5 of the Very Best Microwave Ovens

Size: 20.4 inches wide, 16.8 inches deep, 12.4 inches high | Capacity: 1.4 cubic feet | Power: 1,100 watts | Type: Inverter | Extra features: Wi-Fi, Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn presets, Alexa-enabled with over 100 voice commands

This sleek microwave by Sharp combines lots of features with a reasonable price point. One of these is inverter technology, a feature that food scientist Jessica Gavin says she’d be willing to pay extra for. This model is also Wi-Fi-enabled to work with Alexa with over 200 voice commands, so if hands-free controls are important, this might be the one for you. I personally like the popcorn preset; it works well, as evidenced by the multiple bags I popped (and consumed) during testing. It’s also very spacious and would be great for families or anyone who will be heating or cooking for a crowd.

Size: 20.2 inches wide, 16.5 inches deep, 12.03 inches high | Capacity: 1.1 cubic feet | Power: 1,000 watts | Type: Conventional | Extra features: 6 one-touch options including “pizza” and “popcorn”

“To keep microwave cookery easy, I’m an advocate of keeping it simple: Just hit that button and cook on full power,” says Dean Edwards, author of Cook Smart: Microwave. “There’s no need to pay extra money for features you probably won’t use.” With that in mind, this model from Farberware is everything you need for basic microwave cooking: It has time cook and defrost options, basic presets, and one-touch express-cook buttons. With 1,000 watts of power and a 1.1 cubic-feet interior, it’s roomy and powerful enough for heating modest-size meals. “In stainless steel, it’s sleek and attractive,” says Dina Cheney, author of Mug Meals: Delicious Microwave Recipes. “It has enough wattage, ten power levels, and one- through six-minute express-cooking quick starts. Plus it’s small enough to fit in most spaces.” If a traditional stainless-steel finish isn’t your jam, it also comes in a metallic-red option.

Size: 20.6 inches by 16.6 inches by 12 inches | Capacity: 1.0 cubic feet | Power: 1,050 watts | Type: Multifunctional | Extra features: Stainless-steel crisper pan; presets for potatoes, popcorn, pizza, etc.

I’m not a huge fan of single-use appliances, so this model from GE caught my attention for two reasons: It can air-fry, convection bake, and broil in addition to microwaving, and it’s very reasonably priced. It has a handful of presets — including potato, popcorn, and pizza — as well as an “Add 30 seconds” button for a little extra time when you need it. I’ve put this microwave to the test by heating up leftovers and frozen entrées and found it to be effective with very few hot spots. It’s also wonderfully quiet, and noisy operation is an issue I’ve had with microwaves I’ve owned before. Its sleek stainless and black exterior goes well with most modern kitchen décor, and it’s an excellent choice for anyone who wants to save space with this multifunctional appliance.

Size: 17.3 inches by 19.1 inches by 11.5 inches | Capacity: 0.9 cubic feet | Power: 900 watts | Type: Conventional | Extra features: presets including “pizza” and “defrost vegetables”

While looks might not seem like the most important factor to consider when purchasing a larger appliance, it’s certainly part of the equation — especially when said appliance is going to sit out on the counter. For Sarah Leon, an editorial consultant and former executive digital director of W magazine, that was certainly the case. She and her husband, Teddy Wolff, recently renovated their Brooklyn kitchen and decided not to have any built-ins or hidden appliances, so Leon says she “chose based on which handles and metals looked best.” For her, that meant a Breville model similar to the one listed above (her exact microwave is an older version that’s no longer available). Leon loves the finish and the cylindrical, not-bulky handle. “Visually, it’s more attractive than a lot of other microwaves,” she says. “It looks luxe.”

But it also works well: While the button configurations are slightly different, both models have super-responsive power settings, something Leon finds particularly important after trying other microwaves that had adjustments that didn’t make much of a difference (she uses a higher wattage when making something quick-cooking, like popcorn, and a lower one for foods that need a gentler hand, like eggs). Food blogger and recipe developer Nicole Modic also owns the Compact Wave Soft Close and says she gets an even cook on everything she puts inside, whether she’s just warming through leftovers or defrosting chicken nuggets for her kids. “The close is pretty quiet,” she says, “but the actual microwaving is, too, which is most impressive.”