5 Best Stainless Steel Microwave for Your Kitchen

The microwave oven is often considered to be one of the greatest technological marvels of this age. It’s convenient, simple, and efficient in delivering its purpose making it a must-have in every home.

The variety in terms of power, functions, technological innovations, and materials make the microwave more flexible and reliable. Nonetheless, and without a doubt, the stainless steel variety is among the most reliable.

As such, you should take a look at these five stainless steel microwaves that are featured here to see exactly what they can offer. They promise fantastic value for money in terms of the convenience and efficiency they can give.

Best Stainless Steel Microwave Comparison & Rating

Want to Learn More?

Before you decide which stainless steel microwave to buy, you might want to find out more about the best options available. This is to make sure that you will absolutely enjoy the stainless steel microwave that you would get for your kitchen. Also, be sure to click the yellow buttons below to see their best deals on Amazon! With that, here are five of the best options that we rounded up especially for you.

Toshiba ML-EC42P(BS) Microwave Oven

Toshiba ML-EC42P(BS) Microwave Oven with Healthy Air Fry, Smart Sensor, Easy-to-Clean Interior and ECO Mode, 1.5 Cu.ft, Black Stainless Steel
Specifications

Dimensions

21.77 x 21.5 x 12.99 inches

Weight

53.5 pounds

Color

Black Stainless Steel

Wattage

1000W

Rating: 96% Overall
95%
power
98%
versatility
96%
features
94%
efficiency
Pros
  • Features a stainless steel finish with easy to clean stainless steel interior.
  • Produces healthy fried food without deep frying.
  • Comes with a smart humidity sensor to detect popular ingredients like potatoes.
  • Features a LED cavity light and energy-saving ECO mode.
  • Sports a bright digital display, an easy-to-read control panel, and speedy cooking.
  • This is a powerful microwave at 1000W.
  • Comes with a child safety lock, a digital clock, and a kitchen timer.
  • Offers 10 power settings for flexibility.
Cons
  • The surface easily conducts heat. With this, it is advisable to place it in an area in your kitchen with a wide space.
  • Difficult to find replacement parts.
  • The turntable occasionally produces screeching noises.
Verdict

This is a nice, standard stainless steel microwave oven. It has all of the most common bells and whistles such as the cooking preset for easy cooking. You can reheat, air fry, roast, bake, and so much more with this machine. It is also built with tough stainless steel, so it is going to be functional for a long time. At 1.5 cubic-feet, the capacity is quite huge as well.


Toshiba EM131A5C-SS Microwave Oven with Smart Sensor

Toshiba EM131A5C-SS Microwave Oven with Smart Sensor, Easy Clean Interior, ECO Mode and Sound On/Off, 1.2 Cu.ft, Stainless Steel
Specifications

Dimensions

20.5 x 17.1 x 12.8 inches

Weight

34.6 pounds

Color

Stainless Steel

Wattage

1100W

Rating: 95% Overall
98%
power
94%
versatility
93%
features
94%
efficiency
Pros
  • Features a pre-programmed sensor menu for optimum heating.
  • Perfect for food items like pizza, potatoes, and vegetables.
  • Comes with two settings for defrosting food.
  • Features a power-saving eco-mode for efficient cooking.
  • Includes a sound on and off functions, and a child safety lock.
  • The digital display is bright and the control panel is easy to read.
Cons
  • The functions can be too complicated for inexperienced users.
  • It is quite loud when it functions.
  • The custom defrost cycles are way too aggressive.
  • The automatic popcorn setting is about 1 min and 15 seconds which is quite short.
Verdict

For those who like their microwave ovens to make short work of food, this is the one to choose. It is quite powerful and will easily reheat, melt, heat up, or cook anything you want. There are multiple settings to choose from to maximize your cooking too. There’s no need to guess how long popcorn will take to pop, for example. Cleaning the insides of the microwave itself is a breeze.


Panasonic NN-SB438S Compact Microwave Oven

Panasonic NN-SB438S Compact Microwave Oven, 0.9 cft, Black Stainless Steel
Specifications

Dimensions

19.1 x 14.8 x 11.5 inches

Weight

28.2 pounds

Color

Black Stainless Steel

Wattage

900W

Rating: 94% Overall
92%
power
95%
versatility
94%
features
93%
efficiency
Pros
  • Comes with 900W of cooking power.
  • Features seven cooking presets for convenience.
  • Sports 30-second adjustment commands.
  • Compact and easy to carry around.
  • Provides three power options for popping popcorn.
  • Comes with a warmer feature.
Cons
  • The numbers can be quite bright in the dark.
  • Does not come with an indicator that the cycle is finished.
  • It’s too easy to leave fingerprints on the surface.
Verdict

This is quite a powerful microwave oven relative to its compact size. You can place this on any countertop and have plenty of space to spare. This is why it is ideal for small apartments, camper vans, and small offices. It’s quite an efficient microwave either, so it won’t cost too much with regard to power costs. The noise it generates is fairly low, even in enclosed spaces.


BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 Digital Microwave Oven

BLACK+DECKER EM720CB7 Digital Microwave Oven with Turntable Push-Button Door,Child Safety Lock,700W, Stainless Steel, 0.7 Cu.ft
Specifications

Dimensions

19.4 x 15.9 x 12.6 inches

Weight

23.7 pounds

Color

Stainless Steel

Wattage

700W

Rating: 92% Overall
90%
power
91%
versatility
94%
features
92%
efficiency
Pros
  • Works great with popcorn, potato, pizza, frozen vegetable, and beverages.
  • Comes with 10 convenient power settings.
  • The kitchen time and digital clock are huge and easy to see.
  • The control panel is easy to operate and child-safe.
  • Features a push-button release function.
  • Includes a removable glass turntable.
Cons
  • The power is only at 700W.
  • The size and capacity are quite limited.
  • The buttons are hard to be read.
Verdict

Anyone who is looking for a small and compact microwave will love this machine. It can be placed anywhere and you won’t have trouble carrying it around with you. While it’s power is only at 700W, it can still get the job done. You can still cook cup ramen in it, heat up your coffee, and even revitalize your cold meals. You could still nuke a burrito with this microwave, too.


GE Appliances JEM3072SHSS Countertop Microwave Oven

GE Appliances JEM3072SHSS GE 0.7 Cu. Ft. Capacity Countertop Microwave Oven, Stainless Steel
Specifications

Dimensions

17.25 x 13 x 10.13 inches

Weight

19.2 pounds

Color

Stainless Steel

Wattage

700W

Rating: 89% Overall
90%
power
88%
versatility
88%
features
89%
efficiency
Pros
  • Super compact and easy to transport.
  • Features convenient cooking controls.
  • Comes with a simple but elegant design.
  • Great for small homes, apartments, small offices, and more.
  • Gently defrosts frozen food items.
  • The chances of burning food are greatly reduced.
Cons
  • Comes with only the most basic features.
  • The power is a bit low at 700W.
  • Buttons are dark making them hard to see.
  • Produces noise operation which is a bit loud.
Verdict

If you’re not planning on using a microwave oven on a whole turkey, this machine is for you. It’s incredibly convenient and does most things that microwave ovens are needed for. It can still defrost frozen meats, melt butter, reheat or even cook food items, and is perfect for popcorn. The relatively low power is also great for more sensitive ingredients like chocolate. Best of all, this is really easy to clean.

Stainless Steel Microwave Buyer's Guide

size

Microwaves can vary in size, from the monstrously huge ones in large production facilities to ridiculously small ones that could fit in tiny dorms or one-bedroom apartments. Of course, there are plenty to choose from between those two extremes and the important point is to consider what you will use them for.

capacity

Most countertop microwaves that you can get for your home can range between 0.5 cubic-feet to two cubic-feet, which are considered the norm. The former can often be enough to accommodate a 10-inch dinner plate while the latter can naturally hold much bigger containers. There are also more specialized microwave ovens that can be smaller or larger than normal, depending on their intended use.

wattage

The wattage of a microwave will determine how fast, how easily, and how well it can do its job. Generally speaking, the higher the wattage, the faster it can reheat or defrost, for example. As for your options, the typical microwaves that you can find in the market can range from 600 to 1200W. In many cases, they can be more powerful, but those are usually custom-made.

features

Although it is a complicated piece of machinery, a microwave oven is actually a simple device. It emits low-level radiation to excite molecules and generate heat. On that note, depending on the microwave oven, there are many ways in which this function can be used. From melting hard or frozen ingredients to creating desserts, features can differ in complexity. So be sure to keep this in mind when shopping.

cleaning

One of the most overlooked aspects of buying and using microwaves is hygiene. This is a problem because keeping your microwave clean isn’t just about food safety but general safety. It can actually catch on fire if it becomes dirty enough. So be sure that the interior is easy to access and that you can wipe away all residues, stains, and burnt particles with no issues.

FAQs

Are stainless steel microwaves better than other microwaves?

Aside from the sleeker appearance and the increase in durability, there isn’t necessarily a huge difference. Stainless steel microwaves are also less prone to rusting and tend to have an industrial, almost indestructible look. Other than those factors, stainless steel microwaves are the same as other microwaves with the same features and functions.

How much wattage should my microwave have?

Your microwave’s wattage will depend on what you are using it for. If you only need the microwave to cook cup noodles or heat up a mug of milk and the like, then it doesn’t need to be that powerful. 700W will be enough for those kinds of things. However, if you are using your microwave to thaw big cuts of meat or reheat food in large containers, 1000W or higher would be better.

How big should my stainless steel microwave be?

It depends on what you need them for and how many will be using them. Generally speaking, microwaves that are over one cubic-feet in capacity are perfect for small to medium families. Those under one cubic-feet are best for dorms, small offices, and single apartments. Then there are the industrial microwave ovens, which can be two cubic-feet or more, which are used in restaurants and the like.

What type of foods can I put in my microwave?

Microwave ovens can be used for a wide variety of things. Among their biggest functions is reheating cold food, melting ingredients like chocolate or butter, defrosting frozen meat, and of course, popping some popcorn. There are also certain specialized uses for microwaves like rendering the fat of bacon before crisping it on a pan.