Finding the best countertop microwave can make everyday cooking, reheating leftovers, and preparing quick meals much easier. Whether you need a premium microwave with intuitive controls, a spacious model for family-sized dishes, or an affordable appliance for a small kitchen, choosing the right one depends on your cooking habits, available counter space, and budget.

In this guide, we review five countertop microwaves from Breville, Sharp, and Toshiba. Our selection includes powerful models with automatic cooking sensors, convenient presets, quiet operation, and practical features designed for everyday use. We’ll explore their key features, advantages, disadvantages, and ideal uses to help you compare them.

Our top picks at a glance: The Breville the Smooth Wave offers premium controls and convenient customization, the Sharp SMC2266KS provides generous cooking capacity, and the Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS) emphasizes fast heating and spacious interiors. Budget-conscious shoppers can also consider the Sharp SMC1162HS and Toshiba EM131A5C-BS.

Quick Comparison: 5 Best Countertop Microwaves

1. Breville the Smooth Wave

Premium controls, quiet operation, and convenient cooking features.

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2. Sharp SMC2266KS

Large cooking capacity, powerful heating, and sensor cooking.

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3. Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS)

Fast heating, roomy interior, and automatic cooking sensor.

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4. Sharp SMC1162HS

A 1,000-watt microwave with convenient presets and a budget-friendly price.

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5. Toshiba EM131A5C-BS

An affordable 1,100-watt microwave with sensor cooking and useful presets.

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How to Choose the Best Countertop Microwave

Before purchasing a countertop microwave, consider several important factors that influence everyday convenience and performance.

• Cooking power: Wattage affects how quickly a microwave heats food. Models with 1,000 watts or more are useful for everyday cooking, reheating, and defrosting.
• Interior capacity: Choose a cooking chamber that accommodates your usual dinner plates, bowls, casserole dishes, and containers.
• Control design: Physical buttons, dials, and touch panels offer different experiences. Intuitive controls can make frequent cooking tasks easier.
• Sensor cooking: Automatic sensors detect steam and adjust cooking time or power, helping simplify reheating and certain cooking tasks.
• Noise level: A quiet microwave can be more comfortable in open-plan kitchens or during late-night use.
• Preset programs: Dedicated popcorn, defrost, reheating, and other cooking programs reduce the need to enter settings manually.
• Countertop dimensions: Measure your available space and allow adequate ventilation according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Detailed Reviews of the 5 Best Countertop Microwaves

1. Breville the Smooth Wave – Premium Countertop Microwave

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The Breville the Smooth Wave is a premium countertop microwave designed for people who appreciate intuitive controls, convenient cooking options, and thoughtful design. Its tactile dials and responsive buttons make it easier to select cooking programs and adjust settings without repeatedly pressing the same button. The informative LED display provides more details than a basic numeric screen, helping users monitor their cooking tasks.

One of its notable features is the ability to turn off the turntable rotation, providing additional flexibility when heating larger dishes. Although its interior may not accommodate every oversized casserole or family-sized frozen meal, the turntable-off function makes better use of the available cooking space. Its steam sensor works with the reheating and defrosting modes, while quick-start and popcorn programs simplify common kitchen tasks.

The Smooth Wave also focuses on a more pleasant user experience. Its relatively quiet operation, soft-close door, adjustable beep volume, and selectable chime tones help reduce everyday noise. Controls can be muted, and hidden quick-start buttons behind the door include a programmable Favorite option. These thoughtful details make it a convenient choice for people who use their microwave frequently and value refined controls.

Key Features

• Tactile dials and responsive physical buttons.
• Informative LED display.
• Turntable-off function for greater dish flexibility.
• Steam-sensing reheating and defrosting modes.
• Quick-start, popcorn, and programmable Favorite functions.
• Soft-close door and adjustable sound settings.
• Relatively quiet operation.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Convenient and responsive physical controls	Premium pricing compared with basic alternatives
Flexible cooking with turntable-off functionality	Not the fastest-heating model in this selection
Quiet operation and soft-close door	Limited room for oversized dishes
Customizable sound and Favorite settings	May be more elaborate than necessary for basic reheating

Who should buy it? The Breville the Smooth Wave is suited to users who value tactile controls, customization, quieter operation, and convenient everyday features. It is particularly relevant for households that use their microwave regularly and prefer an appliance with a more refined user experience.

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2. Sharp SMC2266KS – Spacious Countertop Microwave

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The Sharp SMC2266KS is a spacious countertop microwave designed for households that need room for larger dishes and convenient high-powered cooking. Its generous internal capacity rivals that of many over-the-range microwaves, making it suitable for heating large plates, family-sized pasta dishes, and casserole containers. Its powerful heating performance also makes it a practical option for users who regularly prepare meals or reheat substantial portions.

The microwave features a membrane touch control panel, which is familiar to users of many conventional countertop appliances. While it does not provide the same tactile feedback as physical dials, it offers convenient shortcuts for common tasks. For example, a simple full-power cooking program can be started with a single button, while more customized settings require additional button presses. Its cooking sensor detects steam and automatically adjusts cooking time, reducing the need to estimate settings for suitable foods.

Additional convenience features include quick-start controls, automatic meat defrosting, and a dedicated 30-second button for starting or extending a cooking cycle. The Sharp SMC2266KS also operates exceptionally quietly, which can be beneficial in shared living spaces. Although it lacks a dedicated mute button, holding the number 8 button for three seconds silences the controls. Its combination of spaciousness, sensor cooking, and quiet operation makes it a practical option for larger households.

Key Features

• Generous interior capacity for larger dishes.
• Powerful cooking performance.
• Automatic cooking sensor that detects steam.
• Membrane touch control panel.
• Quick-start and 30-second cooking controls.
• Automatic meat defrosting programs.
• Exceptionally quiet operation and silent-control option.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Spacious interior for larger dishes	Requires substantial countertop space
Fast and powerful heating	Membrane controls offer less tactile feedback
Automatic sensor cooking	Customized settings require multiple button presses
Quiet operation and convenient quick-start controls	No dedicated mute button

Who should buy it? The Sharp SMC2266KS is worth considering for families, frequent home cooks, and anyone who regularly heats larger portions or uses oversized dinnerware. Its large interior and automatic cooking sensor are particularly useful when convenience and usable space are priorities.

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3. Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS) – Fast and Spacious Microwave

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The Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS) is a countertop microwave for people who prioritize fast heating, generous cooking space, and straightforward everyday functionality. It heats food extremely quickly, with performance comparable to the Sharp SMC2266KS, while maintaining quiet operation. Its roomy cooking chamber can accommodate larger plates, trays, and even a 12-inch pizza, making it useful for reheating leftovers, preparing frozen meals, and heating food for multiple people.

One of its notable features is its automatic cooking sensor. By detecting steam inside the cooking chamber, the sensor adjusts cooking power and time according to the food being heated. This can make reheating more convenient, particularly when you do not want to estimate cooking durations manually. Its combination of rapid heating and a large usable interior makes it a versatile option for everyday meal preparation.

However, the Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS) has some usability considerations. Its membrane touch panel requires more steps to enter custom cooking times and power levels than the Breville’s physical controls. The unusual upward-trigger door release may also take some getting used to. Although its interior is spacious enough for many household dishes, it is smaller than the large Sharp SMC2266KS, so users with particularly bulky cookware should check the dimensions before purchasing.

Key Features

• Fast heating performance.
• Roomy cooking chamber that accommodates a 12-inch pizza.
• Automatic sensor cooking based on steam detection.
• Quiet operation.
• Membrane touch control panel.
• Suitable for reheating leftovers and larger portions.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Very fast heating performance	Custom settings require additional steps
Spacious interior for larger plates and pizza	Smaller interior than the large Sharp model
Automatic sensor cooking	Unusual upward-trigger door release
Quiet operation	Membrane controls provide limited tactile feedback

Who should buy it? The Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS) is suitable for people who frequently reheat larger meals, cook frozen foods, or need room for larger plates. It is particularly relevant for households that value quick heating and sensor-assisted cooking over premium physical controls.

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4. Sharp SMC1162HS – Budget-Friendly Countertop Microwave

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The Sharp SMC1162HS is a budget-friendly countertop microwave that offers practical cooking performance without the higher cost of premium appliances. Its 1,000-watt output provides fast heating for common kitchen tasks, including reheating leftovers, preparing quick meals, and defrosting frozen ingredients. Depending on the selected color and available retailer promotions, it has been available for approximately $160, making it a potential option for shoppers seeking everyday functionality at a moderate price.

The microwave has a smaller cooking chamber than the larger Sharp SMC2266KS. Although it can accommodate most standard dinner plates and bowls, oversized casserole dishes may not fit comfortably. Its membrane touch panel is familiar and relatively straightforward, with one-button operation available for simple cooking tasks. However, it lacks the tactile responsiveness of physical dials or more advanced control systems.

Unlike the more feature-rich models in this selection, the Sharp SMC1162HS does not include an automatic cooking sensor. Users generally need to set cooking times manually, although preset programs for foods such as potatoes and popcorn, along with defrosting and reheating modes, provide some convenience. It operates quietly, and the controls can be silenced by holding the number 8 button for three seconds. For routine cooking in a smaller household, its practical feature set may be sufficient.

Key Features

• 1,000-watt cooking power.
• Budget-conscious countertop microwave design.
• Membrane touch control panel.
• One-touch basic cooking operation.
• Dedicated potato and popcorn programs.
• Defrosting and reheating modes.
• Quiet operation with a control-silencing option.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Affordable price range	Smaller interior than premium large-capacity models
Fast 1,000-watt heating	No automatic cooking sensor
Useful popcorn, potato, and defrost presets	Manual cooking-time adjustments are often necessary
Quiet operation and silent-control option	Membrane controls lack tactile feedback

Who should buy it? The Sharp SMC1162HS is a practical candidate for budget-conscious shoppers, students, smaller households, and people who primarily use a microwave for reheating, defrosting, and preparing simple meals. It may be particularly suitable when counter space and purchase price matter more than advanced sensor functions.

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5. Toshiba EM131A5C-BS – Affordable Microwave with Sensor Cooking

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The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS is an affordable countertop microwave designed for everyday convenience. With 1,100 watts of cooking power, it provides fast heating for common household tasks, from warming leftovers to preparing quick meals. Its typical price has been around $150, depending on availability and retailer offers. The interior capacity is similar to that of the Sharp SMC1162HS, making it suitable for most dinner plates and average-sized containers of food.

Although its membrane touch panel does not provide the same tactile response as physical buttons or premium dials, it supports straightforward cooking operations. More detailed adjustments may require additional button presses, but its overall feature selection makes it useful for a variety of everyday kitchen tasks. Its automatic cooking sensor detects steam and calculates an appropriate cooking time, helping simplify reheating and selected cooking programs.

The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS also includes useful preset programs such as Soften/Melt and Rice. Its programmable Favorite button allows users to save a commonly used setting for quicker access, reducing repetitive manual adjustments. Another convenient feature is its quiet operation, complemented by a dedicated mute button. These features give it a practical balance of affordability, heating power, and cooking convenience for people who want more functionality than a basic entry-level microwave.

Key Features

• 1,100-watt cooking power.
• Affordable countertop microwave design.
• Automatic steam-sensing cooking.
• Membrane touch control panel.
• Soften/Melt and Rice cooking programs.
• Programmable Favorite button.
• Quiet operation and dedicated mute button.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Affordable purchase price	Limited interior capacity for oversized cookware
Fast 1,100-watt heating	Membrane controls offer less tactile feedback
Automatic sensor cooking	Fine-tuning custom cooking settings requires more effort
Useful presets and programmable Favorite setting	Not designed for users who need a particularly large cooking chamber
Quiet operation and dedicated mute button	Basic appearance and conventional control interface

Who should buy it? The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS is suitable for shoppers looking for an affordable microwave with useful automatic cooking features. It may appeal to students, couples, smaller households, and anyone who wants fast heating, convenient presets, and a programmable Favorite function without paying for a premium appliance.

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Comparison of the 5 Countertop Microwaves

Note: Prices are approximate figures supplied for selected models, not live quotes. Actual prices, colors, configurations, availability, and specifications may vary. Check the current Amazon product listing before purchasing.

What to Consider Before Buying a Countertop Microwave

1. Measure Your Available Counter Space

Before ordering a microwave, measure the available countertop width, depth, and height. Remember to account for the ventilation clearances specified by the manufacturer. A spacious microwave can be useful for larger meals, but it may occupy considerable counter space, especially in compact kitchens.

2. Match Cooking Power to Your Needs

Higher wattage can reduce heating time, although actual cooking performance also depends on food quantity, shape, moisture, and microwave design. The Sharp SMC1162HS offers 1,000 watts, while the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS provides 1,100 watts. Consider your typical cooking tasks rather than choosing solely by wattage.

3. Check the Interior Dimensions

Capacity is particularly important if you regularly heat large dinner plates, casserole dishes, or family-sized meals. The Sharp SMC2266KS and Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS) offer more usable space than the smaller models in this selection. Always check the manufacturer’s stated interior dimensions and turntable size to ensure your cookware fits.

4. Decide Whether Sensor Cooking Is Important

Sensor cooking can reduce the need for manual time adjustments by detecting steam and modifying the cooking cycle. Four of the five models reviewed include sensor cooking, while the Sharp SMC1162HS relies on manual settings and preset programs. Sensor cooking is a useful convenience feature, although it does not eliminate the need to follow food preparation and safety instructions.

5. Consider Ease of Use and Noise

The type of control panel can significantly affect everyday convenience. The Breville the Smooth Wave uses physical dials and buttons, while the Sharp and Toshiba models use membrane touch controls. If you often use a microwave late at night, quiet operation and adjustable or muted alerts may also be important considerations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best countertop microwave for everyday use?

The best choice depends on your cooking habits and priorities. The Breville the Smooth Wave emphasizes convenient physical controls and customizable features, while the Sharp SMC2266KS and Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS) offer larger cooking spaces. The Sharp SMC1162HS and Toshiba EM131A5C-BS are alternatives for shoppers prioritizing affordability.

Is a 1,000-watt microwave powerful enough?

A 1,000-watt microwave is suitable for many everyday kitchen tasks, including reheating leftovers, cooking common microwave meals, and defrosting ingredients. The Sharp SMC1162HS has 1,000 watts of power, while the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS has 1,100 watts. Actual cooking times depend on the food and the selected settings.

Are countertop microwaves with sensor cooking worth considering?

Sensor cooking can be convenient because it detects steam and automatically adjusts the cooking cycle for compatible foods. It is particularly useful for reheating, although users should still follow food-specific instructions and verify that food is heated thoroughly.

Which countertop microwave is suitable for large dishes?

The Sharp SMC2266KS is designed with a generous interior, while the Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS) accommodates larger plates, trays, and a 12-inch pizza. For particularly large casserole dishes, check the exact interior dimensions and turntable measurements before ordering.

Which microwave is suitable for a small kitchen?

A compact model such as the Sharp SMC1162HS or Toshiba EM131A5C-BS may be worth considering for kitchens with limited counter space. However, their external dimensions should be checked against your available space, and sufficient ventilation clearance must be maintained.

Can a countertop microwave be used for defrosting?

Yes. All five models reviewed include defrost-related functionality, although the available programs and control methods vary. For safe food handling, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and cook defrosted perishable foods promptly.

Final Thoughts: Choosing Your Countertop Microwave

The five countertop microwaves in this guide offer different combinations of cooking capacity, control design, heating power, convenience features, and price. The Breville the Smooth Wave focuses on refined usability and customization, while the Sharp SMC2266KS and Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS) provide more room for larger dishes. The Sharp SMC1162HS offers straightforward cooking functionality, and the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS combines an affordable price with automatic sensor cooking and useful presets.

When comparing these models, consider your available counter space, preferred controls, typical meal sizes, and budget. Review the latest product specifications, dimensions, warranty information, and customer feedback before making your purchase. The most suitable microwave is the one that fits your kitchen and meets your everyday cooking requirements.

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Editorial Note: Product descriptions and comparisons are based on the supplied product information. Prices and availability may change. Confirm current specifications and compatibility on the manufacturer’s or retailer’s product page before purchasing.