10 Best Microwave in Australia – Cheap Ovens Reviews 2023
Life was going good when one day I got up to defrost the leftover meal with the microwave, and it suddenly just stopped working.
It was the time when panic was all over me as this kitchen appliance helped me defrost meals, prepare popcorns, warmup my snacks, and heat the leftover pizza within no time.
All in all, I decided to look out for another option and came across some new brands and unique models while testing them out.
I thought, “Maybe I should help my fellows in finding the best microwave in 2023”. Therefore, I crafted a list of some of the top-rated microwaves. The features on which I rated the list involved; lifespan, ruggedness, ease of use, and affordable budget.
Cutting it short, let us take a quick sneak peek into some of the best inverter microwave reviews in 2023:
10 Best Microwave Options in Australia Rated For 2023
1. Russell Hobbs RHM2076B – Best Countertop Microwave in 2023
The stylish, sleek, slim, and highly efficient appliance from Russell Hobbs is on the top of our list. I got intrigued by the fact that the manufacturer had made this microwave with a gloss mirror finish. Other than that, the spacious design along with precooking programs just worked like icing on the cake for me.
Cutting right to the chase:
Russell Hobbs RHM2076B comes with a 20 liter capacity. This means it could easily accommodate a large dinner plate without any worries. Not only that, but a glass turntable is also present which is dishwasher safe and detachable as well.
With different precooking programs cooking and baking becomes convenient. Russell Hobbs countertop microwave offers making popcorn, fish, and pizza with a single button press. So, convenience is what this appliance is all about.
Moving forward, I’d like to point out the 800W power output. It’s more than enough to defrost frozen meals or to warm up cold snacks within a short time.
Digital clock along with finishing bell keeps you in control of tracking the current performance. You can thus perform other kitchen chores while the oven is working.
Got naughty children at home and want to keep them safe? Don’t worry at all! The Child locking feature keeps young children away from opening the door, no matter how hard they try.
Finally, there are 5 adjustable power levels that the best countertop microwave offers. You can control the intensity through the knob (installed right below the control panel). Cooking multiple meals and snacks thus becomes easy.
Compactness and portability is something that I adored the most in Russell Hobbs microwave. You can easily adjust it on the top shelf of your kitchen or a dining table near the power plug.
The kitchen appliance is perfect in almost all aspects. However, I’ve been hearing that the manufacturer’s customer response is too lazy. Russell Hobbs seriously needs some effort to make their customer support as active as possible.
Key Specifications:
PROS
CONS
FINAL VERDICT
Russell Hobbs with its stylish countertop microwave is what I’d prefer over all other appliances. It offers quick heating, easy working interface, and is affordable at the same time. So, make the right choice and get this oven as soon as possible.
2. Russell Hobbs RHM2031 – Best Stainless Steel Microwave
It’d be fair to say that Russell Hobbs is undoubtedly the best brand microwave. For instance, the latest RHM2031 features an elegant and rugged stainless steel construction. Moreover, the higher power handling it offers can defrost, warm, and prepare multiple food products within a snap.
Starting with some unique features:
The best countertop microwave, first of all, offers an 800W power output for instant heating. Adding to that, the presence of a 1000W grill adds more spice to the overall cooking. You can, therefore, try your favorite grilling recipes on it.
As usual, a glass turntable is installed, which is resistant to heat and is dishwasher safe at the same time. Not only that, but the overall capacity of 20 liters is more than enough to adjust a standard dinner plate. Hence, you’ll have no issues while heating multiple eatables.
Pre-programmed auto cooking menu is also available. That said, the kitchen appliance comes with an easy to use control panel. The buttons for pizza reheating, preparing popcorn, or cooking fish are visible. You can simply press each one as per your preferences to get the job done within a short time.
What I loved the most about Russell Hobbs countertop oven is that it offers automatic defrosting settings. Just guess the weight of the frozen food, put it into the settings and the appliance will adjust itself accordingly saving you time. 5 additional power intensity settings are also included.
Compared to the previous model of Russell Hobbs, this microwave oven is a bit expensive. However, the features it offers slightly gives this model an edge over the previous one.
Key Specifications:
PROS
CONS
FINAL VERDICT
Russel Hobbs with its RHM2031 model offers cooking a variety of meals without any hassle. Besides, it can defrost frozen food automatically. The price is a little bit higher, however, you must get it especially if you want to enjoy extra qualities that it offers.
3. Panasonic NN-SF574SQPQ – Most Reliable Microwave Oven
Up next, we have one of the most reliable options, i.e. Panasonic NN-SF574SQPQ. Well, for starters, the microwave has got a spacious inside as the turntable isn’t included in it. Other than that, it is loaded with a plethora of auto cooking programs. You need to do anything, you simply press a button, and Panasonic kitchen oven will do the rest of the job.
Starting with some common features:
Panasonic NN-SF574SQPQ comes with a 1000 watt power output. That said, the electromagnetic radiations it produces are quite powerful and can heat literally anything in minutes.
Precise Power control from Panasonic is quite intriguing. This option enables the oven to adjust itself according to the type of food you’ve placed in it. For instance, try putting hard ice cream (of course made by an ice cream maker) and a bar of chocolate in it afterward. You’d see that the oven will soften ice cream while it’ll gently melt the chocolate. See, how awesome it is?
Mind you that the manufacturer has not added any turntable in the microwave. It, however, is kind of a blessing in disguise as the flatbed shape ensures more space inside. Hence, you can put large bowls, or dinner plates in it without any worries.
The easy to use control panel with touch interface has got around 17 auto cooking menus. Hence, you can utilize it to cook or heat literally any eatable with a single touch.
One last thing to mention here is that the large countertop microwave oven is compatible with Australian power outputs. You can, therefore, use it without purchasing any additional adapter.
Key Specifications:
PROS
CONS
FINAL VERDICT
Panasonic with its large kitchen oven allows you to cook, defrost, or warm a variety of eatables with convenience. So, investing in it would simply be the best decision of your life.
4. Nostalgia RMO7AQ Retro – Best Compact Microwave
I don’t know anything about you guys but I personally prefer appliances that have an aesthetic and nostalgic kind of aroma. Of course, I won’t ignore the basic features it offers. In this regard, Nostalgia RMO7AQ features a combination of a powerful heating system and an aesthetic shape. The cute little oven could easily be adjusted on literally any countertop. Yeah, it’s that COMPACT.
Going forward with some basics:
One of the top ten microwave ovens has a power handling of 700 watts. It’s more than enough to handle daily routine cooking and defrosting at the same time.
Apart from that, 12 prebuilt cooking programs ensure ease of use and convenience at the same time. An intuitive control panel is installed on extreme right of the oven to help you choose your preferred settings easily.
With an inside space of 19 liters, you can manage to adjust standard size plates or bowls in it. However, large bowls won’t get adjusted which is like the only demerit of getting this oven.
Nostalgia Retro also offers a multi-sequence cooking settings option. You can use your preferred cooking sequence to prepare or heat your desired food.
Keeping all things aside, one thing that comes out of surprise is the costliness of the oven. The sleek and stylish microwave oven is quite expensive. However, to get a blend of aesthetics, compactness, and high working efficiency, paying this much is considered normal.
Key Specifications:
PROS
CONS
FINAL VERDICT
Nostalgia Retro would be a good fit, especially if you don’t wanna compromise on the beauty of your kitchen. Get this oven and enjoy making instant meals while living in a small apartment.
5. Russell Hobbs RHM1714B – Best Inexpensive Microwave Review
Another inexpensive, yet compact and unique looking microwave oven from Russell Hobbs is up for grabs. The brand new RHM1714B features a sleek and slim shape. Besides, it is compact enough to fit tight countertop spaces. Durability is not compromised as the oven comes with stainless steel construction.
For starters:
The compact kitchen appliance comes with 8 pre-programmed cooking settings. From warming up milk and coffee to heating pizza or preparing popcorns, you can just press a button and the oven will do the rest of the job.
Apart from that, RHM1714B also comes with a mirror glass finish. A rugged door handle could be used to open the oven without any problems.
There are around 5 different power intensity levels available. The overall power it offers is 700 watts. Hence, the food you place in it will get heated to the core.
One thing that I found a little bit problematic in this oven is its narrow inside space. The presence of a glass turntable makes space tighter. You can thus only fit medium sized bowls or plates in it. Large dinner plates won’t fit it, unfortunately.
You’d be glad to hear that a full-fledged control panel including the power intensity dial and preprogramming buttons can make your life convenient and hassle-free.
Key Specifications:
PROS
CONS
FINAL VERDICT
Russell Hobbs RHM1714B is a must for those who want a compact kitchen appliance to meet their daily cooking needs. Get it before it runs out of stock.
6. Tower Manual Solo – Best Midsize Microwave
Tower Manual Solo is another cheap microwave oven that you can get your hands on. As the name itself suggests, the microwave isn’t digital. That is, it comes with a manual timer dial that you have to adjust as per your preferences. Rest assured, the radiations it offers can cook or defrost the food to its core easily.
Some basic features include:
The power output of 800 watts along with a spacious 20 liter inner capacity. You can thus easily place a standard dinner plate or bowl in it. Oh! Glass turntable is also present.
Adding to that, the appliance offers six power intensity levels ranging from defrost to extremely high. Each intensity could be adjusted before you set the manual timer.
Furthermore, Tower Manual Solo also features a built-in venting system. It, therefore, keeps the food away from getting condensed.
The 30 minutes manual timer could also be adjusted to reheat pizza, prepare, popcorn, warm up snacks, or grill the vegetables with ease and convenience.
Tower Manual Solo is perfect when it comes to reheating the eatables. However, it does not offer any preprogram cooking settings. Besides, setting up the manual timer gets frustrating from time to time.
Key Specifications:
PROS
CONS
FINAL VERDICT
Not interested in using a digital kitchen appliance? If that’s the case then you should consider getting Tower Manual Solo Microwave oven as it comes in at an affordable price.
7. Swan SM22036GRYN – Quiet Countertop Microwave Oven
Do you get intimidated by the stylish craftsmanship of appliances more often? What If I told you that you can get a quiet countertop microwave with an aesthetic design? Sounds cool, isn’t it? Well, you can expect all these sophistications along with a powerful heating system from Swan digital, and that too at an affordable rate.
Stating some specifics:
Swan countertop oven is all about heating food meals to its core. The 800watt power output combined with 6 intensity levels helps you prepare multiple meals at once.
On the other hand, the large microwave is spacious enough. I mean, 20 liter capacity is more than enough to adjust a large dinner plate inside the oven. Not only that, but the presence of a glass turntable makes things easier than expected.
One thing that I noticed about Swan SM22036GRYN is that it’s quite versatile and gets itself adjusted into literally any space. From offices to domestic kitchens, to hotels, and restaurants, you can literally place it anywhere.
A 30 minute cooking dial installed on the right side could be set as per your preferences. The microwave can thus cook meals, soups, prepare popcorn, or defrost the leftovers without any hassle.
Last but not the least, the manufacturer offers a 2 year warranty coverage in case the appliance malfunctions within a specific time. Although Swan Microwave Oven is perfect in all aspects, it does lack the color matching ability with other appliances.
Key Specifications:
PROS
CONS
FINAL VERDICT
The midsize countertop microwave oven from Swan should be a priority for you if you are looking for a powerful yet sophisticated kitchen appliance for heating purposes.
8. Toshiba Microwave Oven – Best Smart
Toshiba Microwave Oven with a plethora of qualities and features ensures a robust heating system at an affordable price. This microwave oven features a simple yet unique shape. Plus, the spacious inside along with helpful preset programs can save you a lot of time while cooking meals for a large family.
Stating some basics:
There are 8 auto cooking programs included within the oven. The vegetable, soup, pizza, meat, potato, pasta, and fish programs are available to save your time respectively.
Meanwhile, the oven is quiet enough to let you manage other tasks easily. It comes with a special mute button, which can mute the cooking beep, hence keeping your children away from unwanted noise.
What intrigued me the most was the availability of inner LED light, which is actually quite helpful. It ensures easy inside visibility to keep you in control of the whole cooking process.
Apart from that, two control knobs for setting the time and power intensity level ensures convenience and style at the same time. The timeless design allows this oven to get adjusted with any kind of kitchen décor easily.
Key Specifications:
PROS
CONS
FINAL VERDICT
Toshiba Microwave oven is a must-have for those who want to prepare instant meals with a single button press. Get this before it’s too late.
9. Westinghouse WM009 – Stand Alone Microwave
You get immense quality and heating power when you purchase the WM009 model offered by Westinghouse. One of the most reliable brands offers an innovative, stylish, and durable microwave that could be used for several cooking chores.
Want to know more about it? Have a look:
WM009 has a power rating of 900 watts along with a 25 liter inner capacity. Therefore, it can heat or defrost frozen food in a large bowl or plate within a short time.
6 preset cooking programs allow the oven to prepare a variety of eatables without any hassle. You only have to press a button and leave the rest of the job to the appliance.
You’d be surprised to know that there are 10 power intensity levels available in this model. With this much power, you can literally cook anything you want.
A stylish black front with a complete stainless steel construction enhances the lifespan of the oven and ensures durability for a long time. It could easily become your heating buddy for many years to come.
Key Specifications:
PROS
CONS
FINAL VERDICT
The microwave from Westinghouse can meet the demands of a large family easily. Get it if you are already aiming for a long-term investment in 2023.
10. Toshiba MM-EM20P – Good Microwave with TouchPad Control Panel
The brand new MM-EM220P microwave oven portrays a beautiful shape. Along with that, you’d get to enjoy managing this oven via TouchPad controls. So, sophistication, and ease of use are the two primary features you could get in this exceptional kitchen appliance.
Some notable features include:
The power output of 800 watts along with 11 cooking intensity levels. Moreover, the oven keeps working for 100 minutes straight without causing any problem.
As usual, Toshiba in its large microwave oven offers a space of 20 liters to accommodate standard sized dinner plates and bowls. 6 preset cooking programs are also included to make the heating and defrosting process as convenient as possible.
The best Toshiba Microwave comes with a multifunctional TouchPad control panel. You can utilize it to adjust your preferred cooking settings. Along with that, the oven also comes with a child lock to keep your children safe from any safety hazards.
Well, I personally didn’t like the white color of the oven as it could attract dirt, foreign debris, and kitchen dust easily. Nonetheless, you can choose it if it goes well with the overall kitchen décor.
Key Specifications:
PROS
CONS
FINAL VERDICT
The upgraded Toshiba microwave would prove to be a crucial kitchen appliance for you, especially if you are about to purchase your first oven ever.
How to Choose the Best Microwave? Follow these Simple Steps:
Up till now, it’s quite evident that having a microwave oven at home is extremely necessary. It keeps you away from the hassle of manual warming or defrosting.
But, the problem arises when we have to get a home microwave oven within a tight budget.
That said, with so many models offering a variety of features, the decision to make the right choice becomes harder and harder.
Therefore, in this buying guide today, we’d be discussing some essential features that you could expect from a perfect microwave. Furthermore, we’ll also shed light on discussing some of the aspects that you should never miss out on while choosing the right choice.
Let us dive right in:
Price Adjustment
I know that the hustle for getting a new appliance always starts with one question, i.e. “How much it would cost?”
Just like other kitchen appliances, a microwave oven may also vary in its price tag depending upon its manufacturer, the specifications it offers, and the design it has got.
In this regard, you should, however, keep in mind that an average microwave oven ranges anywhere from $100 to $200.
That’s the least budget you should have before you start looking out for a microwave oven.
Furthermore, some prestigious manufacturers have also produced advanced microwaves with multiple heating options and durable shapes. They’d cost you around $200 to $500 respectively.
For your ease, all the products that I’ve added to the above-mentioned list fall in the budget category of $100 to $200 except a few. So, you can also get help from it, especially in low budget range.
Size of a Microwave and Your Needs
Secondly, the overall size of a microwave oven depends upon how much space you’ve left for it.
It’s obvious that microwaves with large sizes can cater to the needs of more people compared to compact microwaves.
So, it all depends upon what you want. If you are living in a large home with 6 to 7 family members, I’d recommend getting a large microwave oven.
Similarly, if you are living alone or need an oven for college, then the suggestion would be to get a smaller kitchen appliance.
It is, however, also recommended that you take measurements of the space you’ve got to place a microwave on. This way you’d make a perfect choice by selecting the exact size without any worries.
Proper Venting System
Everyone loves to enjoy working in fresh air no matter if it’s a kitchen, an office, or study room. To avoid messing with the air quality, many microwave ovens now come with a proper venting system.
The vents in a microwave oven work on purifying the air as much as possible. So, it basically catches the air, passes it through the cleaning filter, and at last releases it again.
With this working mechanism, you’d enjoy managing your kitchen chores while the microwave is working to heat food as well as to purify the air as much as possible.
However, microwaves with a proper venting system are quite expensive. So, keep that in mind before you look out for such models.
Turntable Makes a Big Difference
One of the biggest benefits that a turntable offers is even cooking of food.
You might have experienced that microwave ovens that lack a turntable often heat food only in one direction. Yeah, that’s because the food isn’t moving inside while it’s bombarded with electromagnetic radiation.
An oven with a turntable keeps the food moving in a uniform position. Therefore, that particular food material will get exposed to the heating radiations from all angles.
Thus it is heated evenly within a short time period.
You see my point here? If not, then hear me out: Get yourself a microwave oven with a large, detachable, and easy to clean turntable. This way, you’d not have to stir the food to get it heated quickly.
Stop – There’s one more thing I want y’all to know. That is, “Rectangular turntables are more efficient compared to round ones”. Basically, with a rectangular turntable, the number of oscillations is much more, therefore, ensuring properly distributed cooking in less time.
Inner Capacity Also Matters
Inner capacity is somewhat relatable to the size of an oven that we already discussed above. However, let us still talk about it.
A normal countertop microwave oven comes with an inner capacity of around 17 to 20 liters. To make it simple, these ovens can adjust small or medium-sized dinner plates inside them easily.
However, microwaves with capacity of 20 to 27 liters are the real deal. Such ovens can easily accommodate large pots, bowls, and dinner plates.
Keep this capacity thing in mind while choosing a microwave oven or else you’d end up getting an appliance that won’t cater to your needs ideally.
This was a WRAP of essential features that a top-rated microwave oven offers.
Let us now move to another important section explaining the features that you should never ignore while deciding on getting the best family size countertop microwave.
Key Features to Consider While Choosing a Microwave Oven in 2023:
Power Output
One of the crucial things to consider. Power output in a microwave oven is measured in watts. That said, microwaves available in the market usually offer power ranging from 700W to 1200W respectively.
It’s thus a fact that microwaves with higher power ratings will quickly heat up different eatables compared to a low-power oven.
However, you should also note that compact and portable microwaves are often rated at low power outputs and they could still offer a perfect heating job.
A sane decision would be to figure out your needs first. Only then you can decide on whether to go with a less or high powerful microwave.
Availability of Preset Cooking Programs
The presence of preset cooking programs could keep you away from overheating a specific eatable.
Most of the microwaves offer 5 to 6 auto cooking programs including pizza reheating, popcorn making, fish making, vegetable grilling, or soup making, etc.
That said, the more preset programs a microwave has, the more convenient it becomes to use it.
Never sleep on this feature, if you don’t want to ruin the quality of leftover food or pizzas.
Automatic Defrosting Feature
Many countertop microwave ovens now offer the automatic defrosting feature.
This option is quite handy for people who want to defrost frozen food or to warm up the leftovers without any worries.
Automatic defrosting works on a very cool method. That is, you simply have to guess the weight of the frozen food you’ve got to defrost and put the numbers into the oven.
The appliance will then figure out the time needed to defrost that specific food automatically.
Microwaves with this option are also included on the list I’ve mentioned above so you can decide accordingly.
Sensor Cooking
Sensor cooking is also getting prominent in microwaves these days. Automatic sensors offer precise cooking and heating and keep the different liquids away from getting spilled.
In this way, the inner side of your appliance will remain mess-free even if you are heating milk, coffee, tea, or soup, etc.
Make sure that precision sensor cooking feature is also available in the oven you are about to spend your money on.
Quick Boost and Start Option
This feature comes in handy when the food isn’t heated properly even after one cycle.
You can use the Start or Quick Boost button option to restart the warming without any worries.
This way you’d be getting the desired temperatures while heating your favorite food especially pizza, pasta, and burgers, etc.
Removable Racks
Not a necessity, but the presence of racks in a microwave oven will ensure heating or cooking two different food products at once.
Racks, however, are mostly present in conventional ovens only. You won’t find them in the microwaves too often.
Multiple Power Intensity Levels
Furthermore, the presence of multiple power intensity levels can enhance the overall cooking process.
You can adjust a specific intensity level based on what you are cooking or heating. This way, the food you place in the oven won’t get exposed to too many radiations ensuring even and balanced cooking.
Child Lock for Extra Safety
Finally, you should always look for a microwave that offers a child lock system, particularly when you’ve got children at home.
Moreover, it’s a basic safety feature of a microwave machine. A child lock, when enabled keeps the children away from opening the door of the appliance.
Hence, you can keep your kids away from the safety hazards in this way.
Types of Microwave Ovens Explained:
The microwave industry around the globe is quite enormous as it offers different types of models, with better and upgraded features.
The most commonly used microwave ovens are as follows:
- Countertop Microwaves
- Over the Range Microwave ovens
- Convection Microwaves
- Built-in Microwaves.
Countertop Microwaves
The most commonly used microwave type. Countertop kitchen microwaves are the ones that offer portability, compactness, and are available at an affordable rate at the same time.
These types of ovens are suitable for small families or people who are living in rental properties. That’s because using a countertop microwave is quite easy.
You place it on the shelf of your kitchen, plug it in the socket and that’s it. There’s no extra assembly required for a countertop oven to work properly.
Over the Range Microwaves
These types of microwaves are made to get fitted on top of the stove area. Therefore, they can save you a lot of kitchen space compared to countertop microwaves.
Over the range microwave is meant for people who are living in their own houses. Once fitted, you cannot replace such a microwave unless it gets malfunctioned.
One more thing to keep in mind regarding such ovens is that fitting them into the range hood is quite a hassle. In fact, you’d have to hire a professional to install an over the range microwave in your kitchen.
Not only that, but these types of ovens are quite expensive. Add the cost of a microwave with that of what you’ll have to pay to get it fitted and it makes something around 500 dollars easily.
Convection Microwaves
A convection microwave, on the other hand, is the jack of all trades. How? It works on the process of convection in which hot air is used to heat specific food products.
Basically what happens is that most of the brands add the convection method to a typical countertop oven and it readily becomes a convection oven. It might cost you as much as 300 to 400 bucks though.
Convection microwaves could be used for a number of tasks. Be it baking, making brownies, roasts, chicken grilled pieces, or crispy chicken wings, this type can literally cook anything.
Built-In Microwaves
Finally, the last and most expensive microwave ovens are the built-in ones. They take up a lot of space. In fact, you’ll have to leave a specific area in your kitchen’s range hood for this kind of microwave to fit in.
Just like over the range microwaves, built-in microwave ovens also require expert assembly. They’d also need a proper venting system as you’ll have to install them in a three-dimensional area.
These microwaves are mostly installed at large restaurants and cafes. However, many homeowners now purchase these microwaves to solve all their cooking, baking, and grilling problems, once and for all.
FAQ – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Conclusion
Getting the right microwave appliance is a once in a lifetime opportunity for most people.
That said, you must get yourself acknowledged with all details that I’ve mentioned above before making the final decision.
WHAT I personally prefer is the brand new Panasonic NN-SF574SQPQ. Why?
First of all, it offers a wide enough space so one could literally slide anything inside it without any worries.
Secondly, I liked the power precision control option in this microwave as it treats each food product with an optimum temperature and radiation.
I also wanted to try a turntable-free microwave so I had to choose it to see how it works. So far the flatbed design is working like a charm for me. It heats larger pots of soup, and other eatables evenly.
Last but not the least, Panasonic microwave oven is rated at 1000W power output. However, it still has no impact on my home’s electricity bill. So, that’s one more reason to purchase it.
That’s all from my side. I hope that you can get a perfect kitchen appliance based on your preference and budget range.
Good Luck!!
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