Top 5 compared
The best microwaves
Leftovers reheated, frozen food defrosted and cold coffee warmed up again, all in minutes.
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The top 5 at a glance
A countertop microwave sits on the counter and plugs into an ordinary outlet, with nothing to install; the first popular one for the home, Amana’s countertop Radarange, arrived in 1967. A solo microwave heats and defrosts with no grill or convection oven built in. Capacity is given in cubic feet: compact models suit a small space, while roomier ones take a casserole dish or the biggest dinner plates.
Every one here is a solo model, and power makes a real difference: a 1,000-watt microwave heats noticeably faster than a 700-watt one. They all have digital controls and one-touch presets, most can mute their beeps, and the turntable’s width, in the table, is the truest guide to which plates fit.
What matters
- Outside dimensions that fit the space, with room for air.
- Defrost by weight, not just by time.
- A turntable that lifts out to wash, or goes in the dishwasher.
- A child lock, if there are small children in the house.
#1Toshiba 0.9 cu ft Countertop Microwave (ML-EM09PA)
$75–$100
A 0.9 cu ft microwave that fits under most cabinets yet takes a 10.6-inch plate, with 900 watts, 11 power levels and one-touch starts from 1 to 6 minutes. A mute setting silences the beeps for late-night reheating.
What owners say: Heats evenly and quickly, owners say, and sits neatly on a small countertop; they’re split on how loud it runs, and some report theirs giving out after several years.
Heads up: The door has a two-step child lock, a new US safety requirement, so check the manual’s diagram for how to open it the first time.
A closer look: It draws a good deal more from the outlet than its 900 cooking watts, so running a kettle or toaster on the same circuit at the same time can trip the breaker. The clock doubles as a kitchen timer, handy for counting down pasta on the stove.
- Mute for late-night reheating
- Clock doubles as kitchen timer
- Defrost by weight or time
- Two-step child lock
Best for: Small kitchens and apartments
- Type
- Solo
- Capacity
- 0.9 cu ft
- Microwave power
- 900W
- Controls
- Digital buttons
- Auto programs
- 6
- Turntable
- 10.6 in
- Size (W x H x D)
- 18.7 x 10.7 x 13.3 in
#2Toshiba 1.2 cu ft Microwave with Humidity Sensor (EM131A5C)
$100–$150
A humidity sensor reads the steam coming off the food and sets the time and power itself, so leftovers come out hot without drying. At 1.2 cu ft with a 12.4-inch turntable, it takes a full dinner plate or a casserole dish.
What owners say: Owners like the simple controls, the roomy inside and the power, which some compare with an 1,100-watt model; others found it noisy, and there are reports of units quitting within months.
A closer look: Use the sensor menus for reheating and vegetables, and keep the food loosely covered so the sensor can read the steam. At 20.5 in wide and 17.2 in deep, it needs a generous patch of countertop, so measure the space before ordering.
- Reads steam to set time
- Takes a casserole dish
- ECO mode and mute
Best for: Families and big dishes
- Type
- Solo, with sensor
- Capacity
- 1.2 cu ft
- Microwave power
- 1,000W
- Controls
- Digital, number pad
- Auto programs
- 6 sensor menus
- Turntable
- 12.4 in
- Size (W x H x D)
- 20.5 x 12.8 x 17.2 in
#3COMFEE' 0.7 cu ft Countertop Microwave (EM720CPL-PMB)
$75–$100
A 0.7 cu ft microwave about 17 in wide, for a dorm room, an office or a studio kitchen, with 700 watts, 11 power levels and six one-touch programs, reheat and frozen vegetables among them. ECO mode halves its standby power, on COMFEE’s figure.
What owners say: Compact enough for a dorm or a studio and still roomy enough for a dinner plate, owners say; at 700 watts some find it slow, and durability worries a few.
Heads up: At 700 watts it’s slower than a full-size microwave, so add a little time to package instructions written for 1,000 watts.
A closer look: Hold the sound button for three seconds to switch the beeps off, handy in a dorm or a shared office kitchen. It’s light enough for one person to carry up the stairs on move-in day, and the turntable lifts out to wash in the sink.
- ECO mode halves standby power
- Hold sound to mute beeps
- Popcorn and pizza presets
- Two-step child lock
Best for: Dorms and small spaces
- Type
- Solo
- Capacity
- 0.7 cu ft
- Microwave power
- 700W
- Controls
- Digital buttons
- Auto programs
- 6
- Turntable
- 10 in
- Size (W x H x D)
- 17.3 x 10.2 x 13 in
#4Farberware 1.1 cu ft Countertop Microwave (1,000W)
$100–$150
A step up in size without the footprint of a family model: 1.1 cu ft and 1,000 watts on a 12.5-inch turntable, with a number pad, ten power levels and multi-stage cooking, so it can defrost and then cook in one go.
What owners say: Owners like the black and steel finish and a big inside on a small footprint; some found it heats unevenly or beeps too loudly, and a handful say theirs lasted about three years.
A closer look: A memory setting saves a favorite time and power, so the bowl of oatmeal you make every morning is one press away. Wipe the inside with a damp cloth after splatters, while it’s still warm, and they won’t bake on.
- Memory saves a favorite setting
- Multi-stage: defrost, then cook
- Express cook, 1–6 minutes
Best for: Cooking for two to four
- Type
- Solo
- Capacity
- 1.1 cu ft
- Microwave power
- 1,000W
- Controls
- Digital, number pad
- Auto programs
- 6
- Turntable
- 12.5 in
- Size (W x H x D)
- 20.2 x 12 x 16.5 in
#5Chefman 0.7 cu ft Digital Microwave (RJ55-7)
$75–$100
Press a number and it starts for that many minutes, or pick one of six presets, from popcorn to leftovers. Ten power levels run from a low setting for melting butter up to full power, and the glass turntable goes in the dishwasher.
What owners say: Simple to use and solidly made, owners say, though some found it smaller or slower than they expected, and a few said theirs broke early on.
A closer look: The child lock lives in the handle: pull up on its top edge to open the door. At 9.5 in tall and 12.9 in deep, it tucks under low cabinets, and the black outside wipes clean with a damp towel.
- Child lock in the handle
- Press 3 for 3 minutes
- Dishwasher-safe glass turntable
- Mute button
Best for: Tight corners with little headroom
- Type
- Solo
- Capacity
- 0.7 cu ft
- Microwave power
- 700W
- Controls
- Digital, number keys
- Auto programs
- 6
- Turntable
- 10 in
- Size (W x H x D)
- 17.5 x 9.5 x 12.9 in
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Toshiba ML-EM09PA | #2Toshiba EM131A5C | #3COMFEE' EM720CPL | #4Farberware 1.1 | #5Chefman RJ55-7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Biggest capacity | Best compact | |||
| Picked Rating | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.4 |
| Price | $75–$100 | $100–$150 | $75–$100 | $100–$150 | $75–$100 |
| Type | Solo | Solo, with sensor | Solo | Solo | Solo |
| Capacity | 0.9 cu ft | 1.2 cu ft | 0.7 cu ft | 1.1 cu ft | 0.7 cu ft |
| Microwave power | 900W | 1,000W | 700W | 1,000W | 700W |
| Controls | Digital buttons | Digital, number pad | Digital buttons | Digital, number pad | Digital, number keys |
| Auto programs | 6 | 6 sensor menus | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Turntable | 10.6 in | 12.4 in | 10 in | 12.5 in | 10 in |
| Size (W x H x D) | 18.7 x 10.7 x 13.3 in | 20.5 x 12.8 x 17.2 in | 17.3 x 10.2 x 13 in | 20.2 x 12 x 16.5 in | 17.5 x 9.5 x 12.9 in |
| Best for | Small kitchens and apartments | Families and big dishes | Dorms and small spaces | Cooking for two to four | Tight corners with little headroom |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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