10 Great countertop microwave ovens for home use

We all have a microwave oven at home for regular reheating or cooking food and may never really think about specific details about them. Plus with newer cooking devices like air fryers, microwaves remain an important but somewhat overlooked kitchen appliance. However, you may need to consider a few things when buying a microwave, like its wattage, size and whether it can defrost or auto-cook certain foods.

If you’re in the market for a new and up-to-date microwave, we’ve put together a handy list of solid models for you to consider.

Coming in a white or black finish, this microwave is great for standard cooking with five power levels and a 20-litre capacity. You can also select the type of interface you prefer, ranging from a standard digital type to a knob and digital combination.

Capacity – 20 litres

Special feature – self-cleaning, turntable, programmable

Wattage – 800 watts

This microwave has a digital interface, with a knob to set cooking time. It also has a glossy opaque mirror door.

The model also comes with pre-programmed cook menus for food like pizza and fish, saving you having to set cook times. There’s also an auto-defrost feature, with the microwave selecting an ideal defrost time for you.

Capacity – 20 litres

Special feature - digital

Wattage – 800 watts

Coming in a black or silver finish, this microwave is great for simple, everyday use. It’s made from sturdy metal and acrylic and has a child safety lock to avoid accidents.

Conveniently, it’s also easy to clean for long-term maintenance.

Capacity – 20 litres

Special feature – one touch programming, child lock

Wattage – 800 watts

This Samsung microwave has a slightly larger than average capacity of 23 litres and has a digital control panel with a knob for setting cook time. It’s an easy-to-use freestanding model that also includes a grill feature and a handy defrost mode.

Capacity – 23 litres

Special feature – child lock, defrost

Wattage – 800 watts

Made from mixed materials and freestanding, this microwave is a solid and inexpensive choice for regular home use. It has 800 watts of power and including a turntable and touch control.

Capacity – 20 litres

Special feature – timer, turntable

Wattage – 800 watts

Coming in four distinct colours and retro themed, this microwave will definitely stand out in a modern kitchen or feel at home among retro décor. It features a roller ring for setting cook time and cycling through options, with eight auto-menus and an intuitive express cook button.

Capacity – 20 litres

Special feature – auto cook, child lock, one touch buttons

Wattage – 800 watts

Flipping the script on the retro style microwave is this sleek, new age Vytronix digital microwave, featuring auto-menu for cooking and five power levels.

The microwave has a 25-litre capacity and multi-cook functionality, enabling you to use three cooking stages in one cycle. The model also conveniently doesn’t take up too much space with its slim and freestanding design.

Capacity – 25 litres

Special feature – timer, turntable

Wattage – 900 watts

This Swan digital microwave has a sleek finish, coming in four different colours, all of them having a wooden door handle. Also featured is a large brown nob for inputting time and food weight–along with an LED screen (a non-LED model is also available), a 60-minute timer and defrost capability.

Capacity – 20 litres

Special feature – cooking end signal, digital clock,

Wattage – 800 watts

Coming in four different colours, this digital microwave also comes with a grill, a 28cm turntable and a sizeable 29 litre capacity to boot. It has a 900-watt power output and features easy-to-use touch controls, with automatic programmes to help you cook your meals efficiently every time.

Capacity – 29 litres

Special feature – timer, turntable

Wattage – 900 watts

This Daewoo microwave is a countertop model and part convection microwave, meaning it can also roast and bake food with faster cook times. This model also has a defrost feature and a mechanical knob for cycling through its menu and setting a time.

Conveniently it can also be cleaned easily, being made from stainless steel, which is also rust-resistant. 

Capacity – 25 litres

Special feature – auto cook, defrost

Wattage – 900 watts

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