The Best Microwave Brands Compared According To 227,000 Reviewers

Are you in search of the Holy Grail of microwaves, but don’t know where to start looking?

You’re in good company! In fact, thousands of potential appliance buyers all over the world are constantly overwhelmed by the large number of options on the market.

It’s estimated that the global microwave oven market will generate around $1.89B and grow annually at a steady rate of 5.49 between this year and 2028. And while this is great for the economy, it also means there’s tons of information out there. This can be confusing, and sometimes a little too much for some people.

But you can relax now. You came to the right place for answers.

With over 7 years of experience writing about all things appliances, I’ve seen my fair share of people both satisfied and dissatisfied with their microwaves. Here at ApplianceAnalysts, we want to be your guide and help you invest your hard-earned money in something you’ll love for years to come.

This is why, we’ve studied a huge public database of appliance reviews and data – including over 227,000 reviews on microwaves alone! We’ve also provided opinions from our appliance repair experts on which of these brands they would recommend you choose.

Are you ready to dive into the microwave market? Let’s go!

The Highest Rated Microwave Brands From 227,000 Customer Ratings

Getting to know the manufacturer behind an appliance that has caught your attention is very important. Through this information, you’ll not only get a sense of who’s responsible for the product but also what you can expect for your warranty and customer support.

Here are the best and worst-rated brands according to nearly a quarter of a million people:

Let’s start off by taking a look at the best and worst-rated brands according to this chart. Leading the competition is KitchenAid, with an admirable rating of 4.57, while on the bottom end, we have JennAir, with 3.75.

You might be surprised by learning that, the cheapest model of the highest-rated brand starts at around $630, whereas the cheapest model of the lowest-rated one goes for around $949. So, if you look at this from a general standpoint, you’d be paying JennAir over $300 extra for a product that’s not great.

Or is it?

When looking at these charts, it’s important to take into consideration that people are complicated, and there are several factors that can affect the way in which we perceive a product/brand. For example, the more something costs, the higher the standards we’ll hold it to, and the opposite happens to cheaper things.

Also, personalization plays a key role in how people perceive a product on the market. Focusing on a very specific type of consumer can be a great advantage or the downfall of a reputable company, and it all depends on how well brands hit the mark.

I have a lot more charts and data coming up later in this article – but I know that not everyone loves tons of charts. 

Instead, I want to share the thoughts of one of our resident appliance repair experts on what they think of these most popular brands, after repairing thousands of them.

Appliance Repair Expert On The Best Microwave Brands

In an ideal world, there would always be an expert by our side helping us out when we go out shopping for a new microwave. And while sadly this isn’t possible, you’ll always find the answers you’re looking for here.

We asked James Blackford, one of our trusted appliance experts who has over 16 years of experience in the field. He gave us useful insights into every brand analyzed in this comparison that we now want to share with you.

Overall Microwave Brand Thoughts

According to James, there’s very little difference between the internal parts of a microwave, as most of them are non-branded. He also said that despite this, there are some brands he really likes for the features they offer.

“Samsung is a good choice of microwave, as their line offers everything from low-end basic microwaves to high-end convection ones with loads of features. They also make a low-profile series which is great, as it’s half the height of a standard microwave. This can be useful when you don’t have a lot of space. Their designs look nice and aren’t overly complicated and are a statement in the kitchen”.

He also said that Whirlpool is another favorite of his, as he likes the company and the variety they offer in their products. And while he doesn’t love that the color palette and lighting options aren’t as wide as Samsung’s, he appreciates that they have a lot of low-profile products.

Is There a Brand That’s Better Than the Rest?

According to James, not really.

“As far as a scale, I would rate all brands the same, as I have not seen any that would warrant a lower or higher score. The lifespan and performance of all are the same. If you took 100 master technicians, disguised the brand name, and asked them to test out and look inside the units to judge quality, there would be no winner or loser”, he explained.

In his experience, the thing to look out for and the biggest challenge is finding the right replacement when your microwave fails or breaks down. Different brands have mounting holes in different places, so it can be tricky to make them fit in your kitchen.

James explains that to save yourself some trouble, you should try to replace your faulty microwave with another of the same brand. This way, you won’t have to drill any additional holes when trying to mount it onto your kitchen cabinets or over the range.

Are More Expensive Microwaves Better?

Sometimes, but not always.

This question is a little tough to answer, as there’s data to support this isn’t the case in many scenarios; however, ultimately it depends on the person buying the microwave. Everyone has different needs, and while some individuals might not need certain bells and whistles, others might find them necessary and useful.

As you might have guessed, the worst-rated brand from the previous chart is also that with the most expensive average product price. This can be due to several reasons, including customer perception of the value-benefit correlation of the product, as well as familiarity with a brand.

So, in summary, no. The most expensive brands oftentimes don’t have the best kitchen appliances on the market. However, this is also a matter of personal preference, and some people might still go for higher-end products if they feel like they fit their needs best, regardless of their rating.

The Brands With The Most Microwave Models

Variety can be a good thing, but it can also play against brands and affect their position in the market. Especially when trying to compete with quality and uniqueness.

As you can see in the chart above, LG and Whirlpool are the leaders in this analysis, as they both offer a whopping 46 models to their potential customers, whereas brands like JennAir or Galanz are restricted to 14.

That’s over 3 times fewer models!

This means that the more expensive brands are more interested in selling to people that fit into their products, and not the other way around.

And if there’s one thing people love, it’s feeling like they own something that makes them stand out.

The issue here is that exclusivity works better in things like Supercars or Rolex wristwatches. Home appliances are meant to be practical and solve everyday problems.

In conclusion, while Premium brands scratch the itch of wanting something unique and high-quality, the ratings chart in the previous section proves that offering more models at cheaper prices is almost always better.

How to Find the Perfect Microwave?

You might think that there’s no way you can go wrong when buying a microwave. But the size of your family, your cooking habits, and even the batches you heat at once can all determine how your decision-making process should go.

Some people might be ok with a small microwave with a couple of features, whereas others, might need/want the best of the best. There are several factors, such as pricing, appliance type, design, and size that should be taken into consideration before going shopping.

Luckily, on our site, you can find a complete buyer’s guide on finding your perfect microwave. Hopefully, it’ll help you make the right choice, so you spend your hard-earned money on an appliance you are very happy with.

So, What’s the Best Microwave Brand?

The answer to this question is: it depends.

While the information and data above are meant to provide a clearer perspective into what each brand does best and what people think about them, at the end of the day, every person’s needs are different.

What other people might find attractive, useful, and like an overall great deal, might appear lacking to you, or it might not offer the things you want for your daily habits. That being said, there are some general conclusions we can make based on the graphs above and the input of our experts.

• Most microwaves are the same internally.
• It can be difficult even for experts to tell different brands apart.
• The biggest challenge when replacing a microwave is making sure the mountain holes fit into your kitchen without having to drill any additional holes.
• KitchenAid is the best-rated brand in this comparison.
• On average, JennAir is one of the most expensive brands on the market.
• GE, Whirlpool & Samsung are the leading brands in terms of the number of models they offer.

Thank you very much for sticking with me all the way to the end. Hopefully, the information you found here answered your most burning questions and provided some clarity.

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Best of luck to you!

— Craig.

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