With appliances like air fryers and blenders occupying valuable counterspace, you might need a small microwave. These can fit in a cramped corner or on a crowded counter, and while they aren't suitable for reheating full meals in something like a casserole dish, they can accommodate a mug or a dinner plate and help with reheating single portions, drinks, and snacks.
When choosing a microwave, you don't have to worry much about how evenly it heats food. Unlike appliances like air fryers and ovens, microwaves all heat food similarly evenly. Some are faster, but otherwise, our investigation found no difference between models at different price points and with different designs, including inverter microwaves. However, that doesn't mean you won't prefer one microwave over another. We've tested more than 25 microwaves, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best small microwaves based on speed, noise level, capacity, and ease of use.
If you're not sure what size microwave you need, you can see more options on our list of the best microwaves.
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Best Small Microwave
The Breville the Smooth Wave is the best small microwave that we've tested. This compact, high-end model has a decent capacity, especially for its size. It can easily fit a bowl or a dinner plate and offers enough space for reheating leftovers in a serving dish or defrosting a loaf of bread. This 1200-watt microwave heats food quickly and runs decently quietly, but it really stands out for its design and features. Its dial and button controls make it very easy to use, whether you just want to zap something for 30 seconds at full power or use its various settings and modes for a more complicated process.
It's also equipped with various features that can make microwaving a little more pleasant: you can mute its controls or replace the usual microwave beeps with lower-pitched chimes. Its 'Soft-Close' feature makes closing the door noticeably quieter. The 'Smart' reheat and defrost modes use a steam sensor for a more automatic experience, and you can save a 'Favorite' program for quicker access.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Small Microwave
If you don't mind a more basic design, you might prefer the Panasonic NN-SC67NS. This compact inverter microwave is an older version of the Panasonic NN-SN68QB, but both models offer similar features, and either is a good option. It's about the same size as the Breville the Smooth Wave and has a slightly bigger cooking chamber. It heats food faster and makes less noise while it's running. While it lacks the Breville's quality of life features like the soft-close door and different chime options, you can mute the controls. It also includes a steam sensor along with 15 'Steam Cook' and 'Steam Reheat' programs. Unlike many microwaves, it also has a 'Keep Warm' function.
However, it's not as easy to use as the previous pick. Its membrane touch panel provides less tactile feedback than the Breville's physical buttons. Programming the microwave requires more steps, especially if you're doing something other than microwaving at 100% power for a few minutes. While it's compact, if you're looking for something even smaller, you might want one of the cheaper microwaves below.
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Best Mid-Range Small Microwave
The IKEA GÅTEBO is a good mid-range option, especially if you want to save space by combining multiple appliances. This compact microwave also works as an air fryer or convection oven. It doesn't heat food as fast as the Breville the Smooth Wave, and its cooking chamber is smaller, so it's best suited for reheating personal portions. Still, its more compact design is useful if you need to save as much space as possible, and it's even quieter when it's running.
It's decently easy to use. The membrane button panel doesn't feel as nice to use as the Breville's controls, but you can start microwaving with just one push. However, if you want to do something else besides microwaving at full power, it can be complicated. The control panel looks simple, but programming something like a 1:30 cycle at 30% power requires many button presses. It also lacks a steam sensor, although it includes some useful extra features like a mute option and a child lock.
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Best Budget Small Microwave
If you're looking for a more straightforward microwave without air frying or baking capabilities, you might want the LG LMC0975ST instead. This compact and budget-friendly model is the smallest on the list, so it's a good option if you want to save counter space. Its smaller size comes with a smaller capacity, but it's a good option for heating drinks and single servings. While it lacks extra features like a mute control option, it heats food very quickly. You can easily start a 30-second cycle with one button push, and it has a safety feature that lets you disable the controls.
This particular model (LG LMC0975ST) is discontinued, but it's still available from a few online retailers. The new model (MSER0990S) has the same dimensions and power, so it's a good alternative if you're looking for a very small microwave. However, if you like the older model's minimalist design, including most of the controls hidden behind the door, you might be disappointed that the updated version has a more typical (and visible) control panel.
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Best Cheap Small Microwave
The Sharp SMC1162HS is a good option if you want to spend as little as possible on a microwave. This specific model isn't widely available, but other variants (SMC1162KS) are available directly from Sharp for less than the LG LMC0975ST. This 1000-watt microwave is only a bit slower than the LG and makes less noise while it's running. Its medium-sized cooking chamber can accommodate dishes like dinner plates, making it a good option for reheating leftovers or preparing quick snacks.
The membrane touch panel is less pleasant to use than physical buttons. Some tasks, like microwaving at a lower power level, require a lot of button pushes. However, you can start microwaving at 100% power with just one button press. It doesn't have a steam sensor, so you always need to input your food's weight or cooking time, but it includes the usual programs like 'Popcorn' and 'Defrost.' You can also mute the controls if you don't want to hear your microwave beeping.
Recent Updates
Mar 05, 2026:
We've updated the article to give recommendations based on price. We've removed the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS and GE JES1072SHSS because they aren't available, and we've added the Breville the Smooth Wave, IKEA GÅTEBO, Panasonic NN-SN67HS, and LG LMC0975ST.
Nov 13, 2025:
We've removed the LG LMC0975ST, which is currently difficult to find, and have replaced it with the Sharp SMC1162HS, as the 'Fastest Small Microwave.'
Feb 27, 2025:
We've edited the text for clarity, but haven't made any changes to our recommendations.
Jan 29, 2025:
We've made edits throughout for clarity and added the GE GCST07N1WSS as an alternative to the GE JES1072SHSS for the 'Best Value Small Microwave,' as the JES1072SHSS has been discontinued and is becoming hard to find.
Dec 18, 2024:
We've made sure that the picks represent the best recommendations and that the products are in stock.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best small microwaves 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.