Best Microwaves of 2024
These countertop and over-the-range models top CR's tests in heating and defrosting
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When you’re in a hurry and want to heat up a plate of pasta, your microwave’s cooking capacity determines how large a plate you can use. But most microwave ovens have less usable space than advertised, according to our tests: In fact, 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.
Countertop microwaves represent the biggest slice of the market by far. According to our in-house analysts, we focus our testing on models with a claimed capacity of 1 cubic foot or larger, which are the biggest sellers.
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 140 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, and you’re all set.
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—a mix of dials and buttons—easy to use. This model is quieter than most countertop microwaves, garnering the highest mark on our noise test. Breville countertop microwaves earned top-level ratings for both predicted reliability and owner satisfaction in our latest member surveys.
The small and inexpensive 700-watt Commercial Chef CHM770B may be all you need for a college dorm or home office. This countertop microwave is a champ at heating evenness—it thoroughly heats up a bowl of mashed potatoes in our tests. 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. If you’re looking for something a little bigger at a similar price, the Commercial Chef CHM 990B might be a good pick.
The large LG NeoChef MSER1590S microwave earns excellent ratings across many of our tests, including 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.
While pricey, the large countertop Panasonic NN-SE785S’s heating evenness and speed of heating are superb, and it defrosts very well. The model comes with touchpad controls and detailed prompts to guide you through cooking, which makes it easy to use. It can get a bit loud while cooking, however. It comes equipped with a sensor that 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 garnered 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.
The Vissani EC042A2KJ countertop microwave stands out in value, with many features packed into a very reasonable price. The microwave offers 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.
Best Over-the-Range Microwaves
Over-the-range microwave ovens free up counter space, but installation may require an electrician.
The snazzy Café CVM721M2NS5 has a recessed handle and hidden digital controls running along the bottom. When you tap on the glass touchscreen, the options for time and cooking modes pop into view. Additionally, 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 a very good score for predicted reliability and a midrange score for owner satisfaction.
The top-performing LG MVEF1337F showcases excellent defrosting capabilities in our tests. It earns a middling rating for heating speed, so it may take a while to heat up food. But it delivers evenly heated mashed potatoes with above-average performance in our heating evenness test. It also comes with a sensor and touchscreen controls. LG over-the-range microwaves garner a top-notch rating for reliability but only a middling rating for owner satisfaction in our member surveys.
The sleek LG MVEL2033F’s 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 over-the-range model. (Dedicated range hoods are better.) A sensor prevents you from overcooking your food. One drawback is the moderate heating speed score, but that’s not a deal-breaker if you have a little patience.
The LG MVEL2125F tops our over-the-range microwave ratings with stellar performances in our heating and defrosting evenness tests. While fairly quiet, the microwave falls in the middle of the pack in terms of heating speed and venting. Its touchpad controls make it easy to use, and the microwave comes with a sensor that prevents overcooking. The turntable can also be turned off.
The Thermador MU30WSU earns a top mark for heating evenness and very good ratings for speed of heating and defrosting evenness. 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 do similar measurements for defrosting evenness, but with a pound of frozen ground chuck. 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 38,349 OTR microwaves and 39,995 countertop models purchased new between 2014 and 2024.
To learn more about our microwave tests and things to know before you go shopping, check our microwave buying guide.
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