We Tested Nearly a Dozen Microwave Bacon Cookers — And Actually Really Liked 2 of Them

Good gosh, are there a lot of gadgets out there that promise to make perfect bacon in the microwave! Just look at them all! Curious to learn if any of them were actually worth the money and hopeful for a quick way to get a morning fix of bacon, I did a deep-dive into the world of microwave bacon cookers.

Turns out, there are two main types of microwave bacon cookers: there are simple flat trays and there are contraptions that prop the bacon up in some way. The trays are pretty straightforward — you lay the bacon on the trays (they usually have ridges so the bacon doesn’t sit in grease puddles), then cover with the provided lid or paper towels to catch any splatters, and cook away. The second type of cooker either has slots to hold each strip of bacon up on its side or little racks that allow the meat to dangle. This second type accurately promises a less greasy finished result, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on your preference.

Now that you’re well-versed in the types of microwave bacon cookers out there, let’s take a look at the ones that stood out as winners in my testing.

You won’t believe how many microwave cookers require the bacon to be folded over some sort of hanger/rack. This means you won’t get any nice, long strips — rather strips that are all folded in half. Depending on what you’re making the bacon for, this can be a deal breaker. That said, I really did like the WowBacon Microwave Cooker. (You can always break each folded strip in half and you’ll have two shorter flat strips!)

My husband was particularly concerned when I set out to do all this testing. He’d just finished a major cleaning session on our microwave, so he was especially fond of the WowBacon, which comes with a cover and made the least mess out of all the cookers I tried. (There’s a steam vent on top that releases pressure.) You hang up to six slices on the rack, pop the lid on, and put the whole thing in the microwave for up to three minutes. The bacon comes out nicely crisped and evenly cooked — though folded in half.

Not only did it not make a mess during cooking, it was also easy to clean: Just pour out the bacon grease and pop the container in the dishwasher. This gets my vote if you want to enjoy a piece (or three) of freshly crisped bacon during a busy weekday morning before you head out the door. It gets an A+ for convenience.

Buy: WowBacon Microwave Cooker, $25

I was definitely the most skeptical about the Bacon Wave. I thought it’d be way too annoying to slip the raw bacon into the slots, but it really wasn’t that complicated. The bacon fits nicely in the slots and there are sticks on either end that slide in easily to hold the bacon in place.

If the folded bacon from the WowBacon above is a deal breaker for you, this is the way to go. You end up with very straight, not-too-greasy pieces. Pro tip: Cover the whole thing with paper towels or a splatter guard to contain the mess.

I do have to ding this cooker because emptying the bacon drippings proves to be a little tricky, though it washes up fine in the dishwasher. I really like this if you need to make bacon for a crowd (it cooks up to 14 slices at once!) but can’t stand to spare any oven space.

Buy: Bacon Wave Microwave Bacon Tray, $17

I was surprised by how much I disliked most of the trays. For the most part, they had pretty uneven cooking results. One was so large, it wouldn’t turn in my microwave — and I’ve got a giant microwave! Another one smelled like chemicals when it came out of the microwave and it still smelled bad when I took it out of the dishwasher. 

If I had to pick a tray, I’d say I liked the Sistema Microwave Bacon Cooker best. It was easy to clean, cooked the bacon fairly evenly, and came with a lid.

Buy: Sistema Microwave Bacon Cooker, $14 at Walmart

In all honesty, though, if you’re thinking about buying a tray, you can just DIY it with a microwave-safe plate and by layering bacon between paper towels. No plastic, no splatters, and no purchase needed!

What’s your go-to method for cooking bacon?