Top-Rated Microwaves Of 2025 Based On Reviews

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Once upon a time, the oven or stove was the only way to reheat food in the home, but now most kitchens are equipped with microwaves that can reheat leftovers, cook frozen foods, and pop popcorn in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, not all microwaves are created equal. It is common for people to see issues with uneven heating, odd or confusing features, or even malfunctions with their microwaves. Luckily, some microwaves fit a range of budgets and cooking styles and solve all of these problems. According to both expert product testing reviews and customer reviews, the top-rated microwaves of 2025 include GE countertop microwaves, the Panasonic HomeChef Connect 4-in-1, Panasonic Microwaves with Inverter technology, and Whirlpool countertop microwaves. However, the Zline Kitchen & Bath Autograph Edition series was also highly rated by customers at retailers like Home Depot and Lowe's. The brand has a much higher price point than more popular models, so it did not make the top five list for that reason.

Each of the top-rated microwaves offer consistent heating, quality features, and are recognized for ease of use. Most of the highest-rated microwaves on the market are countertop microwaves. Not to mention, most microwaves have a little-known hidden feature that parents should know about. All of these microwaves are equipped with a child-lock safety feature, along with other features that customers are raving about. Once you select a quality microwave, be sure to familiarize yourself with the features and functionality so you can avoid some of the common mistakes everyone makes with their microwaves.

The Panasonic HomeChef 4-in-1 is hands down the top choice across all sources. While it didn't make the top of every list, it was the most mentioned in the product tests as the best microwave for versatile cooking options and even heating. It consistently has a 4.7 out of 5-star customer rating from multiple retailers, including Best Buy and Panasonic. It does, however, also have a hefty price tag compared to some of the other top-rated models. The HomeChef Connect works as either a countertop or a built-in microwave with functions for microwave, convection, broiling, and air-frying, hence the four-in-one. Not only does it come equipped with over 20 presets that actually heat the food to meet customer expectations, but it has also been praised for how easy it is to clean with the steam cleaning feature. You can even connect the microwave to your phone for easy control and monitoring using smart-home technology.

Professionals tend to focus on the even heating qualities that make both leftovers and frozen food come out at the perfect temperature and texture. They also tend to mention all the features and technology. One of the downsides that product testers found was that the defrosting functionality did not fully defrost frozen food as expected. It is worth noting that some professionals mention that this is not the best solution for customers who are looking for a simple microwave. From a customer standpoint, people are happy with the evenness of the heating as well as the fact that it is a microwave that has sensor cooking, which performs well. The few negative reviews were centered around service requests, with a single review warning users about how easy it is to accidentally hit the start button in passing.

If you are looking for a trustworthy and reliable appliance brand, GE is a safe bet in the kitchen. GE countertop microwaves are highly rated by companies like Business Insider, The New York Times, and CNN. In addition, customer reviews support the quality of these microwaves, which consistently receive high ratings across several models. GE countertop microwaves are compact, with the highest ranking models ranging from 0.6 to 2.0 cubic feet. They also come in a range of wattages, including 700 watts, 1050 watts, and 1200 watts. The highest rated models overall include the GCST07N1WSS, GCST10A1WSS, JES1072SHSS, JES2051SNSS, and GCST09N1WWW.

The 0.7 cubic foot, 700-watt GE GCST07N1WSS Microwave Oven is the most consistently rated, with an average customer rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from Home Depot, Best Buy, and Lowe's. It was also rated the best microwave for small spaces by Business Insider and The New York Times. Across all sources, customers praised this model for the size, quality of performance, ease of use, quiet operation, child safety features, and sound disable button. One customer on Home Depot's website said, "Perfect size for countertop. Sturdy construction. Easy to use. Control panel is easy to understand. Very good power for 700 wt. [Dishes] fit easily on turntable."

The major downfall that was most commonly mentioned was the speed of cooking due to the lower wattage, although it was noted that it was faster than other models with similar wattage. It was also common for customers to complain about the door lock feature, which some customers said was inconvenient. 

Another microwave option that customers and professionals are consistently happy with is the Panasonic microwave models that feature inverter technology. The inverter technology creates a more even, consistent heat rather than pulsing heat to reduce the presence of cold spots and improve the quality of food. These models are much more affordable than the HomeChef Connect, but provide many of the same benefits when it comes to microwave heating. Some of the top models that are gaining attention include NN-SD975S, NN-SN65KB, NN-SN686S, NN-SB458S, NN-SN67HS, and NN-SD77PS. All of these models were recognized for their quick, even heating, along with quiet operation. One common complaint about Panasonic microwaves with inverter technology is that the light is not quite bright enough to keep an eye on food while it is cooking.

The Panasonic NN-SN686S was the most recognized model by professional product tests, with a generally positive reaction from customers. Professionals found that this model did exceptionally well at achieving higher temperatures in a shorter time than comparable models. It also has the fewest issues with hot or cold spots in food compared to any other microwave tested by any of the companies we reviewed. Customers are generally happy with the same functions, with one customer on Walmart's website saying, "I am a major consumer researcher... this was one of the best overall microwaves, if not the best one, for this price range and size range. If you're looking for a 1-2 cubic foot unit for under $200, THIS is the microwave to buy... I've only had it for a month so far, but it has performed VERY well thus far."

The Toshiba EM131A5C was recognized by several product testing companies and professional reviewers as a quality option for customers who are shopping on a budget. Professionals praised the brand for the quality design and features that make it easy for users who are looking for simplicity, especially at an affordable price. In product tests, it also performed well when it came to defrosting and came equipped with convenient, accurate presets. The biggest downfall that was found in professional reviews and testing was the size of the microwave. While the model does come in several sizes, they all take up significant counter space, so it's not great for small kitchens.

Customers, on the other hand, liked the larger size because it can accommodate larger plates and dishes than smaller models. Customer reviews also focused on the affordability, ease of use, and overall quality. One Amazon customer said, "This is my first Toshiba microwave. It is working well for us, with faster heating than expected for 1,000 watts. The slightly gray interior is very attractive and easy on the eyes. The size is ample for our needs. The child safety latch is easy to operate. A thorough instruction manual is provided and most of the operation is intuitive. The automatic re-heat function heats food hotter than we prefer, but that is the same as every other microwave we've owned, so we just re-heat with manual settings. Overall, I'm impressed with the quality and functionality of this oven." Negative reviews are generally focused on customer service rather than the microwave itself.

In order to identify the top-rated microwaves of 2025 based on reviews, we considered both professional product testing reviews as well as customer reviews. To start, we reviewed product review reports from companies like CNET, Consumer Reports, RTings, Business Insider, Tech Gear Lab, The New York Times, and CNN. Each company tested the quality of microwaves based on features and functionality such as cooking temperature and consistency, ease of use, and presets and functions. However, not every company tested the same microwaves. In addition, they all grouped the microwaves into different categories, such as small, medium, large, countertop, over-the-range, or by affordability. Since each company focused on different models, we cross-referenced these reports to find the brands and models that were most frequently ranked in the top for heating, ease of use, and functionality, regardless of the category breakdown.

Then, we analyzed customer reviews and online forums to see what customers were actually saying about these models. We reviewed Reddit discussions regarding recommendations, which generally aligned with the list compiled through official testing reports. Finally, we analyzed the actual customer ratings from retailers like Best Buy, Lowe's, and Home Depot. For each retailer, we identified the highest-rated microwaves with at least 10 customer reviews. In addition, we excluded built-in drawer microwaves from Home Depot since it was the only store that included them in its overall rankings. We cross-referenced the top 10 customer reviews from each company with the top 10 from the product reviews to identify the final top five microwaves across all sources.