Countertop Microwave Ovens For When There's No Way You're Cooking Tonight

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What would we do or where would we be without the beloved microwave oven? It’s a hard second when it comes to sliced bread, but there’s no doubt it saves us serious time, energy, and stress over cooking in the kitchen. While there’s nothing like a home cooked meal, there’s no way it’s possible to use the oven and stove every night. Not to mention, in the summer, heating up the entire house is the last thing you want to do. So whether you need to reheat leftovers, that morning cup of coffee that you forgot about, or simply want to cook instant rice, there’s really nothing a countertop microwave oven can’t do.

If your home doesn’t come equipped with a built-in microwave, luckily it’s a small fix compared to, let’s say, not having an oven or dishwasher. Microwave ovens come in so many sizes, watts, and colors so you can make sure it blends in with your kitchen appliances while cooking to meet your needs. Now, there are even microwaves with smart technology, so you can tell it what to do without even touching it. This will come in handy when your hands aren’t free or when they’re greasy while you’re cooking. We know you’re busy, so we picked out the best microwave ovens so you can get to speedy cooking.

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1. AmazonBasics Microwave

In case you didn’t get the memo yet, smart countertop microwave ovens are here. Let’s say you’re cooking up a storm in the kitchen and have greasy hands but need to melt some butter in the microwave. This Alexa-compatible microwave saves the day, so you can simply tell it what to do without pressing any buttons. Or, if you’ve got your hands full with your kid, you can multitask better than ever before. In addition, the compact size will save countertop real estate so you can use that unused area for something else. Plus, with the Alexa compatibility, you can reorder popcorn and other microwave staples in a flash.

Amazon Basics Best Countertop Microwave Oven on Amazon
Image: Amazon.

2. Panasonic Microwave

This compact countertop microwave oven may be small, but it packs in a lot of power for its size. With 900 Watts of power, this small appliance will quickly heat meals so you don’t have to keep repeating your food due to low wattage. Seven preset options let you heat up food faster than ever, and there’s even a child safety lock to prevent curious kids from tampering with it. For all you popcorn fanatics, there are three settings for your favorite movie snack, so you can customize your snack based on the size of the bag. One thing busy moms will love: there’s also a keep warm feature, so food won’t get cold if you have to take care of something else before eating.

Panasonic Best Countertop Microwave Oven on Amazon
Image: Amazon.

3. Toshiba Microwave

The smart sensor buttons make this countertop microwave oven one of the easiest you can use. Reheat all your go-to foods, from pizza to veggies, with the press of a button so you don’t even have to think about how long to leave it in the microwave. With 1100 watts, this just might be one of the most powerful microwaves around, so if you don’t have time to waste, this fast appliance is what you’ll need. If readers are your best friend, you’ll love the large digital display that makes reading the time, even from a distance, easy to do.

Toshiba Best Countertop Microwave Oven on Amazon
Image: Amazon.