Best Microwave For Small Spaces 2020

best microwave for small spaces

If you’re like me, then modern living is being squashed into a dinky apartment you can barely breathe in. The price you pay for living where the jobs are, right? So when space is at a premium you need to maximize what you can fit in, and you always need something to reheat leftovers, defrost frozen meals or just nuke three-day-old pizza. So in this article we’re going to look at the best microwave for small spaces, whether that’s living in a dorm, small apartment, office, anywhere where you don’t have much room to work with.

We’ve researched and reviewed lots of models and brands of microwaves to provide a comprehensive roundup. We looked at factors such as ease of use, reliability, safety, features, and power output so that we can confidently recommend a product that all consumers will be satisfied with.

Best Overall: BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 Digital Microwave Oven
Best Simple Microwave: Comfee EM720CPL Countertop Microwave
Smallest Capacity: Commercial Chef Rotary Microwave Oven
Microwave With Voice Activation: Amazon Basics Microwave
Best Small Microwave For Features: Panasonic Microwave NN-SD3725

My pick for best microwave for small spaces is this model from Black And Decker. This microwave is about as small as it gets with a 0.7 cubic feet interior and 10″ diameter turntable. The width, depth and height are 17.3” x 13.0” x 10.2”. If you can’t fit this in, you ain’t fitting no microwave in.

Despite its diminutive size, this handsome machine is as reliable as it gets and still packs in loads of features. A punchy 700W gives you solid power for all cooking, reheating and defrosting.

If you’re just looking for a quality small microwave without reading endless reviews then click here and get on with your day.

Want a little more info? This article is packed full of it… get reading!


1
Black And Decker EM720CB7 Microwave

Fantastic reliability backed up by a comprehensive one-year warranty.

Easy to use, simple but useful keypad.

Packs a lot of features in for such a modestly sized machine.

My top pick for best microwave for small spaces or countertop is this Black and Decker model. It comes in at 0.7 cu. ft and a 10″ diameter turntable which is the baseline for a full-powered microwave and is roughly the size of all ovens in this list. They don’t get any smaller, basically.

What sets this apart from the rest is its ease of use and reliability combined with surprisingly many features for such a small microwave.

The keypad input fits a lot into a small area. The buttons are simple, clear and get the job done, offering six pre-programmed foods while also fitting in with the microwave’s modern aesthetic and stainless steel color.

The Black And Decker offers a solid 700W power output. This sits on the lower end of things but is more than capable of all cooking needs. Ten different power settings give you full control over reheating, defrosting and other low power modes.

Any downsides? Well, it’s not the quietest while in use, which is a running theme with these smaller microwave ovens, unfortunately.

A child safety lock, “+30 seconds” button and one year warranty complete the list of goodies you get with this oven. Pretty nice deal, right?


2
Comfee EM720CPL Countertop Microwave

Simple but effective design.

An excellent 11 options for low and medium power modes.

One of the cheaper microwaves on this list.

A solid all-round choice for small microwave is this effort from Comfee. It’s well-reviewed on Amazon, plenty of features and even a small reduction in price from the Black and Decker in number one spot. In fact, its basic design and less established brand are the only things preventing it hitting top spot.

The Comfee is equipped with 700W and 11 power settings, more than enough to give most people full control over reheating and the like. The look is not personally my favorite, but hey we’re all different, right?

A “sound on/off” button, standby eco mode and child safety lock complete the features that might swing you to this microwave.


3
Commercial Chef Rotary Microwave Oven

Smallest microwave on the list at only 0.6 cubic feet.

Extremely simple design that could be good or bad, depending on your preference.

Very few additional features.

This small but basic microwave from Commerical Chef is the most compact microwave oven you’ll find on Amazon. Its size is 0.6 cubic feet with a turntable of 9.5″ and external dimensions of 17.8 x 12.5 x 10.2 inches. The thing is tiny. If this won’t fit in your kitchen then it’s time to call it a day.

The input method is using two dials rather than the more common keypad input. While this can feel clunky and outdated, it can be useful for seniors or people who struggle to manage complex things. Or just those who like a “no frills” design.

The first dial is for the number of minutes to cook for and the second dial is to change the power with six lower power settings to choose from. Do you need any more than that? Not unless you see yourself as the next Gordon Ramsey. But as I mentioned, getting this microwave is all about the smallest space.

Its tiny size comes with the very minimum of features and a low wattage of only 600W. Expect cooking times will be slow.


4
Amazon Basics Microwave

Standout feature is the voice activation options in combination with an Echo Dot.

Cheap, safe and simple microwave.

Not an established microwave brand might put some off due to possibly support or reliability issues.

Another interesting option I felt worth including was this Amazon Basics microwave. The oven itself is cheap and cheerful, with Amazon going for minimum features, a small size and commensurately modest price tag.

The thing that caught my eye about this one was its compatibility with Alexa so you can use voice recognition. For example, you could say “Alexa, microwave for 2 minutes” and the oven starts humming, no questions asked.

The Amazon model sits at 0.7 cubic ft and a 10″ turntable with dimensions of 17.3″ x 10.1″ x 14.1″ (width x height x depth). Standard sizing for these smaller microwaves and the wattage of 700W will comes as no surprises to anyone who’s been paying attention to this article.

The keypad is basic and features are minimal, although you can enjoy child lock and voice-activated preset options. Last but not least, I’ll leave a couple of lines from the Amazon listing which I found interesting and might swing your decision this way.

“Automatically reorder popcorn when you run low and save 10% on popcorn orders—enabled by Amazon Dash Replenishment technology”


“Alexa is always getting smarter and adding new presets.”


5
Panasonic Microwave NN-SD3725

Higher power output, albeit with a slightly higher price and capacity.

Excellent range of additional features to make cooking simpler including Inverter Technology, Genius Sensor and a lot more.

This microwave is a little bigger than the others on the list but comes with a bunch of great stuff that might make the sacrifice on size worth it.

To start with, the Panasonic comes in at 0.8 cubic ft with a 11.25″ turntable and dimensions of 11″ x 19.2″ x 14.8″. A little larger and little more costly, as you’d expect. Let’s get to the good stuff, though.

The Panasonic has a 950W power output. A huge bang for your buck considering its small size, giving you rapid cook times for such a small oven.

This microwave comes equipped with Panasonic’s patented inverter technology for low power uses such as reheating, defrosting, melting or softening.

Basically, microwaves on low power don’t actually run at low power, they simply turn off and on over and over again. For example, 30% power would be 3 seconds on then 7 seconds off and so on. The inverter technology emits a steady stream of heat which results in more thoroughly cooked food with no burnt edges or cool patches.

Add on the “genius sensor” which takes the guesswork out of cooking and reheating. Rather than choosing a time and hoping it’s right, you choose the weight and type of food and the microwave will calculate using the humidity how much time is needed.

Throw in a child lock, keep warm mode and “turbo defrost” and you’ve got an awesome yet petite microwave. Who says good things don’t come in small packages?


How Is Size Calculated?

Microwaves are a funny beast in that there are three separate ways to calculate the size.

  1. Cubic feet. The most common way is to give a volume in cubic feet. A smaller microwave might be 0.7 cu. ft whereas 1.8 cu. ft would be large. This helps as a rule of thumb but is pretty useless if you need specific measurements for it to fit somewhere.
  2. Turntable diameter. The glass plate that rotates when you’re microwaving food, called the turntable, can be used to give an idea of how large a microwave is (and how big the plates it can fit inside are). On the low end, you’re looking at around 10″ whereas the larger microwaves go up to 15″ or 16″.
  3. Dimensions. The dimensions are the length, width and height of the microwaves in inches. This tells you precisely how big the actual microwave is but makes it tricky to compare between microwaves and harder to visualize.

For each of my listed microwaves I’ll include all three measurements for you to compare.

If you just need small, go for the smallest cubic feet microwave you like the look of.

If you’ve got a space in mind and need to check whether it can fit, you’re best bet is to use the dimensions and check it.

What To Know Before Buying A Small Microwave

  1. Smaller microwaves are less powerful. The machinery that produces the microwaves used for cooking (the magnetron) is like an engine. The bigger it is, the more energy it can generate. So a small microwave will have a lower pwoer and it will cook more slowly.
    Each of the microwaves in this list have a wattage that represents their power output. The typical range for household microwaves might be 700-1300W. Don’t worry about your purchase not being powerful enough though. You can still cook all the same things, it’s just a matter of how fast it gets cooked.
  2. Smaller microwaves are cheaper. Dovetailing with the above is that smaller microwaves require less parts and less power, offer fewer features and thus are cheaper. This is an added bonus to buying a small microwave.
  3. Smaller microwaves have less features. The microwaves listed above can all heat, cook, reheat and defrost perfectly well.
    What is missing is handy advanced tech like sensor heating or inverter technology. If you use your microwave a lot for heating, reheating then you might consider whether it’s worth the extra space and expense to have more features available to you.

Why Don’t Microwaves Get Smaller Than 0.6-0.7 Cubic Ft?

The products on this list all hover around a standard range of 0.6-0.7 cubic feet and a 10″ turntable. Unfortunately, microwaves don’t get any smaller.

A turntable smaller than 10″ is simply too small. Ready meals, tv dinners and even medium-sized bowls and plates won’t fit into the oven. On top of that, the technology that produces the microwaves (the magnetron) is limited in how small it can be.


Buyer’s Guide For Best Microwave For Small Spaces

Necessary Features

Wattage

Your first and most important decision when choosing a microwave is to decide what amount of watts is necessary. The wattage of a microwave is a measure of its power, or more simply, how fast it cooks.

Generally speaking, the more the better. A higher wattage cooks things more quickly, a huge advantage whether you’re preparing a meal for ten people or just reheating yesterday’s leftovers.

The upper end of microwaves at around 1300W are almost twice as fast as the 700W or 800W microwaves you might be used to.

One caveat is that instructions and cooking times on packaged meals are for microwaves in the 700-900W range. However, you can simply reduce the power for most microwaves or just work out the time difference.

For example, a cooking time of 3 minutes (180 seconds) at 900W can be converted into 1200W using the following equation.

You might wonder why anyone would get a low wattage microwave. The technology used in microwaves gets exponentially more expensive to produce those higher wattages. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether the extra power is worth the cost.

Dial or keypad

Microwaves use either a rotating dial or a keypad for input.

The keypad is the modern option. You have an LED display showing the remaining time and a plethora of buttons that offer different features or preset options.

A dial-based microwave is more simple and provides less information. You spin the dial to the amount of time you want. It’s tricky when doing smaller cooking times and doing increments of 30 seconds is often a guessing game!

Although nowadays you see some modern microwaves offer a dial input and LED display.

This option is useful for those who might have issues with a button-based input such as the disabled or elderly.

Size / Capacity

The standard measurement for size of microwaves in the USA is using cubic feet. Personally, I find this clunky and unhelpful. Here’s a rule of thumb to make sense of this measurement.

0.7 cubic feet – small microwave
1-1.5 cubic feet – normal-sized microwave
1.7+ cubic feet – larger microwave

It’s easier to judge size based on the diameter of the turntable on which you place your food. All microwaves I have reviewed have this diameter in the listing for your convenience.

To work out if a microwave will fit in your kitchen, it is best to use the dimensions of length, width, and height. These are available on any Amazon listing you can find by clicking on the links in the article.

Material

The materials that make up the inner components of the microwave oven are standardized across the industry. For example. the inner panels of the microwave are made from stainless steel which reflects the radio waves (or microwaves) and prevents them from leaving the oven. They are the same in all microwave ovens.

Typically, the outside body of the microwave is made of aluminum which is strong and cheap. In terms of buying a microwave, you don’t need to think too deeply about the material it is made from.

Power Levels

You won’t always want to use your microwave at full power. For example, one neat trick you can do with the microwave is to run it at 10% power to make beautiful and warm melted chocolate. Some microwaves give you more control over power settings than others.

The standard in modern microwaves is to have ten “power levels” where a five corresponds to 50% and a nine to 90% and so on. This gives you a lot of control.

On the other hand, you also come across microwaves that simply offer “medium” and “medium-low” heat, sometimes without even telling you the percentage of the full power that it’s using.

Optional Features

Inverter Technology

Older and cheaper microwaves have a peculiar quirk when using low power modes. For example, when using a 50% power they will not run at 50% power but will alternate between 100% power and then 0% power. This shortcut is not ideal and can lead to unevenly cooked food.

The issue is that the magnetron, the “engine” of a microwave, can either be turned on or off. Creating a microwave that can produce a steady stream of lower power requires a touch of tech wizardry.

You need to decide if it’s worth the investment to have this “inverter technology” for low power modes like defrosting, softening, melting and so on.

Sensor Reheating

Sensor heating is one of the highlights of modern microwave technology and takes the guesswork out of cooking and reheating.

Essentially, the microwave can detect moisture levels in the food and use this to calibrate precisely how much cooking time is needed. You select the type of food as different foods have different moisture profiles.

No need to put in an amount of time. In fact, some microwaves tell you how long is left before your food is ready.

Sensor technology can be used for reheating but also for cooking some foods from scratch. A valuable feature you may want to splash the cash for in your new microwave oven.

“Keep Warm”

The “keep warm” feature can be a lifesaver for a busy cook trying to juggle cooking five different things at once. Put this setting on and the microwave will keep gravy, soup, desserts or anything else at a steady heat, giving you room to manage the finer points of the meal.

Power saving / eco mode

An “eco mode” offers a reduction of up to 50% of the power used in standby mode, helping you to take a little off your electric bill and do your bit for the environment.

What an “eco mode” cannot do is reduce the amount of power used to cook food. The magnetron uses power at the output of the wattage itself and cannot be made more efficient.

Child safety lock

A microwave with a child safety lock will allow you to “lock” the microwave from being turned on when not in use. This can stop children from fiddling with a potentially dangerous appliance.

Sound on/off option

A “sound on/off” button will turn electric sounds off when selecting options or time and also when the food is finished. Handy for those who share living arrangements to mute the constant buzz of sounds.

“Soften”/”Melt”

A “soften” or “melt” button on a microwave allows you to soften butter or melt chocolate with a single touch. All microwaves have this capability with their low power modes, but a standalone button takes the guesswork out of it.

Convection Oven

A microwave with an in-built convection oven offers a great all-in-one appliance for those in dorms or with small kitchens where a separate oven is not an option. It can fulfill almost all the functions of a traditional oven but will rarely be as powerful. The cost is bumped up a fair bit, too.

How To Tell If Plastic Is Microwave Safe

how to tell if plastic is microwave safe

Plastic is a tricky material to use in your microwave. Some plastics will melt and degrade when exposed to the high heat and can leach undesirable chemicals into your food. Definitely something you want to avoid.

How to tell if plastic is microwave safe

You can be sure a plastic bowl, plate or container is safe to use for a microwave oven if the words “microwave safe” or “microwavable” are found somewhere on the dish.

It’s usually found on the bottom and often accompanied by a design of a microwave oven or some waves.

Image result for microwave safe

In the US, the “microwave safe” label is regulated by the FDA to guarantee that the manufacturer has done the necessary testing to ensure the container is microwave safe.

If there is no “microwave safe” label? It’s possible the container is still safe for use and just hasn’t been tested. But why take that risk?

Another important point is to not fall into the trap of assuming a container that doesn’t heat up is safe. The microwaves from the microwave oven will pass straight through the plastic itself, but the plastic can be heated by being next to your heated up food. This is what causes the leaching (more on this below).

Be safe, look for the “microwave safe” label.

How dangerous can plastic be?

The issue with microwaving plastic containers is undesirable chemicals and compounds leaching into the food and finding their way into the body. Of particular concern are BPA plastics.

BPA chemicals have come under fire in recent years due to a number of studies linking them to various health conditions. This article gives a far better summary than I could of the implications. Here are a couple of choice quotes.

“The two components in plastics that experts are most concerned about are phthalates and bisphenol-A (BPA), which are often referred to as endocrine disruptors because of their ability to affect estrogen and testosterone levels in humans. They also appear to have the potential to impact the development of the brain and reproductive organs in developing fetuses.”

“Exposure to BPA when a fetus is developing, meanwhile, has been associated with prematurity, changes in breast and prostate cells, early puberty, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease according to the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialist Unit.”

Given all that, is it really a risk you want to take?

What makes something microwave safe?

There are two reasons that a container or material may be considered NOT microwave safe.

  1. The material itself is unsuitable for heating in a microwave. For example, all metals will reflect microwaves rather than absorbing them or letting them pass through. This can cause a dangerous build up of energy.
  2. The material contains chemicals or constituents that are unsafe for human consumption AND these constituents could find their way into the food or liquid being heated.

In the case of plastics, it’s the second one.

In the US, the FDA stipulates a number of guidelines a container must meet in order for the manufacturer to label something as “microwave safe”.

Here’s a summary of the process, quoted from the FDA.

“Some plastics are deemed by the FDA to be microwave safe. To get the FDA’s designation, manufacturers must test the containers, estimating how long the container will be in the microwave, how much a person is likely to eat from the container, and the anticipated temperature of the food inside.

Provided the amount of chemicals leaching from the container into the food is estimated to be lower than the maximum allowable amount, the container is considered microwave safe. But that doesn’t necessarily guarantee safety.”

Interestingly, the FDA doesn’t do the testing, the manufacturer must do it themselves. Taking that into account, you may want to stick with a safer bet such as glass which will never leach into food as the melting point is far too high.

What materials are microwave safe?

Outside of a “microwave safe” label, experts advise the best materials for use in a microwave are glass and ceramic. These materials have very high melting points (3000°F or more) and will not leach into food.

Do understand that this does not mean glass or ceramic does not heat up. One common cause of accidents is picking up a scalding hot dish that can cause a burn or cause you to drop hot food everywhere. The heat can still travel from the food to the container by convection.

Metal containers are an absolute no-no. The microwaves reflect off the metal which can cause a build up of energy which will at best burn your food and make it inconsistently hot. At worst, it can blow up your microwave.

If you need to cover your food, use a paper towel rather than plastic wrap. This minimizes undesirable plastics finding their way into your food.

The worst plastics to avoid are those that are one time use. Take out boxes or margarine tubs, for example, are likely culprits for leaching plastic into food.

The types of plastic themselves have an impact. Without wanting to get too stuck in the weeds, these are the symbols you’re looking for of plastics that you want to AVOID in your microwave (and probably storing anything for human consumption as even without heat it can leach.)

Image result for bpa plastics symbol

The number 6 the infamous BPA chemical that you’ve surely heard about.

What’s The Best Wattage Microwave?

best wattage microwave

When it comes to wattage on a microwave, more is better.

A high wattage means a powerful microwave that can cook fast. A low wattage means you’re waiting around for your food to be cooked.

The range for wattages of microwaves is between 600W and 1200W on average. Boxed and packaged foods give you a reheat time based on 700W-900W microwaves which are the most common.

Is there any disadvantage to a high power / high wattage microwave? Not really. Modern microwaves have multiple power levels to adjust the heat when necessary.

If you’re looking for the best wattage microwave that can cook things in an instant, then I recommend you check out this model from Panasonic.

This microwave is top of the line, offering a beefy 1250W and lightning fast cooking times that make it one of the most useful and reliable microwave ovens on the market.

The Panasonic comes with awesome features like its patented “Inverter Technology” (click the link for specifics) as well as being just about the highest wattage for a (home use) microwave on the market at the moment.

How does wattage on a microwave work?

A watt is a measure of power. It tells us how much energy can be transferred to your food per second. A microwave of 1000W can transfer 1000 Joules of energy per second.

The wattage of microwaves works in a linear fashion. So a microwave of 1000W will transfer heat and cook twice as fast as a microwave of 500W. This makes it easy to do a quick calculation of how long different microwaves take to cook.

A boxed meal that says put in on high power at 900W for 3 minutes but you want to use a 1200W microwave? Simply do the following calculation.

So you pop it in for four minutes. No problem.

Are high wattage microwaves always good?

If a high wattage on your microwave is always better, why wouldn’t you always get the most powerful model possible?

Well, it’s a lot like buying a new car. Everyone wants a Porsche with its powerful engine, smooth handling and bucketloads of snazzy extras, but not everyone can afford it.

The best microwaves are high wattage and come with loads of useful features, but it might be more practical to get something a little more affordable.

One misconception is that powerful microwaves can cook too fast and leave you with burnt edges and cold spots in your food. This is incorrect.

Microwave ovens cook and reheat in a unique way. You can think of them as cooking from the inside out. The radio waves that your microwave oven emits is absorbed inside the food rather from the outside in. A higher wattage doesn’t burn the edges at all.

Now, it’s true that burnt edges and cold spots are an issue with microwave cooking in general. The best two tricks to avoid these issues are as follows.

  1. Stir your food (if possible). All food that can be stirred should be stirred multiple times during cooking. This allows the heat to be spread out through the food rather than concentrated on the high energy places where the microwaves build up.
  2. Leave to stand once heated. The biggest reason for cool spots is not giving food time to stand once cooked. Your food should be microwaved until it’s piping hot then left for 2-3 minutes for the heat to spread out through the food.

Follow these rules and it makes no difference what wattage your microwave is.

17 Kickass Tips For Using Your Microwave

tips for using your microwave

A 60-second nuke on day-old pizza is what we love about microwaves.

But that cute little metal box is trickier to navigate than you might think… have you ever looked into the number of microwave-related hospital admissions? (21 a day across the USA!)

So stay safe by following these tips for using your microwave. There’s a few neat tricks thrown in to help you get the most from your oven, too, for good measure.

1
Use microwaveable materials

Materials like plastic, glass, ceramic and paper are perfect for use in microwave ovens as the waves pass straight through them so they don’t heat up. Just make sure it says “microwaveable” or something similar on them. Plastics can leach into your food, especially BPA plastics. And the water in some ceramics can make them unstable.

You absolutely must not use metal. Among other issues, metal will reflect the waves and can cause build-up of energy which can break your microwave or cause sparks to fly.

2
Heat to full temperature

Whether you’re cooking something for the first time or reheating some leftovers, you should never just heat the food up until its “warm enough”.

The purpose of heating food is (largely) to kill viral or antibacterial pathogens and you should aim to cook all food to the safe temperature of 75°C or 167°F (pretty darn hot!)

As another plus point, the hotter your food gets, the more evenly the heat will be spread out when you come to eat it.

3
Stir your food (if needed)

One flaw of microwave ovens is they don’t cook evenly, particularly cheap ones. This is why the food is placed on a turntable which rotates, changing the focus point of the microwaves. For foods like soup, curries, mashed potatoes or scrambled eggs, it’s very important to stir during cooking to ensure even heat distribution.

4
Understand how versatile your microwave is

Microwaves are unbelievably useful and can be used for so much more than reheating day old pizza. Check out my article here for lots of tips, tricks and recipes for getting the most out of your microwave.

Imagine spending 20 seconds to have perfectly spreadable, room temperature butter? Or having a super simple way to cook scrambled eggs with none of the mess? Chocolate cake? Cookies? I’m not making this up!

5
Throw a little water when reheating

Microwave ovens naturally dry out food as they cook by heating up and evaporating the water molecules inside the food. Spritz a touch of H2O on any dish to prevent it turning out too dry. This works especially well with rice and pizza.

6
Leave your food to stand

You know how an outdoor grill has a serving rack where your burgers and steaks stand for a while before serving? That’s because the internal temperature of the food is still high and will continue to cook even after removing from heat. The same is true of a microwave.

When your food has finished its three minutes (or whatever), the food itself is still hot and it’s still cooking. Leaving it to stand for a few minutes ensures that the food is fully cooked and also means the food itself will be cooked more thoroughly and evenly.

7
Spread your food out

Microwaves cannot pass more than a centimeter or two into solid food until they are absorbed, so try spreading your food out around your plate.

This allows more absorption of the microwaves (which are spread around the oven) even if it comes at the cost of making your food look a bit rubbish.

8
Cover your food

Use a lid or some cling film to create a barrier to cover your dish. This prevents steam escaping which dries out your food while simultaneous keeping heat in and cooking your food faster.

Do make sure there is some kind of hole for steam to be released as you don’t want to cause a build up of pressure.

By using a lid or some cling film you can create a barrier that prevents steam escaping which dries out your food and also retains heat which will cook your food more quickly. Make sure there is some kind of hole for the steam to be released as you don’t want to cause a buildup of pressure.

9
Make sure the turntable rotates

The turntable at the center of your microwave is there for a VERY important reason. The way your microwave emits heat, the waves focus on certain areas creating “hot spots” which receive most of the heat.

Your food needs to rotate in the oven so that these hot spots are distributed evenly across your food. A microwave oven with a static plate will have burnt and cool spots in the food. Not ideal.

10
Pierce your foods / film lids

Microwaves can cause a dangerous buildup of steam due to heating the water molecules inside food. Puncture the film lid a couple of times with a fork when cooking a microwaveable meal to stop this happening. Likewise, when heating something dense like a potato, it’s wise to give it a few pokes as well.

11
Make sure the door is closed

If the fan, light or turntable are running when the door is open then DO NOT use the microwave as it is faulty. The electromagnetic waves your microwave produces are literally radiation and are potentially very dangerous.

The microwave door with its sheet of holes and black metal protects you because the waves are too large to pass through those holes. If the microwave runs with the door open you are at risk of absorbing radiation. These cases are very rare but be smart. Get it fixed or replaced.

12
Be careful of “super heated” water

Your microwave can be great for heating water to boiling point very quickly, but this can also be dangerous because it can make the water extremely hot without the same visible signs of boiling that you get with a kettle.

This “super heated” water can explode with just a slight disturbance and is one of the leading causes of injury resulting from a microwave. Adding something like milk or instant coffee greatly lessens the probability of this happening.

13
The more dense the food, the more time needed

Microwaves work by heating up individual molecules in food and water (that is in your food). So the denser the food, the more molecules and more time needed to heat. It’s why a large potato can take upwards of 10-15 minutes when the same amount of water heats up in 60 seconds.

14
Don’t thaw meat

The defrost function on a microwave is awesome but can be an issue when it comes to meat. The problem is that the heat, even at lower power, will partially cook the meat.

Thawing meat is always best when done slowly by placing it in a fridge or on a countertop overnight.

best microwave for defrosting

15
Clean your microwave

It’s easy to think that microwaves don’t need much cleaning as the food is cooked on bowls and plates that are removed from the oven after each use.

Actually, a surprising amount of food waste and consequently germs and unhealthy bacteria can accumulate from uncovered dishes or general “spattering”. Regular cleaning can keep your microwave perfectly hygienic and you can be safe in the knowledge that the food you cook in it is as healthy as can be.

16
Learn what all the buttons do

Microwaves these days are equipped with a plethora of useful features to help you out around the kitchen and save you tons of time.

On the higher end, you have things like “inverter technology” and humidity sensor cooking and reheating. You might also be interested in child safety locks, sound on/off buttons or pre-programmable functions that everyone ignores.

Not sure what some of these words mean? You might be missing out on a whole world of fun.

17
Don’t put two grapes into a microwave!

We’ll finish with a fun tip… grapes are the perfect size to cause a buildup of microwaves inside them and putting two grapes together creates an electrical field that can quite literally cause sparks to fly. Don’t believe me? Check out this video.

How To Reheat Pizza In Microwave (Like A Boss)

how to reheat pizza

Most people’s idea of a perfect breakfast is last night’s takeaway sitting in your fridge. A couple of button pushes then a few minutes in the microwave and it’s (usually) just as tasty.

Have you ever noticed that reheated pizza is never quite the same though?

When it comes to microwaving leftover pizza, here are two invaluable tricks that’ll turn your dry, stale pizza remains into the crispy delicious stuff you had the night before.

  1. Add moisture to the microwave. You can do this by putting your pizza on a damp paper towel, spritzing the pizza itself with a little water or putting it in the microwave with a small cup of water.
  2. Use low power. Around 50% works well, and set the time for double to make up for it.

These two tips will transform your morning-after-the-night-before pizza with barely any effort.

Why do these tips work? Answers coming right up.

How to microwave day old pizza

Let’s examine the two tricks to making perfect reheated pizza with full explanations of why they work.

Tip 1 – Add moisture to the microwave

A microwave works by emitting low-frequency radio waves that are absorbed by food and especially water molecules. The waves cause these molecules to vibrate and heat up.

The important point here is that your microwave evaporates the water in your food and dries it out.

It’s no problem with foods like soup, curries or chilis. But for drier foods and particularly bready or doughy foods, using a microwave can ruin the taste.

So what’s the solution? Well, you need to add moisture.

One simple method is to put a small cup* of water in the microwave while your pizza is reheating. You can achieve the same effect by placing your pizza on a damp paper towel rather than a plate. Another option is to spritz the pizza itself with a few splashes of water.

*Note: Use a microwaveable cup or container. If you can’t find anything with a “microwave safe” label on it, then the safest materials are glass and ceramic.

Tip 2 – Use 50% power for double the time

Microwave ovens do not distribute heat evenly. The waves focus on certain areas more than others. It’s why every microwave has a rotating turntable to keep the food moving which avoids the issue of certain parts of the food being too hot or burnt.

You might have noticed packaged meals instruct you to stir the food? This allows the heat to be spread evenly throughout. This works great for curries or soups, but you can hardly stir a pizza.

Use a low power instead. Setting your microwave to 50% and double the time will allow the heat to spread by convection. The pizza will become consistently hot and less likely to end up a soggy, cardboard-like mess.

What is the best way to heat up pizza?

The best way to heat up leftover pizza is by using a skillet or oven. Microwave ovens do not get hot enough to crisp your pizza, melt the cheese or cause the desired “Mailliard Reaction” which causes the delicious browning we all love.

On the other hand, using a skillet takes longer, requires you to watch it and means more cleaning up once you’re finished. Using an oven means sitting around waiting for it to heat up. None of which is ideal when your goal is a couple slices of pizza and some Netflix while you nurse a hangover!

So there are reasons why you would use a microwave oven for reheating pizza, even if it’s not the optimal choice. Hey, I’m as guilty as anyone.

Now if you want the convenience of using a microwave to reheat pizza but still with awesome taste, check out the next section…

The combination method

Let’s say you’ve got access to a full kitchen but you don’t want the effort of reheating your pizza properly. Let me introduce you to “the combination method”.

  1. Put your pizza in the microwave oven (one minute a slice is a good rule of thumb)
  2. Flick the heat on your oven or skillet while you wait
  3. When the pizza has finished in the microwave, throw the pizza into the (slightly) preheated oven for 20 seconds or so

There you are! Quick, convenient microwave cooking with the crispy crust and gooey cheese from a quick blast in the oven.

Best Microwave For Defrosting 2020

best microwave for defrosting

The microwave oven in your kitchen is great for cooking, heating and reheating food. Whether that’s popping popcorn, steaming veggies, or simply nuking day-old, leftover pizza. But one of its most useful features is defrosting frozen leftovers or thawing ice-cold meat. The latest tech in warming up and unfreezing chilled food is pretty interesting to read about, more below.

Best Overall Microwave: Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN766S
Best Medium-Price Microwave: Toshiba EM131A5C-BS Microwave Oven
Best Budget Microwave: BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 Digital Microwave Oven

We’ve spent hours reviewing and testing the best microwave for defrosting so you don’t have to. We looked at a range of factors that are important to consumers including ease of use, reliability, extra features, wattage level and of course how well their defrosting capabilities worked. You can read extensive reviews in the round up of our top-rated microwaves below.


1
Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN766S

Unique, patented “inverter technology” designed for defrosting and other low power modes makes this a no-brainer for best overall microwave for defrosting.

High 1250W power means all cooking, reheating and defrosting is super quick.

Tons more useful features, the timesaving “sensor reheat” being a standout example.

What We Liked

  • The ultra modern “inverter technology” makes defrosting a dream
  • Few reports of breakdowns and other issues
  • Outstanding selection of features

What We Didn’t Like

  • No options for cheaper, low power microwaves

My pick for the best microwave for defrosting is this model by Panasonic. The beauty of this oven is its inverter technology, which is a fancy way of saying the defrosting is done at a constant rate.

Cheap microwaves that aren’t suited for defrosting simply turn the power on and off again for low power and defrost modes.

For example, defrosting at 30% power means 3 seconds on full power then 7 seconds on no power. Not ideal.

With the Panasonic range of microwaves, you know you’re getting a quality low power function that’ll defrost all types of food evenly. No burnt edges and no cold clumps in the middle.

This tech is unique to Panasonic who has patented it and is what makes this microwave undisputed king for defrosting.

Throw in sensor and weight detection so you can easily “set it and go” and it’s an absolute no brainer for the best microwave for defrosting.

Here’s the link to its 1200W and 1.2 cubic feet model. There are larger and more powerful versions available. Click the link to browse.

The microwave is kitted out with a whole load of goodies on top of the defrosting. Its “genius sensor” takes the guesswork out of cooking and reheating. Choose the food and it will automatically work out the time needed based on weight and humidity.

You also have a “keep warm” feature for gravies, sauces or soups, ten different power options and a super convenient “+30 seconds” button.

Best of all, Panasonic has a strong reputation for reliability in the microwave arena. Reports of breakdowns or technical issues are reassuringly few and far between.


2
Toshiba EM131A5C-BS Microwave Oven

Toshiba

Impressive power of 1100W can deliver fast heating and defrosting times.

Solid reliability is standard from this company.

Excellent range of features at this price point.

What We Liked

  • Excellent power output of 1100W, particularly for the price
  • Useful “custom defrost” menu
  • Great additional features

What We Didn’t Like

  • Stop/start low power mode

If you’re not ready to splash the cash on the top dog but still want a solid microwave for defrosting, then look no further than the Toshiba range of budget microwaves.

Toshiba offers great value for money. Its microwaves are equipped with plenty of features and do a rock solid job on defrosting for a fraction of the price of Panasonic, albeit without the “inverter technology”.

The model I’ve linked to is a medium-sized oven at 1.2 cu. ft and a turntable diameter of 12.4″. Despite this, the impressive power of 1100W will get your food cooked in no time.

Other Toshiba microwaves offer smaller or larger sizes along with commensurate power outputs.

Heating food up is a breeze with its sensor menu which is labeled “custom defrost” for its defrosting options. Simply put your food in and the microwave can work out how long to cook it. Its ten different power levels give you lots of control over defrosting and reheating, too.

The Toshiba comes with an eco mode that reduces power usage during standby mode, a “sound on/off option” to eliminate annoying beeps and boops, and you can even use “soften” and “melt” functions to easily soften butter or melt chocolate.

This lovely looking set of microwaves comes with the option of black or stainless steel finishes to boot.


3
BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 Digital Microwave Oven

Black & Decker

All features necessary for solid defrosting and other modes.

Range of power settings to choose from.

Excellent value for money.

What We Liked

  • Solid defrost without breaking the bank
  • Lots of options for microwave at different price points
  • Plenty of features

What We Didn’t Like

  • Not the most powerful
  • Falls a little behind on defrosting compared to top options

The Black and Decker is the most affordable option in this list, and gives a passable defrost without breaking the bank.

You have four options with staggered price points. The sizes range from 0.7 cu. ft with 10″ diameter turntable to 1.4 cu. ft with 12.4″ turntable and each size has a different wattage.

The smallest microwave offers just 700W where even full power cooking will be slow albeit more than enough for defrosting needs. The largest size comes in at a beefy 1000W that cooks food much more quickly.

Choose from ten different power settings. This is great for defrosting as you have a lot of options to heat your food rather than the simple “30%” that some microwaves will give you.

The Black And Decker has a keypad input along with an LED display and a clock. The door of the microwave is a push button to release with an optional child safety lock, although this is absent on the smallest 700W model.

While customer reviews of this microwave are very good (follow the link for more), there are complaints about the loudness of the microwave during operation and some users find the buttons, which are grey on black, to be difficult to read in low light conditions.


How Does Defrosting Work?

Defrosting is the microwave industry’s dirty little secret. Put some frozen chicken in the microwave on “defrost” and you expect it to run at low power.

The truth is the magnetron (that produces the microwaves) simply switches on and off to simulate low power.

The smart Alecs at Panasonic found a way around all this with their patented “inverter technology” which produces a steady stream of lower power.

When it comes to defrosting itself, Panasonic likes to use a term called “turbo defrost”. This still uses the same steady stream of heat (inverter technology) but “an advanced microwave sequencing system using the inverter continuous-power delivery feature.”

The idea is low heat is applied evenly through the food to simulate leaving it to thaw naturally. This avoids the concentration build-up of microwaves which causes burnt outsides with icy cold middles.

Can you defrost without inverter technology?

Yes, you definitely can. The “stop/start” method of heating and defrosting does work but largely due to heat spreading by convection, which takes longer and is less thorough.


Buyer’s Guide For Best Microwave For Defrosting

Necessary Features

Wattage

Your first and most important decision when choosing a microwave is to decide what amount of watts is necessary. The wattage of a microwave is a measure of its power, or more simply, how fast it cooks.

Generally speaking, the more the better. A higher wattage cooks things more quickly, a huge advantage whether you’re preparing a meal for ten people or just reheating yesterday’s leftovers.

The upper end of microwaves at around 1300W are almost twice as fast as the 700W or 800W microwaves you might be used to.

One caveat is that instructions and cooking times on packaged meals are for microwaves in the 700-900W range. However, you can simply reduce the power for most microwaves or just work out the time difference.

For example, a cooking time of 3 minutes (180 seconds) at 900W can be converted into 1200W using the following equation.

You might wonder why anyone would get a low wattage microwave. The technology used in microwaves gets exponentially more expensive to produce those higher wattages. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether the extra power is worth the cost.

Dial or keypad

Microwaves use either a rotating dial or a keypad for input.

The keypad is the modern option. You have an LED display showing the remaining time and a plethora of buttons that offer different features or preset options.

A dial-based microwave is more simple and provides less information. You spin the dial to the amount of time you want. It’s tricky when doing smaller cooking times and doing increments of 30 seconds is often a guessing game!

Although nowadays you see some modern microwaves offer a dial input and LED display.

This option is useful for those who might have issues with a button-based input such as the disabled or elderly.

Size / Capacity

The standard measurement for size of microwaves in the USA is using cubic feet. Personally, I find this clunky and unhelpful. Here’s a rule of thumb to make sense of this measurement.

0.7 cubic feet – small microwave
1-1.5 cubic feet – normal-sized microwave
1.7+ cubic feet – larger microwave

It’s easier to judge size based on the diameter of the turntable on which you place your food. All microwaves I have reviewed have this diameter in the listing for your convenience.

To work out if a microwave will fit in your kitchen, it is best to use the dimensions of length, width, and height. These are available on any Amazon listing you can find by clicking on the links in the article.

Material

The materials that make up the inner components of the microwave oven are standardized across the industry. For example. the inner panels of the microwave are made from stainless steel which reflects the radio waves (or microwaves) and prevents them from leaving the oven. They are the same in all microwave ovens.

Typically, the outside body of the microwave is made of aluminum which is strong and cheap. In terms of buying a microwave, you don’t need to think too deeply about the material it is made from.

Power Levels

You won’t always want to use your microwave at full power. For example, one neat trick you can do with the microwave is to run it at 10% power to make beautiful and warm melted chocolate. Some microwaves give you more control over power settings than others.

The standard in modern microwaves is to have ten “power levels” where a five corresponds to 50% and a nine to 90% and so on. This gives you a lot of control.

On the other hand, you also come across microwaves that simply offer “medium” and “medium-low” heat, sometimes without even telling you the percentage of the full power that it’s using.

Optional Features

Inverter Technology

Older and cheaper microwaves have a peculiar quirk when using low power modes. For example, when using a 50% power they will not run at 50% power but will alternate between 100% power and then 0% power. This shortcut is not ideal and can lead to unevenly cooked food.

The issue is that the magnetron, the “engine” of a microwave, can either be turned on or off. Creating a microwave that can produce a steady stream of lower power requires a touch of tech wizardry.

You need to decide if it’s worth the investment to have this “inverter technology” for low power modes like defrosting, softening, melting and so on.

Sensor Reheating

Sensor heating is one of the highlights of modern microwave technology and takes the guesswork out of cooking and reheating.

Essentially, the microwave can detect moisture levels in the food and use this to calibrate precisely how much cooking time is needed. You select the type of food as different foods have different moisture profiles.

No need to put in an amount of time. In fact, some microwaves tell you how long is left before your food is ready.

Sensor technology can be used for reheating but also for cooking some foods from scratch. A valuable feature you may want to splash the cash for in your new microwave oven.

“Keep Warm”

The “keep warm” feature can be a lifesaver for a busy cook trying to juggle cooking five different things at once. Put this setting on and the microwave will keep gravy, soup, desserts or anything else at a steady heat, giving you room to manage the finer points of the meal.

Power saving / eco mode

An “eco mode” offers a reduction of up to 50% of the power used in standby mode, helping you to take a little off your electric bill and do your bit for the environment.

What an “eco mode” cannot do is reduce the amount of power used to cook food. The magnetron uses power at the output of the wattage itself and cannot be made more efficient.

Child safety lock

A microwave with a child safety lock will allow you to “lock” the microwave from being turned on when not in use. This can stop children from fiddling with a potentially dangerous appliance.

Sound on/off option

A “sound on/off” button will turn electric sounds off when selecting options or time and also when the food is finished. Handy for those who share living arrangements to mute the constant buzz of sounds.

“Soften”/”Melt”

A “soften” or “melt” button on a microwave allows you to soften butter or melt chocolate with a single touch. All microwaves have this capability with their low power modes, but a standalone button takes the guesswork out of it.

Convection Oven

A microwave with an in-built convection oven offers a great all-in-one appliance for those in dorms or with small kitchens where a separate oven is not an option. It can fulfill almost all the functions of a traditional oven but will rarely be as powerful. The cost is bumped up a fair bit, too.

21 Unusual But Awesome Things You Can Do With Your Microwave

Your plucky microwave oven sits in the corner of your kitchen waiting to reheat three-day-old pizza or the chicken soup that’s for dinner because you can’t be bothered to spend more than 4 minutes cooking tonight.

But did you know it can do so much more?

This article has a bunch of interesting and surprising ways to use your microwave. We’ve included loads of cool recipes along with a couple of tricks to cook things you didn’t even know could be done in a microwave (chicken, anyone?)

Feast on the info that follows and you’ll find cooking easier, simpler and faster than ever!

Microwave Mug Cake

Let’s start with a classic, the microwave mug cake. If you’ve never experienced the pleasure of making chocolate cake by lobbing a cup in a microwave, that’s something you need to rectify pretty darn soon!

Using a few common ingredients and with a cook time of less than two minutes, this is perfect for an easy treat. The cake pops out the top of the mug when it’s finished (cute af, by the way) and kids adore it. I can personally vouch for this recipe, but countless twists and variations are just a google search away.

Easiest Bacon Ever

Oh, you thought bacon was reserved for precious mornings off?

Well you’re mistaken, my friend… Bacon can be cooked in your microwave in a couple of minutes and with a fraction of the cleaning up.

While meat is inadvisable to throw into your microwave, bacon is so thin that it absorbs the heat efficiently.

I’m going to defer the full explanation to this picture-laden post here. Check out the photo at the bottom, can you even tell it wasn’t cooked in a skillet?

Cooking Dry Pasta

Next up is the most criminally overlooked of cooking “hacks”, a way to cook dry pasta from scratch in just ten minutes.

Put one serving of pasta in the microwave with cold water and cover. Full power for ten minutes. The pasta cooks easily, the difficulty is getting the amount of time right.

Check the pasta has softened before serving. You can give it more time or add more water if needed. The process gets easier after you’ve mastered it (i.e. done it four or five times).

This shortcut is a lifesaver for those who get frustrated watching a pot meander its way to a boil (AKA me).

Easy Peasy Scrambled Eggs

Rustling up breakfast can be an ordeal. All that mixing, cooking and cleaning just to plop some scrambled eggs on a plate.

Sidestep the hassle by throwing a few eggs (with seasoning) into a bowl and giving it 30-60 seconds in the microwave. Stir in intervals if you don’t wish the eggs to set, and giving it more or less time will change the consistency from thicker to runny.

Either way, eggs on toast in a couple of minutes doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

Awesome Mushroom Risotto

This risotto recipe shows that your microwave can pull off more than just snacks and small bites. Get dinner ready in a jiffy with a handful of common ingredients you’ve probably already got.

The risotto is not just easy to cook, but easy to customize too! Great for the last few days before paycheck or a clear out of the pantry. You can throw almost anything in there!

Make Peeling Garlic Super Easy

Place a head of garlic in the microwave for about 20 seconds and the heat will break apart the tough seams.

Put pressure on the full bulb of garlic using your bare hands and it will swiftly slide out. No messing around with knives or crushing the garlic first.

This is a great way to use full bulbs of garlic without chopping the ends off. They look fantastic placed around a joint of beef an oven roast, for example.

Make Foamed Milk For A Cappuccino

Love foamed milk in your coffee? This 30-second video shows how to create foamed milk using just a mason jar and a microwave.

Impress friends and loved ones by making coffee just like they do in coffee shops with none of the fancy (or expensive) equipment!

Toast Your Nuts

Whether your jam is almonds, walnuts, cashews or anything else, everyone agrees that nuts taste better toasted. Get your burn on by putting your nuts in the microwave for a quick blast to get that toasty, crispy texture.

Read this article that walks through trying it out with some walnuts. Eight minutes is the sweet spot, apparently. Taste-wise it’s not far off what you’d get from doing it in the oven.

Sweet Potato Chips

Sweet potato chips are an awesome crunchy and salty snack that are yet another to throw on the pile of “super easy microwave food”.

Take one sweet potato and some seasoning and you’re a few minutes away from crispy chips ready to eat.

What’s best is you get all the pleasure of munching on delicious chips with none of the guilt. The preservatives you get in store-bought chips are absent and you’re chowing down on ultra-healthy, low-GI sweet potato!

Check out the full recipe here.

Choc Chip Cookie In A Cup

These delightfully cute “choc chip cookies” are another five minute microwave wonder.

Like the “cake in a cup” I mentioned earlier, everyone is gobsmacked when they find out their little ol’ microwave can bake up goodies like this.

Recipe here. You’ll notice the ingredients are all probably in your pantry already so I’ll understand if you wanna close this article to run off and make these!

“Roasting” Garlic

If you’re in need of roasted garlic for a recipe without waiting an hour for your oven to get the job done… then you’re in luck. Read this shortcut for getting squishy, cooked garlic in just a few minutes.

Mac And Cheese

The biggest shock for me with microwaves was being able to cook dry pasta with little difference in taste. What a timesaver!

This four-ingredient mac and cheese (in a mug) is the perfect recipe to show off the microwave’s versatility. And to make super easy dinner tonight!

Oatmeal In A Mug

Oh yes, get your mugs out (again) for another cool ‘n’ quirky idea for breakfast. This recipe imitates “baked oatmeal” but with none of the aggro.

It’s super customizable, so get creative with all your favorite embellishments. Chuck nutritious whole grains and fruits in there for the health-conscious.

Soften Butter

I don’t use the word “lifechanging” lightly, but of all the tips in this list, this one comes closest.

Take hard butter from the fridge and put it in your microwave on low power (30% or so) for 10-20 seconds. Congratulations, you now have soft, perfectly spreadable butter!

Melt Chocolate

In a similar vein to taking the grief out of hard butter that you can’t spread, microwaves can be used to heat up and melt chocolate into delicious gooey goodness!

Use very low power (10% is ideal) for 10-15 seconds, it doesn’t take much. If need be you can give it a little more time and/or stir.

Microwave Mug Pizza

Didn’t think microwaves were suitable for pizza? Well, you’re not way off the mark.

Pizzas and other doughy products rely on high heat to brown and crisp the pie and give it that lovely texture. A microwave can cook a pizza but it’ll be a soggy, disappointing mess.

There is a workaround however, and surprise surprise, it involves a mug.

Recipe here. Ingredients are simple, preparation is simple, and it just might satisfy your craving for a cheesy, tomato-ey meal!

Microwave Mug Pizza Recipe -INSANELY good Pizza made in the microwave. Single serving, real food, made in minutes

“Roast” Chicken

One of the beauties of the microwave is it can be used to simplify otherwise long and arduous cooking processes.

For example, making some chicken for a chicken sandwich requires either an oven or a pan, plenty of time and lots of clean up.

Alternatively, read this from my new favorite website. Full instructions on how to safely and easily microwave raw chicken into cooked chicken that can be used in sandwiches or any other dish.

Fluffy Rice

No rice cooker? No problem!

Rice is one of the cheapest ways to get your calories and with a microwave and a bit of knowhow you can serve yourself up some fluffy goodness in no time.

The process is a little tricky. Follow this (very) detailed recipe for starters. It might take a few tries to pull it off as you’re working with water ratios and getting the time dial in. There’s definitely a knack to it.

Thick, Creamy Polenta

Need some quick carbs to beef up a meal? Throw some polenta into a microwave and you’ve got a great complement to whatever else you’re cooking. Find the recipe here, it’s as simple and easy like most of the other things on this list!

Perfect Poached Eggs

We all know that pulling off a sublime poached egg is the holy grail of breakfast making. And we’ve all tried and failed at making perfect poached eggs in a pan (to be fair, it’s darn tricky!)

Just 30 or 40 seconds is enough to make poached eggs in your microwave by following the recipe here. And you don’t even have to tell anyone you cheated!

Boiled Water For Tea Or Coffee

No kettle and looking to make yourself a hot drink in a pinch?

Guess what… your microwave can help you do that as well!

Put a microwaveable mug filled with water up to 2/3s and on high for around a minute. Your water will be boiled and ready for tea/coffee/cocoa.

Ultimate Guide To Wattage On A Microwave

The wattage of your microwave is one of its key features. It tells you how powerful your microwave is, how fast it cooks your food and ultimately how your food will taste.

Understanding the wattage and using it will help you heat food more thoroughly and consistently. Best of all, your food will taste better.

Join me as we explore the ins and outs of microwaves and their wattages!

What Is Microwave Wattage?

Wattage is a measure of electrical power, measured in Watts. Technically speaking, it’s the amount of energy per second that an electrical device can impart.

Everything electric you own has a wattage. From a lightly powered 100W lightbulb up to a powerful 15000W air conditioning unit.

For microwaves, this translates to the speed your microwave heats up food. A typical microwave imparts 800W of power which can cook a plate of food in about three minutes. A powerful, top-of-the-line microwave with 1200W would take just two minutes for the same plate.

The way wattage works is linear, which means that a 1200W microwave is twice as powerful and cooks twice as fast as a 600W microwave.

How To Find The Wattage Of Your Microwave

Microwaves are required by law to state the wattage on the machine. It can be written on the front where the controls or keypad is, on the inside of the door, or sometimes on the back of the microwave.

Here’s a photo of a microwave displaying its wattage.

What Is The Standard Microwave Wattage?

The standard microwave wattage has hovered between 700W and 900W for a few decades now. Just recently this range has been pushed up by new technology making higher wattages available for home use microwaves. Even 1200W microwave ovens are commonplace these days.

This has been a trend for some time. When microwaves were first introduced to the home market, a standard microwave wattage was more like 600W which would be positively glacial by modern standards.

What Is A Good Wattage For A Microwave?

Microwave ovens are produced with a wattage in the range of 600W to 1200W. The middle of that range is the most common. The higher the wattage, the faster the food cooks.

So you might think the higher the better, right?

Well, if you want to heat and reheat food as quickly as possible then yes, treat yourself to a 1200W microwave.

You’ll save around 10 seconds for each 100W extra on your oven. (For a better calculation, check the next section). Those 30 seconds or so can come in pretty useful when you have lots of food on the go.

One issue with higher wattage microwaves is that packaged foods will give heating instructions based on lower wattage microwaves, usually 700-900W. So when you buy your favorite microwave lasagne you’ll need to use a lower power setting to heat it. Or you can do a quick calculation in your head to work out how long to heat it.

The 1100W+ microwaves fall on the expensive side of the microwave spectrum. You run into cool features like “moisture sensors” which can automatically work out cooking times and “turbo defrost” to speed up thawing times. At the same time, you can expect to pay 2-3x the cost for a higher watt microwave.

If you’re in the market for a new microwave, here’s my pick for the best high wattage microwave. It’s from Panasonic and comes with a bunch of useful features. Check out this link to read about them.

Is 700/800/900 Watts Enough For A Microwave?

No wattage is too low to be able to cook food. Your low power 700W microwave is just as capable of cooking whatever you want to put in it as the latest and greatest devices on the market. It simply takes longer.

Even something as low as 600W (the absolute lowest you’ll come across) will be perfectly capable of heating and reheating food. The issue is you will have to wait twice as long as you might with a more powerful and faster microwave.

If you want my advice, then get the most powerful microwave you can afford. The extra wattage will cook food quicker and you can always dial down the power a little if need be.

How To Convert Between Wattages

Let’s say you want to cook some microwave fries but the packaging gives instructions for 900W and you have a 1200W microwave. What a crisis!

Well, you can avert disaster with a quick calculation. If the time needed is three minutes, then you convert that into seconds (180) and do:

So you heat the food up for 135 seconds (or 2 minute and 15 seconds) and it will be perfect. Hopefully it’s clear how the rest of the equation worked!

If that seems too much like hard work then this website will do the hard yards for you!

When heating food, it’s good to get a feel for how quickly your own microwave works. Remember, your microwave will often heat up the outside of the food first. So stab a fork into your food and wait a few seconds then check if the fork is warm. This will tell you whether the food is cooked through or not.

When using a microwave, it’s better to overheat rather than underheat. Burnt edges and cool spots can be a real problem, so nuke until you’re sure it’s done. The heat will dissipate and leave you with evenly warm food. And even if it’s too hot, you can just wait for the food to cool down.

Why Are High Wattage Microwaves More Expensive?

The technology in microwave ovens is pretty neat stuff. Bear in mind these things only started appearing in our kitchens in the 70s…

The appliance uses a “magnetron” which generates radio waves, this is radiation which heats up the water molecules in your food. Producing all that in such a small machine takes some advanced engineering.

In addition, safety is an aspect of microwaves that takes some skillful technology. After all, you don’t want any of that radiation coming near you or your family!

Basically, if you want a quality microwave that can nuke food in double quick time, you gotta fork out a few bucks.