Most and Least Reliable Microwave Brands
How to pick a microwave that lasts, based on CR members’ experience with nearly 82,000 countertop and over-the-range models
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Buying a microwave from a reliable brand increases the likelihood that your purchase will last longer than models from other brands. That means you won’t be prematurely kicking a broken countertop model to the curb or tearing out an over-the-range microwave that no longer works.
Consumer Reports identifies the brands of microwaves most likely to last—and those most likely to develop problems—based on our members’ experiences with 81,887 microwave ovens, including 39,995 countertop and 38,349 over-the-range models purchased new by CR members between 2014 and 2024.
Most Common Microwave Flaws
The most common complaints reported by owners of both countertop and over-the-range microwaves were excessive noise, control panel buttons breaking, and uneven heating.
Within the countertop microwave category, KitchenAid brand microwaves were four times more likely than other brands to have problems with control panel buttons breaking (13 percent vs. 3 percent) and doors not locking or closing properly (8 percent vs. 2 percent). Westinghouse was more than twice as likely than most other countertop brands to heat food unevenly (13 percent vs. 6 percent).
Among OTR microwaves in our survey, 6 percent had a problem with noise and 6 percent had a broken or faulty control panel. After that, the most common problem reported for OTRs by our members was that the microwave’s door didn’t close or lock properly.
The over-the-range microwave brand more likely than most others to develop problems was Electrolux. Owners of Electrolux OTR microwaves were five times as likely to have problems with broken interior lights (10 percent vs. 2 percent), over four times as likely to have broken door handles (14 percent vs. 3 percent), and over twice as likely to have broken control panel buttons (21 percent vs. 8 percent). JennAir models were also over twice as likely to have broken control panel buttons (20 percent vs. 8 percent).
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