Chamber Volumecu. ft. ( L)Cooking SensorSee all our test resultsMute Sounds ButtonIf you want a cheap, simple microwave, consider the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS. Like the previous pick, it's a smaller microwave, but still offers adequate room in its cooking chamber for things like dinner plates and bowls. The cooking chamber isn't as wide as the Sharp SMC1162HS's, so it's less likely to fit something like a lasagna, but it's a good option if you mainly reheat single portions and snacks. It's equally fast and quiet while it's running. Despite its lower price point, it's equipped with a steam sensor for more automatic microwaving, and you can mute the controls if you don't want to hear your microwave's beeps.
However, its membrane touch panel doesn't provide great feedback and isn't as pleasant to use as control panels with physical buttons. More complex tasks, like changing the microwave power, can require many steps, as well. That said, it's very easy to use for simple microwaving, since you can start heating at 100% power with one button push. If you have specific settings you often use, you can also create and save a 'Favorite' program.
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 those of the more budget-friendly Toshiba EM131A5C-BS, including a steam sensor for more automatic cooking.
See our review
Recent Updates
Mar 11, 2026:
We've updated the article to add recommendations based on price. We added the Breville the Smooth Wave, LG MVEL2033F, Panasonic NN-SC67NS, and Sharp SMC1162HS. We also removed the GE JES1072SHSS and GE JVM6175SKSS, which are out of stock.
Nov 06, 2025:
We've made small updates to the text for clarity and checked that the products are available.
Mar 27, 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 made small edits for clarity throughout and verified that our recommendations are available.
Dec 18, 2024:
We've made small updates to the text for clarity, but our recommendations haven't changed.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above represent the best microwave ovens for most people. 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.