Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
A microwave you can tuck into a tight kitchen should still swallow a full-size dinner plate and heat food evenly. That is the whole point of this size class, and it is exactly where the cheap ones fail. This guide covers eight countertop microwaves in the 0.7 to 1.1 cubic feet range — the size that fits under a cabinet, on a dorm desk, or on the one free square of counter you actually have.
I’m Mo Min — the founder and writer behind Non Toxic Blog. This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
One thing to know before you shop: this list uses flexible matching, so not every pick is the exact cubic footage you typed in — the nearest same-type size and wattage serves the same job. Below you will find the 0.7 to 1.1 cubic feet microwave picks worth your counter space.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best 0.7 to 1.1 Cubic Feet Microwave
Small microwaves are sold on capacity, but capacity is rarely what disappoints you. What disappoints you is a plate that will not spin, a door latch that gives up, or a keypad you cannot read from standing height. Here is what to check before you commit.
Wattage decides how long you stand there waiting
Cubic feet tell you how much food fits. Watts tell you how fast it heats. A 700W unit is the entry point in this size class, and owners describe the trade-off plainly — food that took 30 seconds in a bigger machine takes closer to a minute. Step up to 900W or 1000W and you get back the speed of a full-size oven in the same footprint, which is the whole reason people pay more for a small microwave.
Turntable diameter beats listed capacity
A 0.7 cubic foot interior can still hold a 10-inch dinner plate if the turntable is wide enough, which is why owners of compact units keep reporting that a full plate fits. Check the turntable size, not just the cubic feet — a plate that tilts against the door is the single most common complaint in this category.
Child lock: useful tool or daily annoyance
Nearly every microwave here ships with a child lock, a setting that stops little hands from starting the machine. The catch is how it works. Some locks disable permanently with a two-button press you can look up in the manual; others need open up every single time you use the oven. If you do not have small children, this one feature can decide whether you enjoy the microwave or fight it daily.
Measure your gap before your cabinet
Exterior width and depth matter more than interior size when you are sliding a microwave into a prebuilt cabinet or under a shelf. Manufacturers publish the outside dimensions, and owners who measured first report clean fits. Owners who did not end up returning units. Leave room for airflow — the manual for each model lists the clearance it needs on the sides, top, and back.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Capacity | Wattage | Power Levels | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLACK+DECKER 0.9 Cu Ft★ Best Overall | Tight kitchens that still need a full plate | 0.9 cubic feet | 900W | 10 | Amazon |
| Chefman Compact 0.7 Cu FtTiny-Kitchen Pick | Dorms and the smallest counters going | 0.7 cubic feet | 700W | 10 | Amazon |
| Commercial Chef CHM7MSBest Looking | Buyers who want a mirror finish on a budget counter | 0.7 cubic feet | 700W | 10 | Amazon |
| GE GCST07N1WWW | Shared spaces that need a quiet 700W unit | 0.7 cubic feet | 700W | — | Amazon |
| TOSHIBA 0.9 Cu Ft | Anyone who hates end-of-cook beeping | 0.9 cubic feet | 900W | 11 | Amazon |
| Kenmore KMCMWP09S2-09 | Matching a kitchen full of Kenmore appliances | 0.9 cubic feet | 900W | — | Amazon |
| Sharp SMC0962KS | Fast, even reheating without the noise | 0.9 cubic feet | 900W | 10 | Amazon |
| TOSHIBA 1.1 Cu Ft Smart Sensor | Bigger meals that need sensor-done cooking | 1.1 cubic feet | 1000W | 10 | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. BLACK+DECKER Countertop Microwave Oven 0.9 Cu Ft
Our pick — 4.5★ from 700+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
The 0.9 cubic foot oven that swallows a 10-inch pizza and still clears your cabinet.
If your kitchen is small but your plates are normal, this is the one to start with. The interior holds 0.9 cubic feet — that is roughly a tenth more room than the Chefman compact, and owners say it makes the difference between a plate that spins and one that tilts. A 10-inch pizza fits the removable turntable without an argument, and the outside measures 18.6 inches wide by 13.2 inches deep by 10.7 inches tall, so it slips into a prebuilt cabinet space instead of hogging the whole counter.
Speed is where the 900 watts earn their keep. Ten power levels cover everything from defrosting to a full-power reheat, and six pre-programmed auto menus — popcorn, potato, pizza, frozen vegetables, beverages, and dinner plates — take the guesswork out of the foods you cook most. The one-touch start begins heating on a single press, which sounds trivial until you are doing it three times a day.
The catch worth knowing is the door. There is no push-button release — you close it by hand and it latches itself, which one owner only discovered after unboxing. That is fine for most people and mildly irritating for the rest. Stainless steel also shows fingerprints, so keep a cloth nearby if a smudged panel bothers you. Two-Step child lock is there if you need it, and the manual tells you how to switch it off permanently if you do not.
Where it wins
- 0.9 cubic feet fits a full dinner plate and a 2-quart dish
- 900 watts reheats evenly and quickly
- Ten power levels plus six one-touch auto menus
- Compact outer footprint that fits prebuilt cabinets
Where it asks something of you
- Stainless finish collects fingerprints
- No push-button door release, so you close it manually
- A rare unit has failed after months of use, outside the return window
Reach for this if: you need full-size plates and even reheating in a kitchen with no spare counter.
Think twice if: a smudge-free front panel matters more to you than interior room.
2. Chefman Compact Countertop Microwave, 0.7 Cu Ft, 700W, Stainless
The dorm-desk microwave that holds a dinner plate and stays off your fuse box.
Owners of this one talk about two things: how small it is, and how much food still fits inside. The 0.7 cubic foot interior takes a 10-inch dinner plate, and the exterior measures a modest 17.52 inches wide by 12.93 inches deep by 9.53 inches tall. That footprint is why students and apartment dwellers keep choosing it — it makes coffee, popcorn, and leftovers in a space where a full-size oven simply would not go.
The 700 watts are the honest trade-off. It is the lowest of any pick here, and owners say it plainly: if you expect a frozen meal in 30 seconds, you will be standing there closer to a minute. For reheating and defrosting, the ten power levels still cover everything from melting butter at low power to a fast reheat at the top setting. There is a +30 second button for quick top-ups, three one-touch presets for popcorn, beverages, and leftovers, and a mute option that silences the beeps entirely — a real kindness if you are heating something at night in a shared space.
The child safety lock lives on the door handle, so the door will not swing open by accident. What divides opinion is the noise. Some owners describe it as quiet; others find the hum noticeable while it runs, so if you work right next to your microwave, that is the thing to weigh. The stainless front is a step above the plain-white boxes at this size.
The size-to-power math: you are trading heating speed for a footprint that fits almost anywhere, and the ten power levels plus +30 second button keep you in control of the timing.
One question to answer first: is the microwave going in an open kitchen or a closed dorm room? The answer decides whether the noise matters at all.
Built for: dorms, offices, and kitchens where counter space is the scarcest ingredient.
Pass it over if: you regularly cook from frozen and want it done in the time a bigger oven would take.
3. Commercial Chef 0.7 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave Oven, CHM7MS
A mirror-finish compact that makes a small counter look intentional.
What draws people to this Commercial Chef is the surface — the stainless reads almost like a mirror, and owners who keep it wiped down say it still looks new after years of daily use. It is a 700W, 0.7 cubic foot unit weighing 20.9 lbs, with an exterior of 17.1 inches wide by 12.6 inches deep by 10 inches tall, so it fits a cabinet or a narrow tabletop without crowding either. Ten heating settings, six pre-set menus, defrost, and one-to-six-minute express cook cover the everyday jobs.
The panel is where the reviews split. The finish is reflective enough that the button labels get hard to read, both in bright daylight and in a dim kitchen — owners describe pressing the wrong key because the numbers fade into the shine. If you cook mostly on autopilot and know your buttons by position, this rarely matters. If you like to see what you are pressing, it will nag at you. The interior glass is easy to wipe, and the digital control panel runs a timer up to 99 minutes with an audible signal at the end.
There is also a practical limit to a 0.7 cubic foot cavity: a full-size dinner plate can need a slight tilt to clear the door. Pair that with the lighter 700W output and the picture is clear — this is a machine for coffee, leftovers, and snacks rather than for cooking whole meals. Two years of steady use from one owner with the finish still intact shows the build holds up when treated with reasonable care.
What the mirror shine buys you: a compact microwave that looks like it cost more than it did, with a control panel that handles 99 minutes of cook time and six preset menus.
What it costs you: low-contrast buttons and a cavity that asks a big plate to angle in.
Choose this when: the microwave is going to be seen, and it is mostly coffee, popcorn, and leftovers.
Look elsewhere when: you cook full dinners for two and want to read every button without squinting.
4. GE Countertop Microwave Oven, 700 Watt, 0.7 Cu. Ft., White, GCST07N1WWW
The one buyers pick when they need it silent, dry inside, and under 13 inches deep.
This GE is what people buy after a bad experience with a noisier compact. It is a 0.7 cubic foot, 700W oven measuring 17.31 inches wide by 12.74 inches deep by 10.1 inches tall, and it slots into dorm rooms, apartments, and offices without a fight. The controls are deliberately simple: one-touch express cooking, four convenience cook settings, a digital display, and an electronic keypad for exact time and power. Manual and auto defrost both adjust time and power so frozen food thaws without cooking at the edges.
The feature that swings buyers is the silent mode — you turn the beeps off completely, and the door closes quietly. The child lock can be deactivated, which not every compact allows. Clearance is spelled out too: three inches on each side and above, one inch at the rear, and a fully unobstructed bottom for airflow. Get that right and the airflow keeps the unit running cool.
Where this one gets tested is the long haul. The quiet operation and simple controls are the clear strengths, but reliability is the open question — a small number of buyers report the door mechanism and turntable giving trouble within the first months. On a machine rated 4.1 out of 5 across more than 700 ratings, that is a minority experience rather than the norm. One small quirk to know about: with some units you press the start button immediately after closing the door, and the manual does not explain that clearly. Treat the door gently and it pays you back.
What owners settle on this for
- Silent mode kills the beeps entirely
- Quiet door close and quiet-running operation
- Stays dry inside thanks to an internal fan
- Child lock that actually deactivates
What to keep an eye on
- Button lettering is small and hard to read
- Needs 3 inches of clearance on each side and above, 1 inch at the rear
- Door and turntable hold up for most, but not for every unit
Its natural home: a shared apartment, an office, or any wall-adjacent spot where beeping is a problem.
Not the one for: a household that wants to use the oven many times a day for years and values long-term toughness above quiet.
5. TOSHIBA Countertop Microwave Oven, 0.9 Cu.Ft, 900W, Black Stainless Steel
Eleven power levels, a silencer for the beeps, and a door that opens with a push.
Toshiba gives you a 0.9 cubic foot, 900W oven with more fine-tuned control than most compacts here. Eleven unique power levels go from gentle deodorizing and melting to a fast boil — more settings than the ten on the BLACK+DECKER or the Chefman — and the black stainless exterior measures 18.7 inches wide by 13.3 inches deep by 10.7 inches tall with a 10.6-inch glass turntable inside. Its 900W output handles frozen dinners and leftovers without the wait you’d get from a 700W machine.
The everyday friendliness is what people come back for. The mute mode silences the end-of-cook beep for good, and owners who wake up early or share walls with neighbors single that out as the reason they kept it. The child lock opens with an upward push on the handle — one buyer with wrist and carpal tunnel trouble called it the easiest safety lock they had used — and can be switched off permanently with two buttons if the kids are not a concern. The memory function saves a favorite setting and recalls it later, and defrost runs by weight or by time, whichever fits the food in front of you.
Two things to plan around. The button labels are low-contrast, and owners say they are hard to read in both bright and dim light, with a dim interior light to match. And the 900 watts leave a gap next to the 1000W Toshiba higher up this list — if a recipe is written for a stronger oven, adjust your timing. Neither issue changes the fact that this heats evenly and fast, with owners reporting full-size speed in a footprint that still saves counter space.
The feature that sells it: a permanent mute plus eleven power levels, which together make it the least annoying microwave to own on this list.
The honest limit: dim labels and a modest interior light mean you will be reading the panel by memory sooner than by sight.
Pick this if: you want a quiet 900W oven that heats like a bigger one and lets you kill every beep.
skip it if: you need maximum wattage for large, ambitious meals, which is where the 1000W option ahead of it pulls away.
6. Kenmore KMCMWP09S2-09 Countertop Microwave, 0.9 Cu Ft
Kenmore owners buy this one to finish the set, then keep it for the simplicity.
If the rest of your kitchen already says Kenmore, this 900W, 0.9 cubic foot oven in stainless steel slots right in. It measures 19 inches wide by 13.56 inches deep by 10.75 inches tall. Six preset menus cover popcorn, potato, pizza, frozen dinner, beverage, and reheat, and the panel adds a one-touch start for 30 seconds or one to six minutes, plus defrost by weight or by time. Simple — and owners who had tried other compacts described this one as the best of the three, with a control panel they found logical and straightforward.
What stands out is how little fuss there is. You press a preset or a number, and it heats; the power matches its rating and the one-touch start behaves exactly as expected. One long-time Kenmore household going back to the early 1980s sums up the appeal of the brand for this buyer. The child lock, though, is the one daily annoyance — you have to press the open up button every single time, and one buyer pointed out that it cannot be skipped. If small children share your kitchen, that is a safety feature doing its job. If they do not, it is a step you will do hundreds of times.
The cavity runs on the snug side for a 0.9 cubic foot interior, so a very large plate may not spin as freely as you hope. And the door latch is the known weak point at this size — a minority of owners mention it failing within months, which is worth knowing if the microwave is in constant use by a busy household. Rated 4.2 out of 5 across more than 600 ratings, most owners never see that problem, but it is the reason to handle the door without slamming it.
Why people keep it: the controls are boring in the best way — presets that work, a one-touch start, and defrost without a learning curve.
The daily tax: an annoying child lock on every cook, and a door latch that rewards a light touch.
Made for: a kitchen already dressed in Kenmore stainless, or anyone who wants a plain, predictable 900W oven.
Not your pick if: you want a microwave you never have to open up, or you cook for a crowd that opens the door hard.
7. Sharp SMC0962KS 0.9 cu. ft. 900W Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven
The compact that finally heats a full dinner plate fast and even.
This Sharp is the choice for someone upgrading from an old, underpowered compact. Its 900 watts push a 0.9 cubic foot cavity with a 10.6-inch Carousel turntable — big enough for a full dinner plate — and the case measures 18.7 inches deep by 13.3 inches wide by 10.7 inches tall. Owners who came from older 700W machines keep repeating the same observation: food heats evenly in a fraction of the time, without the cold center or scorched edge that plagued their old oven.
The convenience touches are thoughtfully placed. Ten power levels include two-stage cooking, so a single program can run one power for a while and then switch. There is a +30 seconds key for a quick start, plus express cook that fires up to six minutes with a single press. Weight and time defrost both handle frozen food accurately, and the child lock opens simply and disables fully. Cosmetically, it wears a gray interior, a white LED display, and LED interior lighting — the stainless sides read as solid in the hand rather than thin.
Two quirks to note. The interior light is dim, which some owners find too faint for peering into the cavity. And the door shuts with a distinct clang rather than a soft close — not a fault, just something that is noticeable in a quiet kitchen. What is worth knowing before you buy: this is a 0.9 cubic foot machine, so it is a hair tighter inside than the 1.1 cubic foot Toshiba at the top of this list — if you routinely reheat large casseroles, size up. Rated 4.4 out of 5 across more than 400 ratings, it earns its spot on even, fast heating.
The headline for speed chasers: 900W of even power in a compact that handles a full plate, with express cook and a two-stage setting for recipes that change power mid-cook.
What to accept: a dim interior light and a door that lands with a bang, not a hush.
This is the one for you if: you are replacing a slow older microwave and want fast, even results back in a compact size.
Step past it if: you need generous interior volume for big dishes, or you want a soft-close door.
8. TOSHIBA Countertop Microwave Oven with Smart Sensor, 1.1 Cu.Ft, 1000W
The sensor-driven 1.1 cubic footer for people who cook real meals, not just reheat.
This is the biggest oven on the list, and the most powerful at 1000W. Its 1.1 cubic foot cavity, 1600W input draw, and 12.4-inch glass turntable give you more interior room than any other pick — the Chefman and both Commercial Chef and GE units are a full 0.7 cubic feet, while the 0.9 cubic foot models sit in between. The external footprint measures 20.6 inches wide by 14.8 inches deep by 11.8 inches tall, so check your gap first, because this one wants more cabinet clearance than the rest.
The sensor is the star. Ten power levels and thirteen preset menus let the oven detect when food is done rather than running a fixed timer, and customers note it reheats tricky dishes — tamales, burritos, oatmeal — evenly without the wet spots or hot centers of a manual cook. The mute mode silences the beeps, the memory function stores a favorite dish setting, and defrost works by weight or by time. The flatbed-style heating with multiple emitters is the reason owners describe it as the best heating they have gotten from any microwave they have owned.
Two honest caveats. Sensor cooking throws off how some people expect a microwave to behave — this unit will not aggressively boil a plain cup of water, and the sensor menu labels are not always self-explanatory. And durability is the open question with this model; a minority of owners doubt it will run for decades the way old machines did. The door also opens on a handle trigger rather than a simple push, which some find fiddly and others barely notice. For a busy household cooking full meals, the extra capacity and the sensor heating are a fair trade for a shorter-track record.
Why heavy cooks rate it
- 1.1 cubic feet and 1000W — the most interior room and the most power here
- Sensor cooking decides done-ness with thirteen preset menus
- Mute mode, memory function, and weight-or-time defrost
- Quiet operation that owners single out
Where it asks you to adapt
- Largest exterior footprint here — check your cabinet space
- Some sensor menu labels are unclear and the door uses a handle trigger
- Durability is unproven compared to the older machines it replaces
The right call for: households cooking full meals and reheating real portions that a 0.7 cubic foot box cannot hold.
Not the one for: a tight dorm shelf or a cabinet niche, since it takes up the most room of everything here.
Understanding the Specs
Capacity in cubic feet
Cubic feet measure the interior volume of the microwave, so they decide how much food goes in at once. A 0.7 cubic foot models is the smallest and best for single servings; 0.9 cubic feet often fits a full-size dinner plate; a 1.1 cubic foot picks up enough room for larger casserole dishes. The number you should also check is the turntable diameter — it is the real limit on what will spin freely. Even a 0.7 cubic foot interior can usually hold a standard plate if the turntable is wide enough.
Wattage and power levels
Wattage sets heating speed: a higher number means food reheats and defrosts faster, so a 1000W oven tends to finish a plate sooner than a 700W one. Power levels are the other piece — they let you dial the intensity down for melting butter or thawing meat instead of blasting every job at full strength. Ten power levels is common in this size class, and a few models go to eleven. Higher wattage matters most if you cook real meals; for reheating, a well-fitted 700W still does the job.
FAQ
What is the difference between 0.7 and 0.9 cubic feet in a microwave?
Can a 700W microwave heat food as fast as a 900W one?
Will a full-size dinner plate fit in a 0.7 cubic feet microwave?
How do I turn off the child lock on these microwaves?
How much clearance does a countertop microwave need around it?
Is a turntable or a flatbed microwave better?
Why does the control panel on some compact microwaves show fingerprints?
Do these microwaves fit under a standard kitchen cabinet?
Can I turn off the beeping on a compact microwave?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
For most kitchens, the 0.7 to 1.1 cubic feet microwave that balances size and speed best is the BLACK+DECKER 0.9 Cu Ft — it fits a full plate, reheats evenly at 900W, and slides into a tight cabinet. If you want the most capacity and sensor cooking for real meals, reach for the TOSHIBA 1.1 Cu Ft. And for a dorm room or a counter you can barely spare, the Chefman Compact 0.7 Cu Ft is the one that goes where nothing else will.
How We Picked
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources & Methodology
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of September 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
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