The best microwaves are an invaluable part of any kitchen, no matter how you like to good. A good microwave makes food prep faster, simpler, and makes the clean-up process that bit easier. Some newer models even have voice control, when you hook them up to you Alexa smart speaker. What a time to be alive.
Of course choosing the right microwave means choosing a model that has everything you need, and in a way that fits in with both your budget and kitchen. So to help you find the perfect appliance, we’ve picked out the best microwaves for families and kitchens of all shapes and sizes.
What are the best microwaves?
Our pick for the best microwaves is the Toshiba EM925A5A, a standard countertop model that cooks very evenly and provides some convenient features. For a blend of price, performance and features, this is the best microwave you can get.
To anyone looking to save money, we recommend our best budget microwave, the Sharp ZSMC0912BS. In spite of its low price, it’s good looking and has useful quick start buttons.
If you have limited countertop space and primarily use your oven for reheats and popcorn, the best microwave for you is the GE JES1072SHSS. And although it’s small, it still has room for a large dinner plate or a casserole dish.
The GE Profile JES2251SJ, a powerful, 1200-watt model with a huge 16-inch turntable, is our number one choice if you need more space to “bake” a lasagna or reheat a platter of chicken. To help you get good results without guessing the power level and cooking time, it’s equipped with sensors.
Some of you may want to install your microwave over your range to free up space on your countertops and get a vent hood in the bargain. Our nod for best over the range microwave oven goes to the Whirlpool WMH53521H. It too has a large turntable to accommodate rectangular casseroles and the turntable can even be set to stop turning when a dish is too big to rotate in the oven.
Our pick for best smart microwave is the GE JES1097SMSS which can be controlled remotely through Alexa, Google Assistant or a GE app. It also has a unique feature which lets you scan the barcode on packaged foods so it can determine the cooking time automatically.
If you don’t have a lot to spend, but still want the latest in technology, consider the AmazonBasics Microwave, our choice for best budget smart microwave oven. You can control it through Amazon Alexa and it will automatically reorder popcorn bags or kernels from Amazon so you never have to worry about running out.
A microwave that can also bake and toast can come in handy. In that category, our vote for best microwave convection oven goes to the Samsung MC11K7035CG, which can bake, grill, combine heating modes, and even air fry.
The best microwaves in 2021
There’s a sweet spot for most appliances where the price, performance and features are all in balance. For microwave ovens, you’ll find that’s the case in the inexpensive Toshiba EM925A5A, which heats evenly and quickly and offers preprogrammed settings including ones for popular items like popcorn, “baked” potatoes, and pizza.
You won’t find lots of fancy features here; there’s no voice control and no sensors to determine the setting and time precisely. But there are some nice touches for convenience, such as Express Cook: Press any of the buttons from 1 through 6, and then Start, and you get 1 to 6 minutes of microwaving. Toshiba even includes a mute button to eliminate beeping, so you can nuke a midnight snack without letting anyone know you’re breaking your diet.
On the lookout for a bargain, but don’t want a cheap-looking appliance? The Sharp ZSMC0912BS is the best budget microwave around. In spite of its great price, it has a sleek, upscale design with a large push button rather than a handle for opening the door.
Although it doesn’t have sensors for cooking or defrosting foods automatically, the Sharp is equipped with preset programs for pizza, beverages, reheats, and defrosting. Need a quick warm up for your cup of coffee? Put it inside the oven and hit the start button for a 30-second zap. Still not hot enough? Hit start again for an additional 30 seconds. And press any of the keys from 1 to 6 to get a corresponding 1 to 6 minutes of heating. What you don’t get at this low price is an interior light to show you when the cheese on your pizza is melted.
The GE JES1072SHSS is a smart pick if you have limited countertop space. You get a good-looking design with a space-saving footprint, but a turntable that’ s just as large as in bigger models. However, it only has 700 watts of cooking power which means you may find cooking times on the long side. This GE is a great choice if you can’t live without a microwave for making a quick cup of tea or heating frozen dinners, but it’s probably not the best pick if you actually use your microwave to make dinner regularly.
In spite of its small size, this oven is stacked with lots of preprogrammed settings for things you’ll probably find yourself doing often, like popping corn, reheating, and defrosting. In addition, you get 6 quick start settings by pressing keys 1 to 6.
If you use microwave recipes for everything for things like poached salmon or tamale pie, you need a bigger model. The GE Profile JES2251SJ can hold a large baking dish for a ziti or enchilada casserole on its humongous 16-inch turntable. At the holidays, you’ll find its large size handy for zapping a platter of roasted vegetables or turkey slices to warm them up. According to reviewers, this oven heats evenly as well as quickly thanks to 1,200 watts of power.
The GE is equipped with a sensor that detects when foods are done. If you like your veggies a little crisper or more tender than the sensor “thinks” is done, you can use the more or less button. On this oven, there’s a unique warm setting for holding a dish at serving temperature while you’re waiting for everyone to come to the table.
As you would expect, this oven’s size and technology increase the price. At about $300, this microwave is more than double the cost of our smaller picks.
The Whirlpool WMH53521H is an over-the-range microwave with a 14-inch turntable that’s large enough to hold a baking dish filled with mac ‘n cheese or apple crisp. If you should find your lasagna is too large to rotate on the turntable, you can turn the turntable off. Reviewers rave about this oven’s fast and even cooking.
With sensors and preprogrammed pads for everything from cooking bacon for breakfast to softening ice cream after dinner, the Whirlpool eliminates much of the guesswork involved in microwave heating. A wire rack comes with the oven that makes it possible to reheat two dinner plates at once. Inside, there’s a nonstick finish so you don’t have to work too hard to wipe off splatters. And of course, you’re also getting a vent hood to clear your kitchen of odors from broiling salmon or smoke from searing a steak.
With the GE JES1097SMSS you can give orders either through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, using an Amazon Echo or Google Home speaker to control it. With 900 watts of power, it’s faster at getting your soup hot than the Amazon Basics smart microwave, making it just as smart but noticeably more powerful.
This microwave can also be controlled through the GE Appliances Kitchen app, which some reviewers found a little difficult to set up. With the app installed and connected, you can use a neat feature called Scan-to-Cook. Scan the barcode of a supported microwavable food and the app detects the code and programs the oven appropriately. Reviewers found that the feature worked well, but at the present time the list of scannable foods isn’t that long. You can check out the list for yourself and see if your favorites are compatible with the oven.
Need more Jetsons in your life? The AmazonBasics Microwave comes with voice control — well, sort of: Press the Alexa button on the microwave, and a nearby Amazon Alexa device (such as an Echo Dot) hears your instructions. That means you have to have an Alexa device in your kitchen in order to tell it to “microwave for 60 seconds,” “reheat a cup of coffee” or “defrost a pound bag of peas” and have the oven oblige. Reviewers found that the voice-control feature worked well, with the built-in Amazon Alexa assistant understanding and following instructions clearly.
One interesting feature is Auto Popcorn Replenishment. The microwave keeps a tab of how many bags of popcorn you have microwaved and automatically orders more — from Amazon, of course — when you run low.
However, there are a few gotchas to this microwave: CNet found that the presets didn’t work well with multiple quantities. While the oven microwaved a single potato just fine, when it tried three spuds at once, they came out hard in the center. With only 700 watts of power, it’s a slow-heating microwave. The AmazonBasics is the best budget smart microwave, and a great pick for an office or dorm room to heat up ramen noodles or make a cup of cocoa. But if you rely on your microwave for made from scratch cooking, opt for a larger, more powerful model.
You can’t beat the Samsung MC11K7035CG/AA for versatility. In addition to microwaving, it can bake, broil, toast, and air fry. That means you can buy back countertop space by getting rid of your toaster and your air fryer. You can even combine microwaves and convection or grilling to get both speed and browning. While you may sacrifice some browning and crisping in combi mode, it might be worth it when the kids are asking, “When’s dinner going to be ready?” And at the holidays, you have a second oven to heat up the dinner rolls or a casserole while your number one oven is occupied by a turkey or ham.
For microwaving you have the benefit of sensors and preprogrammed settings. The oven cavity has a scratch resistant ceramic enamel finish that’s designed to make it easy to clean, which you’ll really appreciate if you roast foods like chicken that are likely to splatter.
The Panasonic NN-GN68KS is the best microwave if you’re looking for the speed of a microwave combined with the browning and crisping you get from a broiler. You can use both functions simultaneously which is ideal for dishes like macaroni and cheese that you want moist and creamy inside but crunchy on top. It’s also equipped with lots of preprogrammed microwave cooking settings for cooking, reheating, and defrosting.
Unlike most microwaves, this one has a keep warm setting that can hold a dish at serving temperature for up to 30 minutes. That way, If the family’s late to the table, you don’t have to reheat or serve a cold casserole. While this model is more expensive than typical countertop microwaves, it’s beautifully finished and you can even buy a trim kit if you want to build it into a wall and free up workspace in your kitchen.
You’ll get the best popcorn results with the Sharp SMC1442CS and Orville Redenbacher popcorn. The oven’s popcorn button has been tested and programmed using Orville microwave popcorn and certified by the company to give the best taste, aroma and yield. However, even if you never munch on popcorn, this is a great microwave to consider. It has sensor and preset pads to give you ideal results with all kinds of foods from a “baked” potato to a frozen lasagna.
And if you hate multistep programming you can hit one of the pads from 1 to 6 to get a corresponding amount of cooking time. It has a large turntable that can rotate a modestly sized baking dish. This stainless steel Sharp is very reasonably priced but has a handsome streamlined look.
How to choose the best microwave for you
There are two main types of microwave available: countertop and over the range. Here’s what you need to know about each of them, as well as other specifications and features you should keep in mind while choosing your next microwave.
Type
Countertop: These appliances sit on your countertop next to your cutting board and toaster. They don’t require any installation other than being plugged into a nearby electrical outlet.
Over-the-range: Also known as OTR, built-in, or microwave hood, these units are installed above your range, freeing up countertop space and providing a vent that sucks in and filters out smoke and odors from cooking. They require professional installation, as they will be attached to the cabinets or the wall behind them and hooked up to electrical wiring.
The most common size is just under 30 inches wide and about 16 inches deep. Most have a left to right door opening, but some high-end models may have a door that opens downward as on a conventional oven. Either way, check to ensure that any adjacent cabinet-door fittings will not block the microwave or make it awkward to open. Keep in mind. OTRs are less convenient to access, especially for children or anyone wheelchair-bound. Also, be aware that while they do provide ventilation, they don’t exhaust as well as a hood that vents to the outside.
Wattage
Microwaves are rated by the number of watts that they give out. Wattage can vary from 500 to 1500. For the most part, the larger the oven, the higher the wattage and the faster the oven will cook. However, other factors, like the size and shape of the cavity, can also affect cooking time. You should find 800-1200 watts sufficient.
Size
Be sure to measure both your space and the microwave you are considering purchasing, including its height to make sure it can fit under a countertop.
Microwave oven capacity is given in cubic feet but that number. doesn’t give you a realistic estimate of usable space. Virtually all microwaves have turntables and it’s more important to measure the turntable. Its diameter will affect how big a dish the oven will be able to hold. If you have a favorite microwavable baking dish, either measure it from handle end to handle end or bring it to the store to determine if it will be able to rotate on the turntable. There are a few models that give you the option of deactivating the turntable. However, microwaves heat more evenly with the turntable rotating so we only recommend that you plan on using that feature occasionally to warm up food on a large platter or cook a lasagna.
Features
Sensors cook or defrost foods automatically to a precise degree of doneness. They measure the moisture given off during heating before calculating cooking time; they tailor the time to the actual food rather than cook for a predetermined amount of time.
Preprogrammed keys have preset power levels and times for functions like popping popcorn, cooking bacon, and melting butter. Although most microwaves will have a popcorn button, the other choices will vary from model to model. These programs always cook for the same amount of time regardless of the actual food. Sometimes you are given the option to select the quantity or package size.
Express Keys for 1-minute or 30-seconds or the number on the key let you cook quickly without giving much thought to a precise time or power level.
Convection Cooking or Grilling is available on many ovens. This capability adds considerably to the cost. While it can come in handy, especially around the holidays when you need extra oven space, it rarely works as well as a full-size oven or even some toaster ovens.
When to replace a microwave
Although your microwave oven probably comes with a one-year warranty, the National Association of Home Builders says it has a life expectancy of about 9 years. We recommend that you skip an extended warranty, since it’s pretty unlikely that any repair costs you have to handle within the lifetime of your microwave will be greater than the cost of the warranty itself. In fact, it may not cost you much more to just buy a brand new replacement.
Small obvious repairs like replacing a broken door handle, the glass turntable, or roller guide can be made easily and inexpensively. However, unless you have a built-in unit, it is probably more cost effective to buy a new model than call for a service visit. Even if the price of a new part is inexpensive, the diagnosis by a service person will probably be as expensive as a new countertop unit. Regardless of what type of oven you have, if the magnetron or the control panel is damaged or burned you should definitely opt for a new one.
Your new microwave may not have new features, but it will look better in your kitchen. The latest models are sleeker and come packing touch control pads and push buttons rather than handles to open the door. Many even have larger turntables in a smaller package.
Smart microwave ovens are just starting to be introduced too. Like other connected appliances they give you control from your phone or voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant. They also give you the ability to scan food packages, and ensure that the microwave can automatically cook according to the package directions.
Check out more of our appliance coverage:
Best refrigerators | Best gas ranges | Best electric ranges | Best dishwashers | Best washing machines | Best clothes dryers| Best vacuum cleaners | Best grills | Best bread machines | Best blenders | Best stand mixers | Best coffee makers | Best espresso machines | Best food processors | Best juicers | Best air fryers | Best Cuisinart coffee makers | Best patio heaters | Best solar lights | Best coolers | Best inflatable hot tubs
For all the latest Technology News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
