Buying guide for Best countertop microwaves
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More affordable than built-in or over-the-range (OTR) microwaves, countertop microwaves are fairly basic. They sit on the counter, plug into an electrical outlet and are easy to move around.
To find the right one for you, the first features to look at are size and capacity. Most people want a microwave that’s big enough to do what they need it to do — but not so large that it takes over their entire counter or cart.
Next, look at power, measured in watts. The higher the wattage of a microwave, the faster and more evenly it heats food (around 800 to 1,200 watts is ideal).
Once you’ve decided on size and power, consider the other features you need. What kind of controls does it have? How loud is it? Does it have a display? Is it simple to clean? Will it look good in your kitchen? Note, too, that a countertop microwave should be easy for one person to lift. If you’ve got small children, look for one with a child safety lock.
Some microwaves have inverters that allow them to heat food more evenly than regular microwaves, avoiding burned spots and dried-out food. Inverter microwaves can be more expensive than regular microwaves and may interfere with WiFi signals, but many people find the quality of the food they cook to be worth it.
We scrutinized countertop microwaves for size, capacity, wattage, ease of use, how quickly and evenly they heat and defrost food, and how they set up and look. We think the Panasonic Stainless Steel Microwave Oven with Genius Sensor, which can also be used as a built-in microwave, is the top choice among countertop microwaves for its size and features. The Farberware Countertop Microwave offers the best bang for your buck.
Best countertop microwaves
With 1,200 watts of power, 1.2 cubic feet of capacity and a 13.4-inch turntable, this model is big enough to fit a full dinner plate, a microwaveable rice cooker and most frozen food containers. At around 25 pounds, the Panasonic microwave is light enough to shift around for cleaning. And the bright display, sleek controls and stainless steel finish look great in practically any kitchen.
It features inverter technology for even cooking and defrosting and a "genius" sensor that automatically adjusts cooking settings as needed. We think its keep-warm feature is particularly useful for the busy home cook, and its 14 preset functions (for whipping up frozen pizza, oatmeal, quinoa and more) make it a versatile addition to the kitchen.
At 14.5 inches high, 22.5 inches wide and 18 inches deep, this gem from Panasonic takes up a chunk of space, but it’s not the biggest we’ve seen, and it can be installed as a built-in if you choose.
For just over half the price of our top pick, this Farberware model hits a sweet spot in terms of features and price. During our testing, we found that it heated food quickly and evenly and was simple to operate. We also like that it opens with a handle, which is more straightforward than a push latch. And it’s stylish to boot.
The Farberware comes with 1.1 cubic feet of capacity and a 12.5-inch turntable that should be big enough for most dinner plates and food packages. It takes up about 2.3 square feet of counter space, but its 12-inch height should allow it to fit under most overhanging kitchen cabinets.
With 1,000 watts of power, this quality budget microwave handles most jobs easily, and it can remember custom settings — a real time-saver. In our testing, it heated and defrosted most foods well and wasn’t very noisy, which is a big plus if you want to use it while others are trying to sleep.
With just less than a cubic foot of volume and 900 watts of power, this microwave from Black + Decker is a bit smaller and less powerful than other models we recommend. But it takes up less than 2 square feet of counter space, and its 10.6-inch turntable should still fit a standard dinner plate.
Available in an attractive stainless steel design, it features easy-to-use digital controls with six cooking presets and a defrost function. Its bright interior is easy to clean, and the push-button latch door is a cinch to operate. It’s a little heavy for its size, but at 30 pounds, it’s not too heavy if you need to move it. A child lock adds safety if you’ve got young kids running around.
If you live in a small apartment and don’t have the option or budget for a built-in or over-the-range model, a countertop microwave this size is an awesome choice, and it comes at a great price.
Another model we tested, this one from Toshiba wins points for its stylish looks and impressive results. It’s one of the quietest microwaves we’ve looked at, and it can get even quieter because you can mute its beeps — a great feature for late nights and early mornings.
This 1,000-watt microwave boasts sensor-based reheating and auto cooking as well as one-button digital controls for softening and melting as well as preparing popcorn and pizza. We are particularly impressed by how quickly and completely it heats frozen foods and how thoroughly it can pop a bag of microwave popcorn.
The Toshiba’s black metal finish and styling looks great in a kitchen, especially if you like the modern farmhouse aesthetic. At 20.5 inches wide and 17 inches deep, it takes up around 2.4 square feet of counter space and delivers 1.2 cubic feet of capacity. It has a simple handle-operated door and a child safety lock.
At only 0.7 cubic feet in capacity and 700 watts in power, this Galanz microwave might seem a little lightweight compared to our other picks, but it earns its place here for being a solid compact microwave with a cute retro aesthetic.
At 13.8 inches deep, 17.9 inches wide, and 10.3 inches tall, the Galanz microwave takes up a fraction of the counter space of bigger models, making it great for tiny homes, dorms and small apartments. Its 9-inch turntable won’t fit a standard dinner plate, but it fits a bag of popcorn, most frozen dinners and snacks, and mugs of beverages.
Sure to get noticed, this microwave combines a retro dial control with a bright digital display, and it comes in three fun colors (teal green, sky blue and bright red) as well as black.
Designed for commercial environments where a microwave would see high use, this hardworking and durable compact microwave fits the bill for home use as well. It has a solid handle-operated door that makes it easy to grab and close and a tough stainless steel exterior designed for lots of daily wear.
Like many commercial microwaves, this one doesn’t have a turntable. Instead, it emits energy from the bottom, shortening the distance it takes to reach and heat food. With 1,000 watts of power and an 0.8-cubic-foot capacity, it makes short work of most heating tasks. It also has brightly labeled controls with Braille translations and time preset-based buttons.
How we tested
After researching the top countertop microwaves on the market, we narrowed our list down to the eight microwaves above and tested the Farberware and Toshiba models in the following areas.
Ease of use
- Unboxing and setup: We noted how the microwave was packed, how easy it was to unbox, how heavy it was to lift, and what accessories it came with.
- Controls and display: We evaluated how easy it was to operate microwave controls and how informative, visible, and legible each display was.
- Cleaning and maintenance: We evaluated how easy and convenient it was to clean the interior and exterior of the microwave and noted whether the exterior seemed to attract dirt or blemishes.
Quality
- Noise level: We checked how loud the microwave was during operation, taking note of any beeps or sounds.
- Heating food: We tested how well the microwave heated food, checking evenness, doneness, and how long it took.
- Defrosting food: We tested how quickly and thoroughly the microwave defrosted food, both raw and prepared.
- Power levels: We evaluated how to set different power levels on the microwave and their effects on cooking time and doneness.
Advanced features
- Special features: We tested the performance of special features, such as automatic food settings for popcorn and pizza, as well as the quality of the sensor-based cooking.
FAQ
Q. What is the average lifespan of a countertop microwave?
A. A countertop microwave oven should last between 7 to 10 years without needing major repair. If you’re starting to notice odd smells, sounds, or an uneven performance, these might be signs that it’s time to repair or replace your microwave.
Q. Do microwaves interfere with TV reception?
A. If you use an indoor over-the-air antenna, running your microwave could cause some interference with your TV signal. This also goes for AM and FM radio and WiFi networks in the 2.4-gigahertz range. Microwave energy is emitted in the radio frequency range, so it could conflict with other appliances that use radio waves.
Q. Why shouldn't you stand in front of the microwave?
A. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises against standing directly in front of or up against an operating microwave for long periods of time. This is to avoid very rare instances of being exposed to microwave radiation from a broken or poorly sealed microwave. It’s not a likely scenario, but to be safe, avoid staring into the microwave while it’s on. Your pizza won’t heat any quicker!
