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We tested microwaves from Toshiba, Kenmore, Panasonic, Farberware and more to find the best on the market
We run a series of tests and include real-world use aimed at finding the critical differences between some of the most compelling products on the market.
Need a new microwave? Our appliance experts researched over 70 models before purchasing and testing 11 of the best microwaves available today. We put them all to the test, reheating plate after plate of leftovers, zapping family dinners, popping popcorn, and defrosting meats. We compared how evenly and quickly each model heats and ranked and rated how easy each one is to use. No matter what kind of microwave you're looking for, our extensive review highlights many options to help you find the one that best suits your home needs and budget.
This is a top-tier appliance with a large capacity and very even heating
An excellent all-around product with a large capacity, this model has convenient features and is exceptional at defrosting
Offers unmatched performance for heating frozen food, and is one of the better products available for heating food evenly, without annoying hot and cold spots
This product pairs average results with an average price, failing to stand out from the competition
This microwave performed average overall with a higher price tag than products performing similarly
If you're searching for an excellent, large-capacity microwave, we'd be hard-pressed to recommend a better option than the Panasonic NN-SN936. This giant appliance not only offers an enormous capacity but pairs that with top-tier performance. It heats food very evenly and defrosts well, too. If you have space in your kitchen for a larger appliance, the reheating and defrosting abilities of the Panasonic model are sure to impress.
Despite heating other frozen foods well, this unit had subpar performance during our frozen burrito tests. It failed to heat the center above the required temperature in the allotted time. It also doesn't offer the most comprehensive set of convenience features. While it features a +30 second button, it does not start automatically, and it does not have quick start 1-6 minute buttons. Still, the Panasonic NN-SN936 is one of our all-around favorite microwaves and our top recommendation.
If you primarily use a microwave to heat packaged frozen foods, you'll want to check out the Panasonic NN-SN67KS. It delivered the best performance in two of our three frozen food tests and tied for second place in the third. It also stood out on one of the most frustrating aspects of microwave use: uneven heating, where one part of the food item is still cold while the other part is steaming hot. Additionally, this Panasonic model left the competition in the dust on our heat map test, which measures consistent and even heating of foods, and earned the top score on heating overall.
Although the Panasonic NN-SN67KS was the top performer on heating frozen foods, we were surprised to find this microwave delivered below-average performance defrosting meat. The price is also steep, which may dissuade some consumers. But, if you are looking for a microwave that's perfect for frozen foods and delivers more even heating across your food items — and it's within your budget — the Panasonic NN-SN67KS is a good choice.
The Panasonic NN-SN67KS is larger and premium-priced, but it delivers exceptional heating and frozen food performance. It isn't very portable; it takes quite a lot of force to slide this microwave around even on slick countertops.
If you're on the hunt for a full-sized, high-end microwave that excels at defrosting, we recommend checking out the Toshiba EM131A5C first. This appliance performs well across all test metrics, yielding exceptional defrosting results. It defrosts without cooking, which can be a tall order for most microwaves, making this an excellent option for those who frequently keep frozen meat on hand. The EM131A5C also has no problem heating frozen meals quickly, and the user-friendly interface is chock-full of convenient presets, making tasks like this hassle-free.
While this speedy kitchen appliance will have your dinner warmed up in no time, it falls a little short in heating our food evenly (an issue we found with almost every microwave tested). This issue mainly occurs when different food types are heated at once, like a plate of leftovers or pizza, as the cheese heats up much faster than the crust. It is also larger and a bit more expensive than some competitors, but if you have a few extra bucks to spend on a high-quality product, we think you'll be satisfied with this contender.
The EM131A5C is one of our all-time favorites in this category of products.
Credit: Laura Casner
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We put each microwave through a gauntlet of more than 72 individual performance tests to find the best.
Credit: Laura Casner
Why You Should Trust Us
We've purchased and tested over 25 different microwaves since 2017. To assess microwaves, we conducted extensive head-to-head tests and had a group of judges evaluate the quality of the heated food. We objectively compared how efficiently each appliance heated the desired item by measuring the temperatures across food and liquids with multiple digital thermometers and a laser infrared thermometer. We used the products in our office and personal kitchens over multiple months to see how they perform over a longer period and how easily they function in a real-world kitchen.
Our popcorn test was just one of 162 individual performance tests we conducted on each microwave. Scores were based on the number of unpopped kernels remaining and whether any were burned.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
We subjected this fleet of microwaves to 162 individual tests to rate their individual performance. The most emphasis was placed on the Heating tests, which correspond to 40% of each product's total score. We broke that metric down into five specific tests that include heat mapping and the rate at which each product heated food. We also placed a significant amount of scoring weight on how well each microwave could heat frozen foods.
Our microwave testing is divided across four rating metrics:
Heating tests (40% of overall score weighting)
Frozen Foods tests (30% weighting)
Defrosting tests (20% weighting)
Ease of Use tests (10% weighting)
Our testing team of Austin Palmer and David Wise has extensive experience with kitchen appliances, including testing more than 250 products for GearLab ranging from top-tier food processors and juicers to the best ice cream makers and best blenders. Throughout the testing process, Austin, David, and the rest of the GearLab team became frozen food connoisseurs, consuming far more Hot Pockets, mini-lasagnas, and frozen burritos than anyone perhaps should.
There was just a bit of a cool spot in the center but all three regions were well above serving temperature with the Black+Decker.
In our Heating tests, such as the Pizza Heating test shown above on the AmazonBasics microwave, we used a Laser Infrared Thermometer to measure for consistent temperature across the food surface area.
We liked that all three types of food came out fairly close in temperature with the Kenmore 70919.
Analysis and Test Results
For the 11 microwaves we tested, we split our suite of testing assessments into four weighted metrics: heating, frozen foods, defrosting, and ease of use. Each metric includes a variety of different tests, with the performance of each product detailed in the sections below. Remember to consider what you typically use a microwave for and which performance aspects matter most to you as you read through our metrics and scores.
Value
When you pay more for a microwave, you'll often get a more powerful unit that heats food quickly and has more convenient (AKA more specific) functions. If you're on a budget, one product stands out well above the rest: the Toshiba EM131A5C. It is substantially more affordable than many of the other top contenders yet still holds its own when it comes to performance.
The Toshiba is one of the best-performing models that won't break the bank.
Credit: Laura Casner
Heating Performance
Heating performance is of fundamental importance to your day-to-day use of, and satisfaction with, a microwave. So, it is no surprise that we gave heating 40% of the overall score weighting. To rate microwaves on heating, we challenged each product with five different tests:
Heating Map test (35% of Heating score weighting)
Heating Speed test (20% weighting)
Leftover Heating test (15% weighting)
Soup Heating test (15% weighting)
Pizza Heating test (15% weighting)
The standout performer in our heating metric was the Panasonic NN-SN936, which led the way or tied for the top-tier position in the bulk of our heating assessments. The Toshiba EM925A5A and the lower cost Panasonic model NN-SB458S also delivered strong heating performance, but unlike the top-end Panasonic, neither was above average when it came to even heating.
The Panasonic NN-SN936 was the top scorer in our heating tests.
Credit: Laura Casner
The worst performer in our heating test was the retro-looking Nostalgia RMO4AQ, which heated foods unevenly, leaving too many hot and cold areas. The Galanz Retro and the Breville The Compact Wave came close but performed slightly better than the Nostalgia.
The Nostalgia may add a fun retro look to your countertop, but be aware that it was the worst performer in our heating tests.
Credit: Laura Casner
Heating Map Test
Our heating map test rates the consistency of heating across a wide area of the microwave. To perform this test, we spread an even layer of Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow creme on parchment paper, cut out a disk the size of the turntable, and then heated it on high for 2 minutes. We scored each product based on the consistency of temperature and browning. The products that scored best created an even amount of heating across the entire disk of marshmallow fluff. Poor performers had hot and cold spots, which are visually evident on the marshmallow creme surface. We also looked at the underside of the disk, which was visible through the parchment paper.
The high-end Panasonic model, the Panasonic NN-SN936, achieved the best result in our heat map test. We found minimal marshmallow temperature variation, no distinct hot spot, and even browning.
The fluff before heating.
Poor performers in the heat map test include the Nostalgia which left the inner ring hardly cooked at all, while the outer ring was nearly burnt. Similarly, the lower-cost Toshiba model, the Toshiba EM121A5C, had a center ring that gets super-heated compared to the rest of the disk.
Heating Speed Test
To test heating speed, we put a 125 mL beaker of water in the center of the oven, then heated it on high for 45 seconds. This allowed us to measure the temperature rise, from the starting temp (room temperature) to the temperature after 45 seconds of heating.
The high-end Toshiba EM131A5C and the Panasonic NN-SN936 both outpaced the rest in heating speed, raising the water temperature over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, a full 25% higher than any other oven.
For our Heating Speed test, we measured how much the temperature increased in 124mL of water when heated for 45 seconds on high.
Credit: Laura Casner
Leftover Heating
Heating leftovers was the one test where the lowest-cost products shined. The low-end Panasonic product, the Panasonic NN-SB458S, did the best with the mixed plate of leftovers, heating all three types of food fairly evenly, an admittedly difficult task for a microwave. Tied for 2nd place were the Galanz Retro, the Panasonic NN-SN936, and the low-end Toshiba.
Some surprising and notably poor performances on Leftovers came from the Toshiba EM131A5C and Panasonic NN-SN67KS. Despite doing very well across many tests across the metrics and landing at the top of the pile overall, these models failed to achieve consistent heating results with this evaluation.
The AmazonBasics scored near the top in our leftover heating test. All three types of food were warm enough to eat after the heating cycle, though the sausage was a bit warmer than the veggies.
Credit: Laura Casner
Soup Heating
This test assessed the ability to heat a bowl of canned soup. After heating, a thermometer was moved around to ensure there was a consistent temperature throughout. Although many of the microwaves performed well in the soup heating category, the Toshiba ovens and the Panasonic NN-SN936 ranked highest in our soup heating tests.
Pizza
We heated two slices of leftover pizza in each microwave according to its specific wattage, checking which models could heat them evenly and thoroughly. This test accounted for 15% of the Heating metric.
If you love pizza, keep the Panasonic NN-SN67KS at the top of your list. This model not only excelled with frozen foods but was one of the top scorers at reheating pizza.
Both slices of pizza came out of the Panasonic quite evenly heated.
Credit: Laura Casner
Conversely, the Panasonic NN-SB458S performed the worst in the pizza test, unevenly heating the slices, with one being nowhere near hot enough to eat and the other exhibiting hot and cold spots.
The Panasonic NN-SN67KS offers unmatched performance heating frozen foods, although it was oddly below average at defrosting frozen meat.
Credit: Laura Casner
Frozen Foods
Our next series of tests focused on how well each contender could heat premade frozen food items, such as Hot Pockets, mini-lasagnas, or frozen burritos. We followed the manufacturers' instructions for reheating based on individual wattage, adjusting each model's power level when necessary. We used a grid of instant-read kitchen thermometers to compare how evenly heated each piece of food was to determine the scores.
Of all the products we tested, the Panasonic NN-SN67KS stood out when heating prepared frozen foods. This appliance did an excellent job with all three types of frozen foods, producing an average temperature difference of 10 degrees Fahrenheit or less between zones — making it one of the highest ranking in the frozen foods category.
The center came out a bit warmer than the edges during our heat testing of the Panasonic NN-SN67KS.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Toshiba EM925A5A closely followed, performing almost as well. This product delivered near-perfect results with the Hot Pockets and heated our burritos evenly. However, it showed a bit more of a temperature spread with the mini-lasagna, which left an average temperature difference of 23 degrees Fahrenheit.
One side of the lasagna was quite a bit cooler than the middle and other side during our heat test of the AmazonBasics Microwave 0.7.
Credit: Laura Casner
The bulk of our test suite — the Farberware Classic, Black+Decker EM031MB11, Nostalgia RMO4AQ, Panasonic NN-SB458S, and the Toshiba EM131A5C — all lagged behind the top performers. These underperformers all did decently well with the Hot Pocket and the frozen burrito but average or below with the lasagna.
The Breville, the Galanz Retro, and the Panasonic NN-SN936 all did decently well with the Hot Pocket and the individual lasagna but struggled with the frozen burrito, all failing to heat it sufficiently to serve based on the manufacturer's direction.
The lasagna had very little temperature variation.
Credit: Matt Spencer
Of these products, the Nostalgia RMO4AQ was the least impressive, showing an average temperature variation of 43 degrees Fahrenheit between zones. The rest of the group ranged between 15 and 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
The roll of turkey, ready to be defrosted in the Toshiba EM925A5A.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Defrosting
Our defrosting metric is based on the results of a single test: defrosting a one-pound block of frozen ground turkey. We ran a defrosting cycle for the weight of food based on the instructions for each model, then based scores on the amount of turkey that was successfully defrosted after testing, noting if any was prematurely cooked.
The Toshiba EM131A5C led the way, perfectly defrosting the entire block of meat without cooking any of it in a little under 10 minutes. This microwave also beeps halfway through to alert you to flip the meat over.
The Toshiba EM131A5C defrosted the entire block of turkey.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Black+Decker EM720CB7 and Panasonic NN-SN936 came next, with the Black+Decker and the Panasonic defrosting about 12 ounces of turkey. The remaining turkey broke apart fairly easily, even if it was still a little frozen, and we wouldn't have any issue tossing it directly in a pan after taking it out of either of these models. The Nostalgia RMO4AQ narrowly followed, marked down because it ended up cooking a tiny bit of the turkey during the defrosting process.
The Panasonic NN-SB458S defrosted approximately nine ounces of the turkey, but the remainder was barely frozen and crumbled easily. The Galanz Retro and the Breville performed similarly. The remaining microwaves all delivered lackluster results, not only leaving a large frozen chunk of turkey but also cooking sections in the process.
The Toshiba EM131A5C does a great job with premade frozen items.
Credit: Laura Casner
Ease of Use
Our final set of tests assessed the user-friendliness of these kitchen appliances. We looked at the different preset features and one-touch buttons, as well as the internal lighting and whether they were prone to sliding around on a counter when we opened and closed the door or pushed a button.
Both the Toshiba EM131A5C, Toshiba EM925A5A, and the Faberware Classic impressed us with their overall ease of use. They don't slide around and shine plenty of light inside. Their popcorn buttons were pretty good at correctly popping popcorn. They both have +30 seconds buttons and one-touch quick start functions for one to six minutes. However, their standalone kitchen timers can be somewhat finicky.
The Toshiba EM925A5A is convenient and easy to use.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Black+Decker EM031MB11 has all the one-touch features you would typically want but slides around a bit on slicker surfaces. It has decent lighting, but the preset popcorn feature wasn't amazing. The Breville performed similarly overall but has better lighting and popcorn functions. However, we didn't find its quick buttons to be as convenient.
The Black+Decker EM720CB7and the Panasonic NN-SN67KS were each hampered by a few flaws that made these products less convenient to use. The Farberware Classic did very well in the popcorn preset test and is rock-solid on most countertops.
The AmazonBasics Microwave 0.7 gives you the option to integrate with your smart home.
Credit: Laura Casner
We liked the interface on the Black+Decker EM720CB7, but the entire appliance slid around some when we opened or closed the door. It fared poorly in the popcorn test, leaving tons of unpopped kernels behind after the preset time had elapsed. Conversely, the Panasonic NN-SN67KS delivered excellent popcorn results and remained securely in place when pushed. However, it lacks some one-touch features we like to see.
Credit: Laura Casner
Conclusion
Most people have a microwave in their kitchen that is used daily. We are here to help you make sure you have the right equipment to reheat leftovers, defrost or heat frozen foods and make popcorn for movie night. However, not all microwaves perform the same. Our review provides the information and details you need to narrow the contenders to one that matches your needs and budget.
