The 9 Best Countertop Microwaves to Fit Your Space and Style
They're good for so much more than popping popcorn.
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Today's countertop microwaves can do so much more than warming up leftovers or making popcorn. Plus, unlike built-in or over-the-range microwaves, countertop microwaves don't require any special installation, can easily be moved, and are generally more affordable. Even if you have a small kitchen with limited counter space, there are plenty of great compact microwave options. Read on for the 9 best countertop microwaves, based on factors such as ease of use, price, performance, and more.
This 1.2 cubic feet Toshiba has the perfect combination of price, size, and power. It has all the necessary features and more: presets for popcorn, pizza, and veggies, a child safety lock, one-touch express buttons for one to six minutes and an add-30-seconds button. You can also adjust the power level from one to ten to a maximum of 1,100 watts, the ideal power output for the widest range of uses. A smart sensor feature takes the guesswork out of reheating food.
We love the handle bar instead of a push button to open the door, which is more ergonomic. It features a mute button (hold the 8 down for five seconds) to turn off beeps and alerts when the cooking time ends. It's available in a stylish stainless steel or black stainless steel finish.
Dimensions: 20.5 x 17.1 x 12.8 inches
Wattage: 1,100 watts
Size: 1.2 cubic feet
This Hamilton Beach microwave may be low-priced, but it doesn’t equate to poor performance. It has a power output of 1,000 watts, usually found in models at a higher price point. It comes with all-important features: an add-30-seconds button, a child safety lock, six cooking presets for potatoes, popcorn, pizza, beverages, frozen dinners, and more. We love the kitchen timer that can work simultaneously with the cook cycle.
It can also be mounted onto the wall, although it doesn’t have a venting system like most over-the-range microwaves. Some reviewers have reported that it makes a loud whooshing noise, but it doesn’t affect how well food heats.
Dimensions: 21.2 x 16.1 x 11.8 inches
Wattage: 1,000 watts
Size: 1.1 cubic feet
The Toastwave isn't just a regular microwave—it's also a toaster oven, convection oven, and air fryer all in one sleek-looking machine. This 4-in-one appliance can perform simple tasks like toasting your morning bagel to more complicated jobs such as baking salmon in the convection oven or air frying chicken wings.
Unlike some traditional microwaves that tend to heat food unevenly, this will not leave your food with cold and hot spots: many cheaper microwaves pulse on and off leading to uneven heating, but this is equipped with an inverter that creates continuous heat so your food is evenly heated throughout. It also has a sensor cooking feature to ensure your food is never under- or overcooked.
Dimensions: 21.3 x 22.3 x 12.6 inches
Wattage: 1,000 watts
Size: 1.2 cubic feet
The AmazonBasics microwave allows you to use simple voice controls to prompt it to heat your food. Through voice controls, you can access more smart features like say “defrost eight ounces of ground beef” or “reheat one cup of coffee" and Amazon continues to add new presets. The manual microwave functions will work without Alexa just like any other microwave, but the features on the control panel are limited.
The microwave has to be connected to an Alexa-enabled device, like an Echo or Echo Dot, in order to use the voice-activated functions. Keep in mind that this is a compact microwave with a 700-watt power output, which is on the lower end and means it will take longer to heat food. A 10-inch dinner plate fits, but nothing larger.
Dimensions: 14.1 x 17.3 x 10.1 inches
Wattage: 700 watts
Size: 0.7 cubic feet
If you have limited counter space or simply need a microwave for reheating or cooking small amounts of food, this compact Black + Decker microwave is a great choice. The 10-inch turntable can fit up to a small dinner plate or low profile mug, but nothing bigger. As a reference point, the interior dimensions are about 12 x 13 x 8 inches.
It not only features presets for popcorn, potato, frozen vegetables and more, it allows you to program up to three functions you most use. Some of the key functions on the control panel are black lettering over a gray background, which can make it difficult to see in dim lighting.
Dimensions: 19.1 x 14.8 x 11.5 inches
Wattage: 900 watts
Size: 0.9 cubic feet
We love the thoughtful construction of Breville appliances (likethis microwave that is also an air-fryer and a convection oven), and this quiet and attractive microwave is no different. A mute button turns off all beeps and the soft-close door claims to be 80 percent quieter than most microwaves in the market.
Instead of a numeric keypad, you get an ergonomic dial that feels like it clicks as it toggles through minutes and seconds quickly. It features pre-programmed buttons for defrost, reheat, popcorn, beverage and a food menu that houses the presets for “baked” potatoes, reheating pizza, and defrosting frozen vegetables. Reviewers love that food heats consistently and evenly.
Dimensions: 19.1 x 16.4 x 11.5 inches
Wattage: 900 watts
Size: 0.9 cubic feet
Two factors make this Panasonic microwave fast: it has 1,250 watts of heating power, one of the highest we tested and a built-in inverter that helps heat food more quickly and evenly. It also has a smart sensor that detects the amount of steam released by the food and adjusts both power level and cooking time for the best outcome.
It’s loaded with features like a quick 30, a more and a less button to adjust cook times by 10-second increments, a quick-minute timer, delay start feature, keep warm feature, and a child safety lock. The sensor cook button has an impressive 14 presets from oatmeal to fish fillets, but hold onto your owner’s manual because those are a lot of codes to remember.
Dimensions: 21.8 x 19.1 x 12 inches
Wattage: 1,250 watts
Size: 1.6 cubic feet
This Panasonic microwave has long been one of our favorites since we first tested it about a decade ago. With a capacity of 1.6 cubic feet, this microwave boasts a smooth easy-to-clean control panel and a large interior, making it a great model for families or anyone who wants to pop an entire casserole dish in the microwave.
In our tests, it cooked food evenly without cold spots and delivered perfectly steamed broccoli using its sensors. These smart sensors can adjust the cook time after it measures the amount of steam released by the food. This model also has an inverter that helps heat food more quickly and evenly.
Dimensions: 12 x 19.1 x 21.8 inches
Wattage: 1,250 watts
Size: 1.6 cubic feet
You’ll never have to stand around waiting for your microwave to beep with this smart microwave. Using the Whirlpool app on your smartphone or tablet and a WiFi connection you can start the microwave, monitor the cooking progress through the app and even send multiple commands to the microwave at once. If your hands are busy prepping other foods, the microwave can also be controlled through voice commands using Google Assistant or an Alexa-enabled device.
This feature-rich microwave also has scan to cook technology, which allows you to scan the barcode of frozen items and have cooking instructions sent directly to the microwave.
Dimensions: 17.2 x 29.9 x 16 inches
Wattage: 1,550 watts
Size: 1.9 cubic feet
Myo Quinn is a professionally trained chef, recipe developer, food writer and on-air talent. When she’s not cooking or planning her next meal, Myo chases her three boys around Central Park in New York City. She is on an endless hunt for the best vanilla ice cream – it should be speckled, aromatic, not too sweet and the perfect balance of creamy and icy. She is also dipping her toes into improv.
Jamie Ueda is a contributing writer and analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she has tested coffee makers, espresso machines, water filters, bakeware, dinnerware, and more in the Kitchen and Cooking Lab since 2021. She has completed Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) coursework to further her expertise in coffee evaluation and brewing science.
With an engineering and design background, and more than 20 years in product development and manufacturing, she brings both deep technical knowledge and a designer’s perspective to her testing and reporting. She has evaluated products and written reviews for multiple GH Institute Labs, as well as for publications including Forbes and CNN. Prior to joining GH, she held senior roles at both mid-size and global consumer product companies.
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