BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 Review
Pros: Did well at defrosting, fairly inexpensive
Cons: Struggled with some frozen foods, so-so heating results
Manufacturer: BLACK+DECKER
Our Verdict
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 This Product
BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 | |||||
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| Awards |  | | |||
| Price | $75 List | $112 List | $170 List | $100 List | $100 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Did well at defrosting, fairly inexpensive | Excellent with packaged frozen foods, compact, very easy to use | Excellent at defrosting, convenient | Good at reheating, does well with premade frozen foods | Good at defrosting meat |
| Cons | Struggled with some frozen foods, so-so heating results | So-so with mixed leftovers | Large, expensive | Didn’t defrost frozen turkey well | Not the most convenient to use, heating performance could be better |
| Bottom Line | All in all, this appliance didn’t deliver very impressive results, failing to earn it a recommendation from us | If you have a smaller kitchen and are looking for a top-tier appliance, then we think this is one of the best options out there | This appliance is a fantastic choice for anyone who want a larger model and predominantly is heating up frozen foods | While this appliance did alright in our rankings, we didn’t feel that it can quite match some of the better ones we have seen | While this appliance did deliver some great results in a few of our tests, it overall finished in the middle of the group |
| Rating Categories | BLACK+DECKER... | Kenmore 70929 | Toshiba EM131A5C | BLACK+DECKER... | Panasonic NN-SB458S |
| Heating (40%) | |||||
| Frozen Foods (30%) | |||||
| Defrosting (20%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (10%) | |||||
| Specs | BLACK+DECKER... | Kenmore 70929 | Toshiba EM131A5C | BLACK+DECKER... | Panasonic NN-SB458S |
| Watts | 700 | 900 | 1100 | 1000 | 900 |
| Cubic Feet | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.9 |
| Dimensions | 17.3" x 13" x 10.2" | 14.5" x 17.7" x 11" | 20.5" x 17.1" x 12.8" | 20.2" x 15.6" x 12.1" | 19.1" x 11.5" x 14.8" |
| Turntable Diameter | 10" | 11.2" | 12.4" | 12.4" | 10.6" |
| Internal Dimentions | 12.1" x 12" x 8.1" | 9.3" x 12.4" x 13.6" | 13.1" x 15" x 9.5" | 13.9" x 14.5" x 9.1" | 12.4"x 13.9" x 8.1" |
| Warranty | 1 year limited | 1 year limited | 1 year limited | 1 year limited | 1 year parts and labor 5 year magnetron |
| Child lock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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 compared to the rest of the pack. Even then, there were other models that still outperformed, making it difficult for us to find a reason to recommend this appliance above others.
Performance Comparison
Likes
As we said before, the main thing we like about the BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 is how well it did in our defrosting metric. For this test, we use a square of frozen ground turkey that we measured out to weigh one pound. We followed the directions for this product, which led to 12 ounces of the turkey being completely thawed at the conclusion of the 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.
The BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 also did do decently well at reheating the canned soup — as did just about every model that we tested. It got the soup to the perfect serving temperature following the heating directions for this microwave's power rating. This product delivered average results in our heat map and speed tests as well. We used marshmallow cream spread out on parchment paper to make a map of heating intensity for this assessment, with the BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 evenly burning the center and middle rings. The outer ring was just getting toasted with a few completely uncooked spots.
For the speed test, we heated up 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 BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 also did well quite well with the Hot Pocket, heating up the left, right, and center areas within a few degrees of each other.
The BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 also has the standard convenience features, such as a +30 seconds button and some other quick-start features.
Dislikes
The BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 unfortunately delivered poor results in our other two heating tests. Both the plate of leftovers and the pizza weren't warmed enough for serving and were heated very inconsistently.
The BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 also failed to impress when it came to properly heating up the frozen burrito and the lasagna. The miniature lasagna was far from the proper serving temperature after following the directions and had an average temperature difference of 29°F between zones. The burrito had a similar amount of variation between areas, with the middle failing to reach the recommended temperature.
We weren't thrilled with how much this product slides around during normal use and has so-so internal lighting. We also didn't find the presets to be super effective. We tried out the popcorn function, which left tons of kernels unpopped. We did appreciate that it didn't burn any though.
Value
This product usually has a lower than average price tag but pairs that with a below average performance, so it isn't the best bargain buy in our mind — more of a "you get what you pay for kind of product"
Conclusion
The BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 mixed performance across our various tests makes it hard for us to find a reason to recommend it. It will heat up food just fine, though we wouldn't expect it to be the fastest or the most uniformly heated.
— David Wise and Austin Palmer