Best Over-the-Range Microwaves of 2024 - Consumer Reports

Nov 05, 2024

Save space on your counter with a cabinet-mounted model that stands out in Consumer Reports' heating and noise tests

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An over-the-range microwave oven is a good choice if you have limited counter space or you prefer a built-in appliance that matches the rest of your kitchen aesthetic. There are some drawbacks worth noting, however. Although over-the-range microwaves have a built-in exhaust fan, they don’t vent cooking gases as well as a dedicated range hood. Plus, we’ve found through our tests that over-the-range microwaves often have only 40 to 50 percent of their advertised capacity.

You’ll also want to make sure you can reach it. Depending on your height, you might find it challenging to remove a piping-hot bowl of soup from a microwave mounted at least 18 inches above your stovetop.

Make sure to consider the size of the current microwave in your kitchen before you buy one.

“Some newer over-the-range microwaves are very squat and might be difficult to reach when you open the door or press buttons,” says Ginny Lui, who leads microwave testing at Consumer Reports. “Make sure to consider the size of the current microwave in your kitchen before you buy one.”

Debating whether you should repair or replace your broken OTR microwave? CR’s interactive tool leverages product costs, depreciation rates, and survey data to help you make the right choice. There are more than 70 over-the-range microwave ovens (and even more countertop models) in our ratings, too. In our labs, we test microwaves in six different categories: heating evenness, speed of heating, defrosting evenness, ease of use, microwave noise, and venting. To test how evenly a microwave heats, we put a bowl of cold mashed potatoes inside, heat it for 10 minutes, and take temperature readings of 20 spots in the food.

In addition to these performance tests, we incorporate ratings for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction using survey results from Consumer Reports members who purchased 38,349 new over-the-range microwaves between 2014 and 2024.

You can get a new OTR microwave for as little as $190, not including the installation cost, which can vary. Some retailers, such as Home Depot, offer free installation if the purchase price of your new microwave exceeds a certain amount.

Here, listed in alphabetical order, are eight over-the-range microwaves that deliver outstanding performance in our lab tests. For more information on choosing a microwave, see our microwave buying guide.

Café CVM721M2NS5

The snazzy Café CVM721M2NS5 cooks well, earning an excellent rating in our heating evenness test. It’s also first-rate at defrosting, and it operates quietly. A sensor prevents you from overheating your food. The model has a recessed handle and hidden digital controls that run along the bottom. When you tap on the glass touchscreen, the options for time and cooking modes pop into view. In our latest member survey, Café over-the-range microwaves earn a very good and middling score for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction, respectively.

GE JNM7196SKSS

The GE JNM7196SKSS performs its duties nicely in our tests, earning an excellent rating for defrosting a pound of frozen ground chuck evenly. It also aces our test for ease of use and gets very good scores for heating evenness, venting, and noise. But its speed of heating is only average. GE earns an average score for predicted reliability and a below-average score for owner satisfaction.

KitchenAid KMHS120ESS

The KitchenAid KMHS120ESS is a solid all-around choice. It earns an excellent rating in our defrosting test, in which we defrost 1 pound of ground chuck. This KitchenAid also performs well in our heating evenness test and is extremely quiet. It has a cooking sensor and comes with a rack in case you want to cook two dishes at once. KitchenAid’s over-the-range microwaves receive a very good rating for predicted reliability and a moderate score for owner satisfaction in our latest member survey.

LG MHEC1737F

The top-performing LG MHEC1737F showcases excellent defrosting capabilities in our tests. It earns a middling rating for heating speed, so it may take a while to heat up food. But it delivers evenly heated mashed potatoes with above-average performance in our heating evenness test. This model also comes with a convection mode, which circulates heat around your food to warm it up. LG over-the-range microwaves garner a top-notch rating for reliability but only a middling rating for owner satisfaction in our member surveys.

LG MVEL2033F

The sleek, affordable LG MVEL2033F has top-notch heating evenness and defrosting abilities. Plus, it’s a cinch to use without reading the owner’s manual. The controls light up when you touch the screen. It operates quietly and vents fairly well for an OTR. A sensor prevents you from overcooking your food. One small drawback is its so-so heating speed, but if you have a little patience, it’s not a deal-breaker.

LG MVEL2125F

The budget-friendly LG MVEL2125F tops our ratings with stellar performance in our heating and defrosting evenness tests. While fairly quiet, the microwave falls in the middle of the pack in terms of heating speed and venting. Its touchpad controls make it easy to use, and the microwave comes with a sensor that prevents overcooking.

Thermador MU30WSU

The Thermador MU30WSU earns top marks for heating evenness and very good ratings for speed of heating and defrosting evenness in our tests. This model comes with a sensor that prevents overcooking and a wire rack for two-level cooking. In our surveys, Thermador over-the-range microwaves receive excellent ratings for predicted reliability and midlevel marks for owner satisfaction.

Whirlpool WMH78519LZ

The Whirlpool WMH78519LZ excels in our defrosting and noise tests. It also does very well in our heating evenness assessment, meaning that a dish of cold mashed potatoes has few cold spots after microwaving. It doesn’t have a sensor to stop the appliance when your meal is done, but it does fit a 9x15-inch dish, so you can cook a casserole in it. Our testers also found it very easy to use. In our survey of members, Whirlpool over-the-range microwaves receive an excellent rating for predicted reliability and a midrange score for owner satisfaction.

Mary H.J. Farrell

As a senior editor at Consumer Reports for more than 15 years, Mary H.J. Farrell reported on all manner of vacuums and cookware, as well as microwaves, mixers, freezers, and fans. Starting in the mid-1990s, she held senior positions at People.com, MSNBC, and Ladies’ Home Journal. One of her earliest jobs was at Good Housekeeping.