Picking the Best Countertop Microwave Oven: What Matters

In most home kitchens the microwave does the reheating: last night’s enchiladas, a container of rice and beans, a couple of tamales for lunch. Microwaves are good at heat and bad at evenness, so the features that matter most are the ones that help leftovers heat through, such as a moisture sensor and inverter power, and a turntable big enough for the plate you actually use.

This guide compares nine countertop microwaves, from 0.7-cubic-foot compacts to a 1.9-cubic-foot family model, plus a combination oven that also air fries. We used each maker’s specifications and the Amazon listings, checked each brand for recalls, and took the reheating advice from Clemson Cooperative Extension.

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Quick verdict: which countertop microwave to buy

Already have a toaster oven or an air fryer for crisping? Then a plain microwave is all you need; our guides to the best toaster oven and best air fryer cover those.

Five countertop microwaves at a glance

Our five standout picks, one for each kind of kitchen, with the capacity, power and turntable each maker states. All nine are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Specifications are as stated by each maker or listing; check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best countertop microwave oven

The first five cover most kitchens: three inverter models in three sizes, a combination oven and a compact. The last four add a 1.9-cubic-foot sensor model, two more sensor models and a retro compact. Each entry lists capacity, the power the maker states, inverter or convection, turntable size, sensor cooking and warranty.

How to choose a countertop microwave oven

1. Capacity and turntable

Capacity in cubic feet tells you the box; the turntable tells you what fits. A 0.7 cu ft model with a 10-inch turntable takes a dinner plate. A 1.2 cu ft model with a 12.4-inch turntable takes a casserole dish. Measure the dish you reheat most, and measure the counter, including the clearance the maker asks for.

2. Power

Output power decides how fast food heats. The picks here run from 700 to 1,250 watts. Package directions are written for a stated wattage, so on a 700-watt model, expect longer times. Note whether a listing gives output or input power; input is always the bigger number.

3. Inverter or not

A standard microwave controls low power levels by cycling full power on and off. An inverter (Panasonic, Sharp, the 1.6 cu ft Toshiba, Breville) delivers steady lower power, which makers say heats more evenly and defrosts without cooking the edges. It helps most with dense leftovers and frozen meat.

4. Sensor cooking

A sensor reads the steam coming off food and adjusts the time. For reheating leftovers, it saves a lot of guessing. Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba, Samsung, GE and Farberware list sensor cooking on these models.

5. Convection or air fry

A microwave makes crisp things soft. A combination oven like the Breville Combi Wave can crisp them again, and it can replace a toaster oven in a small kitchen. If you already own one, skip the combo.

Reheating Mexican leftovers safely in a microwave

Clemson Cooperative Extension’s Home & Garden Information Center explains why reheating takes a little care: microwaves heat unevenly, and uneven heating can leave cold spots where harmful bacteria may survive. Its advice is simple:

• Cover food when reheating, to hold moisture and promote even heating.
• Stir or rotate food midway through heating to reduce cold spots.
• Let food stand for several minutes after microwaving.
• Check the temperature with a food thermometer in several places. Clemson lists 165°F as the safe minimum for leftovers and casseroles.
• Use containers made for microwave use.

In practice, that means spreading rice and beans in a shallow, even layer instead of a tall mound, stirring them halfway, and covering a plate of enchiladas so the tortillas steam instead of drying out. Leave tamales in their husks and cover them, in line with Clemson’s advice to cover food. Our guide to reheating Mexican leftovers goes dish by dish, from tamales to queso, and our guide to what tamales are covers the husks and fillings. Storing leftovers in shallow, microwave-safe food storage containers makes the reheating easier.

How we picked these nine microwaves

We did not test these microwaves. We compared what each maker states on its Amazon listing: capacity, output and input power, inverter and convection, turntable size, sensor cooking, size and warranty, and we point out where a listing contradicts itself. We checked that every microwave was in stock on Amazon when we wrote this, and we searched the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall database for each brand and found no recall listed for these models. The reheating advice comes from Clemson Cooperative Extension. We left out over-the-range models, which need installation, and listings that were scarce or out of stock, including the older Panasonic NN-SN686S.

A note on two models we dropped: this guide used to recommend the Toshiba EM131A5C 1.2 cu ft microwave and the Toshiba ML2-EC10SA air fryer combo. In June 2026 Consumer Reports asked the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to investigate SaferProducts.gov reports of certain Toshiba-brand microwaves, made by Midea, turning on by themselves; it counted at least 28 incidents, 24 of them citing the ML2-EC10SA and one the EM131A5C, and its safety alert advised owners to unplug them after use. Midea told Consumer Reports the products are not unsafe, and no recall had been announced when we updated this guide. We replaced both while the question is open.

Countertop microwave questions, answered

What size countertop microwave do I need?

For one or two people reheating plates, 0.7 to 0.9 cu ft is enough. For a family or casserole dishes, 1.2 cu ft or more with a turntable of 12 inches or larger.

Is an inverter microwave worth it?

If you reheat dense leftovers or defrost meat often, yes: steady low power heats more evenly, according to the makers. If you mostly warm drinks and popcorn, a standard sensor microwave is fine.

How many watts should a countertop microwave have?

Around 1,000 watts of output is a good everyday figure. The 700-watt compacts work but take longer, and package directions may need extra time.

Can a countertop microwave replace a toaster oven?

A plain microwave cannot crisp or brown. A combination model like the Breville Combi Wave can, which is why combos make sense in small kitchens. Our convection microwave guide compares more of them.

How do I keep reheated food from having cold spots?

Clemson Extension advises covering the food, stirring or rotating it midway, letting it stand for several minutes and checking it with a thermometer in several places; leftovers should reach 165°F. A sensor or inverter microwave helps, but it does not replace stirring and checking.

Our pick for reheating leftovers

Buy the Panasonic 1.2 cu ft inverter for most kitchens. Choose the Sharp 1.4 cu ft if you want a stated 12.4-inch turntable and a little more room, the 1.6 cu ft Toshiba for big dishes, the Breville Combi Wave if you want to crisp too, and the BLACK+DECKER for a small space.

More specific guides: the best convection microwaves, the best inverter microwaves and the best commercial microwaves.

By size: the best compact microwaves and the best large microwaves.

Related guide: Microwave vs toaster oven.

Related guide: Best microwave cleaner.

Better still, let us do the cooking: see the menu and call to order, and take home enough for tomorrow’s lunch.