When you’re in a hurry and want to heat up a plate of pasta, cooking capacity determines how large of a plate you can use. Our tests found that most microwave ovens have less space than marketed. Many of our tested models, both over-the-range (OTR) and countertop microwaves, have a usable capacity of about 50 percent of what manufacturers claim. The best microwaves are no exception, but they stand out in our tests for such performance measurements as heating speed, heating evenness, and defrosting.
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- Best Countertop Microwaves
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Countertop microwaves represent the biggest slice of the market by far. We focus our testing on models with a claimed capacity of 1 cubic foot or larger, which are the biggest sellers, according to our in-house analysts.
Below, you can view the top microwaves we test, grouped by type and listed alphabetically. For more information on choosing a microwave, see our microwave buying guide. CR members can dive into our comprehensive microwave ratings of more than 130 models.
Best Countertop Microwaves
Countertop microwaves are generally less expensive than over-the-range models. They’re also easier to install—just plug the microwave into a dedicated outlet.
The midsized Breville Smooth Wave BMO850BSS1BUC1 earns a very good rating for defrosting evenness. While its heating evenness is less than satisfactory, our testers found the machine’s controls easy to use (it has a mix of dials and buttons). This model is quieter than most countertop microwaves, garnering the highest mark on our noise test. And Breville countertop microwaves earned top-level ratings for both predicted reliability and owner satisfaction in our latest member surveys.
The small, 700-wattCommercial Chef CHM770B may be all you need for a college dorm or home office. This countertop microwave is a champ at heating evenness, acing our mashed potato test that judges how thoroughly it heats the dish from cold. However, it’s one of the slowest microwaves in CR’s ratings, garnering the lowest score possible in our tests of heating a bowl of water. Also, it’s just average at defrosting. Nonetheless, it costs less than $100, so it may be worth a look if you’re on a tighter budget.
The LG MSWN1590L countertop microwave offers stellar heating and defrosting evenness at a great value. It also earns very good marks for heating speed in our lab tests. This sleek model is easy to use, with touchpad controls. In our member surveys, LG countertop microwaves received midrange owner satisfaction and predicted reliability scores.
The large Panasonic NN-SE785S is a top performer all-around. This countertop model’s heating evenness and speed of heating are superb, and it defrosts very well, too. The controls are self-explanatory, and this appliance operates relatively quietly. It comes equipped with a sensor, which takes the guesswork out of cooking. As a brand, Panasonic countertop microwaves received very good owner satisfaction ratings and middling reliability ratings in our member surveys.
For the price, you can’t go wrong with the top-performing midsized Panasonic NN-SN67HS. Its speed of heating and defrosting evenness both notch excellent ratings in CR’s tests. It also evenly heats food, and our testers say it’s easy to operate. It’s a bit noisy when running on high, but typically you run your microwave in such short bursts that it might not bother you.
Talk about great bang for your buck. The low-priced Panasonic NN-SN77HS is a large microwave that aces three of our toughest tests: speed of heating, heating evenness, and defrosting evenness. It runs quietly, earning a very good score on our noise test, and our testers found little need to consult the manual to learn how to operate it. This model is equipped with a sensor that shuts off the oven once the food is hot enough.
Best Over-the-Range Microwaves
Over-the-range microwave ovens free up counter space, but installation models may require an electrician.
The snazzy Café CVM721M2NS5 has a recessed handle and hidden digital controls that run along the bottom. When you tap on the glass touchscreen, the options for time and cooking modes pop into view. In addition to looking good, it cooks well, earning an excellent rating in our heating evenness test. It’s also first-rate at defrosting, and it operates quietly. A sensor prevents you from overheating your food. In our member surveys, Café over-the-range microwaves earned middling scores for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction.
The Ikea Lagan is a very quiet microwave, earning an excellent rating for noise in our lab tests, and it’s top-notch at defrosting, so you don’t have to worry about last-minute meals. It’s very good at evenly heating a dish of mashed potatoes, but it could be a bit faster. Our testers found the appliance is easy to use without reading the manual. Ikea’s over-the-range microwaves got an excellent rating for predicted reliability but a subpar score for owner satisfaction in our member surveys.
The Ikea Medelniva acquitted itself quite nicely in our tests, earning an excellent rating for defrosting a pound of frozen ground chuck evenly. It operates quietly, so you can have a conversation in the kitchen while it’s running. And its venting is on a par with most of the OTR microwaves we test, although a few do a bit better. If you want to reheat a dish of Swedish meatballs, however, you may find this model lacking—it earns only a so-so score on our heating evenness test.
The sleek LG MVEL2033F is one of the newer LGs in our tests and earned a place on our recommended list. Its heating evenness and defrosting are top-notch, and our testers found it a cinch to use without reading the owner’s manual. The controls light up when you touch the screen. It operates quietly and vents fairly well for an OTR. (Dedicated range hoods are better.) A sensor prevents you from overcooking your food. One small drawback is its moderate score for speed of heating, but if you have a little patience, it’s not a deal-breaker. LG over-the-range microwaves garnered top-notch marks for reliability but only middling scores for owner satisfaction.
The Thermador MU30WSU earns a top mark for heating evenness and very good ratings for speed of heating and defrosting evenness in our tests. This model comes with a sensor that prevents overcooking and a wire rack for bi-level cooking. It’s also relatively quiet. In our member surveys, Thermador over-the-range microwaves received strong ratings for predicted reliability and midlevel marks for owner satisfaction.
How CR Tests Microwaves
In CR’s microwave lab, we assess how fast and how evenly each machine heats. The speed score in our microwave ratings is based on how fast a microwave heats 1 liter of room-temperature water.
To test heating evenness, we heat a bowl of cold mashed potatoes for 10 minutes, then take temperature readings in 20 spots. We also judge how quietly a microwave operates and how easy it is to use without consulting the manual.
In addition to these performance ratings, we factor in scores for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction based on our members’ experiences with 43,070 OTR microwaves and 41,800 countertop models purchased new between 2013 and 2023.
To learn more about our microwave tests and things to know before you go shopping, check out our microwave buying guide.
