? Countertop Microwaves: Top 10

Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN966S Stainless Steel Countertop

• Large capacity for a big family
• Inverter technology for easy and quick defrosting
• Has both countertop and built-in options
• A variety of menu presets for easy cooking
• Convenient keep warm feature
• Price is a bit steep, but the functionality is very big

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Panasonic is known for its high-quality appliances, and it doesn’t disappoint here. One of the most prominent features of this microwave is Inverter technology which allows really smooth thawing process. We’ve all been there, when we try to thaw something, especially meat, and we are left with a mushy mess in a puddle of yucky water. This is what this microwave will relieve you from.

It also has a variety of cooking presets, a light and thin turntable which increases its capacity and an unassuming hi-tech  design which fits many a kitchen decor. Keep warm feature will definitely come handy when you’re off your feet cooking and you have a sudden change of plans or a kid tantrum to deal with. Of course, all this abundance of features comes with a price that is not exactly budget-friendly, especially knowing that you don’t only pay for features, you also pay for the brand.

Toshiba EM131A5C-BS Microwave Oven

• Wallet-friendly price
• Has a digital display which helps with the programming
• You can mute the buzzer if it’s too annoying!
• Pre-programmed menus for popular microwaved foods like baked potatoes, popcorn, frozen dinners
• Pretty large for its price
• Neat 80s style

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This countertop microwave is a sturdy competitor. While offering a variety of features at a very cheap price, it holds fast in the average group. Its capacity and power is not to big, but big enough, it may fit into a smallest kitchen and it will still be able to service a large family.

You can mute the buzzer! Imagine the quantity of stress you can save yourself. For those of us you are not really tech-savvy, this microwave offers an intuitive control menu and a digital display. It does make life easier. The user manual, on the other hand, turned out to be a bit confusing. But who reads user manuals to microwaves these ways? . We are fond of it 80s style design, but it many not look all to good at some kitchens. All in all, a solid Mr. Average, but while it may not stand out feature-wise, it does stand out with its attractive price and for many this could be the winning factor.

Emerson 1.2 CU. FT. 1100W Griller Microwave Oven

• The winner in the price department. Cheap!
• Design is a bit brash, but it has style
• It has a grill option. Grilled chicken in a microwave, anyone?
• Menu presets for popular microwaved foods
• 11 power levels – not so bad for the low price

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This microwave oven may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but it’s definitely one of the cheapest. For those who are looking for a reasonably good set of features at a cheap price, this might be a choice deal. It has an average defrosting mode, it’s spacious enough and can work great for a family or for a single person.

It has a grill! So, a good option for those looking for all in one solution. We don’t know why some reviewers aren’t exactly happy, but there you have it. The design may come a bit off, but it’s so cheap, that it’s practically the case of not looking the gift horse in the mouth. A good choice for those whose main decision criterion is the price. But if you have budget to spare and looking for something more sophisticated, you might like to look for something else.

Nostalgia RMO7AQ Retro 0.7 cu ft 700-Watt Countertop Microwave Oven

• Totally wins in design department. Looks like it has walked off from a 50s ladies’ magazine
• Looks posh, but the price is cheap
• Perfect for compact spaces and small families
• A variety of pre-programmed settings for all sorts of cooking needs
• Simple menu navigation for those unsavvy with tech

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Whoa, just look at this one! It had us at hello or, to be more precise, at just looking at its design. It reminds me of 50s style diners where thin-wasted girls in big skirts drink cherry sodas and of pin up postcards. While this design may not suit an average kitchen, it will certainly look at home in a designer interior.

And, not to judge by the looks alone, it’s still a good option feature and price-wise. In fact, the price is surprisingly low for something so posh-looking. It also offers a solid average feature set, but comes in a very compact size, perfect for small spaces and families. 50s weren’t the time when a 3-year-old could program your fridge to call your phone and tell you you’re out of beer, so the menu navigation is made very simple and intuitive.

A great choice for those who like extraordinary things in details or simply have 50s style kitchens.

Toshiba EM925A5A-SS Microwave Oven

• For a compact kitchen. Perfect for singles
• Has a power saving mode for environment-conscious users
• Child safety lock prevents kids from messing with it
• Cheap, but still manages to provide necessary functions

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This little baby is the most unassuming of the bunch, coming at a very low price with a small size. It’s all about economy. It will save space in a small kitchen. It even has a power-saving mode, if you are spending power consciously.
It does have all the features, but nothing outstanding, not even above average. The presets and cooking modes are fewer than in most microwaves, but the most important ones are present. The defrost feature is nominal, and it will handle the basic stuff like baking a potato or warming up some leftover pasta, melting a cheese on your sandwich or heating a can of soup.

It may not be the prettiest microwave out there but it’s sturdy and cheap, so if you’re looking for something to cover the basics, this is a good option.

Toshiba EC042A5C-SS Microwave Oven

• Has convection for quick and thorough cooking, which saves a lot of time
• Big capacity for a big family
• Unimposing design
• You can set up to 3 modes in a favorite list for your most often cooked dishes

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This microwave oven has convection. Convection cooking is great, because it’s fast, thorough, saves a lot of power and you can be sure that your food will be seared on the outside and frozen on the inside. Several cooking methods options, like roasting, baking and defrosting take this microwave as close as it can get to substituting an actual oven. The design is solid and sturdy, but leaves a bit to be desired in beauty department. You can tell by the looks that this microwave is a working horse.

It has a big capacity and several power modes, so it’s great for a big family. And if you want your kids to start finding their way around the kitchen, you can set up to 3 one-button-press modes on this microwave for your favorite or most cooked dishes. The price is a little steep, compared, but can probably be justified by the convection option.

Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN651WAZ White Countertop

• Austere minimalist design. Could be labeled a perfect Single Man microwave!
• Compact size, but pretty big capacity and power
• For hectic lifestyles. Keep warm feature, a variety of cooking presets for all your needs

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Panasonic is famous for their design decisions and this microwave is one the better ones. It’s minimalistic and stern looking and will probably look good in a variety of kitchen designs.

It offers all the regular features, but the thing is, it may actually be overstocked with features. It’s obviously aimed at people with hectic lifestyles and it’s not exactly family friendly, so it may have been a good choice to slightly limit the number of presets, but lower the price. Because yes, the price is pretty steep, as compared. For such a small thing, it’s also surprisingly powerful, but there’s a drawback to that – it will spend more power and eventually its maintenance will cost you more. Is all this justified by a really nice design? Up to you to decide.

Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN686S Stainless Steel Countertop

• Family friendly, with intuitive menu controls and enhanced child safety. Your kids won’t be able to mess with it but will be able to find their way around it
• Keep warm feature for busy mums when dinner planning goes the wrong way
• Nice capacity and power for a reasonable price that won’t hit the family budget

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A Panasonic that is not terribly overpriced? This looks good. A good capacity and power look like it’s a great family variant. You’ll be able to bake potatoes for everyone in one go and quickly warm up dinner for the late comers. It has a child safety lock and the user controls are pretty easy to navigate, so kids will handle warming up their own lunches easily.

It’s nothing special in the looks department however, while you’d expect a bit more from Panasonic. The same goes for features, while keep warm and kid-friendly options are still there, it also has a nice defrost and presets, that’s pretty much it. For the price it sells at, we’d think we could expect more. If you like this particular model, it’s still a very solid and reasonable choice nonetheless, and provided your kids won’t try to blow eggs up in this microwave, it has every chance of serving you long and faithfully.

Sharp Countertop Microwave Oven ZR331ZS

• One-touch start for fast cooking of the most common options
• High-end price for a feature set that is not so high-end
• Good auto-defrost mode. It would thaw a turkey nice, if it could fit!

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This microwave looks regular, but when we see the price we really want to know what it has to offer, because it’s not cheap at all. It does look like it has a few nifty options, such as one-touch start and a few convenient hotkey combinations. But the control panel itself looks slightly intimidating. You might spend time looking for these hotkey functions.
It does have a nice defrost mode, which is important if you keep a lot of your food frozen and don’t want it spoiled because of unfortunate thawing.

The design is pretty sad. It does look a bit like a sad robot and that, on top of a rather high-end price. The ratings also speak for themselves, being the lowest of the list, and the features and presets are actually so few most descriptions don’t even mention them. Buy at your own risk!