If you've got some space on your kitchen counter, then you have space for the best small microwave. A compact microwave takes the least space and is an essential kitchen appliance for every home.
A countertop microwave has a capacity between 0.5 to 1.5 cubic feet, a width between 15 to 22 inches, and a height between 10-13 inches. It also has a closed-door depth of between 10 to 20 inches.
As small as these microwaves are, they are fully functional appliances, capable of heating, steaming, cooking, and defrosting, among other great functions. If you want to buy the best countertop microwave for your kitchen, the following are five of the best on the market.
1.Best Compact Microwave: Toshiba EM131A5C-SS Microwave Oven, 1.2 Cu. ft
- 【Pre-programmed sensor menu】 for optimum heating of popular foods like pizza, potatoes, veggies and more; Power Wattage (Microwave):...
- 【Stylish Appearance with Large Interior, fitting a 12inch Pizza】Stainless Steel exterior (color of door frame is stainless steel,...
- 【Other Functions】1100 watts with 10 power settings, defrost by time&weight, clock, and kitchen timer
- 【Practical Control Panel】Large digital display, easy-to-read control panel. The keypad was covered by a protective film during the...
- 【Mute Function】If you wish to mute the buzzer of the microwave, pleas long press on the button "8" for 3-5 seconds. The buzzer is...
This microwave from Toshiba is the best countertop microwave, and for great reasons. It is ideal for all kinds of homes and comes packed with all the features you need.
It has vital preset functions for heating, cooking, defrosting, and melting or softening foods. It is your best buy if you love your crunchy fries or love reheating your pizza quite often. You can also cook foods in this microwave; it has an in-built sensor that detects the humidity of food when cooking and sets temperature and time for the best results.
It also comes with the vital +30 seconds button that makes food preparation easier. As a parent, you will appreciate the child-lock feature it comes with. You can turn off beeping sounds if they annoy you; hold down the number 8 button for 5 seconds to mute.
It needs a maximum of 1110 watts for the highest cooking power, and you get to choose from 10 power levels for your favorite recipes. It also has a power-saving eco-mode that reduces up to 50% of standby power.
The compact microwave comes in a sleek stainless steel construction that is easy to clean. The microwave also features an easy-to-use control panel, has excellent interior lighting, and also comes with a 12-inch turntable glass. With an ergonomic handle, this microwave is available at an affordable price.
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2. Best For Cooking: BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 Digital Microwave Oven, 0.7 Cu.ft
- Pre-programmed buttons for popcorn, potato, pizza, frozen vegetable, beverage and dinner plate
- 700 Watts with 10 power settings, clock and kitchen timer, 30 Seconds Express Cooking
- Large LED digital display, easy-to-read control panel, child safety lock, interior light, removable 10” glass turntable
- Push-button door release for easy access
- Dimensions (W x D x H): 17.3” x 13.0” x 10.2”
Black & Decker is a brand that makes home appliances. Their microwave has a capacity o 0.7 cubic feet and weighs 22.5 pounds, so you can move it around when you need to.
It is equipped with amazing preset functions to make it easy to prepare food at home. There are buttons for cooking, defrosting vegetables, and heating foods. For ease of use, the buttons are labeled potato, popcorns, pizza, and vegetables. You can also prepare your favorite beverage in this microwave.
It has a sleek stainless steel construction that is easy to clean, a push-button to open the door, and a child lock function. When preparing food the fastest, this microwave will only require 700watts of energy.
It comes with an easy-to-read control panel, an LED digital display with a clock function, interior lights, and a removable glass turntable. The microwave oven also comes with a timer that can count down when you want to prepare easy-to-cook meals like pizza and popcorn.
The appliance makes food preparation easier, with a start and +30 seconds button and a Stop button so you can control how the process goes. It is also available in bigger sizes, like 0.9 cubic feet.
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3. Best Energy Saving: COMFEE' EM720CPL-PMB Countertop Microwave, 0.7 Cubic Feet
- Stylish (black) stainless steel finish, compact size: 0.7 cubic-foot capacity, 1050 watts and 11 power levels
- Mute function, settings, clock, kitchen timer, child safety lock, easy auto-cook functions: Popcorn, potato, pizza, frozen veggie, beverage,...
- One touch express cooking function with 1-6 minutes and plus30 seconds functions, and two defrost settings (by weight or by time)
- Energy Saving Eco Mode: Minimizing 50% standby power by turning on ECO mode
- Bright digital display, easy-to-read control panel, interior light and 10 inch glass turntable
This stylish microwave oven sports a stainless steel finish in black or white colors. It is a small appliance with a capacity of 0.7 cubic feet and requires minimum counter space.
Despite the small size, it is a fully functional oven that also helps save energy. It comes with 11 power levels of up to 7000watts. You can pick your best power level to either cook, heat, or defrost vegetables. It features two defrost settings by weight and time required and two modes for timers; 1-6 minute timers or the +30 second timers.
When you want to minimize power, you can turn the eco mode to reduce standby power by 50%. The microwave also comes with a button that lets you turn off the beep sounds once your food is ready. Also, it has a child lock button, an LED digital display for time, and an easy-to-read control panel.
It allows you to enjoy and control convenient sooking with a one-start touch button, a Stop button, a memory button, and interior lights that display the food through the glass door. The microwave also comes with a removable glass turntable for easy cleaning.
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4. Best Fastest: Panasonic Countertop Microwave Oven NN-SN686S, 1.2 Cu. ft
- Panasonic Microwave: This 1200 Watt high power, 1.2 cubic foot capacity stainless steel countertop/built in microwave delivers a seamless...
- Inverter Technology with Turbo Defrost: Patented Inverter Technology generates a seamless stream of power and delivers consistent, evenly...
- Compact Design: This countertop microwave with 13.4 inch turntable is thinner, lighter and more efficient, allowing you to devote less space...
- Smart Cooking Settings with Genius Sensor: Built in automatic genius sensor adjusts power and times based on different foods; Other...
- Keep Warm Feature: This inverter microwave keeps soups, gravies or desserts warm and fresh until ready to serve. Power Source 120V /...
If you want a small microwave to prepare your food fast, this Panasonic model is your best buy. It is a 1200 watt appliance with a capacity of 1.2 cubic feet and a stainless steel body.
Microwaves work by mimicking low heat and turning the power on and off repeatedly to produce enough heat. While it works, this method also leaves food unevenly heated. However, this Panasonic microwave does not leave cold spots on your food.
It uses an inverter technology that delivers constant power without turning on and off. It also uses a Turbo Defrost to help you prepare evenly cooked foods. Not only will the food be evenly cooked, but it will also taste better and retain its color and nutrients.
This compact microwave comes with 14 auto-cook options for you to prepare your favorite foods. These include frozen foods, popcorn, soup, oatmeal, pasta, fries, and more. An even better feature is keeping food warm for long periods in the oven after preparation.
The microwave comes with a touchscreen human interface system and lets you have the most control during food preparation. It includes functions for auto-cook, a reset or delay timer, a +30 seconds timer, a -10 seconds timer, and a child safety lock feature.
It is a lightweight countertop microwave with a 13.4-inch turntable.
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5. Best Retro Style: Galanz GLCMKA07RDR-07 Microwave Oven, 0.7 Cu.ft
- 700W With 6 Variable Power Levels : Galanz 0.7 Cu.Ft, 700 Watts Microwave Oven With Lighting Pull Handle, Microwave Oven Offers Six Power...
- Defrost & Led Display :For All Your Frozen Foods, Defrost By Time Or Weight So You Can Enjoy More Flavorful Foods. Easy-To-Read Led Display...
- 360°Rotating Evenly Heating :360° Heating And Rotation Of Glass Turntable During Operation Helps Cook Food More Evenly And Then Improves...
- Interior Light & Child Lock : Interior Light For Checking The Status Without Having To Open The Doors. The Safety Lock Prevents Unsupervised...
If you have a retro theme in your house, this Galanz retro red small microwave can be a great addition. It is a 0.7 cubic foot, and 700-watts appliance that comes with 6 presets for the most basic food preparation.
You can prepare your beverages, pizza, popcorn, frozen dinner, and potatoes through reheating or defrosting. It also comes with six power levels, a child lock, a timer, and a clock. It features a removable glass turntable that allows easy cooking.
The LED display shows you the amount of time left in a cycle. It has interior lighting and features a pull handle to open the door. It is one of the best compact microwaves that will leave enough space in your kitchen for other uses.
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Factors to Consider If Looking for the Best Small Countertop Microwave Ovens
While small microwaves are not in short supply, it would be best to know the best features to look for before you take home one. These are;
a) Wattage
This feature determines how strong small countertop microwaves are. The wattage for these small microwaves ranges from 700 watts to 12oo watts. Ideally, the more the wattage, the faster and more efficient a microwave is.
Therefore, before you pay for one, understand what your food preparation needs are. For instance, if you want an energy-saving compact microwave, a lower wattage, like 700 watts, would be best. Some foods and snacks, like popcorn, pizza, and more, do not require high watts of power.
However, if you want a microwave that works fast, you would need a higher wattage. Higher wattage also means you will heat your food evenly. High wattage is ideal for auto-defrost settings and more serious cooking options like baking.
b) Size
It would be best to understand the different microwave sizes so that you can buy the most ideal for your counter space. Measured in cubic feet, the capacity of small microwaves ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 cubic feet.
The best size for you is determined by the capacity and how you want to use it. For instance, if you want a countertop microwave for dinner meals, it'd be better to get one that can fit a dinner plate( 11 inches).
c) Turntables
Your ideal countertop microwave oven needs a rotatable turntable. Ideally made of glass, these turntables ensure your food prepares evenly. Without one, you'd either get cold spots on your food or need to turn the food manually.
A microwave turntable can rotate 360° or can turn side to side for even heat distribution.
d) Preset functions
Gone are the days you only needed a microwave to heat food. Today, the best countertop microwaves come with extra features for defrosting, reheating, popcorn, and pizza, among more. Depending on the microwave capacity and wattage, most modern ones support all these functions but tend to come at a higher price.
When looking for one, it is best first to determine how you intend to use it, and you will find a great match. One of the most essential; features of a microwave is the +30 seconds function. It allows you to adjust the time without having to change other settings.
e) Smart sensors
These are features like the LED display and timer. They help you understand how long your food needs to be in the oven.
f) Child lock
This button is vital in all microwave ovens. It is best that you get a microwave with a safety lock if you have a child who could try heating things in it. Unattended, a microwave can be a fore hazard, especially if the wrong things are left inside.
Conclusion
You will need the best small countertop microwave oven if your kitchen does not have much space on the counter for a larger one.
The best compact models featured in this article have smaller capacities measured in cubic feet and compact dimensions to find space even in the smallest houses. While they are small, they do not compromise features such as sensors, turntables, safety, and style, and they have the best reviews online.
