Tested
MEALS IN MINUTES

6 best cheap microwaves: supercharge your meals under £100

All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue.

MICROWAVES are a kitchen essential. Whether you’re reheating last night’s dinner, defrosting a chicken breast or warming your child some milk, the convenience has long been a lifeline.

The market is huge and so are the options available. But not everyone needs multiple cooking processes and a large capacity. Many of us are simply looking for an affordable and reliable option.

There are many models that offer this. The simplest have just a selection of power settings and timer, while others offer a little more functionality, with auto-programs and additional features, such as a grill setting.

We’ve tested some of the best in the market to help you make the right choice to meet your needs.

Best microwaves (under £100) at a glance

  • Best overall: Panasonic NN-E27JWMBPQ
  • Best for capacity:
  • Best design:
  • Best value:
  • Best for simplicity:
  • Best for compact:

Panasonic NN-E27JWMBPQ freestanding compact microwave

Pros: Auto-programs

Cons: None

Rating: 5/5

This Panasonic microwave has great functionality, with a range of auto programs and shortcuts.  

At 800W it’s the most powerful microwave I’ve tested, making it a great choice if you’re looking to prepare a meal in minutes.

The 20l capacity is spacious, and the 25cm turntable diameter will easily fit the average dinner plate.

The shortcuts include a button to initiate a quick, 30 second cook. It also has auto-defrost, reheat and cook modes allowing you to cook a jacket potato, defrost bread or reheat last night’s curry at the touch of a button.

I used these to defrost bread and cook some green beans and they worked perfectly.

 If you’re setting your cook time manually there are five power settings to choose from and you can set your time down to 10 seconds.

Overall, it’s a great value microwave with impressive functionality.

Power: 800W, Capacity: 20l; Turntable diameter: 25cm

Daewoo 20L 700W Microwave and Grill

Pros: Generous capacity, auto-programs

Cons: Not as simple as other models

Rating: 4.5/5

With a 20L capacity this is one of the larger microwaves we’ve tested.

It has auto-programs, which allow you to cook items such as pizza, potatoes and pasta at the click of a button (or three buttons, to be precise!).

The microwave is powered by 700W, but also has an 800W grill. It also has shortcut functions to defrost and reheat, which both worked really well.

It’s not the simplest microwave to use, but it has greater functionality than most others we’ve tested.

The power can be set to the required level from five choices at the click of a few buttons and the timer is easy to set, with the option to add 30 additional seconds at the press of the button.

Usefully, it also has a child lock setting to prevent small hands interfering with your meal.

Power: 700W, Size: H 28.5 x W48.8 x D36cm; Weight: 12.5kg

Russell Hobbs Groove Compact Manual Microwave

Pros: Simple to use, stylish

Cons: No auto-programs, timer cannot be set below two minutes

Rating: 4.5/5

Russell Hobbs' groove compact microwave is a simple, stylish appliance with gold accents that will make a bold statement in your kitchen.

The 700W microwave has limited functionality but is very simple to use, just select one of the five power levels and turn the dial to set the time.

There are no whistles and bells, such as auto-cook settings, and frustratingly the timer can’t be set below two minutes, so you do need to remain microwave-side for quick jobs.

It has a 17l capacity and 24.5cm turntable, which will easily fit a dinner plate. It is also very easy to clean and the glass plate is dishwasher safe.

Overall it’s a good option if you’re looking for a simple, functional microwave.

Power: 700W; Capacity: 17l; Plate capacity size: 26.6cm; Weight

READ MORE:

Sharp YC-GS01U-B 700W 20L Solo Microwave Oven

Pros: Very simple to use

Cons: No auto-programs

Rating: 4/5

This Sharp microwave is simple to use with a sleek design that will fit well into any kitchen.

The controls are limited but effective; just select your power setting from low, defrost, mid-low, medium, mid-high and high, and set the timer.

It doesn’t have any auto-cook functions but works well for simple jobs.  

Like the other microwaves tested it is powered by 700W. I used it to reheat and defrost meals, which it did quickly.

The 20l capacity is easily big enough for a standard dinner plate.

The microwave is really easy to clean and at under £60 is great value for a simple but reliable option.

Power: 700W; Capacity: 20l; Dimensions: H:26.2 x W:45.2 x D:34.5cm Weight: 10.7kg

Cookworks 700W Standard Microwave MM7

Pros: Very simple to use

Cons: No auto-programs

Rating: 3/5

This Cookworks model is the most affordable microwave we’ve tested.

It’s very simple to set up and like other models in this category has six power settings to select from and a simple timer dial.

The dials may not be as smooth to turn as more expensive options, but this microwave works really well and the non-descript black design will easily fit into any kitchen.

At 700W the power output is up to a range of jobs, and the functionality includes a defrost option, with the timer usefully including weight indications.

The interior capacity is 17l, with a 24.5cm turntable diameter, big enough for an average-sized dinner plate. 

Size: H24.3, W44.6, D33.6cm; Weight: 9.4kg; Capacity: 17l; Turntable diameter: 24.5cm

Currys Essentials CMB21 compact solo microwave

Pros: Very simple to use

Cons: Limited capacity, no auto-programs

Rating: 3/5

Currys Essentials compact microwave is a great, affordable option if you’re lacking in space.

With a 15-litre capacity it is the smallest of the microwaves I’ve tested, but big enough for an average-size dinner plate.

It has a maximum power of 700W with six settings to choose from, including defrost.

It’s very simple to use, just plug in and insert the glass plate to get started. Then select your power setting and use the timing dial to set your time. The timing dial also has a useful weight guide to help set defrost timings.

This isn’t the most stylish option I’ve looked at and it’s construction and useability do feel relatively basic, but given the price it’s great value and the simple black design will fit easily into any kitchen.

Power: 700W; Capacity: 15l; Turntable diameter: 24.5cm; Dimensions: 24.3 x 44.3 x 34cm

How we tested these products

I used all microwaves to heat milk, defrost ingredients and reheat a meal. I considered the performance, speed of reheating, ease of use, capacity, size and design as well as general functionality.

Where to buy these items

Topics
You might likemachibet777.com