Known to bring tremendous convenience in the kitchen and to the lives of a lot of busy people, a countertop microwave oven is a staple to homes. It is said that about 96 percent of households have at least one microwave oven that is used consistently. However, not everyone maximizes its functionality, limiting themselves with just heating leftovers.
The technology for microwave cookers is still evolving, with newer versions now having more features other than heating cold or frozen foods. You can now have a microwave oven with grill or a microwave toaster oven.
A multi-purpose countertop microwave oven is a hit for starter families and individuals living alone as it serves more than one purpose in the kitchen, saving on countertop space and functioning more for your home.
With a countertop microwave oven, you can now have your meals fast and warm, just like how your takeout was when you bought it fresh from the store. More modern models can also help you cook gourmet meals; some have oven functionality. Add to the thaw function that helps you cook foods faster, too.
We all know the advantages of owning a countertop microwave oven, but, which one to choose? You have to check the following features to make sure it is something that fits your lifestyle and needs:
- Preset programs – these modes make it more convenient for you to operate your microwave oven. With a touch of the button, you can now thaw, heat food, bake potatoes, etc.
- Smart features – there are microwave oven models that are equipped with smart features like sensor technology and voice control.
- Size – choose the one that fits the space you have. A countertop microwave oven is generally more compact than the built-in version and is also portable to be moved around or stored when not in use.
- Wattage – the higher this is, the better it is and faster in heating and cooking your food through. However, higher wattage also means higher energy consumption. So, it is best to balance your priorities.
Are you on the lookout for the best countertop microwave oven? Check out our best three and most recommended models that you can also purchase online.
Best Countertop Microwave Oven – (Comparison)
| Name | Key Feature | |
| Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN966S Stainless Steel Countertop – (Editor’s Choice) | Uses inverter technology with turbo defrost function | Check Price |
| Galanz GTWHG12BKSA10 4-in-1 | 4-in-1 (air fry, toast, microwave, convection) major cooking functions; 12 preset cooking programs | Check Price |
| Cuisinart CMW-200 1.2-Cubic-Foot Convection Microwave Oven with Grill | Programmable automatic multi-stage cooking | Check Price |
Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN966S Stainless Steel Countertop – Editor’s Choice
If you have a big family or are on the hunt for a huge capacity countertop microwave oven, this is the model for you. With its size, it can also be installed as a built-in microwave alongside your oven. It looks sleek with stainless steel and silver finish, perfect for modern kitchens but also matches others because of its design’s timelessness.
This countertop microwave stainless steel has a capacity of 2.2 cubic feet, utilizing a 16.5-inch turntable that fits bigger pans. It is designed to have a maximized interior so you can fit bigger or more foods and process them all in one go but leaves less footprint in your kitchen since it is compact-sized.
With its size and capacity comes a backup of 1,250 watts of maximum power, allowing for shorter cooking times and more powerful cooking functions. This countertop microwave oven also boasts of its inverter technology that enables even heat distribution in your food, heating and cooking it through.
Meanwhile, the Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN966S Stainless Steel Countertop is equipped with smart sensors. These detect the food’s temperature and the type and then auto-adjusts the power and cooking time. You can also choose from among the 14 preset modes for different cooking functions and food types.
For convenience, you can also use the quick minute timer to have your countertop microwave oven immediately commence the heating function with a single press of the button. The delay start function allows you to schedule heating and cooking for the output to come out fresh and just in time for your meals.
Another feature of this over the oven microwave is the inverter turbo defrost. This allows for a faster and more efficient thawing function, even on solid frozen food items. This drawer microwave oven also has a child safety lock, and a keep warm function.
Pros
- High-power (1,250-watts), extra-large capacity (with 2.2 cubic-feet capacity and fits a 16.5-inch turntable)
- Uses inverter technology with turbo defrost function
- With 14 preset cooking functions
- Quick minute timer
- Equipped with child safety lock
- With Keep Warm function
Cons
- You have to press a manual button to unlock the microwave oven
Conclusion
The Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN966S Stainless Steel Countertop provides straightforward features expected from a standard microwave, but with excellent results. The turbo defrost feature works, and the 14 cooking presets are accurate. All because they are backed up by 1,250 watts of power.
Galanz GTWHG12BKSA10 4-in-1
If you are looking for more value out of your countertop microwave oven, you can explore multi-purpose models that serve more functions. As for this combination microwave oven, it can microwave, toast, fry, and work like a convection oven. That’s four appliances functioning as one piece of equipment.
This countertop microwave oven has a 1.2 cubic feet capacity, backed up by 1,000-watts of power. Dubbed as the ToastWave technology, it combines different heating modes to process your foods using precise controls and temperature. It also utilizes its patented inverter technology that ensures even heat distribution and continuous heating of your food inside out.
The Galanz GTWHG12BKSA10 4-in-1 provides you with flexibility in the kitchen. The different cooking functions allow you to use your countertop microwave oven every day. You can use it starting breakfast up to dinner, providing you with more benefits and better value for your investment.
As it replaces four of your daily kitchen appliance, it also conserves precious countertop space.
Among its four cooking modes is Air Fry. It is a healthier way of frying foods by using less oil and hot air to cooking your food to crispiness. It provides generous space to hold more food quantities, allowing you to cook for more people in one go.
Meanwhile, this combination microwave can also function as a convection microwave oven. It functions as a standard convection oven that allows you to broil and bake foods for meals, not just thaw or heat them.
Meanwhile, you can also toast multiple bread slices at a time with this countertop microwave oven’s generous cooking capacity. Overall, you can play around with a total of 12 cooking programs, that also include bagel, pizza, warm, popcorn, and reheat.
The Galanz GTWHG12BKSA10 4-in-1 also has the Sensor Reheat and Sensor Cook functions. Both harness the power of sensors to ensure accurate cooking programs that adjust according to the humidity level of your food. The Sensor Reheat knows when the precooked food is already heated through; that’s when this microwave black stops heating it.
Pros
- Utilizes a patented inverter technology for continuous, consistent, and even heat distribution
- 4-in-1 (air fry, toast, microwave, convection) major cooking functions; 12 preset cooking programs
- With Sensor Reheat and Sensor Cook functions
Cons
- Some functions aren’t outstanding and take longer to provide you the output
Conclusion
The Galanz GTWHG12BKSA10 4-in-1 provides you with more value for your investment since it can replace four appliances in your kitchen. But what I love most about this countertop microwave convection oven are the sensor-based functions, making it a smart appliance.
Cuisinart CMW-200 1.2-Cubic-Foot Convection Microwave Oven with Grill
This is another multi-purpose countertop microwave on the list. Aside from microwave cooking, it can also grill foods and more.
With this countertop microwave oven, you can do 8 cooking functions, including microwave, keep warm, defrost, and grill. You can also do convection baking, convection roast, and general convection.
This grill microwave provides with 1.2 cubic feet capacity and is rated 1,000-watts. This is a decent space for regular meals for you and a loved one.
Aside from cooking functions, the Cuisinart CMW-200 1.2-Cubic-Foot Convection Microwave Oven with Grill also has two defrost functions. Choose from thawing based on weight or based on time so you can customize it according to your preference or need.
This countertop microwave oven can also be programmed to do several tasks consecutively and automatically. Choose the sequence of functions with its intuitive controls, with all the touch buttons and adjustable settings conveniently located on the appliance itself. You can start by defrosting food, then proceed to the cooking process, and finishing it off on the grill.
You can also choose among its 9 preset cooking modes that include Pizza, Roast Chicken, Popcorn, Beverage, Cake, Potato, Fresh Vegetables, Frozen Vegetables, and Reheat.
This above stove microwave allows for more flexibility in the kitchen, allowing you to use it multiple times every day. It is also designed to look sleek and modern on your kitchen countertop or in a carved-out cabinet for it. This microwave oven over the range utilizes touchpad controls and is finished in stainless steel.
Pros
- 9 cooking presets plus 8 cooking functions for increased versatility in the kitchen
- With 2 defrost functions (by weight or by time)
- Programmable automatic multi-stage cooking
Cons
- The oven does not heat enough to cook bigger food items
Conclusion
The Cuisinart CMW-200 1.2-Cubic-Foot Convection Microwave Oven with Grill provides you with more ways to process and cook your food, as well as faster and more efficiently.
Final Verdict
The best microwave oven should firstly, function outstandingly in terms of even heating and defrosting. It should be powerful enough to speed up the cooking time to make it more convenient for you to use it.
We picked the Editor’s Choice based on how reliable the appliance is in terms of providing convenience for the user. With that, the oven range microwave for Top Best Reviewss is the Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN966S Stainless Steel Countertop.
The Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN966S Stainless Steel Countertop offers precise cooking temperatures and a shorter cooking time. This countertop microwave oven has 14 cooking presets that add more convenience, and the inverter technology ensures consistent and even heat distribution in your food.