REASONS TO BUY
Did well at defrosting
Fairly inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Struggled with some frozen foods
So-so heating results
Black+Decker EM720CB7 Review
This product failed to impress us too much, ranking close to the bottom of the overall
RELATED: Best Microwaves of 2023
Our Verdict
The Black+Decker EM720CB7 earned one of the lowest scores out of our lineup of the best microwaves, struggling in quite a few of our tests. It did very well in our defrosting test with the ground turkey, but that is far from enough to redeem its multiple poor showings in other tests. All in all, we generally think you could probably find better options out there for your kitchen.
Editor's Note: This product review was updated on January 12, 2022 to include more info on what we would buy and help to better compare products.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Black+Decker EM720CB7 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards | |||||
| Price | $90 List $88.00 at Amazon | $110 List $95.84 at Amazon | $115 List $102.99 at Amazon | $120 List $119.99 at Amazon | $90 List $89.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Did well at defrosting, fairly inexpensive | Good at defrosting meat | Easy to use, relatively inexpensive, excellent with prepared frozen items | Good at reheating, does well with premade frozen foods | Stylish retro look, available eco mode |
| Cons | Struggled with some frozen foods, so-so heating results | Not the most convenient to use, heating performance could be better | Struggled to defrost the ground turkey | Didn't defrost frozen turkey well | Dial for timer interface, uneven heating |
| Bottom Line | This product failed to impress us too much, ranking close to the bottom of the overall | This product pairs average results with an average price, failing to stand out from the competition | This product had mixed results overall, failing to distinguish it all that much from other products | This larger product did decently well but we don't think it quite matches the performance of the top-tier models | This product is great if you value the retro look more than overall performance |
| Rating Categories | Black+Decker EM720CB7 | Panasonic NN-SB458S | Toshiba EM925A5A | Black+Decker EM031MB11 | Galanz 0.7 Retro |
| Heating (40%) | |||||
| Frozen Foods (30%) | |||||
| Defrosting (20%) | |||||
| Ease of use (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Black+Decker EM720CB7 | Panasonic NN-SB458S | Toshiba EM925A5A | Black+Decker EM031MB11 | Galanz 0.7 Retro |
| Wattage | 700 watts | 900 watts | 900 watts | 1000 watts | 700 watts |
| Size | 0.7 cu. ft. | 0.9 cu. ft. | 0.9 cu. ft. | 1.1 cu. ft. | 0.7 cu. ft. |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 17.3" x 10.3" x 13.0" | 19.1" x 11.5" x 14.8" | 19.2" x 11.5" x 15.9" | 20.2" x 12.1" x 15.6" | 15.75" x 20.90" x 12.90" |
| Turntable Diameter | 10.0" | 10.6" | 10.6" | 12.4" | 9.6" |
| Internal Dimentions (WxHxD) | 12.1" x 8.1" x 12.0" | 13.9" x 8.1" x 12.4" | 13.7" x 8.7" x 12.3" | 14.5" x 9.1" x 13.9" | 11.6 " x 7" x 10.1" |
| Child lock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 45 Sec Heating Temp Rise | 73 F | 89 F | 89 F | 83 F | 76 F |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Aside from its exceptional result at defrosting the one-pound brick of ground turkey, there was very little about this microwave's performance that made it stand out from the best microwaves. Even then, other models still outperformed this model, making it difficult for us to find a reason to recommend this appliance above others.
Performance Comparison
Overall, we think this product performed a bit below average.
Credit: Laura Casner
Likes
As we said before, the main thing we like about the EM720CB7 is how well it did in our defrosting metric. For this test, we used a one pound square of frozen ground turkey. Following the manufacturer's directions for defrosting, we were able to defrost 12 ounces of the turkey at the end of the microwave's defrost cycle. None of the meat was cooked through, and the remaining 4 ounces of turkey was easily broken apart — enough that we wouldn't think twice about tossing it all in a pan to start browning it.
This Black+Decker microwave did fully defrost 3/4 of the frozen ground turkey.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Black+Decker also did decently well at reheating the canned soup, but this isn't rare; nearly every model we tested did a good job with this test. It got the soup to the perfect serving temperature following the heating directions for this microwave's power rating. In the heat map and speed tests, this model delivered average results. We used marshmallow cream spread out on parchment paper to make a map of heating intensity. This microwave evenly burned the center and middle rings. The outer ring was just getting toasted with a few completely uncooked spots.
For the speed test, we heated 125 mL of water for 45 seconds and measured the temperature increase to determine scores. This microwave raised the temperature of the water by 73.4°F — fairly typical results.
The EM720CB7 delivered middle-of-the-road results in our speed test.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Black+Decker EM720CB7 also did well quite well with the Hot Pocket, heating the left, right, and center areas within a few degrees of each other.
This model has many of the standard quick-start features.
Credit: Laura Casner
The EM720CB7 has most of the standard convenience features, such as a +30 seconds button and some other quick-start features.
We did like that this model is decently easy to use.
Credit: Laura Casner
Dislikes
The EM720CB7, unfortunately, delivered poor results in our other two heating tests. Neither the plate of leftovers nor the pizza were warm enough for serving, and both were heated very inconsistently.
This plate of leftovers definitely would have required more time in the microwave before serving in our minds.
Credit: Laura Casner
The EM720CB7 also failed to properly and evenly heat the frozen burrito and the lasagna. After following the directions, the miniature lasagna was far from a satisfactory serving temperature, with an average temperature difference of 29°F between zones. The burrito had a similar variation between areas, with the middle failing to reach the recommended temperature.
We didn't like how easily this microwave slid around on smooth countertops when we opened or closed the door.
Credit: Laura Casner
We weren't thrilled with how much this product slides around during normal use, and it has so-so internal lighting. We also didn't find the presets to be super effective. We tried out the popcorn function, which left a lot of kernels unpopped. None were burned, at least.
All in all, we generally think you could do better than this product.
Credit: Laura Casner
Should You Buy the Black+Decker EM720CB7?
Though any of the microwaves in our test will get the job done (eventually), many people shopping for kitchen appliances want the best products available, and we don't think the Black+Decker EM720CB7 is that — particularly if you are seeking speed or uniformity in your microwave cooking endeavors.
What Other Microwaves Should You Consider?
Though this is a small, fairly affordable model that is suitable for small kitchens, we'd suggest the Toshiba EM131A5C for a full-size microwave that earns its keep as a premium model.
—
David Wise and Austin Palmer
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