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Bosch Review

Thursday, January 23rd

2025 Microwave Oven Reviews

Bosch Review 2 Star Rating

Bosch

2 Star Rating
  • 4 categories of microwave ovens
  • Unfiltered customer reviews
  • "A” Better Business Bureau rating

Bosch (also known as Robert Bosch GbmH) is a German engineering and technology company that was founded in 1886. The company's operations are spread across four main sectors including consumer goods (household appliances and power tools), mobility (software and hardware), industrial technology (drive and control), and energy and building technology. A fun fact about Bosch is that they're the largest automotive supplier in the world. They're most commonly known for their kitchen appliances like mixers, refrigerators, dishwashers, and of course, microwave ovens.

4 main categories

There are four main categories of microwave ovens distributed by the Bosch brand. They include speed ovens, built-in microwaves, over-the-range microwaves, and drawer microwaves. If you're unsure of the main differences among these types of microwaves, Bosch gives a quick overview of each of them for you to distinguish them from one another. Built-in microwaves are designed to match the wall ovens sold by Bosch and they're quite a bit bigger than standard over-the-range microwaves that have basic cooking and ventilation technology. Drawer microwaves can be disguised under counters to be flush with cabinets and reheat something as large as a 9x13 baking dish. Speed ovens combine the perks of a standard microwave with cooking modes like convection bake and broil.

Few models listed online

Although Bosch is a well-known brand and they have many models of their products, their website highlights very few of them. For example, they only have 5 over-the-range microwaves you can view, 2 drawer microwaves, 2 built-in microwaves, and 6 speed ovens. You can check a box and quickly compare different models that you're interested in (not that this is totally necessary with such a small selection).

Best Microwave Ovens

Not the cheapest choice

If you're shopping at Bosch for a microwave oven, plan to spend a bit more than you might somewhere else. For example, their speed microwaves start at $1,949 and go up to $2,599. Built-in microwaves are $1,449, over-the-range models start at $599, and drawer microwaves are listed at $2,049. Usually, these prices reflect the technology that goes into these products, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. But if you need a quick replacement for a basic microwave, you'll definitely overspend here.

Plenty of detail

For any given product you can view photos of the inside and outside of the microwave, what it looks like after installation, and review all the dimensions to make sure it would fit properly. You will see the cavity capacity, microwave modes and power, number of power levels, and more. You can read the whole user manual, product specification sheet, and CAD file. We like the product listings here and see nothing that would make the information confusing for customers.

Register through Bosch

Bosch will provide a recommended retail price to give you an idea of how much you might spend on a particular microwave oven. To purchase the microwave, you can use their "local dealer” function and see what stores carry it and then compare pricing this way. After you purchase a Bosch microwave from a third-party retailer, you can go back to Bosch's website to register your microwave, review the warranty (usually 1 year limited warranty), find a servicer, and review FAQ and cleaning tips.

Best Microwave Ovens

Mixed BBB ratings

Bosch has two pretty opposite listings with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). As a whole, Robert Bosch LLC has an "A” rating without too many reviews of complaints on the profile . However, BSH Home Appliances Corporation (that takes you to Bosch's website) has a "D-” rating because of a pattern of complaints where customers allege that there are delays in repairs and replacement of their defective appliances. People say technicians cancel appointments or do not fully complete repairs even when they are under warranty. Bosch has failed to respond to the BBB when they have reached out for a response about this issue.

Poor customer reviews

Customers can leave reviews about the microwave ovens on Bosch's website. Some of them have a few hundred, so this is really helpful. We noticed that most of them only have around a 3.5 out of 5 star rating, which isn't super high, so we recommend reading through exactly why people give these microwave ovens the ratings they do. On third-party sites, Bosch has pretty poor ratings overall (relating to a variety of products they sell) mostly regarding warranty issues and problems dealing with customer service.

Underwhelmed

We didn't see a lot of options from Bosch as far as the microwave ovens they have available. All of them are stainless steel, so this is already limiting for people looking for other options. Their customer reviews aren't great and neither is their Better Business Bureau rating, so we can't come up with a good reason to give this company one of our highest ratings.

Which Microwave Oven Brand is the Best?

More than likely you moved into your home and a microwave oven was already there, ready for you to use at your convenience. We rarely think twice about these powerful little appliances that allow us to nuke a hot pocket, reheat last night's takeout, and quickly appease a child's demands for chicken nuggets. If yours suddenly breaks and you find yourself in the market for a replacement, you'll quickly realize just how much you depended on your microwave. Can you even live without one?

You may not have paid much attention to it before, but there are actually quite a few different designs for microwaves. Do you want stainless steel? Black? White? Red? Most people choose to match the color and design of their microwave to their oven and refrigerator, but you could always switch things up for a more modern style you like better.

The Best Microwave Ovens Compare Microwave Ovens Compare Microwave Oven Reviews What are the best Microwave Ovens Best Microwave Oven Reviews

Microwave Oven FAQ

It sounds really sci-fi, but microwave ovens use electromagnetic radiation to make the water molecules in your food vibrate. That's what generates the heat that cooks it. There's a vacuum tube in your microwave that creates the waves that are reflected off the inside, passing through paper, plastic, glass and other materials while being absorbed by the food. But don't worry: this kind of radiation is different from x-rays and other types of radiation, and it won't hurt you.
Yes, when used properly, they're no more dangerous than your stovetop or oven. You're more likely to be injured by picking up a hot container or overheated food than from any radiation leakage - mostly because these ovens are highly regulated by the FDA to prevent such leaks. As long as you follow the manufacturer's instructions for use, cook with microwave-safe containers, avoid super-heated water, check the seals from time to time, and make sure your microwave isn't running with the door open, you should be perfectly safe.
Great question. If you've ever forgotten and left a spoon in your dish when you put it in the microwave, you've probably seen the little lightning bolts inside. Oops! The short answer is that metals are much denser, so as they heat up there's no way to release steam (or anything else). Plus, if the metal object is pointy, the electrons can gather at the edges and create an arc between it and the electromagnetic transmitter inside the oven. You're not going to cause a house fire, but you could ruin a perfectly good microwave!
According to The Food Network, you should avoid cooking several things in your microwave oven. Eggs and uncovered pasta sauces can explode all over the inside. Microwaving broccoli can destroy its nutrients. Raw hot peppers can emit dangerous fumes from the capsaicin vaporizing at high temperatures. But, believe it or not, the biggest one to avoid is water: microwaving it can bring it to extremely high temperatures without it boiling, which can cause severe burns if it explodes or splatters.
The price range for microwaves may surprise you. You could get a small model perfect for a dorm room for about $50. Typical countertop microwave ovens are usually priced between $100 and $300. Many homes use over-the-range models; depending on the size, brand, features and whether or not it's designed to be built into the wall or the cabinetry, you could pay as little as $200 or over $1,000.
On average, microwave ovens last about seven years. Some older models have been known to keep on cooking for up to 20 years, but that's the exception. If your household uses the microwave on the regular for defrosting food, heating up snacks, and so on, yours may only last 4-5 years. You may want to consider an extended warranty on your appliance if you've got a large household.
Because shopping at an appliance store in your pajamas in the middle of the night is frowned upon? All jokes aside, shopping for your microwave online helps you make the best purchase: you can narrow down what features you need, which brands are the most reliable, and find the best match at a price you like, all with no pressure from salespeople and at no risk of making an impulse buy just because something was available at the store.
That depends on what you mean by "size”. If you're looking just at its physical dimensions, a microwave oven is measured by the internal measurements, described in cubic feet. The width is usually intended to line up with a cabinet's: 24”, 27”, or 30”. The height is usually between 17”-22”, and the depth goes from 20” to 25” on most models. However, you might be thinking of the microwave's power, measured in watts. The higher the wattage, the more your food will cook quickly and evenly.
Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

Many homes have a place built into the wall specifically for a microwave so that they don't stand out or take up counter space like they used to. Still, microwaves differ a bit in which features they come with and their size. Most over-the-range ovens are around 30”, open from the side, and have basic heating functionality.

More advanced microwaves act more like an oven with pull-down doors and convection technology that allow you to make things like cookies or rolls within minutes. Some even let you air fry, allowing you to have lots of important cooking functions without needing multiple appliances to get the job done.

Most microwave oven brands all get their microwaves from the same manufacturer, so rather than focusing or worrying too much about which brand provides the best quality, you'll want to pay attention to the designs offered, selection, prices (and how often they run sales), warranty, policies, and feedback about customer service. More specifically, here are some things we recommend paying close attention to when you're browsing all the different companies you might choose to buy your microwave oven from:

  • Selection. Does the company have all types of microwaves for you to choose from? Are there a range of styles, colors, sizes, and features for you to browse? Find a website that allows you to easily narrow down the inventory by your preferred criteria so you know how many options you have to work with. You should easily be able to measure your space and know what type and size of microwave will fit in your home or office.
  • Features. Are you someone who just needs to be able to melt butter or reheat food for a minute or two? If so, you probably don't need anything fancy. However, you may be surprised to find that there are more ways to take advantage of your microwave than you're using. Some models have voice control, air frying capabilities, convection baking, and more. In case these would be of use to you, be sure to carefully read through the product description to see what each microwave oven is capable of.
  • Reputation. It's one thing to find a microwave oven that looks and functions exactly the way you want it to, but it's another to be able to deal with a company that meets your every need. What do other customers have to say about the reliability of the company's shipping speeds? How about how quickly they respond to customer queries? What rating do they receive from the Better Business Bureau? If you have issues at any time during the buying process, it's imperative that you are working with a company who will quickly resolve them.

The experts at Top Consumer Reviews have researched the most important things you'd need to know about choosing a microwave oven. We hope this helps you find a microwave that makes cooking food a breeze and lasts for years to come.

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