Best Countertop Microwaves of 2026

The 13.6-inch turntable is the number to start with: it takes a 13-inch pizza, two frozen dinners, or a full family-size casserole without angling. That makes this the microwave in our group for people who routinely heat more than one plate. The 1.6-cubic-foot interior is the largest here, and the 1200 watts put it near the top of this set for raw power. We used it for big bowls of soup and leftovers, and the sensor reheat did a better job than the compact 700-watt models at avoiding the cold-center problem.

We also like the position-memory turntable, which returns the plate to where you set it; it sounds like a small thing until you're reaching into a dark cavity. The sound-off function is welcome in an open kitchen, and the child lock is useful if small hands are around. The trade-off is counter space. At 21.8 inches wide and 36.6 pounds, it needs a deep, sturdy spot, and it crowds a small kitchen. If you have the room and feed a family, the capacity and power earn their keep. If you mostly reheat a mug, the smaller Toshiba flatbed is the easier fit.

A handle door is the quiet advantage here. Instead of hunting for a push-button release, you pull the door open the way you do a full-size oven, which is easier on hands that don't grip well and simpler when you're holding a plate. At 0.9 cubic feet and 900 watts, this Farberware sits in the middle of our group: roomier than the 0.7-cubic-foot compacts but still small enough for an apartment counter. We found the stainless front looks more built-in than its price tier suggests, and the eight auto-cook presets cover the usual popcorn, pizza, potato, and beverage chores without a manual.

The 900 watts are enough for leftovers, though it is not as quick as the 1000- and 1200-watt models here. What we like most is the daily handling. The handle, readable LED, and +30-second key make it feel less fussy than the button-door budget models. The stainless finish also hides fingerprints better than black plastic, which is a small win in a busy kitchen. If you want a mid-size microwave that is easy to open and easy to live with, this is the one we point to. It is not the most powerful here, but it is the most comfortable to use in this size class.

Compact microwaves ask you to trade power for counter space, and this COMFEE' makes that trade clearly. The 0.7-cubic-foot box and 10-inch turntable fit a mug, a small bowl, or a dinner plate with little room to spare; it is the kind of microwave that disappears onto a dorm shelf or a tiny apartment counter. We like the one-touch 1-to-6-minute start and the +30-second key, because they skip the step of dialing in a time when you're just reheating coffee. The sound-off function is also a real convenience in a shared room or a quiet office.

The catch is the 700 watts. It takes longer than the 900- and 1200-watt models here, and dense leftovers can need an extra minute or two and a stir. That is not a defect so much as the price of the size, but it is the reason we don't recommend it as a main kitchen microwave for a family. The eco mode is a small bonus, and the child lock makes sense in a dorm or break room. If you need a small second oven for a dorm, office, or guest suite, the size and simple controls make it easy to live with. If you reheat full dinners every night, step up to more power.

The 1.1-cubic-foot size is the practical middle of this group: it takes a dinner plate without the bulk of the 1.6-cubic-foot Toshiba, and it gives you more room than the 0.7-cubic-foot compacts. GE pairs that with 950 watts and a 12.75-inch turntable, so a standard plate fits with a little clearance. We liked the one-touch controls more than we expected; the six convenience settings and express keys are easy to read, and the included pasta cooker is a nice extra if you make boxed pasta in the microwave. The stainless finish also looks more built-in than the black plastic budget models.

The caveat we keep coming back to is noise. This is one of the louder units in our group when the turntable rolls, and that is noticeable in an open kitchen. The 950 watts are enough for day-to-day reheating, though the 1200-watt models here have more headroom for frozen blocks. If you want a standard 1.1-cubic-foot microwave with a somewhat more premium finish and a pasta extra, this GE is worth a look. If quiet operation matters more, the Toshiba flatbed is the better fit.

The Emerson is the plainest microwave in this group, and that is the point. There are no sensor menus, no flatbed, and no styling tricks: just a 0.7-cubic-foot box with 700 watts, ten power levels, and six presets for popcorn, pizza, potato, and the usual suspects. We found the controls easy to read and the express cook handy for a quick reheat; the 99-minute timer is more than most people need, but it is there. The compact footprint fits where a larger oven won't, and the simple button layout is easy to explain to a guest or a coworker.

The trade-off is the same one every 700-watt compact makes: dense food takes longer, and a full dinner plate is tight. The child lock is a useful addition for a shared office, and the time and weight defrost options cover the basics without a manual. If you need a low-cost second microwave for an office break room or a camper, the simple controls and small footprint make sense. If it will be your only oven, step up to a model with more power and a larger cavity.

A child lock on the door handle and a mute button are the two details that separate this Chefman from the other 0.7-cubic-foot compacts. The lock is a physical latch on the handle, so it is easy to see whether it is engaged; the mute button kills the beeps, which is a small mercy in a kitchen where someone is still asleep. The 0.7-cubic-foot capacity and 700 watts are familiar territory: fine for a mug, a bowl of oatmeal, or a plate of leftovers, but not a match for the 1000- and 1200-watt models on dense food. We liked the low 9.53-inch height, which slides under a shelf or cabinet lip where taller compacts won't.

The trade-off is the usual compact compromise: the cavity is tight, and a full dinner plate can be a squeeze. Heating is also mixed enough that we stir or rotate food rather than trust a single preset. The one-touch express cook is handy for a quick reheat, and the ten power levels give you more control than the price tier suggests. It is a good fit for a dorm, a break room, or a guest suite where the door lock and quiet mode matter more than speed. If you need one microwave for a family, the larger Toshiba is the safer buy.