Best Countertop Microwaves for Home Kitchen

The Toshiba ML-EC42P(BS) costs a little higher than the other models we compared it with, but you can be sure that you’ll get more than what you will be paying for. It is a “multifunctional” model. It might sound a bit of a gimmick but you can really enjoy multiple functions just in this one appliance.

It is a convection-type microwave unit that can work as an air fryer and a secondary oven. With this, you can defrost, bake, roast, and cook almost all kinds of food items in your kitchen. Even better, it has a good number of controls which can make everything almost instant and automatic for you.

When we received our unit, we were amazed at the automatic functions of the unit. It has an air fry function with 10 auto menus, a convection function with 4 auto bake menus and 4 auto roast menus, and a sensor function with 13 auto menus! With this, you always have a lot of options whatever you are preparing. Its Smart Humidity Sensor feature is particularly a big help in ensuring you that the common food items you are putting in will come out great. It also doesn’t miss staple features in microwaves such as the warm hold function and express-cook buttons (1-6 minutes).

When we tested it, we tried its air fryer function, it really worked like a solo air fryer unit. But what really caught our attention was its efficiency as a convection oven when we used it for cookies. We preheated it and it notified us with a beep sound. Once the food item had been placed, we set the temperature and hit start. And the result was really pleasing. Golden-brown color with a crunchy exterior and chewy interior, as if we used an actual oven. When we used it for a thin cut of steak, it really turned out great (though we had to frequently check it since steak may be cooked faster in this setting). However, keep in mind that the max temperature for the convection function is just 425°F. If you are just going to use it for light purposes, nonetheless, this should be enough.

We have to admit that when we first saw Panasonic NN-SD975S, we weren’t pleased with its look. This is true, especially with the appearance of the controls and not to mention that some of the buttons are too small. But what brought this on our list? Features and capacity. Those are the things that matter to us.

While it can’t beat others in terms of aesthetics, it has an astounding set of features and capabilities that you can’t resist. First is its 2.2 cu. ft. capacity. When we placed it next to Toshiba ML-EC42P(BS), its body is undeniably smaller at 19.44 x 23.88 x 14 inches. Yet, we were truly pleased with how spacious its interior is which will give you a 16.5” turntable diameter. With this, you get more space that you can use in heating up your foods.

On the other hand, while the teeny tiny buttons are really not the most attractive part of the package, using them is not a problem. As a matter of fact, the entire system is very intuitive. They are properly labeled and we personally find the dial very helpful in setting up the time, weight, and sensor menu. This makes the work for you much easier and faster. Further, you can select from its 10 power levels and 20 auto-cook options so it basically has everything you need.

Nonetheless, the things mentioned above are not the main highlight of this bad boy. It’s in the internal system and power supply. Unlike other models, it comes with an inverter system. In regular microwaves without an inverter system, the AC current increases and decreases to continuously produce the heat the unit needs. To explain it better, when you set the microwave to produce 50% power, it will go from 100% power then down to 0%. This gives you the “50%” power. This pulse cycle continues until the food gets cooked. There is nothing wrong with it as it is the normal setup in ordinary microwave models. However, it also means inconsistent heat and temperature which can affect the heating process of the food.

On the other side of the coin, inverter microwaves produce the same amount of voltage from start to end so you can expect a consistent performance. Even better, it means your food will be cooked faster. We noticed it when we tried frozen meals and desserts. In our case in using Marie Callender's, we weren’t even able to mix the dishes which was basically suggested. Ideally, they should be heated for 4 minutes, mixed, and then reheated for another 3 minutes. But just after the first process, we realized that every dish was already properly cooked!

There is nothing so special about Toshiba EM131A5C-BS. It doesn’t have a flamboyant feature that will set it apart from others, yet it is one of the best sellers in the market. It is utterly simple and perhaps, it is its major strength that puts it here.

The EM131A5C-BS is a solo model from Toshiba. Yet, it doesn’t lack the important settings and modes you need for a countertop microwave. First of them are the pre-programmed menus. It is not as many as what other models are offering but as we said, it is a very simple (or should we say basic?) model. Nonetheless, when we tried it, we fell in love with how great its sensors were in adjusting the time and heat level we needed in cooking a wide variety of food items.

The defrost functions are also phenomenal. Besides the “1lb Defrost” button, you also have the option for the “Custom Defrost.” When we tried defrosting a pound of ground pork that was utterly frozen, the result was very pleasing. The pork was thawed perfectly and from a solid ice-like state, it turned into something your hands could literally crush. Nonetheless, we didn’t find any cooked bits after the process! Sweet!

We also really love the controls that are touch-sensitive. There is a beeping sound that will confirm your actions and we must say that it is pretty loud. This could probably annoy some users but the good news about it is that you can deactivate its sound! Just hold the #8 button to turn the beeper off and on depending on your preference. The Soften/Melt button also makes it very handy for folks who frequently have to deal with frozen butter in the kitchen. The Start/+30 Sec button is also very helpful and we found it useful in making fast adjustments in the food items we are cooking during the test!

Further, it is just the right size, making it a good companion for college students who need a reliable microwave in their dorms. With the body dimensions of 20.5 x 17.1 x 12.8 inches, it won’t consume too much space on the counter. It also provides a turntable with a diameter of 12.4 inches in total, so it could just fit 9 to 11-inch pizza but that’s not bad at all. After all, it is just a small countertop microwave so it should be enough for most of your needs.

If you are after the size of the microwave, Sharp ZSMC2242DS might be the perfect choice for you. It has a 2.2 cu. ft. capacity and a 16-inch removable glass turntable. With this, you can basically nuke everything from a whole family pizza to multiple mugs of beverage all at once. Nonetheless, its size isn’t the only thing to praise about it: the controls are one of a kind and this is what charmed our team.

Compared to others, it has controls specifically designated for various kinds of meat that need to be defrosted. There are buttons labeled as Meat, Poultry, and even Seafood! Sweet! Even better, the Melt/Soften button also gives you the choice to be more particular in what you are melting. You can choose from 4 choices that we labeled with numbers: Butter (1), Chocolate (2), Ice Cream (3), and Cheese (4). Literally, it’s like a unit that is built to specifically shine in defrosting and melting things. Just really awesome. When we tried it for various items, we were overwhelmed at the spacious area where you can do all kinds of defrosting and as for the performance, it didn’t disappoint. Its Poultry button for defrosting a whole chicken delivered great results! When we observed all parts of the skin, no part was cooked; instead, it was fully and perfectly thawed!

Of course, there are also pre-programmed options for sensor cooking which gives you a total of 6 choices. On the other hand, it doesn’t lack the options that will give you more freedom such as the Time Defrost, Time Cook, and 10 power levels. There’s also the +30 Sec button that is very handy!

For those who need extra power in preparing meat, there is nothing better than getting a grill microwave. Samsung has a good entry in the form of MG11H2020CT.

This unit comes with, that’s right, a grilling function. You can easily access this mode using the button on the panel that is clearly named. Once activated, the grilling element will be activated which can handle thick slices of meat. Even better, there is a Combi button that will help you optimize the grilling capabilities of the unit. Also, the package we received came with a wire rack and a ceramic plate! With this, it is truly an equipped unit and a complete package that you can use right out of the box. When we used it for a steak, the heat managed to penetrate the entirety of the 1 ½” thickness of the meat, giving us a fully cooked dish. Also, its 12.4” turntable was large enough for the food items in our test to fit in.

On the other hand, its microwave function and controls are just as impressive as its grilling capabilities. It has multiple cooking presets for the most common food items and auto-defrost. It also has designated buttons for adding extra 30 seconds to the cooking time, sound activation/deactivation, and Eco Mode.