The Best Microwave (UK, 2026)

The Samsung 23L solo is the microwave most people should buy. The 23L capacity is the family sweet spot, big enough for a dinner plate and normal serving dishes without hogging the worktop, and Samsung's triple-distribution system spreads the microwave energy more evenly, which means fewer of the scalding-edges-cold-middle results that plague cheap machines. It is a well-built, well-specced solo from a brand you can trust, at a sensible price.

As a solo it does not grill or bake, so if you specifically want to crisp or roast in it you need a grill or combi model instead. But for the everyday reality of microwaving, reheating leftovers, defrosting, cooking veg and ready meals, heating drinks, it does all of it well and evenly, which is what actually matters day to day. For most households this is the right balance of size, build and even cooking, and the honest default pick.

The Toshiba 23L is the value pick: you get a higher 900W output, the same family-friendly 23L capacity and a smart mirror-glass finish, usually for less than the Samsung. The extra wattage cooks and reheats a little faster and more evenly than 700 to 800W machines, the digital controls are easy to use, and the mirror front looks a cut above the usual white box, so it suits a modern kitchen without costing more for the privilege.

It is still a solo, so no grill or oven function, and Toshiba is a slightly less ubiquitous name than Samsung, though a thoroughly reputable one in microwaves. But for a fast, good-looking, even-cooking family solo at a keen price, it is hard to fault, and the extra power is a genuine plus. If you want the most trusted badge, the Samsung is our pick; if you want more watts and a smarter look for less, this is the value choice.

If even cooking and good defrosting matter to you, an inverter microwave like this Hisense is the one to get. Standard microwaves cook at full power and pulse on and off to simulate lower settings; an inverter delivers a steady, genuinely lower power instead, which cooks more gently and evenly and defrosts without cooking the edges of your food, a common frustration with cheaper machines. In a compact 20L body it suits smaller kitchens and one or two people well.

At 700W it is a touch slower at full blast than the 900W machines, and 20L is tighter for big dishes, so it is less suited to large families or those who want maximum speed and space. But for the quality of the cooking and defrosting, especially for delicate reheating and thawing meat properly, the inverter technology is a real, noticeable upgrade. If you want size and speed, choose a 23L 900W model; if you want the gentlest, most even results, this is the pick.

If you just want a microwave that reheats and defrosts and costs very little, the Belaco does exactly that for under £50. An 800W output handles everyday reheating and cooking at a sensible speed, the compact size suits small kitchens, spare rooms, offices and student digs, and the manual dial controls are about as simple and foolproof as it gets, nothing to fiddle with, nothing to go wrong. For a no-frills second microwave or a tight budget, it is honest value.

At this price the capacity is modest, the finish is basic, and manual dials mean no digital timer or presets. But a microwave's core job is to heat food, and this does that fine for the money, which is all a lot of people need. If you want more space, even inverter cooking or digital controls, spend a little more on one of the picks above; as the cheapest way to get a working, decent microwave, this is the budget choice.