Comparison: Nz Best Microwave (Updated | May 9th)

If you are looking for a mid-sized workhorse that actually understands how to cook food without turning it into rubber, the TOSHIBA EM131A5C-BS is a serious contender. What really sets it apart in a crowded market is the Smart Humidity Sensor. Instead of just blasting heat for a set time, it monitors the steam coming off your food and adjusts the power dynamically. It takes the guesswork out of reheating leftovers, which is where most microwaves fail miserably.

I’d recommend this for a busy household or a small family that needs a reliable primary oven but doesn’t have the counter space for a giant industrial-sized unit. At 1.2 Cu Ft and 1000W, it hits that “Goldilocks” zone of being powerful enough for heavy tasks while remaining relatively compact. The Mute Function is also a massive win for anyone who hates that piercing end-of-cycle beep early in the morning.

The trade-off here is the Black Stainless Steel finish. While it looks incredibly sleek and modern when clean, it is a total magnet for fingerprints and smudges. If you have kids with sticky hands, be prepared to wipe down the door frequently to keep it looking sharp. It’s a cosmetic hassle, but for the cooking performance you get, it’s a compromise many are willing to make.

For those living in tighter quarters like a city apartment or a studio, the TOSHIBA ML-EM09PA(BS) offers a refined look without the massive footprint. What stands out to me is the inclusion of a two-step child lock. It’s a thoughtful safety layer that many smaller, budget-friendly units skip, giving parents a bit more peace of mind. Despite its smaller 0.9 Cu Ft size, it still packs 900W of power, which is plenty for most daily tasks.

This is the ideal choice for a single professional or a student. It’s small enough to fit on a crowded counter or inside a kitchenette nook, yet it still includes the Mute Mode found on the high-end TOSHIBA models. If you just need to pop some popcorn, reheat a slice of pizza, or warm up coffee without waking up the whole flat, this is your best bet.

The downside is simply the internal capacity. With a 10.6-inch turntable, you are going to struggle with larger dinner plates or wide rectangular glass containers. You really have to be mindful of your dishware sizes; otherwise, you’ll find the plate getting stuck against the interior walls, preventing the even rotation necessary for heating. It’s a “small-batch” machine through and through.

The BLACK+DECKER EM031MB11 feels like a classic, dependable kitchen staple. What makes it pop is the push-button door release. In an era where many brands are moving toward integrated handles that can feel flimsy or stiff, a solid mechanical button is often more ergonomic and easier to use when your hands are full. The 1000W output is robust, and the 1.1 Cu Ft interior is surprisingly roomy for a unit that doesn’t feel like it’s taking over the entire kitchen.

This is a great “all-rounder” for a family home. It’s straightforward, the LED display is bright and easy to read, and it features 30-second express cooking which is arguably the most used button in any kitchen. If you want something that your kids and grandparents can both operate without a manual, this is the one.

However, the stainless steel door frame paired with a black enclosure is a bit of a stylistic choice that might not fit every kitchen aesthetic perfectly. More importantly, it lacks the sophisticated sensor technology found in some competitors at this price point. You’re paying for the BLACK+DECKER reliability and ease of use rather than “smart” cooking features, so you’ll need to be more precise with your manual timing.

When you have a big family or you’re the type of person who actually “cooks” in a microwave rather than just reheating, the Toshiba ML-EM62P(SS) is the heavyweight champion. The standout feature here is the massive 2.2 Cu Ft capacity and the 16.5-inch position memory turntable. It’s big enough to hold a whole chicken or a 16-inch pizza, and the turntable always resets to its starting position, so your mug handle is exactly where you left it.

This is clearly built for large households or those who do a lot of meal prep. With 1200W of power, it works fast, and the Smart Sensor ensures that even large portions don’t end up with frozen centers and scorched edges. It’s a beast of a machine that can handle the heavy lifting that smaller units simply can’t touch.

The obvious trade-off is the sheer size. This thing is huge. You need a significant amount of dedicated counter space, and it’s heavy enough that you won’t want to be moving it around. If you have a tiny kitchen, this will feel like an intruder. It’s also quite powerful, so you have to be careful not to overcook smaller items until you get used to the 1200W intensity.

The GE Countertop Microwave Oven (1.1 Cu Ft) brings a level of brand-name reliability to the compact category. What makes this unit stand out is the Weight & Time Defrost logic. GE has refined their defrosting algorithms so that you don’t end up “cooking” the edges of your frozen ground beef while the middle stays an ice block. It’s a small detail that makes a huge difference for home cooks who frequently forget to take meat out of the freezer early.

I’d suggest this for a dorm room, a small office breakroom, or a secondary kitchen. It’s a “set it and forget it” kind of appliance. The 950W output is a nice middle ground—more capable than the tiny 700W units but not as aggressive as the 1200W monsters. It’s a very safe, middle-of-the-road choice for someone who values a trusted name like GE.

One thing to keep in mind is that the two-step child lock is always active by default. While it’s a great safety feature, it can be a bit of a nuisance for adults who just want to open the door and go. You can deactivate it, but the initial setup and the extra clicks can feel slightly unintuitive compared to a standard “pull to open” door.

The Chefman Countertop Microwave is all about maximizing utility in a tiny footprint. For a 0.7 Cu Ft unit, it’s surprisingly feature-rich, offering a Mute Button and a Memory Function. Being able to program your most-used settings into a single-touch command is a luxury usually reserved for much larger, more expensive models. It’s a clever way to make a budget appliance feel a bit more premium.

This is the quintessential “dorm microwave” or the perfect addition to a tiny studio apartment. If your primary use case is making popcorn, heating up a bowl of soup, or melting butter for baking, the 700W motor is perfectly adequate. It’s lightweight and easy to tuck away into a corner or onto a sturdy shelf.

The honest trade-off here is speed. 700W is on the lower end of the power spectrum, so everything will take about 30-50% longer to heat compared to a standard 1000W oven. If you’re used to a more powerful machine, you’ll find yourself standing around waiting more than you’d like. It’s the price you pay for such a compact, affordable device.

If you want high-end performance without the “smart home” fluff, the GE 2.0 Cubic Ft microwave is a powerhouse. The standout feature here is the 1200W capacity paired with a massive interior. It uses Sensor Cooking to detect steam, which is almost a necessity at this power level to prevent your food from drying out. It’s built like a tank and handles large-scale cooking tasks with ease.

This is the best choice for a large family or a shared communal kitchen where the microwave is in constant use. Because it’s so powerful, it cycles through tasks quickly, meaning less of a queue at lunchtime. The Instant On express controls are snappy, making it a very efficient machine for people who are always in a rush.

The trade-off is the footprint. Despite the marketing calling it “compact yet powerful,” 2.0 Cu Ft is anything but compact. It’s a massive appliance that requires a lot of breathing room for ventilation. You also have to be careful with delicate foods; at 1200 watts, it can turn a piece of bread into a crouton in seconds if you aren’t paying attention to the power levels.

The TOSHIBA MM-EM07PA(BK) is a stylish little unit that punches above its weight class thanks to the ChefDefrost feature. Most small microwaves are terrible at thawing food, but this one uses a more sophisticated pulsing method to preserve the texture of meats and poultry. It’s a rare “pro” feature to find in a 700W, 0.7 Cu Ft machine, making it feel less like a cheap afterthought and more like a specialized tool.

This is perfect for the minimalist or someone living in a tiny home where every inch of counter space is precious. It looks modern in black, and the ECO Mode is a nice touch for those looking to shave a tiny bit off their power bill by dimming the display when not in use. It’s a great “personal” microwave for a bedroom or a small office.

The limitation is the 9.6-inch turntable. You can forget about fitting a standard large dinner plate in here; you’re mostly restricted to bowls and small side plates. Also, like all 700W units, it’s slow. If you’re trying to heat up a dense frozen dinner, you’ll be waiting a while. It’s best suited for light snacks and simple reheating tasks.

The Farberware 0.7 Cu. Ft. microwave is the definition of “no-frills” reliability. What makes it stand out is its straightforward, utilitarian design. It doesn’t try to be a spaceship; it just wants to heat your food. The multi-stage cooking feature is a hidden gem here, allowing you to set it to defrost for a few minutes and then immediately switch to high power without you having to come back and press more buttons.

I’d recommend this for someone who wants a budget-friendly, dependable appliance for a vacation cabin, a rental property, or a small office. It’s incredibly easy to clean, both inside and out, which is a major plus in high-traffic environments where people might not be careful about splatters. It’s a “workhorse” in a small package.

The downside is the noise level. Compared to the Toshiba or GE models, the Farberware tends to be a bit louder while running, and the cooling fan can be quite noticeable. It also lacks a mute function, so you’ll have to deal with the standard beeps. If you’re looking for a quiet, high-tech experience, this isn’t it—it’s built for function over finesse.

The BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 is a compact, stainless steel unit that looks much more expensive than it actually is. The standout feature here is the Large LED digital display and the overall control panel layout. Everything is clearly labeled and easy to navigate, which is a breath of fresh air compared to some small microwaves that have tiny, cramped buttons. The push-button door is snappy and feels durable for long-term use.

This is a great fit for someone who wants a “pro” look in a small kitchen. It fits perfectly in a dorm or a studio but doesn’t look like a “cheap” appliance thanks to the Stainless Steel finish. The 30 Seconds Express Cooking button is well-placed and highly responsive, making it great for quick bursts of heat.

One trade-off to consider is the 110 Volts rating and 700W output, which means it’s strictly for light-duty work. If you try to use this for heavy cooking or long cycles, you might find the unit gets quite warm. It’s designed for heating up coffee, snacks, and small meals—don’t expect it to perform like a full-sized kitchen oven. Also, the 10-inch turntable is quite restrictive for larger dishware.