Top 10 Microwaves 2023
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#1
9.8
Panasonic NN-SN936W Countertop Microwave
- 2.2 cu ft
- 1,250 watts
- 14 auto-cook options & 10 power levels
- Does not offer convection
- Dimensions are 23.9″ wide x 19.4″ deep x 14″ tall
Picked by 287 people this week!
#2
9.7
Panasonic NN-SN686S Microwave
- 1.2 cu ft
- 1,200 watts
- 14 auto cook options & 10 power levels
- Does not offer convection
- Dimensions are 20.7″ wide x 15.8″ deep x 12.2″ tall
#3
9.6
Panasonic NN-SN67K Compact Microwave
- 1.2 cu ft
- 1,200 watts
- 16 auto-cook options & 11 power levels
- Does not offer convection
- Dimensions are 20.7″ wide x 15.8″ deep x 12.2″ tall
#4
9.5
Toshiba EM131A5C-SS Microwave Oven
- 1.2 cu ft
- 1,100 watts
- 6 auto-cook options & 10 power levels
- Convection microwave
- Dimensions (20.5″ wide x 17.1″ deep x 12.8″ tall)
#5
9.3
Toshiba ML-EM45P-BS Smart Sensor Microwave
- 1.6 cu ft
- 1,200 watts
- 6 auto-cook functions & 10 power levels
- Does not offer convection
- Dimensions are 22″ wide x 18″ deep x 13″ tall
#6
9.1
Farberware Countertop Microwave
- 1.1 cu ft
- 1,000 watts
- 6 auto-cook options & 10 power levels
- Does not offer convection
- Dimensions are 20.2″ wide x 16.9″ deep x 12″ tall
#7
9.0
Toshiba EM131A5C-BS Smart Sensor Microwave
- 1.2 cu ft
- 1,100 watts
- 6 auto-cook options & 10 power levels
- Does not offer convection
- Dimensions are 20.5″ wide x 16″ deep x 12.8″ tall
#8
8.9
Panasonic NN-SN651B Countertop Microwave
- 1.2 cu ft
- 1,200 watts
- 12 auto-cook options & 10 power levels
- Inverter technology for even cooking
- Dimensions are 20.7″ wide x 15.8″ deep x 12.2″ tall
#9
8.7
GE 3-in-1 Countertop Microwave
- 1.0 cu ft capacity
- 1,050 watts
- 10 preset functions
- Convection microwave
- Dimensions are 20.6″ wide x 16.6″ deep x 11.9″ tall
#10
8.5
Nostalgia Rretro Microwave
- 0.9 cu ft
- 800 watts
- 12 auto-cook options & 5 power levels
- Does not offer convection
- Dimensions are 19″ wide x 15″ deep x 11″ tall
We also considered 4 other:
Our Top Choice
#1
9.8
Panasonic NN-SN936W Countertop Microwave
- 2.2 cu ft
- 1,250 watts
- 14 auto-cook options & 10 power levels
- Does not offer convection
- Dimensions are 23.9″ wide x 19.4″ deep x 14″ tall
Picked by 287 people this week!
About Our Rankings:
Our recommendations are based on expert comparisons between available products in each product category. For microwave, we chose the topics that we think matter most to our users, and provide consise, clear comparisons of the features that matter. Our rankings change day-to-day based on our proprietary algorithms, that crunch data to identify top-performing products and tailor recommendations to exactly what our readers are looking for.
87
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Microwave Buyer's Guide
In some households, the microwave can be the most under-appreciated and over-utilized appliance in the kitchen. From heating up frozen dinners to warming up your coffee, the microwave should have a special place in every home’s heart.
Choosing your new microwave can be a fun adventure into wattage and cubic feet capabilities. You may have never known your microwave had memory settings to remember exactly how much power and time it took to heat up your ma’s famous lasagna recipe.
You could be looking for a product just to get the job done, or you could be searching for the microwave that automatically senses how the job should be done. Either way, you’ll need microwave wisdom to make your purchase ideal.
Microwaves Can Remember
Imagine a world where your microwave predicts exactly what you’re going to reheat and tunes its power and timing accordingly. That’s what shopping for microwaves looks like in 2018. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of microwave dinners, and we’re here for it.
You may be used to microwaves being speedy, but this just adds another level of convenience. Plus, nothing says home like a microwave that remembers exactly how you like your leftovers reheated.
How Much Space do you Have in Your Kitchen
A microwave can have every memory function available, but if it takes up too much space, then those presets don’t do you any good. When shopping for your new microwave, make sure you evaluate the cubic feet of each unit.
For smaller kitchens, you’ll want to consider compact countertop models or over-the-range units suspended above the stove. More compact microwaves can have an internal capacity of 1.0 cubic feet or less. Bigger microwaves will have capacities of around 1.2 cubic feet, but in return, they’ll also take up more counter space in your kitchen.
Power Matters
When reading and rereading microwave dinner instructions, you’ve probably seen varying cooking times depending on the wattage of the microwave. For higher wattages, the cooking time is less.
A microwave’s capability to heat food fast comes down to its powerful performance. In simpler terms, the higher the wattage, the better the power. The compromise to this comes in the forms of energy usage, space (typically more wattage comes from bigger microwaves), and unit cost.
In the top 5 comparisons, you’ll find power ranges from 1000 watts to 1250 watts. These microwaves can handle almost every dish and more wattage means more evenly cooked food at a faster rate. If you’re concerned about food reheat quality and flavor, you should think about a microwave with wattage around 1100 watts. Along with this, if speed is a driving factor to your microwave purchase, you may want to think about the time saved by a microwave with more power.
Defrost Options and Two-Stage Cooking
One of the most convenient features of a microwave is the ability to defrost frozen food without cooking its internal temperature.
The Breville Quick Touch leads the pack with its sensor technology which detects the weight and steam within the food. As far as defrosting goes, this model is untouchable. Along with advanced defrost features, the 2-stage cooking technology can fool anyone into thinking a reheated homemade slice of pie is fresh out of the oven. By selecting this feature, you can set the power at a certain level for a time span, and once that time expires, the unit will adjust to a different power level for another set amount of time. This is especially vital for those instructions that tell you to heat your meal for 2 minutes at 100% power and then 1 minute at 50%. Rather than needing to stand by the microwave waiting to reset the power, the unit takes care of it and only notifies you when it’s all ready.
While units with these features are not at the bottom end of the price scale, they also only stretch into the $250 range, at most. There is not huge variability when it comes to prices, and when you get all these features in return, it’s easy to see why these appliances are worth the price increase.
A Microwave Can Be the Hero of the Kitchen
A microwave gets your meal from cold to hot in seconds, harnessing the power of a campfire within the four walls of a small appliance.
Now that you have some insight into what makes a microwave special, it’s time you find the microwave of your dreams.
ABOUT BUYER'S GUIDE
Navigating the many choices for every consumer purchase can be challenging. Our team spends hours doing research, combing through forums, and reading consumer reviews on even the most basic of household items, and we summarize that information in clear, precise comparisons.
Join the millions that have trusted Haffprice.net to help them make smarter buying decisions. We help our readers spend their money wisely and find the right product to suit their specific needs. Our independent expert reviews and data-driven shopping recommendations empower you find the microwave that’s right for you.
We leverage user data to understand decision-making and put the best products in front of each user. We tailor our comparisons to what matters to our user’s needs, specific or broad. We keep our content up to date, we are constantly looking for new merchants and products to compare, and we are quick to remove any that are outdated or no longer meeting our standards.
Our rankings change day-to-day based on our proprietary algorithms that crunch data to identify top-performing products and tailor recommendations to exactly what our readers are looking for.
Written By Ryan W.
Ryan graduated with a degree in journalism and spent years building his writing career in the tech media field. An avid fan of gadgets and tech in general, Ryan has spent years testing and reviewing a wide array of devices. He specializes in reviewing everything from laptops and smartphones to more niche items like smart home devices and security cameras.
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