This Old House Reviews Team

Most commonly used to warm up leftovers or prepare frozen meals, microwaves are an essential part of a functional kitchen. Today, microwaves contain an array of settings and features like pre-programmed buttons for meal-specific cooking and adjustable power settings for a controlled cooking temperature.

To help you purchase a microwave with the specifications and features that meet your food preparation needs, the This Old House Reviews team researched the best microwaves on Amazon. Here are our top recommendations.

Buyer’s Guide

Before purchasing a microwave oven, it’s important to understand how certain factors, like cooking power, capacity, size, and available settings, affect the user experience.

1. Cooking power

The cooking power of most microwaves is measured in watts, with the average model harnessing between 700–1,200 watts of power. While a microwave with more watts cooks and heats foods faster than a lower-watt counterpart, a low-wattage microwave is typically more affordable. Regardless of a microwave’s available wattage, most models provide power adjustments that let you decrease the power for a less intense cook.

2. Capacity

The capacity of a microwave refers to how much interior space the model contains, usually measured in cubic feet. Microwaves with spacious interiors allow you to cook larger foods, though larger interiors usually come with greater price tags.

3. Dimensions

The dimensions of a microwave help determine whether the model will fit within your kitchen’s layout. For example, if you have limited countertop space, a compact microwave like the COMFEE’ Countertop Microwave Oven may be a solid choice. If you’re looking for a powerful microwave, a larger model like the Toshiba Microwave Oven might be a better option.

4. Settings

While all microwave ovens heat and cook food, not all models offer similar cooking options or pre-programmed settings. Some of the most common microwave settings are one-touch buttons that instantly cook specific foods, defrost buttons that thaw foods based on their weight, and sound controls that let you adjust or turn off the microwave’s beeper.

FAQs

Is it safe to microwave food?

According to the World Health Organization, microwaves are safe if they’re used as instructed by the manufacturer, and food cooked in a microwave won’t be radioactive and doesn’t retain the microwaves after it’s been cooked.

Can you microwave eggs?

Yes. Spray a microwave-safe container like a ramekin or egg cooker with cooking spray and pour one to two whisked eggs into the container. Heat the mixture for about one minute and 30 seconds, stirring several times during cooking. Let your eggs stand for one minute before serving.

Can you microwave paper?

Some types of paper are suitable for the microwave while others aren’t. Paper towels and parchment paper are safe to place inside a microwave, but newspaper and brown bags aren’t safe because of their toxicity and flammability.

 

 

The This Old House Reviews team provides overviews of select products that are top-selling on Amazon and/or popular in consumer searches. Our team evaluates the products based on industry research, consumer reviews, pricing data, hands-on testing in select cases, and other objective criteria unique to a given product line. Unless otherwise noted, these product reviews are intended to help inform buying decisions for DIY or other non-pro users only. Editor’s picks are made by members of the This Old House Reviews team.