Although air fryers may have taken over as the kitchen gadget of choice, there’s still a place for the humble microwave on most kitchen counters. From reheating leftovers and defrosting food to cooking meals in minutes and reviving a forgotten cup of tea, the best microwaves remain a quick and convenient kitchen essential.

With kitchen counter space often at a premium, it’s worth choosing a microwave that suits your needs. Whether you want something simple and affordable, a sleek model that complements your kitchen or a more advanced multi-tasker, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Although some lesser-known brands, such as Vonshef, performed well in my tests, it was Samsung’s mighty solo microwave (£94.99, Currys.co.uk) that came out on top. It’s a straightforward model that ticked the most boxes overall, offering a winning combination of price, performance and ease of use.

I’ve tested the best microwaves on the market to help you find the right model for your kitchen and budget. Keep reading for my top picks.

Read more: Best slow cookers, tested

The best microwaves for 2026 are:

  • Best overall– Samsung solo microwave: £94.99, Currys.co.uk
  • Best budget buy– Salter Toronto microwave: £79.99, Salter.com
  • Best for large families– Panasonic 4-in-1 air fry combi microwave oven: £379, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best for healthy frying– LG neochef MH6565CPS compact microwave with grill: £179, Currys.co.uk
  • Best combi– Salter duowave air fryer EK5817 combination microwave: £184, Currys.co.uk

Read more: Best dual air fryers, tested

  • Bestmicrowave overall
  • Capacity23L
  • Power800W
  • Dimensions27.5cm x 48.9cm x 37.4cm
  • Why we love it- Ceramic interior is easy to clean
  • Very simple to use

  • Melting and softening functions are useful

  • Take note- Door is too opaque to see inside

The best microwave overall and a fantastic bargain buy, the Samsung solo is compact, easy to use and very effective for its size and price. Equally good at cooking baked potatoes, defrosting meat and heating food, it’s a great all-rounder.

There are a generous 20 pre-sets for items such as ready meals, vegetables and fish, five quick-defrost programs, and five for effectively softening and melting butter and chocolate, which is unusual (and handy) for a microwave in this price range.

Although the auto-defrost setting doesn’t require you to input the weight of your food, it still defrosts impressively evenly and quickly. Then, when it comes to cleaning, the ceramic interior is simple to wipe down.

There are a few minor issues – mainly that the dial that goes up in five-second increments, which can get annoying if you’re setting a long cooking time. It’s also not the easiest to see inside while food is cooking. However these don’t take away from the fact that the Samsung solo microwave is a delight to use. And, for less than £100, it’s a bargain to boot.

  • Bestbudget microwave
  • Capacity20L
  • Power800W
  • Dimensions25.9cm x 44cm x 33.5cm
  • Why we love it- Looks stylish
  • Quiet

  • Compact

  • Take note- Presets aren’t labelled on the microwave itself

  • Not as intuitive to use as other microwaves

Although the Salter Toronto microwave is small, it’s relatively mighty for the price. As well as looking the part, with a stylish wooden handle and matching items, including storage jars (£24.99, Salter.com), available in the range, it gets the job done as the best budget microwave.

There are eight auto cooking presets, which include meat, potatoes and pizza, but these aren’t listed on the microwave itself. The dial and buttons are also labelled with symbols rather than words, making using this model less intuitive than some of the other microwaves I tested.

The Salter Toronto cooks and defrosts effectively, although I had to adjust the time on some of the presets. For example, the potato setting only went up in 200g increments, so I had to add a little extra time. But that's a small issue for such a solid performer.

Luckily, the manual is easy to navigate, with clear, simple instructions, so it won’t take you long to get used to the various functions. It’s also surprisingly quiet, making it ideal for those who prefer their microwaves to be the strong, silent type.

  • Bestmicrowave for large families
  • Capacity34L
  • Power1,000W microwave / 1,300W grill
  • Dimensions34.3cm x 56cm x 45cm
  • Why we love it- It’s an efficient multi-tasker

  • A built-in sensor calculates cooking times for you

  • Take note- The manual is online-only

  • Heavy, with a large footprint
  • Pricey compared to others

Although the Panasonic air fry combi microwave oven is pricey, it offers plenty of extras that make your investment worthwhile. With functions that include air frying, convection cooking, grilling and microwaving, and a generous 34l capacity, this is the best microwaves for large families who are looking for one machine to take care of most of their cooking.

The main downside of this machine is the manual, which is only available online – and at 131 pages, it’s relatively tricky to navigate, especially if you’re reading it on your phone. On the plus side, the large display panel walks you through the cooking process as you go, so you don’t need the manual for everything. It’s also quite pricey but it does forgo the need to buy an air fryer, which can cost hundreds.

Once you’ve worked out how to use your desired function, the Panasonic combi microwave oven performs well, whether you’re cooking a potato, grilling toast or reheating leftovers. One-push reheating is another welcome feature, and when you’re inputting the weight of your food, 10g increments allow you to cook both large and small items.

  • Bestcombi microwave
  • Capacity26L
  • Power900W / 1,500W
  • Dimensions30cm x 52.3cm x 44.9cm
  • Why we love it- Easy to operate
  • Two programmes can run consecutively

  • Excellent air fry setting

  • Take note- Presets aren’t labelled on the microwave itself

  • Fairly bulky

Despite being an effective multi-tasker, the instruction booklet for this Salter combi microwave, air fryer and convection oven gets straight to the point, while clearly labelled dials and buttons make the basics straightforward to use.

The duowave makes easy work of cooking a wide range of dishes, from joints of meat to frozen chicken nuggets – then keeping them warm if you’re waiting for your herd to arrive at the dinner table.

Two programmes can run consecutively, which is handy if you want to cook a meal that needs defrosting first, and there are 10 automatic programs for cooking dishes, including pizza, potatoes, and vegetables to perfection.

I found the air fryer setting performed just as well as a standalone model, so you can safely do away with having two machines on your counter. Its 26l capacity is roomy enough to cook even a roast chicken, but that does mean its fairly bulky compared to other microwaves.

  • Bestmicrowave for versatile settings
  • Capacity25L
  • Power300W-1000W
  • Dimensions27.2cm x 47.6cm x 38.7cm
  • Why we love it- Looks great

  • Unique healthy fry feature

  • Take note- Exterior gets quite hot in roasting mode

  • Grill is small and slow

The first thing I noticed about LG neochef microwave was its style: unusually, the controls are set into the door, which opens at the side, and the dial can be pushed in for a sleek, modern look.

But its beauty isn’t only skin deep: it feels solidly made, and is a winner performance-wise, too. Featuring a grill, microwave and ‘healthy fry’ feature, it cooks well in every mode – although the grill is quite small, making it slower than those in other combi microwaves I tested. At the end of cooking, the microwave plays a tune that can’t be turned off, which could get irritating, although it’s mercifully short.

More unusual (and useful) settings include yogurt proofing and ice cream softening, while an inverter mode promises – and delivers – even cooking and reheating. Add a 30-second quick-start mode, an antibacterial ‘easyclean’ coating and an effective interior light, and you’ve got a model that’s a pleasure to use.

  • Bestmicrowave for precise cooking
  • Capacity20L
  • Power800W
  • Dimensions26.2cm x 45.2cm x 35cm
  • Why we love it- Stylish design
  • Intuitive to use

  • Wide range of power levels and cooking times to choose from

  • Take note- Turntable is small

  • Instructions aren’t always clear

Unlike most of the other microwaves I tested, the Morphy Richards cassini is available in colours other than black, white or silver. Blue and green models are available, plus matching toaster (£69.99, Amazon.co.uk) and jug kettle (£59.99, Amazon.co.uk), making this a nice choice if you like your kitchen appliances to have a splash of colour.

Although the instruction manual wasn’t the clearest, the microwave was intuitive to use, with clearly labelled dial and buttons. It cooked a baked potato, reheated leftovers and defrosted meat with aplomb, and I liked that the quickstart button gives you 30 seconds on the timer, unlike many models, which start at one minute.

If you choose not to use one of the five auto settings on offer, there are 11 power levels to choose from, and cooking times that can be adjusted from 10 seconds all the way up to 95 minutes, making it more versatile than most. Although its compact size means you can’t fit very large plates inside.

  • Bestcompact microwave
  • Capacity20L
  • Power800W
  • Dimensions25.7cm x 45.1cm x 34.2cm
  • Why we love it- Easy to use
  • Looks the part

  • Two programmes can run consecutively

  • Take note- Outside can be tricky to clean

Small can be beautiful, as proved by my pick for the best compact microwave, the Swan nordic. Compact enough to fit a small space on your countertop yet large enough to hold a dinner plate (plus plate cover), it’s an effective performer when it comes to cooking, reheating and defrosting.

Although it’s intuitive to use, with handy features including a 60-second quick-start mode, there are also six presets to help you cook items such as popcorn, pizza and potatoes – although the potato setting is only suitable for potato strips rather than the usual whole baked potato. Multi-sequence cooking is also available, so you can (for example) defrost then cook items in one go.

The matte exterior and wood trimmings make this a stylish, retro-style addition to your kitchen. But do be aware that the matte finish can attract grease and be hard to shift when cleaning the outside.

  • Besteasy-to-use microwave
  • Capacity20L
  • Power700W
  • Dimensions25cm x 44.5cm x 35.5cm
  • Why we love it- Easy to operate

  • Compact

  • Take note- Wattage is low, so cooking can take longer

  • No quick-start button

The Vonshef fika microwave is a stylish little cream and wood number that gets back to basics. It’s ideal for anyone looking for a no-frills microwave that gets the job done without any hassle.

Two chunky dials do all the work, with six power settings (including defrost) and a timer that goes up to 30 minutes. Although the Vonshef is compact, the interior fits a 27cm dinner plate, making it great for reheating leftovers and cooking ready meals.

Thanks to its simplicity, you won’t find features that usually come as standard, such as a quick-start button or an alert to tell you when to turn over items you’re defrosting. At 700W, it’s also a little slower than other microwaves.

But if you’re looking for something super easy to use, this microwave does exactly what it says on the tin – plus it’s one of the cheapest models I tested.