Whether you are the type of person that loves to cook, or you are a busy person who needs to cook a fast meal, or you live on heated coffee and microwave burritos, a microwave oven has become an essential kitchen appliance.
At Taber’s Best Reviews we take our job of reviewing products seriously. We spend hours researching and testing each product to insure that our list of the best microwave ovens is the absolute best on the internet. Our tests included countertop microwaves, over-the range microwaves, and built-in microwave inserts.
We tested them by using coffee to test the reheat capability, frozen meat to test the defrosting capability, and burritos to test the heating capability. We also looked at the size, energy efficiency, and the versatility of each microwave.
You will find a quick comparison chart of the best microwave ovens, then below we include the individual microwaves along with a mini-review to go along with it. There is also a link to our complete review at the bottom of the mini-review.
Our Top Microwave Oven Picks For You In 2018
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- Brand And Model: GE PVM9005SJSS Profile 2.1 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Over-the-Range Microwave.
- Description: Everything from the easy installation to the easy-use of all the great features, this GE over the range microwave is one of the appliances that can improve your cooking experience on many levels, that up until now you only dream about.
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- Brand And Model: Panasonic NN-SD775S Countertop/Built-In Cyclonic Wave Microwave with Inverter Technology.
- Description: When it comes to everything you expect in a microwave, nothing compares with the defrosting, cooking and reheating capability of the new Cyclonic Wave. At every temperature level, Cyclonic Wave circulates heat in precision, ultra-efficient 3D waves for easier, more versatile food preparation, even with denser, more complex food textures.
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- Brand And Model: Breville Quick Touch, BMO734XL.
- Description: The Breville BMO734XL Quick Touch is the easy to use microwave that knows the power level and time to suit the food you’re cooking. Adjust power and time on the fly! Smart settings take the guess work out of cooking, reheating and defrosting foods. Brushed stainless steel door hides easy to use shortcut menu and includes a self-locating turntable.
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- Brand And Model: Farberware Black FMO16AHTBSA 1.6 Cubic Foot 1300-Watt Microwave Oven.
- Description: Update your kitchen with the Farberware Black 1.6-Cubic Foot 1300-Watt Microwave Oven with Inverter and Smart Sensor. Features include 10 power levels and a Memory Function that stores and recalls your preferred cooking settings.
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- Brand And Model: LG LCRT2010ST 2.0 Cu Ft Counter Top Microwave Oven.
- Description: Get a microwave that cooks perfectly, and looks good while doing it. With their patented True Cook Plus technology, it allows you to cook your food easily, and perfectly every time. Plus, it’s equipped with 2.0 cubic feet of room, 1200 watts, EasyClean interior and a premium stainless steel finish.
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- Brand And Model: Panasonic NN-SD945S Countertop/Built-In Microwave with Inverter Technology.
- Description: Unlike traditional microwaves that rely on pulse-on, pulse-off cooking at lower temperatures, patented Inverter Technology generates a steady stream of power at all temperature settings. The result? Consistent, evenly prepared food — edges to center — across a wide range of cooking techniques.
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- Brand And Model: Cuisinart CMW-100 1-Cubic-Foot Stainless Steel Microwave Oven.
- Description: A stainless steel interior and 25 preprogrammed settings put this microwave oven in a class all on its own! Nonporous stainless steel will not absorb orders, moisture or food particles, and preprogrammed one-touch controls guarantee that everything from reheating coffee, to defrosting cutlets, to cooking fish or making crispy bacon will be done right and fuss free.
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- Brand And Model: Samsung MG11H2020CT 1.1 cu. ft. Countertop Grill Microwave Oven.
- Description: Fix pizza and other crispy foods with ease using the Samsung 1.4 Cubic Foot Counter Top Grill Microwave. Sized to fit on your kitchen counter, this handy appliance combines traditional microwave heating technology with a grilling element and a ceramic plate, allowing you to prepare sandwiches, bacon, fish, and other foods that are improved by a crispy finish.
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- Brand And Model: OSTER OGT41103 1.1 Cube Microwave Oven.
- Description: The OSTER OGT41103 is an exceptionally fair priced microwave oven and we are pleased with its features and it’s design. So are the customers who have bought this microwave.
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- Brand And Model: Danby 1.4 cu.ft., Nouveau Wave Microwave Oven.
- Description: Inspired by 1950’s minimalism, Danbys Nouveau Wave collection of microwave ovens are designed to enhance your kitchen and your cooking experience. This countertop microwave offers a generous 1.4 cubic feet of interior cooking space with a maximum power output of 1200 watts.
How We Chose These Microwave Ovens For You
In making this list of the best microwave ovens we kept 3 things in mind: Features, price, and customer satisfaction.
Features
One of the most important things about purchasing a new microwave oven is the features that the microwave comes with. How fast does it heat? Is it energy efficient? What type of microwave is it? Does it have presets and power controls? Will it defrost and cook at the same time?
All of these things are important in choosing your new microwave oven, or deciding which one will be a good gift for a friend or loved one. So that is what we looked for. We only picked microwave ovens that had one or more of these options.
We spent over 40 hours researching and writing this list of the best microwave ovens so you wouldn’t have to spend your time doing the research. Now you can take the time that you saved doing all the research and spend with it your family, friends, or for that matter, cooking.
Price
We kept the price range around $300.00 or less with the exception of our over-the-range model, so that anyone can afford a top quality microwave oven. That being said, the more pricier microwaves usually are the better quality microwave that have better heating technology and will last longer. It is just how things work in this world. You get what you pay for.
However if you don’t need the absolute best microwave oven right off the bat, we have a couple of options for you that are quite inexpensive.
Most people buy a microwave oven to make their job easier and their quality of life better. We made sure that we only listed the microwaves that will accomplish that goal.
Customer Satisfaction
Every microwave that we have listed are rated by customers at 80% or higher depending on the rating system used on different websites.
We also read all the individual customer reviews to see how well the manufacturer responded to customer issues and how well people recommended these ovens. We only took into account customers with a verified purchase. They are real buyers reviewing the product.
What’s The Best Microwave Oven To Buy In 2018
Picking the best microwave oven for you really depends upon your needs.
- Do you need an over-the range, built-in, or combo microwave unit?
- Are you going to prepare food for more than one person?
- Will you be using your microwave to defrost and cook meals?
- How much space do you have in your kitchen for a microwave?
- How fast do you want your microwave to cook?
These are the type of questions you need to think about when buying a microwave oven. Not all of the microwaves will fit your need.
Here is our list of the best microwave ovens that we think you should consider.
Best Microwave Ovens – 2018
After doing all our research, here are the best all around microwave ovens we could find based on our criteria, research, and testing. We think that any of these would be a great addition to your kitchen or small office break room,
1. Breville Quick Touch, BMO734XL – Editors choice
Breville products have been known for ages for their good quality and craftmanship of its products. The Breville Quick Touch microwave oven has certainly lived up to all its hype, delivering a smooth, beautiful design and finish as well as giving tons of advanced features for all its customers to enjoy.
10 Power Levels
The Breville microwave offers 10 different cooking levels on their microwave ovens, so that you can adjust from 10% to 100% with just the twist of a dial!
1 Year Warranty
The Breville Quick Touch microwave oven comes with a great one year warranty which takes care of all your repairs and replacements with ease.
Sensor IQ
The Sensor IQ Reheat feature allows the microwave to reheat your items for the perfect amount of time it needs to reach that level of lip smacking perfection.
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High Powered
The Breville microwave delivers 1100 watts of dynamic power to facilitate all of your cooking! Such great power in such a small machine!
2. Farberware Black 1.6 Cubic Foot 1300-Watt Microwave Oven
If you are looking for the perfect microwave oven to fit your kitchen needs, Farberware Microwave Oven provides you with dozens of styles to choose from.
Compact Design
Your microwave oven will not eat up unnecessary space on your kitchen counters anymore with this compact, sleek design of Farberware.
Smart Sensor
The smart sensor technology automatically adjusts cooking level even when in mid cycle, allowing you to always produce the perfect dishes with ease.
Inverter Technology
The inverter technology on your new Farberware ensures that whether you are defrosting or cooking, every food item is even, perfect and simply delicious.
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Adjustable Power
With 1300 watts of cooking power and adjustable power levels, you have total control on the power of your microwave. Adjust from 10% power to 100% as per your cooking requirements.
3. LG LCRT2010ST 2.0 Cu Ft Counter Top Microwave Oven
Depending on what you expect from your appliances, the LG LCRT2010ST Countertop Microwave Oven just might be the perfect microwave for your kitchen. It is quite a sizable product with features that are not usually seen in a microwave oven.
Large Capacity
The incredibly spacious 2.0 cubic foot interior will enables you to prepare even the biggest meal for your family.
TrueCookPlus
This feature includes a patented technology that does the necessary calculations on your behalf. Your food cooks nicely every time, without you having to do anything.
Child Safety
This feature locks the control panel so that any unsupervised children are unable to use the microwave. And it might come in handy when you are cleaning the exterior.
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Easy Clean Round Interior
The interior space has no hard edges, which increases the cooking area and makes the cleaning part a lot easier.
The Best Microwave Ovens Under 200 Dollars
If you do not need the absolute best microwave oven but still want a top quality microwave, then we suggest these models.
At the time of writing this article all of these models were priced under $200.00 However as market conditions change, the prices could change as well. However each price shown will be the current price when you are reading this article.
4. Cuisinart CMW-100 1-Cubic-Foot Stainless Steel Microwave Oven
Whether you are a professional cook, an all-time housewife or someone with a work schedule that makes it impossible to make time for a nice, warm meal, Cuisinart CMW-100 microwave oven is a kitchen appliance that will make your life easier.
Stainless Steel
The brushed stainless steel exterior is made very nicely and it gives the product an upscale look.
2 Stage Cooking
This microwave can be programmed to spend a certain amount of time defrosting and then automatically switch to regular heating.
3 Year Warranty
This microwave comes with a 3 year warranty that covers the expenses due to any kind of product malfunction.
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Programmed Memory
A special feature enables the unit to memorize programs you need to use frequently. Instead of inputting the information into the device every day.
5. Danby 1.4 cu.ft., Nouveau Wave Microwave Oven
The smooth, modern look of the product gives every kitchen a sleek appearance. And finding the right place for this microwave oven is easy, as it is quite small in size. But what it does not deliver in size, it delivers with a spacious interior.
High Powered
In case you are in a hurry to heat up a cup of tea, the 1200W microwave oven makes that job done faster than similar products.
Large Interior
It is a spacious 1.2 cubic foot microwave oven that makes your everyday cooking experience easier with the extra volume.
10 Power Levels
By setting the power level, you can control how hot you want your beverage or your favorite meal to be.
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Energy Saver
By pressing the Eco button, you can save energy. The consumption of energy drops to less than 1W when the microwave is not in use.
6. OSTER OGT41103 1.1 Cube Microwave Oven
The OSTER OGT41103 is an exceptionally fair priced appliance and we are pleased with its features and appeal. It deserve a best seller position despite the tough competition by other manufacturers.
Energy Efficient
The manufacturer has specifically taken care that the appliance consumes minimum power and be energy efficient. The oven uses only 1000 watts.
10 Power Levels
The Oster OGT41103 comes with 10 variable power levels that give its user the liberty to manage the power output.
Lightweight
The microwave weighs 34.4 pounds and is extremely lightweight for a microwave. It makes it easier to move the oven, anywhere in the kitchen.
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Stainless Steel
With a complete stainless steel body, the OGT41103 easily stands out from the rest in the market.
The Best Over-The-Range Microwave
Do you want to mount your microwave oven over the range or oven? This can save you space in your kitchen and make it real conventient when cooking.
Here is our choice of an over-the-range microwave oven for you to consider.
7. GE Profile 2.1 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Over-the-Range Microwave
Everything from the easy installation to the easy-use of all the great features, this microwave is one of the appliances that can improve your cooking experiences on so many levels.
Large Capacity
The 2.1 cubic foot interior of this microwave makes the cooking experience easier for you; the extra space allows you to put a whole casserole in and cook it evenly.
3 Speed Ventilation
The 400 CFM (cubic feet per minute) ventilating system removes smoke, steam, and odors. The three variable fan speed setting lets you choose the right amount of ventilation.
Cook-Top Lighting
This feature provides illumination above the range and it includes an optional night mode setting.
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1 Year Warranty
The purchase of the microwave includes a one-year warranty for the entire appliance.
The Best Built-In Microwaves
Maybe you would rather mount your microwave oven in one of your cabinet spaces. This again can save you space and give you a convenient place for your microwave and make your kitchen more sylish.
Here are the top choices of built-in microwaves for you to consider.
8. Panasonic Countertop/Built-In Cyclonic Wave Microwave
With a bunch of amazing features and sleek and stylish looks to top it off, the Panasonic microwave might just be one of the top contenders in the best microwaves that you can buy.
Cyclonic Microwaves
The new, 3D cyclonic wave technology ensures that all of your foods, whether cooking, reheating or defrosting is always done in a simple, fast and reliable manner.
20 Presets
With 20 different auto cook options for all of your favorite foods, you can now have your pizza, pasta, quinoa, soup, oatmeal, and potatoes simply with the touch of a button.
Inverter Technology
You can now poach, braise and simmer delicate foods without the danger of overcooking them. The inverter technology delivers heat evenly on all sides without overcooking.
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Turbo Defrost
Using the inverter technologies continuous power delivery system, all your frozen foods get defrosted faster, easier and evenly.
9. Panasonic NN-SD945S Countertop/Built-In Microwave
With all the postive reviews about the Panasonic countertop/inbuilt microwave, we can be confident that you too will be one of the thousands of the happy customers of Panasonic. The smart reheat feature, 18 auto cook feature, and smart dial are just something absolutely wonderful and unique of this microwave.
High Powered
Enjoy 1250 watts of high cooking power with this compact but powerful machine – your new Panasonic countertop/inbuilt microwave has been designed to provide the most efficient cooking power.
18 Presets
As if 9 menu buttons weren’t enough, now there are 18 different auto cook options set for all of your favorite foods.
Large Capacity
Don’t be fooled by the smaller and lighter size of the Panasonic, you can still enjoy a huge 2.2 cubic foot interior space for all of your big meals to be cooked in.
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Keep Warm Technology
This feature keeps your food such as soups, vegetables, sauces and gravies warm in the oven till you are ready to serve. No more serving cold food!
The Best Microwave And Convection Oven
Maybe you like to cook pizza or want to crisp your corn dogs. You need a microwave with a grill.
Here is our top choice of a combo microwave oven that will do just that!.
10. Samsung 1.4 cu. ft. Countertop Grill Microwave Oven
The Samsung MG11H2020CT Microwave Oven offers you a two-in-one appliance, that saves you the space in your kitchen and the time preparing the meals for you and your family.
Ceramic Enamel Interior
The interior is fully coated with ceramic. This not only makes the product easy to clean but is also scratch resistant.
Grilling Element
A feature that allows preparing any kind of crispy food, including pizza.
10 Power Levels
Adjusting the level of power and the timer will give you the control over anything you have put in the microwave; decide for yourself how cooked or grilled you need your potatoes to be.
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12 Month Warranty
The warranty covers the labor and the product’s parts for 12 months.
Final Thoughts On These Microwave Ovens
Nothing can be more annoying than getting a microwave that really doesn’t do the job you need it to do. There has been more than one occasion when I have “out cheaped” myself and caused myself a lot of headache and wasted money. I am done buying the $49.00 specials.
A quality microwave oven will save you time and save you money in the long run. It doesn’t take much to make up the added cost of a top-rated microwave oven when it always works, doesn’t ruin your food, and doesn’t need replacing all the time.
We believe that this list of the best microwave ovens will save you that time and heartache and in the end add to your bottom dollar.
If you are still not sure which microwave oven to get, then you might check out our informative microwave oven buying guide, or the individual microwave reviews below.