Best Microwave 2024 Wirecutter. For a dependable, versatile, and affordable cleaner, we prefer a bagless upright, but we have. The best microwave ovens to buy for your countertop or for small spaces, perfect for defrosting and popping popcorn, and some microwave air fryer combos too.

We tested and reviewed 21 countertop microwaves from breville, magic chef, panasonic, and toshiba to find the best models. We focus our testing on models with a claimed capacity of 1 cubic foot.