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Tuesday, May 30th
Maytag is small but mighty when it comes to microwaves: there are less than a dozen options, but almost all of them score high in customer ratings. You won't find anything overly high-tech here, but you won't overspend on your purchase either. This could be a good brand to keep in reserve if you don't find what you need from a microwave maker with a broader selection.
Frigidaire isn't just for keeping your food cold. The brand has a selection of approximately 19 different microwave ovens too, ranging from just-the-basics of heating and reheating to fully-featured convection models that can grill meat and cook a frozen pizza. These microwave ovens tend to get good feedback from customers, but with warranty protection limited to just a year, Frigidaire doesn't stand out among the crowd.
For most of us, it's hard to imagine a kitchen without a microwave. Who heats up water for cocoa on the stove or reheats an entire meal in the oven anymore? A novelty in most homes in the 1980s, these appliances have become so common that it takes you aback when you don't see one in the kitchen - or even at the office.
Microwave oven styles have come a long way from the bulky countertop appliances of the past. Yes, you can still get models like that - after all, a dorm room isn't going to have a place to install a microwave - but the majority of kitchens now include a ready-made space under the cabinets or over the range just for a microwave. Today's more modern homes may incorporate microwave ovens as built-ins that match the oven and the refrigerator with pull-down doors, or even as a pull-out drawer in a kitchen island.
While some people have held onto concerns that microwave ovens might be unsafe because of the way they cook food, those fears are unfounded. Manufacturers go to great lengths to make sure that the biggest risk of using a microwave oven is when people eat their food before it cools off a bit (we've all done that breathy-mouth-thing when we just couldn't wait for that delicious snack to be ready - and regretted it for days afterwards).
Not only have microwave designs expanded, but their capabilities have grown too. Convection for faster cooking, air fryer functions, and voice controls are just a few features that may "wow" you, especially if you're replacing a trusty old model that finally gave up the ghost after a decade or more of faithful food-cooking service in your home.
With so many options, where do you start? Walk yourself through this checklist as you figure out which microwave oven and brand are right for you:
TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the most popular brands of microwave ovens on the market today. We hope this information helps you choose the right model for your kitchen!
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