5 Best Microwaves That Save You Time and Money

A microwave is pretty convenient, whether you use it for nachos, popcorn, or just to reheat that cup of coffee you forgot about 30 minutes ago.

Like many other small appliances, microwaves have no shortage of models to select from. Moreover, its prices can differ significantly with its features. How can one even begin to determine the most fabulous microwave?

Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Our top picks include the best microwave ovens that offer you top-of-the-line features while being cost-effective.

1. Panasonic Microwave Oven with Inverter Technology

If you’re someone who’s short on time, the Panasonic NN-SN65KB is for you. It prepares food quickly and heats it remarkably evenly at 1,200 watts.

You can reheat the leftover food with its sensor reheat function. Once cooking has begun, it will determine your food’s relative humidity and trigger the countdown for the cooking time.

Compared to the settings on other best microwaves, its popcorn and coffee/milk preset buttons are more useful. However, the frozen food preset is quite disappointing as the microwave overestimates the time required to cook any frozen item.

A few other minor drawbacks are that the microwave’s light lacks brightness and the display catches fingerprints in a snap, making it difficult to watch the food while it cooks.

With that being said, this is the best microwave oven that strikes a balance between size and power while also having user-friendly features.

Elements We Loved

• 1,200 watts of cooking capacity (more than typical microwaves)
• Child safety lock button
• Five helpful preset settings

Elements Needing Improvement

• The frozen food option doesn’t cook food properly
• Lacks express cook buttons

2. Commercial Chef Countertop Microwave Oven

At just under $100, this is the cheapest option available. It is a small microwave oven suitable for compact kitchens. The controls are quite simple and intuitive.

You have the option of many express cook buttons and a custom cook time setting. This is a significant advancement over the previous model that only had a rotary knob and did not allow for the setting of exact seconds.

In addition, this device features two defrost options (time defrost and weight defrost) and six preset buttons (potato, popcorn, dinner plate, beverage, pizza, and frozen vegetable).

With only 900 watts, it’s lacking a little punch. When cooking in this microwave, you’ll probably need to add thirty to sixty seconds more to the instructions from the packaging to cook/heat the food properly.

With that being said, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly, compact, and no-frills counter microwave oven, this is a terrific alternative.

Elements We Loved

• Quieter than other models
• Uniform heating
• Affordable

Elements Needing Improvement

• Small interior
• Slightly underpowered

3. Toshiba Convection Microwave Oven

The Toshiba microwave oven with convection is more than just a standard microwave. You can also bake, roast, and toast. Furthermore, it has the Express Cook function, which lets you start the microwave by pushing any number between one and six on the number pad.

You can perfectly cook frozen french fries in this (that’ll obviously take some extra time though), which usually come out soggy in a traditional microwave.

The only major downside is you will need plenty of countertop space to accommodate this large oven, and at nearly 50 pounds, it can be challenging to move. Overall, this microwave heats well, the buttons are easy to use, it is smudge-proof, and it beeps loudly and clearly.

Elements We Loved

• Multipurpose appliance
• Has many quick-touch preset cooking settings
• Comes with a child safety lock

Elements Needing Improvement

• Bulky and heavy
• The convection function makes the kitchen heat up rapidly

4. Panasonic Countertop Microwave Oven

If you’re cooking for a family, the Panasonic NN-SD975S oven is the best microwave because it has a 16.5-inch turntable. Though it’s a massive, hefty microwave that’s great for large kitchens, it can easily be integrated into a cabinet or other stationary component in your kitchen.

It uniformly heats your food, but you’ll probably need to cut the cooking time down by one or two minutes from any package directions. The cooking time is controlled by a single dial that only goes up or down by 10 seconds, which is a slight annoyance. You can also use the dial to enter the weight of the food you’re defrosting.

It has programmable three cooking phases, and the display screen indicates your current cooking stage. You can use the Keep Warm setting as your last stage while utilizing the multi-stage cooking capability.

Elements We Loved

• 1,250 watts of quiet power
• Easy-to-use dial with practical preset settings
• Child safety lock
• It can be placed as an integrated microwave

Elements Needing Improvement

• 10-second increments in the dial

5. GE Smart Microwave with Scan-to-Cook

If you’re a person who enjoys technology, this game-changing machine is the best microwave oven for you.

With a virtual assistant or your smartphone, you may check the status of your food and adjust the settings by speaking commands. You can add time, start/stop, set a timer for the microwave, and also find out how much time is left using Google Home Mini.

Although this microwave doesn’t have the highest power — 900 watts — it heats stuff rather quickly. Additionally, this model has a scan-to-cook functionality that lets you use your smartphone to scan a food package’s barcode; the cooking time and settings will then show automatically.

To be honest, not many people require a smart microwave. On the other side, cooking while multitasking is made easier by hands-free technology, which also makes it more hygienic because you are touching the microwave less.

Elements We Loved

• Heats meals fast
• Roomy yet small enough to fit in a small kitchen
• Has scan-to-cook and voice command technology

Elements Needing Improvement

• Doesn’t come with a trim kit to place over the stove or behind cabinets
• Doesn’t cook food as uniformly as other microwaves

How to Know Which Is the Best Microwave Oven?

There are quite a few things you need to consider when purchasing a microwave oven. We have listed some important ones for you below:

Power

The primary purpose of the microwave is to determine the power with which it operates. An oven with about 800 watts of power is sufficient for reheating.

However, if you want a microwave that cooks food instead of just reheating it, you should look for one with more than 1,000 watts.

Presets and Extra Features

If you cook or defrost a lot, the Express Cook function or number pad buttons are helpful.

However, if you want one that can replace even the greatest toaster oven, choose a microwave with convection settings.

Be aware that these extra features are frequently more expensive, and the technology isn’t always reliable.

Price

Though this factor totally depends on your spending limit, a decent 800–1,000-watt microwave should cost you between $100 and $150. Additionally, extra features like convection settings or a large number of presets will cost you more.

Safety Features

If you have kids at home, one of the best microwaves that comes with a child-safety lock feature should be purchased. It should be noted that this feature does not lock the microwave door; instead, it stops the microwave oven from working.

Bottom Line

Choosing the right microwave can feel overwhelming. From the powerful Panasonic for even cooking to the smart GE with voice control, our diverse picks cater to every need and budget.

Keep in mind that the perfect microwave for you is the very one that addresses your individual requirements. Consider your cooking style, what features you need, and your budget to find your ideal model.