Best Countertop Microwaves of 2024
Our tests help you find a reliable, top-performing microwave for your kitchen counter
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You can spend less than $100 on a countertop microwave—or multiples of that on a larger, more advanced model. Spending more typically gets you more power and convenience features, such as a sensor that shuts off the oven when your food is ready to eat. But according to Consumer Reports’ microwave oven ratings, the best countertop microwaves don’t necessarily come with higher prices when you’re comparing models of the same size.
CR members can read on for highlights of the best countertop microwaves we test, grouped by size and sorted alphabetically. Wondering which brand’s microwaves stand up over time? Here are the most and least reliable microwaves, based on our extensive CR member surveys. For more tips, take a look at our comprehensive microwave buying guide. CR members can also explore our full countertop microwave ratings of over 70 models.
Best Small Countertop Microwaves
Whether you’re short on counter space or funds, a small microwave (averaging 0.7 cubic feet of internal space) isn’t necessarily bad. It will fit most moderate-sized plates, and the best models do a good job of heating your food, albeit a little slower than bigger ones. Find some of the highest-rated small countertop microwaves we test below.
Small microwaves like the countertop Commercial Chef CHM770B may be all you need for a college dorm or home office. This one is a champ at heating evenness, acing our mashed potato test, in which that side dish is heated from cold, but it’s a slowpoke at heating a simple bowl of water. It’s average at defrosting and pretty quiet. But for the price, it’s worth a look. CR doesn’t have enough survey data yet to rate Commercial Chef’s countertop microwaves for reliability and owner satisfaction.
Of the 10 small countertop microwaves in our tests, the Danby DDMW007501G1 is the only one to get above the lowest rating on our speed-of-heating test. Its heating and defrosting evenness are very good, and this Danby is pretty quiet even when running on the highest setting. But like most microwaves of this size and price, it’s practically feature-free, with no sensor indicating doneness and no cooking prompts. In our member surveys, Danby countertop microwaves earn a very good score for predicted reliability but a poor score for owner satisfaction.
Best Midsized Countertop Microwaves
Midsized countertop microwaves (between 1 and 1.3 cubic feet of usable space) offer a better bang for your buck. Most deliver reliable heating evenness and speed, and price isn’t necessarily an indicator of performance. Here are the four best from Consumer Reports’ tests.
The midsized Breville Smooth Wave BMO850BSS1BUC1 is a solid performer all-around. This countertop model earns very good scores in our defrosting evenness and ease of use tests, but it’s only so-so when it comes to speed of heating and mediocre for cooking evenness. Our testers found this machine operates quietly, earning an excellent score in that assessment. It’s another model that’s equipped with a sensor, which takes the guesswork out of cooking. In addition to its cooking prowess, Breville countertop microwaves receive top-level owner satisfaction and predicted reliability ratings in our member surveys.
The midsized Commercial Chef CHM990B sure packs a punch, earning very good scores across the board for heating evenness, defrosting, ease of use, and noise. This countertop microwave’s speed of heating is only passable, but it does feature auto-defrost and touchpad controls.
Although it’s a bit slower than others in its class, the midsized countertop GE JES1109RRSS would make a solid addition to any kitchen. This appliance hits CR’s defrosting and noise tests out of the park, and it comes close to those lofty standards for heating evenness. Still, its speed of heating is so-so, and owners surveyed by CR gave GE’s countertop microwaves a middling score for predicted reliability and a lackluster rating for owner satisfaction.
For the price, you can’t go wrong with the Panasonic NN-SN67HS, our top-performing midsized countertop microwave. Its heating speed and defrosting evenness both notch outstanding ratings in CR’s tests. It also heats food evenly, 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 the noise shouldn’t be a bother. As a brand, Panasonic countertop microwaves boast solid ratings for owner satisfaction and middling ratings for reliability in our member surveys.
Best Large Countertop Microwaves
Large countertop microwaves (ranging from 1.4 to 2.2 cubic feet of internal space) tend to have more power, resulting in faster average heating speeds. High-end models can also pack more features like temperature sensors and advanced cooking modes. The three models below also represent the best countertop microwaves we’ve tested, period.
The sleek LG NeoChef MSER1590S microwave earns excellent ratings across many of our lab tests, including those assessing heating evenness, defrosting evenness, speed of heating, and microwaving noise. It’s also fairly easy to use, equipped with touchpad controls and a microwave sensor, which takes the guesswork out of cooking. In our member surveys, LG countertop microwaves receive midrange owner satisfaction and predicted reliability scores.
While pricey, the large countertop Panasonic NN-SE785S’s heating evenness and speed of heating are superb, and it defrosts very well. The controls are self-explanatory, and the microwave operates relatively quietly. It comes equipped with a sensor that takes the guesswork out of cooking. The brand’s countertop microwaves earn strong ratings for owner satisfaction and passable ratings for predicted reliability in CR’s member surveys.
We praise the large Panasonic NN-SN77HS for its attractive price and impressive performance. This countertop appliance’s heating evenness and speed of heating are top-notch. It’s also superb at defrosting ground beef evenly. It runs quietly, and the controls are easy to understand and use. Because it’s equipped with a sensor, you don’t have to worry about overheating your food.
The large Vissani EC042A2KJ countertop microwave stands out in value, with many features packed into a very reasonable price. The microwave comes with convection mode, speed cooking mode, and a sensor to prevent overcooking. It’s also very quiet while operating, but it can be slower than some of the other top-performers when it comes to heating up food. It also only earns a middling rating for its defrosting capabilities. Vissani countertop microwaves earn a top-notch predicted reliability score and a poor owner satisfaction score.
How CR Tests Countertop Microwaves
First and foremost, you want a microwave that heats your food and beverages quickly and evenly, which informs our heating evenness test. We heat a bowl of cold mashed potatoes for 10 minutes, then take the internal temperature in 20 spots. Models that do well will heat your leftovers through and through.
To test speed, we measure how fast the microwave heats 1 liter of room-temperature water. Our testers also rate how evenly a microwave defrosts frozen food, how noisy it is, and how easy it is to operate without checking the owner’s manual (because most people don’t).
We also incorporate ratings for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction for each brand using survey results from our members. Respondents purchased 39,995 countertop microwaves between 2014 and 2024.
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