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One of the worst things that can happen when you buy a new microwave is to find out that it’s much noisier than anticipated. After testing 12 of the most popular microwaves on the market, we managed to identify the 5 best quiet microwaves.
We were impressed by how quiet the Galanz GLCMKA07GNR-07 is despite not having a dedicated function, while the Toshiba ML-EM34P(SS) proved to be a silent yet powerful machine.
But the absolute quietest microwave we found was a real surprise. Curious to find out the winner? Keep on reading!
| Image | Product | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
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Editor’s Choice
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COMFEE’ EM720CPL-PMB
|
10
|
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|
Most Versatile
|
Toshiba ML-EM34P(SS)
|
9.5
|
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|
Best Value For Money
|
Toshiba EM131A5C-BS
|
9
|
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|
Best Seller
|
Galanz GLCMKA07GNR-07
|
9
|
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|
Budget Option
|
BLACK+DECKER EM925AB9
|
9
|
Check Current Price |
The Best Quiet Microwaves
Table of Contents
The amount of noise a microwave produces is one of the first things people notice about their new unit and one of the most important characteristics that can make it or break it for them.
Many people send back their perfectly functional microwaves based on the amount of noise alone! Indeed, a quiet microwave can give you peace of mind, whether you live alone and cannot disturb anyone but yourself, or you live in a condo with many other people.
Luckily, the industry of kitchen appliances is well-aware of this issue, that’s why it’s easier to find a silent microwave today than it was years ago. Some units even have a specific option to turn off the loud beeps at the end of the cooking process.
Our team at ConsciousEating made a selection of popular microwaves that are known for their quietness. Based on our previous experiences with microwaves, we were kinda skeptical: is there such a thing as a quiet countertop microwave?
Finally, we found the answer and now we can share it with you. Read below to find out what are the best quiet microwaves currently on the market!
COMFEE’ EM720CPL-PMB
- Compact
- Lightweight
- Sound On/Off
- Inaccurate instruction book
- Tough buttons
When we started our testing process we weren’t just looking for a quiet microwave, we wanted a kitchen appliance that had overall quality, was easy to operate, worked well, and was silent while doing so.
In this sense, the Comfeé EM720CPL-PMB surprised us, because we were already expecting to put one of the more powerful microwaves at the top of the list. Instead, this small but hard-working machine fulfilled all of our cooking needs while remaining pleasantly quiet.
This unit would be the average low-wattage microwave if it weren’t for some interesting features. First of all, the most important news this microwave brings to the table is the option to turn off its sound.
In fact, not only the machine is fairly quiet when working, but you can also turn off the buzzer that activates when cooking time’s up. This isn’t an option often present in microwaves of this price range, so it’s certainly a bonus point for the Comfeé.
This non-beeping microwave uses the full power of its 700 watts, however, we noticed that depending on the food we’re heating, sometimes you might need to cook it for a bit longer than what’s indicated in the instruction book.
Working with low wattage means that this unit will be very gentle on your electricity bill. At a time where we all have more than one electrical appliance per room, using low-wattage machines becomes fundamental for our pockets.
On this topic, another important feature of the Comfeé EM720CPL-PMB is the Eco Mode, which minimizes the consumption of electricity when the microwave is on stand-by.
The only thing that bothered us while testing this microwave was the force needed to push the buttons. In fact, there is no way to press a button by mistake on this unit, because they’re pretty tough.
However, together with the child safety lock function, this also means that this unit is completely child-proof because little kids cannot possibly activate this microwave on their own.
We decided to place the Comfeé EM720CPL-PMB at the top of our rank because, in addition to being a beepless microwave, it is a compact unit that can fit any kitchen, has all the basic functions needed to cook and it comes at an affordable price.
For our team, it checks all the boxes of what the ideal microwave should be, but of course, if you need a bigger microwave for your family, keep reading below to find out what Toshiba had in store for us.
Toshiba ML-EM34P(SS)
- Humidity Sensor
- Large capacity
- Voice control
- Eco Mode
- Sound On/Off
- It works in a different timezone
We must admit that upon testing the Toshiba ML-EM34P(SS), more or less all of us at ConsciousEating thought that we might have just found the perfect microwave.
With a capacity of 1.3 cu. ft. this microwave can fit more than one container at a time, so you can cook dinner for your family in one go.
Despite having the internal size of a microwave with a pizza oven, this big guy from Toshiba will not take much space on your countertop in comparison with other microwaves of the same capacity.
It presents itself as a compact and reliable microwave, which won’t budge easily even if you use force against it. Think of anything you want to cook, and you can be sure the 1100 watts of the Toshiba ML-EM34P(SS) will be more than enough to cook everything you need.
Of course, this unit comes with plenty of functions, starting from its humidity sensor. The sensor detects and adjusts automatically the humidity level inside the oven, so as to maintain the optimal heat needed to cook your food to perfection.
The pre-programmed menus include up to 23 different foods, including the most popular popcorn and pizza. The best thing about this microwave is that you don’t need to waste time setting it by hand because you can voice-control it.
In fact, the Toshiba ML-EM34P(SS) is connected to Alexa through Wi-Fi, which means you can just voice out your preferred cooking option while you’re busy doing something else, for example.
We were very curious about this option and we had plenty of fun trying it out with different menus and functions. We must admit that depending on how strong or far your router is, sometimes Alexa might lose the signal.
However, we also noticed that sometimes, although Alexa told us it could not recognize the microwave, the machine still responded to our commands, so it’s a trial-and-error process you’ll have to see for yourself.
We didn’t think using the Voice Control would make much of a difference, because you still have to place the food inside of the microwave so you might as well push the buttons, right? To our surprise, we found it did change a lot and made things easier, especially when you’re doing many things at once.
But the main reason this microwave made it to the top of our list, is because it is maybe the most silent microwave we ever tested.
Toshiba took the issue of microwave noise very seriously with this model. The ML-EM34P(SS) has an on/off option for its sound, which truly turns off all of the sounds. When selected, you find yourself with a completely mute microwave.
Mind you, this microwave is already very silent as it is. In fact, even when remaining in the same room, sometimes we could barely hear the beeping sounds.
In the light of everything we shared with you about the Toshiba ML-EM34P(SS), it is not hard to see why we consider it a perfect microwave. However, it is not without flaws.
We noticed that the clock is set on Eastern Time and it always reverts back to this timezone at midnight, even if you set it right during the day. We suspect this might be a problem with the App, so it might be solved in a future update.
If you have the patience, you can set the right time every day. Otherwise, it’s easy to just remember to add or subtract those extra hours to/from the clock, so we don’t want to penalize this otherwise wonderful machine.
Toshiba EM131A5C-BS
- Large capacity
- Powerful
- Sensor Cook
- Eco Mode
- Sound On/Off
- The weight/cooking time ratio can be inaccurate
Toshiba is a quality brand and each one of their products is an example of that quality, so you shouldn’t be surprised if both the second and third place in our rank is taken by Toshiba microwaves with silent mode.
The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS is another example of a compact and solid microwave that is powerful yet very quiet. In fact, this machine boasts 1100 watts of power and a capacity of 1.2 cu. ft., just a little less than the ML-EM34P(SS).
Unlike the previous model, this unit is not as quiet when it’s not on silent mode, so you can clearly hear it beeping even if you’re in another room. Once you turn on the silent mode, the microwave is completely quiet.
The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS features a Sensor Cook which adjusts cooking time and power level based on the type and weight of the food. The Sensor Cook makes cooking extremely easy because you don’t have to worry about over or undercooking your meal.
This model also includes an Eco Mode option which minimizes standby power when you’re not using the microwave. Since it’s a quite powerful machine, this becomes a fundamental function in order to limit the electricity cost.
The look of the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS is aesthetically pleasing and well-designed, as it takes into consideration customers who might suffer from eyesight problems.
The control panel is quite accessible thanks to the white lettering over the black background, and in addition to that, the autocook functions have an additional grey layer which makes the words stand out even more from the background.
After testing it several times per day for several days in a row, we believe this is a good machine that can handle high-volume work. We didn’t find any particular fault in it, but for the sake of transparency, it is worth noting that the defrost function can be inaccurate at times.
Specifically, we noticed that when defrosting meat, it is better to input about 50-70% of the actual weight, otherwise, sometimes you might risk cooking the food instead of just defrosting it.
All in all, we believe that the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS is great value for money and if you’re looking for a family microwave that can make your cooking life easier, this unit is one of the best choices.
Galanz GLCMKA07GNR-07
- Compact
- Lightweight
- Auto cooking
- Very quiet
- Eco Mode
- Slow cooking
We don’t know what it is that makes people go crazy for retro-style microwaves, but we must admit we fell in love with the Galanz GLCMKA07GNR-07 retro microwave.
This kind of unit can fit in any kitchen, but of course, will look particularly stunning in a small or vintage kitchen. The Galanz GLCMKA07GNR-07 is small and compact, won’t take much countertop space and it’s also lightweight if you need to move it around or bring it with you.
With its 700 watts of power, it won’t cook as fast as its more powerful colleagues, but if you don’t mind the extra-time, this colorful machine is definitely worth the (extremely affordable) price.
For a low-wattage microwave, the Galanz doesn’t fall behind more advanced models like the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS. In fact, this small friend features an auto-cook mode, an Eco Mode, 6 different power levels, and a large LED display.
You won’t have to waste time deciphering complicated instructions or pressing countless buttons: this microwave with dial knob features just a few, fundamental controls and it’s perfect for those who wish to keep it simple.
The Galanz GLCMKA07GNR-07 is not a microwave with the mute option, however, it works really quietly and it only keeps beeping if you forget the food inside, although the volume is totally acceptable.
With its 0.7 cu. ft. of capacity, this microwave is perfect for those who live alone, but you can also place it in your college room, cabin, or office break room and it will surely make all the difference!
BLACK+DECKER EM925AB9
- Compact
- Auto cooking
- Powerful
- Express cook
- No door handle
The BLACK+DECKER EM925AB9 is exactly as it looks: compact, elegant, solid, reliable. This small but powerful machine can make a great addition to your kitchen and can ease your cooking duties thanks to its simple but fundamental functions.
This unit is not a high-end microwave and is not as advanced as the ones at the top of our list, however, it is a medium-volume microwave that works incredibly well for its size and power.
The BLACK+DECKER EM925AB9 makes good use of its 900 watts of power, placing itself somewhere in the middle between the Comfeé EM720CPL-PMB and the Toshiba ML-EM34P(SS), and yet not losing against either.
In fact, this microwave has 10 power settings and a well-designed control panel with pre-programmed settings for all the most popular foods. The controls are intuitive and quick to operate and the LED display is easy to read.
The BLACK+DECKER EM925AB9 doesn’t have an option to turn off the beeping sound at the end of the cooking process, however, it is otherwise a very quiet microwave that works almost silently.
Its reduced size allows you to place it wherever you want, however, we suggest placing it with its back against a hard surface, as it is so lightweight that you might move it around a little when pressing the buttons.
Speaking of buttons, instead of a door handle, this unit has a more modern release button for the door. We listed it as a cons because we are all fans of the good old door handle, but in the end, it’s a matter of personal preferences and it shouldn’t discourage you from choosing this amazing little microwave.
How To Choose A Quiet Microwave.
What makes a microwave a quiet microwave? Is it enough to have a microwave that doesn’t beep? Or should you look for other characteristics?
The market of microwaves can be a jungle and even the easiest decision might turn out to be more complicated than you expected. But don’t fret, because we have the answer to your question.
How should you choose a silent microwave? Well, after reading our reviews you might already have some ideas, but in case you wanted to know more, we compiled the main characteristics to look for when you want to buy a quiet microwave.
On/Off Option
The only way to make sure you get a silent microwave is to purchase one with an On/Off option for the buzzer, like the Comfeé EM720CPL-PMB.
However, having the option to turn off the sounds, doesn’t make your microwave a quiet one by default. Some microwaves might still be noisy when working, and this is completely unrelated to the cooking time beeps.
Nonetheless, what most people are concerned about is how loud the microwave beeps when cooking is done. In this article, for example, we talked about how the Toshiba ML-EM34P(SS) can be loud when it’s not silenced but goes completely quiet when you turn on the specific function.
The On/Off option becomes fundamental when you share your house or room with other people, or when you want to make late-night snacks without waking up everyone in the house.
Some microwaves keep beeping until you take out the food from the oven, which can also be annoying. This, and many other issues, can be easily solved by purchasing a microwave with silent mode.
Wattage
This is not a rule, but sometimes microwaves that can carry out many functions and have a high wattage might turn out to be quite noisy because of the volume of work the machine handles at a time.
In this sense, a microwave with low wattage that only has a few, simple functions will have to work less and might result quieter.
This concerns the working noise and not the beeping sound. A microwave with a Sound On/Off option may still be noisy when cooking, and for the same reason, a microwave that beeps might be the quietest microwave you’ve ever tried.
It is not easy to know how noisy a microwave is beforehand, because everyone experiences noise in a different way, so it might be a trial-and-error process when purchasing a microwave.
However, professional and in-depth reviews like the ones you find here at ConsciousEating are a powerful tool on your side when you’re about to make a purchase, and we’ll keep working hard in order to provide you with only the most accurate product overviews
He likes to call himself a ‘tech freak’ and if you ask him anything about whatever tech-trend is on these days, he will likely go on for hours.
Apart from his passion for technology, Lucas has worked in an appliance store for many years and is also an over-enthusiastic foodie.
He considers his job at ConsciousEating a ‘dream come true’ because it allows him to explore the two things he loves the most in the world: technology and food.
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