Most and Least Reliable Microwave Brands
How to pick a model that lasts, based on CR members’ experience with more than 122,000 over-the-range and countertop units
By Mary H.J. Farrell
Of the four appliances in the typical kitchen suite, the microwave is the least expensive. So you might not give it as much thought as you would when buying a refrigerator, range, or dishwasher.
But buying a microwave from a reliable brand increases the likelihood that it will last longer. That means you won’t be prematurely putting a broken countertop model on the curb or tearing out an over-the-range microwave that no longer works.
Consumer Reports has identified the brands of microwaves most likely to last—and those most likely to develop problems or break—based on our members’ experiences with 60,832 over-the-range (OTR) microwaves and 61,480 countertop microwaves purchased new between 2012 and 2022.
Five brands of countertop microwaves and two brands of OTR microwaves received top marks for reliability from our members. And based on their experiences, we can’t recommend five brands of countertop microwaves and three OTR brands.
To calculate predicted reliability, we survey our members about the products they own and use that data to make projections about how new units from a given brand will hold up over time. We also survey members on how likely they are to recommend their microwave, with that question serving as the basis for our owner satisfaction rating. Brands that receive a Fair or Poor rating for reliability aren’t eligible to be recommended no matter how well they perform in Consumer Reports’ tests.
To come up with the Overall Score that you’ll see in our microwave ratings charts, we factor in both predicted reliability and owner satisfaction with the results of the performance tests we conduct in our labs. For microwaves, that includes marks on all the tasks you’d expect: fast and even heating, even defrosting, controls that are intuitive and easy to use, and quiet operation.
“Calculating an Overall Score for microwaves that includes reliability and satisfaction offers consumers a clearer direction of what to choose,” says Tian Wang, a CR survey research associate.
Here are the details.
Over-the-Range Microwaves
An over-the-range microwave is a strategic choice if you’re short on counter space and like the fact that it doubles as a range hood (though typically an underpowered one). Replacing an OTR model can be a bit of an ordeal because you have to unbolt it from the wall and cabinets. So when your old one breaks, you’ll want to install a new one from a reliable brand.
OTR microwaves from Electrolux, Jenn-Air, and Samsung are likely to develop problems or break at a higher rate than their competitors, according to our survey. “Because of this, none of these brands can be recommended by Consumer Reports at this time,” Wang says.
Better bets are OTR microwaves from Ikea and Sharp, brands that earned an Excellent rating for predicted reliability. Of the 21 brands rated in our survey, nine other brands earned a Very Good reliability rating. Seven more received a Good reliability rating, which is high enough to retain their eligibility to be recommended by Consumer Reports. (CR doesn’t currently test models from every brand listed in our survey.)
No brand earned an Excellent or Very Good rating for owner satisfaction. Thirteen brands earned a middle rating of Good.
Ikea Lagan 704.621.63
Although it’s not the best performing OTR in our ratings, the Ikea Lagan is from one of only two brands that received an Excellent for predicted reliability (the other is Sharp). It’s very quiet (earning an Excellent rating for noise) and is top-notch at defrosting, so you don’t have to worry about last-minute meals. It’s very good at evenly heating a dish of mashed potatoes but could be a bit faster. It’s only average at heating water. Our testers found it easy to use without reading the manual (because few people do). Despite its high reliability rating, Ikea received only a Fair rating for owner satisfaction.
Most Common OTR Flaws
The most frequently reported problems with over-the-range microwaves? Excessive noise, control panels that don’t work properly, and doors that don’t lock correctly. Five percent of the OTR microwaves in our survey had a problem with noise and 6 percent had a broken or faulty control panel.
After that, the most common problem reported for OTRs by our members was a failure to heat food evenly. Members also reported problems with turntables, interior lights, and cooling fans, but they affected only 1 to 2 percent of the microwaves.
Electrolux in particular stood out as one of the brands more likely to have problems with control panels and interior lights.
Other brands that stood out in our survey as being more likely than usual to have specific problems include:
Jenn-Air and Samsung, for faulty control panels.
Magic Chef, for being too noisy.
Ikea, for heating slowly.
When we asked our members what would make them likely to recommend the microwave to a friend, they said how reliable it was, how well it heated their food, and how easy it was to use.
Consumer Reports tests microwaves for performance, including whether or not a model heats evenly and how noisy it is when operating on the highest setting. To avoid problems, opt for one that aces those tests. There are plenty to choose from.
What's Next for OTR Owners?
Almost 4 out of 5 CR members who currently own an OTR microwave said the next microwave they purchase will also be an OTR. Only 3 percent said they would switch to a countertop model. The top considerations cited for their next microwave purchase were reliability, performance, appearance (finish/color), and repairability. The factors that didn’t matter as much were brand, recyclability, and special features such as convection, grilling, and WiFi. Based on our research over the past five years, shoppers should plan on paying a median of $378 for a new model. The lowest amount members paid for an OTR was $235 for an Amana, and the highest was $824 for a Café. As you’ll see in our ratings, there are lots of good choices in between those extremes.
Countertop Microwaves
Countertop microwaves don’t require installation like OTR microwaves, but they take up a fair amount of kitchen real estate. Large countertop microwaves are typically about 2 feet wide, 1 foot high, and 1.5 feet deep. Models with a smaller footprint tend to be underpowered and usually don’t perform as well in our tests.
Microwaves from Breville, Daewoo, Hamilton Beach, Proctor Silex, and Sunbeam stood out as the most reliable brands; all five earned an Excellent rating. Eight of the 38 brands covered in our survey earned a Very Good rating.
Of the five most reliable brands, only Breville earned an Excellent rating for owner satisfaction. Panasonic, which earned a Very Good rating for reliability, also received a Very Good rating for owner satisfaction.
Five brands of countertop microwaves—Café, Electrolux, Ikea, KitchenAid, and Whirlpool—received a Fair rating for predicted reliability and as a result aren’t eligible to be chosen for our recommended list.
Panasonic NN-SE785S
In addition to its cooking prowess, the large Panasonic NN-SE785S comes from a brand that our readers rated Very Good for both reliability and satisfaction. This machine’s heating evenness and speed of heating are superb, and it defrosts very well, earning a Very Good rating in that test. The controls are self-explanatory, and the microwave operates relatively quietly. It comes equipped with a sensor, which takes the guesswork out of cooking. Panasonic countertop microwaves garnered a Very Good rating for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction in our member surveys.
Most Common Countertop Microwave Flaws
Complaints about countertop microwaves are similar to those about OTRs. Failure to heat food evenly and excessive noise top the list. Noise affects 6 percent of the countertop microwaves owned by our members, and failure to heat evenly affects 5 percent.
The next most common complaints are control panels that break and models that are slow to heat up food or liquids—or both. But overall, these problems plagued only 2 to 3 percent of the countertop microwaves in our survey. Broken door locks, turntables, and interior lights drew complaints to a lesser extent.
Here are the brands highlighted in our survey for being more likely than usual to have specific problems:
Amazon Basics, Galanz, Insignia, and Mainstays for being slow to heat up food.
Sunbeam for heating food unevenly.
KitchenAid and Whirlpool for doors that don’t close as they should.
Jenn-Air for broken control panels and turntables.
Reliability, ease of using controls, how well it heats food, and appearance were the strongest predictors of overall satisfaction with countertop machines.
As a group, countertop microwaves tend to be a bit noisier than over-the-range models, although in our microwave tests, none earn a Poor rating.
What's Next for Countertop Owners?
As with OTRs, consumers are looking for reliability, good performance, and ease of use in their next microwave. Energy efficiency, a reasonable price, and oven capacity are also important factors that affect purchasing decisions. Considerations lower on the list were recyclability, sticking with their current brand, and special features.
Making Your Appliances Shine
You might not be able to control all the messes in your kitchen, but Consumer Reports expert Sara Morrow reveals some simple steps for getting your microwave oven sparkling clean.
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