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Getty / Rostislav_Sedlacek
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This affordable microwave comes with 10 power levels and essential presets, as well as offering multi-stage cooking and three stylish finishes. Read More
This is a basic microwave oven that gets the job done with easy-to-use controls and a simple design. Read More
The 1100W, 1.2 cubic-foot unit is mid-powered and aesthetically pleasing, with sensor cooking, multi-stage cooking, and a variety of presets—but it only performed adequately. Read More
This Magic Chef microwave heats mostly evenly, but it's very old-fashioned looking and didn't impress us in testing. Read More
This microwave performed well in most tests and came with a variety of special features. Read More
Here’s a little known secret: Most cheap microwaves are essentially the same—even the best budget models.
That’s because many appliance companies hire a less-famous manufacturer to make countertop models for them, then they put their well-known names on the front. That’s why you shouldn’t pay too much for a microwave.
Still, after testing affordable microwaves, we found some performance differences. The scores were very close, but the Magic Chef 1.1 Cubic-Foot Countertop Microwave (available at Amazon) emerged as the best affordable countertop microwave you can buy. It's well-designed, has top-notch performance, and has a low price.
Ultimately, you should pick a countertop microwave with the wattage you need, the control panel that's easiest for your cooking needs, and in a size that fits your space. So be sure to scroll through all our reviews to find the best one for you.
The Magic Chef 1.1 Cubic-Foot Countertop Microwave is our favorite affordable countertop microwave.
Easy-to-use controls
Simple design
Thorough cooking power
Doesn’t include multi-stage cooking
Confusing display
Useful presets
Smart sensor
Not very fast heating
Slightly oversized
Fine performance
Affordable
Old-fashioned design
Slightly small
Useful presets
Modern look
Slightly small
Not very quick at heating
Hi all, my name is Julia MacDougall, and I’m the senior scientist here at Reviewed. Most of the products I test aren’t food-related, so my tummy rumbled in excitement when I saw that I’d be putting these microwaves through their paces.
Prior to our 2020 formal testing, this roundup was researched and edited by Cassidy Olsen, Reviewed's former kitchen and cooking editor. She chose products for this guide by reading hundreds of user reviews, researching price and model history, and considering which kitchen appliances most people need—whether they have a large or a small kitchen.
Microwaves were evaluated for their affordability, size, wattage, and usefulness of features, in addition to the evenness of heating and durability as reported in user reviews. Overall user scores and brand history were also taken into account.
We ran each microwave through five different objective tests, in addition to our subjective evaluation.
When assessing microwaves, we looked for common issues such as non-responsive buttons, confusing or dimly-lit control panels and buttons, loud humming noises, or anything that would prevent the microwave from being easy to clean.
Our favorite models are both effective and user-friendly. To understand how well the microwaves we tested actually performed, we subjected each to a battery of food tests, including:
Water test: To get a sense of raw power, we warmed up three cups of water for two minutes on the microwave’s maximum power setting, and then measured the water’s temperature. More powerful appliances, typically, will result in hotter water temperatures.
Tomato sauce test: To see if there is a difference in a microwave’s power levels, we heated up one cup of tomato sauce in a ceramic dish for 30 seconds on level 2, 30 seconds on level 6, and 30 seconds on level 10, measuring the temperature in between each stage of heating.
Popcorn test: One of the most obvious use cases is popping popcorn. Using the popcorn setting on each microwave, we popped a regular-sized bag of popcorn. Once it stopped, we looked to see if either the bag or the popcorn was burned. We also recorded the number of unpopped kernels.
Hungry-Man test: To see how well a microwave could heat up a frozen dinner, we followed the microwave directions on the back of the Hungry-Man Boneless Fried Chicken dinner box. When it finished cooking, we looked at each of the four dinner components (two breaded chicken patties, mashed potatoes, corn, and a brownie) to see if they were evenly and thoroughly cooked.
Pork roast test: After thoroughly cooking four small boneless pork loins, we cut them up into smaller slices and let them cool in the fridge overnight. The next day, we put four palm-size pork loin slices on a small plate, covered them with a paper towel, and used the setting on the microwave that was most appropriate for reheating approximately 8 oz. of meat. Once it finished reheating the meat, we touched each piece of pork to determine if it was hot enough to eat.
We suggest choosing a unit that will cost you between $100 and $200.
Cost: A microwave can cost anywhere from $20 to $2,000. As it turns out, very expensive microwaves aren’t inherently better than the ones that go for around $100. If you’re drawn to super high-end design, covet a ton of features, want a unit that’s built into your cabinetry, or prefer over-the-range microwaves, you will probably be spending at least $200.
Power: People often believe that the higher the wattage, the better the microwave, but we’ve found that isn’t always the case. Even though we recommend a baseline of 900-1000 watts for mid-sized models, there are compact microwaves with just 700 watts that heat food evenly—whether you’re baking potatoes, popping popcorn or just trying to reheat leftovers on a dinner plate. Generally, the higher the wattage, the faster your microwave cooks. So if you’re only using your unit for basic tasks or don’t care about lightning speeds, don’t be afraid of lower wattages.
Capacity: Microwave sizes generally range from 0.5 to just over 2 cubic feet. We find that most models over 1.5 cubic feet are needlessly big. Compact models (between 0.5 and 0.9 cubic feet) can suit smaller kitchens, dorms, and anywhere you need to conserve counter space, but may be too small to cook or reheat all types of food. Ultimately, buy whatever size suits your needs, and make sure to compare the exterior dimensions to your actual space before you invest, but remember that bigger isn’t always better.
Julia is the Senior Scientist at Reviewed, which means that she oversees (and continually updates) the testing of products in Reviewed's core categories such as televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, and more. She also determines the testing methods and standards for Reviewed's "The Best Right Now" articles.
Cassidy covered all things cooking as the kitchen editor for Reviewed from 2018 to 2020. An experimental home chef with a healthy distrust of recipes, Cassidy lives by the "Ratatouille" philosophy that, with a few techniques and key tools, anyone can cook. She's produced in-depth reviews and guides on everything from meal kits to stand mixers and the right way to cook an egg.
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