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Best Microwave under $100: Budget Buys for Your Kitchen

Technology is taking over every part of our life and has made its way into our kitchens too. This review will inform you about the best microwave under $100 you can have in your kitchen.

There was a time when microwaves were only used for heating food. If you had leftovers from the previous night, you could heat them up in the microwave and enjoy steaming hot food anytime.

Best Microwave under $100

Now, you can use a microwave for so much more. There are many microwave-ready foods in the market, such as chips, popcorn, wings, etc.

If you have a knack for baking, you can fix a yummy cup brownie by popping a few ingredients in your microwave. A budget-friendly microwave is a good pick for your home, your dorm room, or any other shared space.

From making midnight snacks to heating up water to fill your heat pack, there are so many facilities that a microwave provides you. Let us look at some of the best options you can find.

If you are finding best wall oven microwave combo, then you can check reviews on our website.

Comparison Table of Best Microwave under $100

 Comparison Table of Best Microwave under $100  
Editor’s PickToshiba EM925A5ABS Countertop Microwave Oven

  • Has 6 pre-programmed features

  • Child Safety feature

  • Quiet in its working



  • Has Energy Saving mode


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Panasonic Compact Microwave Oven 900 Watts
  • Has 3 popcorn features

  • 7 preset menu items

  • Auto defrost feature


  • Can be used in kitchens and garages


  • Child Safety Lock


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AmazonBasics 0.7 Cu. Microwave Ovenr
  • Can be voice-controlled with Echo

  • Suitable for minimal usage

  • Value for money


  • Has a safety seal on the pull pin


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Farberware FMO11AHTBKB 1.1 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven


  • Large turntable

  • Defrost by weight and time

  • Child lock


  • LED display with digital clock


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Kenmore 70713 Countertop Microwave
  • Has 10 power levels

  • 6 Auto-cook programs


  • Child Lock


  • Defrost vegetables


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BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 Digital Microwave Oven
  • 6 pre-programmed buttons

  • Large display


  • 10 power settings


  • Turntable is removable


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Daewoo KOR07R3ZEC 0.7 cu. ft. 700W Retro Countertop Microwave Oven
  • Has a distinctive style

  • Concave Reflex System


  • Has 5 power levels


  • 5 auto cook settings


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Toshiba EM925A5ABS Countertop Microwave: Editor’s Choice

Toshiba EM925A5ABS Countertop Microwave

 

Toshiba has done a great job at making a microwave that is not only cheap but also does its job well. This microwave is easily portable due to its lightweight.

Measuring 19.2” x 15.9” x 11.5”, this microwave does not take up a lot of counter space and can easily fit in a corner. The diameter of the turntable is 10.6 inches which is quite suitable for your regular dishes or plates.

You can buy this microwave in one of the two variants: a black stainless and a stainless steel model. The microwave operates at 900W, which is optimum for regular usage.

Moreover, there are ten power settings, so you will find a setting for cooking every meal. The control panel features an LED, making it easy to see everything, even at night.

The buttons are labeled properly, so it is easy to navigate. The quick-touch presets allow you to press just one button to initiate certain heating settings or cooking manuals.

Makes it probably the best countertop microwave under $100 is that there are six presets for quick cooking. These include the option to defrost frozen veggies, make pizza, popcorn, potatoes, a dinner plate, and a beverage.

The microwave comes pre-programmed with these settings, so you do not have to adjust the settings every single time.

Do you like to snack at night but do not want to wake up everyone in the house? The Toshiba microwave has a mute function so you can mute the beep that indicates the end of the heating cycle.

Also, there is a child safety lock which is an excellent advantage for people with kids in the house. The power-saving mode ensures that there is no spike in your electricity bill due to excessive energy usage.

Pros

It is lightweight, has 6 pre-programmed settings, and has a beep notification that can be muted.

Cons

Users had no complaints while using this microwave.

Our Verdict

Honestly, we could not find anything wrong with this microwave given the amazing price it is available at. Trust us; you would not find a machine that does so much at a minimal cost.

This is a must-have for any modern kitchen.

Panasonic Compact Microwave Oven 900 Watts: Best Overall

Panasonic Compact Microwave Oven 900 Watts

 

 

Panasonic maintains perfectness in whatever the company makes, and they have done the same with this microwave.

This microwave has 900 Watts of power, enough to heat food and cook meals. It has seven preset menu items you can cook without adjusting settings.

On top of that, there is a 10.6 inches turntable which is an optimum size for most dishes. The 30-second popcorn button allows you to fix a bowl of popcorn to watch Netflix perched on your couch.

There are 3 different settings for making popcorn, and you can set them according to the size of the bag. Thus, you can get the perfect pop every single time.

If you live in a shared space, you would have a smaller kitchen size, and this microwave is great for such kitchens. It takes little space due to its compact size and ergonomic design.

The manufacturers tried to keep the exterior size small while keeping the enlarged interior for comfortable rotation of the dishes. The dimensions of this 0.9 cu microwave are 19. 1″W x 11. 5″H x 14. 8″D.

Also, the Child Safety Lock feature makes this microwave a wise choice for homes with kids.

Pros

It has seven preset settings, is small in size, has a child safety lock, and has three different popcorn settings.

Cons

It does not have a mute feature for notifications.

Our Verdict

This Panasonic microwave is quite efficient in its working, and it does almost everything that you would expect from a microwave.

If you are okay with paying on the dot $100, you should invest in this microwave. However, you can scroll down for more options if you want to save a few bucks from the $100 limit.

AmazonBasics 0.7 Cu. Microwave Oven: Best Budget Buy

AmazonBasics 0.7 Cu. Microwave Oven

 

If you are a little tight on budget or want a small microwave to keep in your dormitory, then this microwave oven review will be useful to you.

External Dimensions: 17.3 in. x 10.1 in. x 14.1 in.

Internal Dimensions: (10 7/8 in. x 6 7/8 in. x 10” in.)

This microwave makes defrosting veggies, cooking potatoes, reheating leftovers, and making popcorn much easier.

Due to the compact size of this microwave, you could save a lot of space on your countertop for other appliances.

The turntable is 10 inches in diameter, smaller than the previously mentioned microwaves but is still optimal for most utensils.

Whether you have friends over or you are going to binge-watch a season, you can fix yourself a bag of popcorn (up to 3 oz. in size) by popping it in the microwave.

Since this is an Amazon product, you can control it with Alexa too, if you have it at home. You can get the Echo Dot device with this microwave and tell Alexa to microwave the food while you pour a beverage from the fridge.

With every Alexa update, the presets get better, so this microwave is always updating.

Pros

It is supported by Alexa and Echo dot, can be voice-controlled with Echo, is quite cheap, and gives you value for money.

Cons

It does not have presets, mute functions of energy-saving features.

Our Verdict:

This is the best countertop microwave under $100 for people who need it to warm up their food, defrost vegetables, or make popcorn. You should not expect this microwave to cook meals like any expensive model.

Farberware FMO11AHTBKB 1.1 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven

Farberware FMO11AHTBKB 1.1 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven

 

This microwave from Farberware is not only efficient in its working but is also very stylish. It is quite a spacious appliance featuring a cooking capacity of 1.1 Cu, which is impressive at this cost.

Also, the interior is made of stainless steel. The exterior is just as awesome with an LED display so you can see the temperature and time even in the dimly lit kitchen. The six preset programs are dinner plates, popcorn, pizza, frozen vegetables, and potato.

These buttons are on the front of the microwave, so you can press a button to start defrosting corn or reheating rice.

The number pad goes up to 9, so you can reheat your food for 9 minutes with a single touch of a button. In addition, there is a child lock that prevents accidental usage of the microwave by children.

The turntable is 12.5 inches in the interior, so there is ample space for cooking. The bigger space allows for the food to be cooked evenly and for heating of food in bigger dinner plates.

Pros

It has a large turntable, allows you to defrost veggies by weight or time, has a cooking capacity of 1.1 Cu, and comes with six pre-programmed functions.

Cons

It does not have a mute notification feature.

Our Verdict

If you are someone who does not only look for functionality but also for aesthetics, you will find this Farberware microwave to be the best pick.

It has plenty of features and falls at the right price point. Therefore, we would say it is a good purchase if you want maximum features without breaking the bank.

Kenmore 70713 Countertop Microwave

Kenmore 70713 Countertop Microwave

 

The manufacturers mainly advertise this microwave to college students because they have added all its good features.

It is a no-nonsense microwave that you can operate pretty easily. On the exterior, an LED display on the top shows you the time.

Below it is the number pad using which you can set the duration of the heating cycle. This microwave has six auto-cook programs, so you do not need to guess any heating settings. You can make popcorn, pizza, soup, potatoes, and bread and defrost vegetables without adjusting settings.

Pop in the food and press one button to start the process of cooking. It has a capacity of 700 Watts, which is ideal for most dorm rooms or smaller apartments.

The defrost function lets you defrost the vegetables for nights when you want to prepare a healthy dinner. Most importantly, this microwave has ten power levels, so you can deflect vegetables you forgot in the freezer.

This microwave is also quite suitable for offices and smaller homes. To keep the curious little fingers safe, there is a Child Lock.

Pros

It has a Child Lock, is ideal for offices, dormitories, and smaller kitchens, and has six preset cooking functions and ten power settings.

Cons

Users found defects in some units.

Our Verdict

The microwave is quite efficient, but there have been complaints about defective units. Some customers have reported that their units burnt in a few days. We suspect this defect was just in a few units and not by default in the microwave.

Other than this, the microwave is a great addition to any office kitchen, home kitchen, or dorm room.

BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 Digital Microwave Oven

BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 Digital Microwave Oven

 

This Black Decker microwave makes your life much easier as it has pre-programmed buttons. Just put the food in the microwave, press the button to make potatoes, popcorn, pizza, heat beverages, dinner plate, or defrost vegetables.

With 700 Watts of power, this microwave is good for a moderate kitchen. It has ten power settings and 30 seconds express cooking features. The dimensions of this microwave are 17. 3” x 13. 0” x 10. 2”.

The LED clock shows you the time, while the touchpad lets you set the time for heating or cooking. If you are not the best at handling technology, you would love the control panel of this microwave. It is as simple as a control panel gets.

The turntable is 10 inches and can be removed for easy cleaning. There is no door handle. Just push the button to release the door and access your food.

Pros

It is UL approved, has a removable turntable, has an Easy-to-read LED display, ten power settings, and Pre-programmed buttons for easy cooking.

Cons

It does not have a mute feature and is not stylish.

Our Verdict

Some people might not like the simple style of this microwave since there are many sleeker models in the same price range. However, this microwave does almost everything that microwaves at this cost should do. It will surely make life in the kitchen simpler for you.

Daewoo KOR07R3ZEC 0.7 cu. ft. 700W Retro Countertop Microwave Oven

Daewoo KOR07R3ZEC 0.7 cu. ft. 700W Retro Countertop Microwave Oven

This microwave oven review might not introduce you to the best microwave on this list, but it will give you a quirky option for stepping up the style game in your kitchen.

Daewoo microwaves have a Concave Reflex System, which releases heat evenly in the interior so that the food is evenly cooked or heated.

On top of that, the Recessed turntable is more spacious as compared to most microwaves of this size. There are 5 power levels so you can adjust the cook times according to your requirements.

In addition, there are five auto-cook menus with preset conditions. You can make baked potatoes, beverages, soup, and vegetables by pressing a button.

There are two options for defrosting your food. You can either thaw the veggies by time, skip the guesswork, and thaw by weight.

All the eco-concerned people would be happy to know that the microwave goes to sleep mode when not in use. Thus, it is saving electricity and keeps the environment safe by not creating unnecessary waves.

Pros

It has a quirky design, five power settings, five pre-programmed menus, and two options for defrosting food.

Cons

It has fewer power settings and presets than other microwaves in the same range, and the control panel is also quite complex.

Our Verdict

We love the retro feel this microwave gives! So, if the style is more your thing and you can compromise on functionality, this is an ideal choice.

However, if you use your microwave a lot, you can find a microwave with many more features, in the same price range.

Conclusion

Overall, we can easily say that the Panasonic Compact microwave is the best pick among these seven units. It has the most pre-programmed menus, is ideal in size, has a Child lock, and is quite stylish too.

When purchasing a microwave for your kitchen, ensure all your requirements are met. Some people can compromise on functionality, while others do not care much about aesthetics.

Whatever your preferences are, we hope there was something for everyone in our review of the best microwaves under $100.