Best Compact Microwaves of 2026

The Comfee makes the strongest case for a 0.7-cu.-ft. microwave. The 10-inch turntable is the detail that matters: it takes a standard dinner plate, which is not a given in this size class, and the 17.3-inch width slips into the sort of counter slot that makes full-size models feel impossible. The 12.99-inch depth helps too, especially on a short counter.

We think it is the budget pick for good reason. Sound-off and eco modes are genuinely useful in a dorm or office, and the one-touch buttons plus two defrost settings keep the daily reheat simple. The catch is heating speed: 700 watts is fine for coffee and leftovers, but a cold block of food takes patience, and the results can be uneven enough to need a stir. The keypad also carries more pre-programmed choices than most people will use, though the everyday buttons are right up front.

For a first apartment, a dorm, or a desk-side lunch station, the trade is easy to accept. The sound-off mode alone makes it a better office microwave than most of the 700-watt crowd, and the 10-inch turntable means you are not eating off a saucer. The enameled interior wipes down without fuss, which matters in a shared kitchen. It is not the machine for a family that cooks from frozen every night.

Black+Decker's compact model is the plainest microwave here, and that is the point. The push-button door release is a small thing that makes a wet-hands kitchen feel less fiddly, and the large LED display is readable without leaning in. It is the one we hand to someone who wants to press a number and walk away.

The 0.7-cu.-ft. body and 10-inch turntable put it in the same tight-counter league as the Comfee, and the six presets cover popcorn, potato, pizza, frozen vegetables, beverage, and dinner plate. Ten power levels give you more control than the five-level retro models, though the keypad is not the most sensitive we used. The removable glass turntable lifts out for cleaning, and the interior light is bright enough to check progress.

What we like most is the simplicity: a mug of coffee, a plate of leftovers, a bag of popcorn. The push-button door is easy to work with one hand, and the six presets cover the usual suspects. It is not a precision cooker, but it is the no-drama choice for basic reheating in a dorm or office.

The Farberware is the compact microwave we choose when the appliance is going to sit in plain sight. The stainless front looks more expensive than the price tier suggests, and the 10.6-inch turntable is larger than most 0.7-cu.-ft. models, so a dinner plate has room to turn without scraping. The 17.3-inch width is still compact enough for a small kitchen.

We like the cooking flexibility too: ten power levels, multi-stage cooking, six one-touch presets, and defrost by weight or time. Multi-stage is the sleeper feature — you can set a lower power first and then finish at full power without standing there to change it. The LED display and kitchen timer are easy to read from across the counter.

The stainless look is the reason to pick it, and the finish is the one thing the Comfee cannot match. If the microwave is going to sit in plain sight, that matters. Keep the one-year warranty handy, and treat the keypad gently; the cover can bubble over time.

The Nostalgia is a microwave for people who have already decided the counter should look a certain way. The aqua cabinet and chrome trim are the whole pitch, and the 0.7-cu.-ft. body is small enough for an apartment kitchen or a break room that needs a little personality. We like that it does not pretend to be a hidden appliance.

Under the retro shell, it is a 700-watt microwave with five power levels and twelve pre-programmed settings. The dial-and-button controls are easy enough to learn, and the 12.5-inch depth is one of the shallower footprints here, which helps on a narrow counter. It heats leftovers and coffee without drama, but it is not the machine for a frozen block of chili.

The compromises are real: heating is uneven enough that stirring matters, and the turntable can be noisy. Still, if the look is the reason you are buying, this is the one that delivers it without asking you to give up basic one-touch cooking. The easy-clean interior is a practical bonus under the retro shell.

The Chefman has two features we wish more compact microwaves copied: a mute button and a handle door with a child lock. In a shared kitchen or a late-night apartment, silence is not a gimmick; it is the difference between reheating soup and waking the house. The handle also gives you something solid to grab instead of a push-button release.

It is a 0.7-cu.-ft., 700-watt machine with ten power levels and six presets, so the cooking job is familiar. The 17.52-inch width and 12.93-inch depth are compact, and the stainless interior wipes down easily. The handle-mounted child lock is easy to engage, but it takes a deliberate pull to open the door, which is the point. The six presets cover popcorn, pizza, beverages, veggies, potatoes, and leftovers, which is a useful mix for a small kitchen.

For an office, a guest suite, or a single person who mainly reheats, the mute and handle-door design earn the space. The one-year warranty is the backstop, and the compact body fits on a desk-side cart. The black finish is plain enough to disappear on a dark counter.

The Emerson is the no-frills option: a 0.7-cu.-ft., 700-watt box with a 99-minute, 99-second timer and six presets. The timer is the detail that stands out, because it is easier to read at a glance than the cramped displays on some budget models, and the keypad is simple enough for someone who does not want a manual. The 99-minute timer also gives you room for a slow defrost or a long reheat.

We see it as a spare-room, office, or rental microwave rather than the main appliance in a serious kitchen. The 10-inch turntable handles a plate, and the express cooking function is quick to learn. It is the sort of machine you can hand to a housesitter without a tutorial.

The build is simple rather than plush, and the one-year limited warranty is the cushion. If the microwave is going to be used hard every day, spend more; if it is for a lunchroom or a guest space, the simple controls make sense. The black exterior is easy to wipe, and the six presets cover the usual reheat jobs.

We also appreciate that it does not overcomplicate the basics. There are no smart features to troubleshoot and no learning curve for a housesitter. That is a modest virtue, but in a second microwave, it is the right one.