This Space-Saving $80 Microwave Is the MVP of My Kitchen (I Use It Every Day!)

I’ve never had to buy a microwave before. Every apartment I’ve rented (and even viewed) in New York City has been fully equipped with appliances, but my new place threw me a curveball by not having a microwave. Naturally, it was the first item on my shopping list after I moved in. Why? I’m not sure I can live without one. It might sound like an exaggeration, but I really do use it every day, for everything from reheating leftovers to warming up my coffee.

The catch, however, is that there’s basically no counter space in my tiny kitchen. I knew that I couldn’t get a humongous microwave with all the bells and whistles, but I don’t really need anything fancy. All that it needs to be is reliable and efficient. Another few must-haves were that it was compact, white (to match my other appliances), and ideally under $100. Enter: Commercial Chef’s microwave.

Due to its small size — about 17 by 12 by 10 inches — this microwave has a wattage of 700. Most larger ones hit around the 1,000-watt mark, but if you’re seriously short on space in a small apartment or a dorm room, something in the 700 to 900 range is likely what you’ll end up getting. Commercial Chef’s version is also about 20 pounds and offers 10 power levels, defrosting, and six presets, including pizza, potato, and popcorn. It also has a timer feature and clock, so you’ll always know when your food is done.

There isn’t much to this small-space-friendly microwave, but that’s what I like about it. At first, I was a little worried about the lower wattage, but after doing some research, I realized that a 700-watt (or .7 cubic-feet) microwave was the only option that would fit on my counter. As you can see in the photo, It fit perfectly and still leaves some inches open in front of it. I seriously don’t know what I would do if it came out further. My kitchen would be pretty much unusable. That sliver of counter you see above is it.

After about a month of daily use, I realized that my worries were unfounded. This microwave has performed beautifully when heating up everything from leftover pizza to frozen chicken nuggets to nachos to pasta sauce. There have only been a couple of occasions where I needed to zap my food for 30 more seconds, but that’s a minuscule price to pay for how much counter space I’m saving. The interior can easily fit a full-sized plate, and the microwave itself is easy to move when I need to. You really can’t beat all of that and the price — so whether you’re shopping for a small-scale kitchen or dorm room, you should definitely consider Commercial Chef’s option.

Buy: Commercial Chef Microwave, 0.7 Cubic Feet, $79.88 (normally $99.99)