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Best Looking Countertop Microwave: #1 – Toshiba Microwave Oven ML-EM23P(SS)
Contents
| Pros | Cons |
| + 800W of power for fast cooking + 23litre capacity + Unique multi-stage cooking + Child lock | – Bigger than it sometimes appears |
The Toshiba Microwave ML-EM23P(SS) (digital) offers pretty everything you’d want in a solo microwave and does it all for a price that will have you double-checking your receipt once you’ve got it working. It offers jaw-dropping value for money, excellent style, great functionality and a compact footprint with a roomy interior.
Straight out of the box you’ll see why it’s one of the most attractive countertop microwaves available and our #1 choice for best looking countertop microwave. The silver coating with the black door gives it a modern and stylish look that would fit in any kitchen counter looking for slick additions to its line-up.
The digital touch control panel adds to the modern feel of the Toshiba Microwave ML-EM23P(SS) (digital). Though this may appear daunting at first, it’s relatively easy to use. In fact how easy it is to use this microwave is one of the things that users mention most when scoring it highly. If you need some guidance on the controls, the instruction manual will have you covered.
With 800Watts of power behind it the Toshiba Microwave Oven ML-EM23P(SS) 23L Digital will cook your food quickly and effectively.
To make the most of the power it also comes with several one-touch preprogrammed options for making your favourite foods, a particular favourite amongst users.
It also has a novel multi-stage cooking setting which allows you to programme in two cycles in one. For example you could boil rice at 80% for 5 minutes and then set it to simmer at 40% for another 10 minutes. This can be a great time-saver as there’s no need to go back to it part-way through.
You’ll be pleased to find that it’s also easy to clean with countless users also remaking on the same thing. The coated lining of the interior makes it straightforward to wipe it down after use.
It has an ample 23 litre capacity which would suit a family quite well but also wouldn’t be too big for smaller households.
Something to keep in mind is that some users have mentioned that it’s bigger than it looks in the photos so make sure you pay attention to the stated dimensions when buying.
Verdict
All in all the Toshiba Toshiba Microwave ML-EM23P(SS) (digital) is a great option if you want a microwave that does its job well, looks great but also offers excellent value for money.
Best Looking Countertop Microwave: #2 Samsung MS23F301TAS
| Pros | Cons |
| + Looks gorgeous + Super-easy to use + Child lock for peace of mind + Enamel ceramic interior with anti-bacterial properties | – Difficult to clearly see food as it cooks |
It’s not often you see users describe microwaves as stunning but then again it’s not often you see microwaves like the Samsung MS23F301TAS.
It’s a microwave that’s had rave reviews from users and it’s clear to see why.
With the Samsung MS23F301TAS you get a visually pleasing design that cooks very well, has a compact footprint and best of all won’t make you think twice about the price as it offer excellent value for money. You are unlikely to find another
Let’s start with the exterior. The first thing that strikes you with this model is simply how gorgeous it looks. The silver exterior finish has a real polished look to it and it contrasts delightfully with the black door face and control panel.
The design has nice clean lines to give it a real modern feel. The Samsung MS23F301TAS would look equally at home in a high end refurbished kitchen or new build or as an elegant addition to an existing kitchen.
Added to that is the ice blue LED display on the control panel which will have you purring in delight.
The delight in its appearance does not stop with the outside. The inside of the microwave is made from ceramic enamal which aside from looking excellent is also anti-bacterial and easy to clean.
Once you’re done admiring your new microwave you can then get to enjoying the fast and effective way it heats, cooks and defrosts it’s way through your food. This is a solo microwave meaning there’s no grill or oven function and it does its main job very well.
Food is cooked quickly and evenly without the worry of cold spots. The way this microwave cooks food evenly is an often cited benefit that users mention. It has Samsung’s Tripe Distribution System which emits microwaves from three different points in the cooking cavity which results in more even distribution of the heat and food that is thoroughly cooked.
Another standout benefit of this highly rated microwave is how easy it to use. Whether you’re after a quick reheat of some leftovers or cooking something more elaborate the Samsung MS23F301TAS has you covered.
In just 3 quick and easy steps you can have your food heated; 1 – select a mode, 2 – use the dial to set the time and 3 – hit start. Easy as pie (or whatever else you may need to cook up). It also has a 30 second plus button which is always handy for adding some extra time or a quick cycle.
The Samsung MS23F301TAS has a maximum power of 800W which will ensure your food is cooked quickly and thoroughly. To give you the full range of power options, you get 6 different power levels to select from.
With a 23litre capacity, the Samsung MS23F301TAS will be well suited to a family and could easily cater to smaller households as well.
To help save you some money the Samsung MS23F301TAS has an ECO mode which will help to conserve energy when it’s not in use.
Once you are done using it and need to clean it the Samsung MS23F301TAS also excels. As the interior has a ceramic enamel coating cleaning is made very easy as you can just wipe with a damp cloth. It also has welcome anti-bacterial properties. The interior is made of a scratch resistant material which is made to last and avoid discolouration.
To help keep your microwave smelling fresh it has a really cool deodorising feature that will help to get rid of any lingering smells.
One downside of the black door finish is that food is sometimes difficult to see as it cooks. In addition, some users report that the distribution of the weight means it can sometimes move when you press the button to open the door.
Verdict
At this price range though, you will be hard pressed to find a microwave that looks as slick, delivers excellently cooked food and is as easy to use as the Samsung MS23F301TAS.
Best Looking Countertop Microwave: #3 – Samsung MS23F301TAK/EU
| Pros | Cons |
| + Unique deodorising features + ECO mode to save energy and money + Eliminate cold spots with the Triple Distribution System | – Difficult to clearly see food as it cooks |
The Samsung MS23F301TAK offers you brilliant value for money, cooks food brilliantly, looks very stylish, is easy to use and comes very highly rated and offers some unique features. Rarely do you find that many attributes coming together in a microwave, though Samsung seem to know how to knock them out.
You won’t quite believe the value your getting with the Samsung MS23F301TAK for the money you pay and your disbelief will start from the unboxing.
As far as kitchen appliances go, the Samsung MS23F301TAK is a marvel to behold. Simply put it just looks so slick. It has an all black exterior aside from the door handle and selection knob which complement it with a silver finish. The crystal blue LED display adds a real crispness to the front.
The delight doesn’t stop there because when you open the door, which has a real quality feel about it with none of the flimsyness you sometimes get with poor models, your greeted with a enamal ceramic interior. This has many benefits aside from looking cool; it’s anti-bacterial, highly scratch resistant as well as being super smooth for easy cleaning.
To make the job of keeping your microwave fresh over time it comes equipped with a deodorising feature that will help eliminate smells after a cycle.
No matter what you use your microwave for, with the Samsung MS23F301TAK your food will get cooked quickly but more importantly evenly. This thanks to Samsung’s Triple Distribution System which cooks your food from 3 different sources rather than emitting microwaves from just one spot as you would find in ordinary microwaves.
The Triple Distribution System allied with 800W of cooking power means you’ll be eating your food in good time without the need to go back to the kitchen as you’ve found a random cold spot in the middle of your leftovers.
You’ll quickly notice how easy it is to use this microwave as the controls are kept free from complications. This makes sense when you consider around 98% of microwave users only make use of them for heating and defrosting food.
You’ll have 6 power levels to get the full range of use of the 800W as well as a multitude (20) of auto-cook programmes.
To help keep your family safe in the kitchen, there’s a useful child lock feature.
Whilst the ECO mode will help you to save some money off your energy bills as it conserves power when not in use.
One thing to bare in mind that some users mention is the fact it can be hard to see through the door unless you are up close due to the black tint. However, this does not seem to be a universal complaint and is a small niggle when you consider what your getting for the price and all the features.
Whether you have a family or are a couple the Samsung MS23F301TAK has plenty of cooking space with an overall capacity of 23 litres.
Verdict
In summary, the Samsung MS23F301TAK is a real classy option for your kitchen as well as your wallet. It offers best-in-class design features from Samsung as you would expect but even more importantly does the job of heating, defrosting and cooking your food very well. If you like the design and functionality of the Samsung MS23F301TAS but would prefer something similar in all black then the Samsung MS23F301TAK might be the solution for you.
Best Looking Countertop Microwave: #4 – Samsung MS23K3513AK
| Pros | Cons |
| + Looks brilliant + Anti-bacterial ceramic enamel + Deodorising function | – Difficult to see food when cooking |
The Samsung MS23K3513AK is the closest thing you’ll ever get to a total and complete package in your kitchen. From the time you take it out the box you’ll know you have unearthe something special for your kitchen.
It looks, simply put, amazing. Cooks even better; is super-easy to clean; has its own self-deodirising system; is very easy to use and perhaps best of all still offers brilliant value for money.
The Samsung MS23K3513AK cooks brilliantly but we will get to that. First it’s hard to ignore just how sleek and stylish this lovely microwave looks. As you would expect from a Samsung product its all smooth lines and curved edges leaving you with a microwave that looks like it was designed in the future and sent back to make the rest of your kitchen appliances feel bad.
It also has the look and feel of a high quality and durable model which is very much reflected in the high ratings it consistently receives from users.
The trademark Samsung all black exterior works brilliantly with this design. It’s rare that you find a microwave that looks great with the door open as well as closed but somehow the Samsung MS23K3513AK manages to do just that. The internal cavity is crafted from ceramic enamel which is exceptionally smooth, highly scratch resistant and best of all has antibacterial properties.
The smoothness of the interior makes the Samsung MS23K3513AK very easy to clean as you can simply wipe it down with a damp cloth.
As well as the antibacterial and easy clean interior, the Samsung MS23K3513AK also has another feature to help keep the microwave as clean and hygienic as possible; deodorisation. This function works by eliminating the strong ordours from the interior of the microwave meaning it stays smelling fresher for much longer.
But as if the aesthetics and after-care were not enough to make the Samsung MS23K3513AK stand out, this microwave also happens to cook your food brilliantly. It has a unique triple distribution heating system that heats your food from 3 different points within the cavity rather than the typical one. This results in heat being more evenly distributed within the microwave and food that comes out without those annoying random cold spots.
With 800W of cooking power, the Samsung MS23K3513AK also cooks your food quickly saving you time as well as energy.
To further help you save money on energy, the Samsung MS23K3513AK comes equipped with an Eco mode that will reduce power consumption when its on standby. In addition, if you forget to close the door once you’ve used it, the interior light will switch itself off after 5 minutes.
Quite helpfully it has a 30 second start for cooking which is brilliant if you mostly (like 98% of the population) use your microwave to quickly reheat your food as well defrost items.
That’s one of the things that stands out overall with the Samsung MS23K3513AK; it’s simplicity. It is very easy to use and although it has lots of auto functions and features; the core functions that you will need such as quick cooking and defrosting are clearly indicated and easy to pick up.
It has 6 power levels giving you a wide range of options to find the best cooking conditions for your food.
The Samsung MS23K3513AK also comes with an incredible 20 pre-set autocook functions to take care of pretty much all of your likely cooking and heating needs including ready meals, various types of vegetables as well as fish and chicken. The thorough instruction manual will talk you through the various options and also suggest recipe ideas.
Another brilliant auto-cooking feature is a button to melt/soften foods like butter, sugar and your favourite chocolate desserts.
The Samsung MS23K3513AK has a 23 litre capacity meaning it will easily cater for an average sized family as well as couples.
The only slight gripe that some people seem to have with this wonderful Samsung MS23K3513AK is difficulty seeing into the cooking cavity whilst it’s in operation. However, this does not seem to be a consistent complaint and if you look close up enough the light should provide you with enough visibility though it is something to bear in mind.
Verdict
Overall the Samsung MS23K3513AK offers an excellent solo microwave that looks amazing, cooks even better, is easy to use and offers brilliant value for money. Given the sort of price you’ll be paying for this, it would be difficult to find another high quality premium microwave that would offer the same attributes at a better price.