If you need an affordable microwave in your family kitchen, you will generally get a great microwave with $150 or less. This is because most family sized microwaves come around this price range.
Affordable microwave ovens have simple features. They have lesser functions and less diversity compared to their more expensive counterparts. But for $150, you can get a simple microwave oven that will serve a family of 7 or less.
In these type of microwaves, you can expect high wattage ovens with great power levels. They also come in family sizes.
In this article, we will consider the best microwaves under $150 and some of their major features.
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List of Best Microwaves Under $150 in 2023
Top 3 Microwaves Under $150
4.9/5
[Best Overall]
The oven has a 1.2 cubic feet size which can comfortably serve 6 people or less, and it can also fit in most dinner plates.
Its stainless steel finish gives it a great appearance that gives your kitchen an overall attractive appearance.
4.8/5
[Best for the Money]
2. Farberware Classic FMO11AHTBSB
At 1.1cubic feet, the oven is decently sized and suitable for not too large families. The oven also comes with 1000 watts of power which can be regulated between 10 different heat levels.
4.7/5
[Best for Large Families]
It comes with smart and automated sensors that are easy to regulate. This is usually great for speedy cooking.
Using the oven timer and control sensors, you can set the perfect cooking time and heat for your meal.
Below are 5 microwaves that can be gotten below $150 and are designed to meet your everyday microwave needs
- Toshiba EM131A5C – very popular Microwave Under $150
- Farberware Classic FMO11AHTBSB – Best option for low budget – comes with inverter technology
- Toshiba ML-EM45P – best for large families
- Panasonic NN-SN686S – comes with inverter technology
- Panasonic NN-SD372S – has inverter technology and is great for small apartments
1. Toshiba EM131A5C – Very Popular Microwave Under $150
This Toshiba EM131A5C-BS Microwave oven is a very popular oven. It costs a little below $150 and is one of the best microwaves under $150.
It is known for its above average features which makes it a great mid range microwave oven.
The oven has a 1.2 cubic feet size which can comfortably serve 6 people or less, and it can also fit in most dinner plates.
Its modern premium design enhances the interior of your kitchen, while its stainless steel finish gives it a great appearance, adding to the overall attractiveness of your kitchen.
It also comes with a detachable, mid sized turntable. This makes it very easy to clean the nooks and corners of your microwave.
It has a 1100 watts power that can be regulated using 10 different power levels. This gives you a wide range of heat levels to choose from.
It also has an oven timer which makes it really easy to prepare speedy meals and encourages even cooking.
One beautiful feature of this microwave is its automatic control sensors that facilitates automatic cooking. Its relatively new control type makes it easy to navigate the functions of the microwave
It has an eco mode to support energy saving, which is a great feature. Additionally, it is a perfect oven for average families and people who prefer minimalist ovens.
2. Farberware Classic FMO11AHTBSB – Best Option for Low Budget
The Farberware Classic FMO11AHTBSB is one of the best microwave under $150. It is a medium sized microwave with stainless steel finish.
The Black Stainless-Steel exterior looks great in any type of cooking area. The oven has minimal features but is suitable for simple and fast cooking, which makes it a perfect choice for those who need a reliable and efficient microwave.
At 1.1cubic feet, the oven is decently sized and suitable for not too large families. The oven also comes with 1000 watts of power which can be regulated between 10 different heat levels.
It also has some common pre-set menu functions that allows you choose what you want to prepare.
It has a control for preparing popcorn, vegetables, pizza, potatoes e.t.c
The cooking functions are easy to use, thanks to the digital LED displays that allow you to select your desired cooking time or choose from the pre-set menus.
In addition to that, the microwave features a simple press-and-go button for quick cooking, while the memory function allows you to store your most frequently used customized settings.
This countertop microwave is the ideal solution for any home or office. The oven also has a child lock feature that ensures your child can't use the oven unsupervised, providing added peace of mind for parents.
You can also set your cooking to different levels to make adjustments while your meal is in the microwave, without having to stress yourself watching the timer every second.
The farberware Classic FMO11AHTBSB is great for home use with multiple users. Its speedy cooking and multiple level features will come in handy in the home.
3. Toshiba ML-EM45P – Best For Large Families
The Toshiba ML-EM45P(BS) Countertop Microwave oven is a large microwave oven. It can be used by a home of 8 people or less and is very durable.
It is slightly similar to the Toshiba EM131A5C when both designs are compared but the Toshiba ML-EM45P(BS) is slightly bigger at 1.6 cubic feet.
It also has a wattage of 1200 which makes it a very good option in terms of fast cooking needs.
It comes with smart and automated sensors that are easy to regulate. This is usually great for speedy cooking.
It's incredibly convenient that you can activate the microwave by simply pressing the start button twice, and it will automatically run for one minute.
It heats water for tea and milk for hot chocolate in a minute or less, which is incredibly convenient. Additionally, using the oven timer and control sensors, you can set the perfect cooking time and heat for your meal.
This oven also has a sound control option which makes it easy to turn your oven sound either on or off. Depending on whether you need a reminder or you are trying to avoid all forms of disturbance.
The Toshiba ML is one of the best microwave under $150. Its price is quite affordable for a mid range oven with its power levels.
Overall, it is the perfect option if you need a suitable microwave for a large family.
4. Panasonic NN-SN686S – Comes with Inverter Technology
The Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN686S is a little similar to the Toshiba EM131A5C-BSMicrowave oven. It is a popular microwave oven and it made it to this list because its can be classified as one of the best microwave under $150.
One impressive feature of this microwave is its inverter technology. The inverter technology ensures that your microwave is consistent in its heat levels throughout the time that it is on.
Most ovens fluctuate 25°-50° between the set heat. The inverter technology keeps it stable.
For example, if you put on your microwave oven heat to 70%, the inverter technology in the microwave makes sure that the heat that is released remains at 70% throughout the time you keep your microwave oven on. This feature is quite rare in all oven types.
While this microwave is primarily used as a standard microwave. Not only that, but its sleek and attractive design is also a great addition to any kitchen.
With an impressive power level of 1200 watts, this mid-range microwave is capable of maintaining the heat level of the oven, ensuring consistently cooked meals.
Despite its smaller size, this microwave packs a lot of power, which is a great advantage. In addition, its turntable measures 13.1 inches, which is slightly larger than that of the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS Microwave oven, providing more space for your food.
Finally, it has the keep warm feature to keep your food warm whenever you want it and reduce the amount of energy that will be consumed if you are trying to reheat your meal.
Overall, the Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN686S is not an exceptional oven, but it has some great features that makes it stand out when compared to a couple of other types.
5. Panasonic NN-SD372S – Great for Small Apartments
The Panasonic Microwave oven NN-SD372S is a mid range microwave oven and the smallest on this list.
Despite the fact that it is a compact oven, it is powerful and suitable for not too large apartments.
Like the Panasonic Microwave Oven NN-SN686S, it comes with the microwave inverter technology that facilitates even heating throughout your microwave cooking.
Despite this innovative technology, this microwave is quite affordable and can be considered one of the best microwaves under $150.
You can also turn on your oven timer as well as the delay function. With the oven delay, you can set the time that is most convenient for you and perfect to cook your meal.
The beauty of its crowning features are mitigated by its size, the oven is mid sized at 0.8cubic feet and is not suitable for a large family.
Among its functions, the Kaos defrost feature stands out as my favorite. While it might not be a well-known option, it offers a much faster way to defrost your food, which is a pleasant surprise.
Some of its other features includes an oven turntable to ensure even cooking, a feature that ensures that your food stays warm even when you’re not heating at the time and automatic control sensors.
An incredibly useful function of this microwave is the Aqua Clean button located at the bottom. With just a push of a button, the microwave starts a 20-minute cycle that cleans the inside with water and eliminates any unpleasant smells. This feature makes cleaning the microwave a breeze.
All these features makes it one of the best microwave ovens you can get below $150.
What To Expect At This Price Range
While there are plenty of microwaves under $150 price range, you can expect the following features to be found on most models of this price category:
Type: Solo Microwave
A solo microwave oven is an oven that has just the basic features of a microwave. This includes heating or reheating food and defrosting your frozen foods.
Ovens around this price range are generally unable to perform extra functions like grilling or convection baking.
Therefore if you are looking to buy a budget oven that costs below $150 and also need a grill or convection oven, you should consider investing in a grill or convection oven separately because microwave around this price range don’t perform multiple functions.
Also Read: What is Grill Microwave
Size: Small – Medium
A typical 1.2 cu feet Microwave Oven found in under $150 budget. Source: Toshiba EM131A5C-BS
Microwaves that cost below $150 can come in a wide range of sizes. The capacity of the microwave means the size of plate or the quantity of food that the microwave can take in per time.
Fortunately, whether you’re looking for a small, medium or large microwave, you can get it around this price range.
Sizes around this price range from 0.8 cubic ft to 1.6 cubic feet.
So depending on your personal preference or the size of your family, you can consider bigger options.
Also Read: Best Retro Microwave Ovens
Power: Mid-High Powered
One of the best things about getting a microwave around this price is its power.
If you want to get a microwave below $150, you do not have to sacrifice oven power for the sake of an affordable oven.
Your microwave oven should be able to cook fast as well as evenly.
You can generally get a mid or high range powered microwave at this price.
They usually have between 950-1200 watts of power which is more than enough for everyday use and for hassle free heating.
Also Read: Best 1000 Watt Microwave Ovens
Final Words
In this article we talked about what comprises the best microwave under $150 and also reviewed a few from different categories.
You can find small, large, mid and high powered microwaves under this price category.
While premium convection and grill microwave cannot be found here, you can find microwave feature inverter technology here.
FAQs
1. What is the best inexpensive microwave?
Here are the top 3 microwaves under $150 that we can recommend.
1. Toshiba EM131A5C - The oven has a 1.2 cubic feet size which can comfortably serve 6 people or less, and it can also fit in most dinner plates.
Its stainless steel finish gives it a great appearance that gives your kitchen an overall attractive appearance.
2. Panasonic NN-SN686S - One impressive feature of this microwave is its inverter technology. The inverter technology ensures that your microwave is consistent in its heat levels throughout the time that it is on.
3. Toshiba ML-EM45P - It comes with smart and automated sensors that are easy to regulate. This is usually great for speedy cooking.
Using the oven timer and control sensors, you can set the perfect cooking time and heat for your meal.
2. Whats a good price for a microwave?
Consider the Following. Countertop microwaves are typically less expensive than other models. Small models start at $50, while midsized ones often cost between $100 and $300. Over-the-range microwaves, or OTRs, start at $200, but the majority we examined cost $400 or more.
3. How long do cheap microwaves last?
How Long Should a Microwave Continue to Operate? With typical use, the average microwave oven lasts approximately seven years, and significantly less with heavy use and bad maintenance.
4. Is a 1200 watt microwave good?
Generally, the higher the wattage, the more quickly and evenly your food will cook. The majority of microwaves operate in the 600–1,200 watt range. Microwaves that are larger and more expensive typically have a higher wattage, thus this is a price and size concern that can have a significant effect on microwave cooking performance.
5. What wattage microwave should I buy?
The majority of microwaves have a power output of between 600 and 1200 watts. Microwave recipes typically include a power level of at least 800 watts to ensure that the food cooks evenly. This would be a decent starting point for the majority of households, save those that intend to use it sparingly.