Best Quiet Countertop Microwave for Small Kitchens

The best quiet countertop microwave for most kitchens is the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS, a 1000W, 1.2 cubic-foot unit whose Smart Sensor cuts the guesswork that leads to loud, drawn-out reheats. If noise is the single hardest constraint, the Breville BMO650SIL is the better buy: its listing claims a soft-close door that is 80% quieter and an operating profile 50% quieter overall. Six models made the shortlist, ranging from a 0.7 cubic-foot Comfee' at 20.3 lb to a 34.6 lb Toshiba built around sensor cooking.

Best quiet countertop microwave at a glance

How I narrowed the field to six

I started with a wide screen of countertop microwaves and cut the field on three criteria: a published capacity figure, a stated wattage or clear power claim, and at least one feature aimed at reducing noise or beeps. Anything without a proper dimension line got dropped, because a microwave that does not commit to a footprint is a microwave that will not fit your cabinet.

That left the six here. Two are premium units built around sensor cooking or a soft-close door. Three are entry or mid-priced 0.7 cubic-foot models sharing the same 700W class. One sits in the middle at 0.9 cubic feet and 900 watts.

• Cut for missing dimensions: several listings gave only a marketing capacity.
• Cut for no quiet feature: models with neither a mute button nor a soft-close door.
• Cut for stale listings: units with a single seller and no updated spec sheet.

What survived is a spread that covers the real buying decisions: how much counter space you have, how loud the room already is, and whether you want a sensor to end the cycle for you.

1. TOSHIBA Countertop Microwave Oven — Best overall

The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS is the best quiet countertop microwave for most kitchens because Smart Sensor cooking shortens the average cycle, and a shorter cycle is a quieter cycle.

Best for: a family kitchen that reheats and defrosts daily Skip it if: your cabinet clearance is under 13 inches

This is the largest capacity in the set at 1.2 cubic feet, and the only one that pairs a 1000W output with a sensor. Toshiba says the Smart Sensor adjusts time and power based on food humidity, which matters here because the loudest part of any microwave session is the fan and magnetron running longer than they need to. Cut the cycle and you cut the noise. The 12.4-inch glass turntable fits a full dinner plate, and the unit gives you 10 power levels plus 6 preset menus.

Footprint is the honest trade-off. At 20.5 x 17.1 x 12.8 inches and 34.6 lb, this is a real appliance, not a dorm unit. It is also the second-most-expensive pick here, and the warranty is the same 1 year limited coverage as the cheaper models. If your counter runs deep and you reheat leftovers most nights, that premium buys you the sensor, the wattage and the capacity in one box.

Pros:

• Largest capacity in the set at 1.2 cu ft
• 1000W output, the highest published here
• Smart Sensor auto-cooking, unique in this group
• 12.4-inch turntable fits a full dinner plate
• 10 power levels and 6 preset menus

Cons:

• Heaviest unit here at 34.6 lb
• 20.5-inch depth needs a real counter
• No mute button called out in the feature list

2. Breville BMO650SIL Compact Wave Soft Close Microwave Oven — Best premium

The Breville Compact Wave is the pick when the room itself demands quiet, because it is the only model here built around a soft-close door and a documented sound-reduction system.

Best for: an open-plan kitchen where noise carries Skip it if: you want a published wattage figure on the spec sheet

Breville leans hard on acoustics. The listing says the soft-close door is 80% quieter, the microwave is 50% quieter in operation, and the Breville Sound Suite plus a mute button cut the beeps that make most microwaves sound cheap. A 25L capacity, per the listing, sits between the 0.7 and 0.9 cubic-foot units in this set. Weight is 29.8 lb, and the footprint is 17.3 x 19.1 x 11.5 inches. Auto buttons cover reheat, defrost, popcorn and beverage, with a food menu for pizza, vegetables and potatoes.

This is the most expensive pick in the group and it sells the slowest of the six. It is also the only one where the wattage is not published on the listing, which is a real gap when you are comparing against a 1000W Toshiba on the shelf next to it. What you are paying for is not raw power. It is the door, the acoustics and the fit-and-finish. If you can hear the kitchen from the sofa, that is the trade worth making.

Pros:

• Soft-close door, unique in this set
• Mute button and Sound Suite for fewer beeps
• Silver finish, only non-black option here
• Auto buttons plus a food menu
• Compact 25L footprint claim for the features

Cons:

• Highest price position of the six
• No published wattage figure
• Slowest seller in this group
• Same 1 year limited warranty as cheaper picks

3. TOSHIBA Microwave Oven ML-EM09PA(BS) — Most versatile

The smaller Toshiba is the middle-ground pick: 900 watts and 0.9 cubic feet in a footprint under 19 inches wide.

Best for: a two-person household that wants 900 watts without a huge footprint Skip it if: you routinely reheat oversized dinner plates

If the 1.2 cubic-foot Toshiba is too much oven and the 0.7 cubic-foot models feel cramped, this is the pick that splits the difference. Toshiba lists 900W output from 1400W input, 11 power levels, 6 preset menus and a 10.6-inch glass turntable. The two-step child lock is called out as a safety feature, which matters if the microwave sits at counter height in a house with small kids. Dimensions come in at 18.7 x 13.3 x 10.7 inches and 24.9 lb.

The trade against its bigger sibling is straightforward. You lose the Smart Sensor, roughly 0.3 cubic feet of capacity and 100 watts. You gain a smaller footprint, a lighter unit and a lower price position. Against the 0.7 cubic-foot pack, you gain 200 watts, 0.2 cubic feet and an extra power level. It is the second-slowest seller here, though, so this is a shape of microwave shoppers pass over more often than the numbers suggest they should.

Pros:

• 900W output, second-highest in the set
• 11 power levels, the most published here
• Two-step child lock called out on the listing
• Compact 18.7-inch width
• Matches the bigger Toshiba's black stainless finish

Cons:

• No sensor cooking, unlike the 1.2 cu ft model
• Second-slowest seller of the six
• No mute button in the feature list
• Turntable is 10.6 inches, smaller than the flagship

4. Chefman Countertop Microwave Oven 0.7 Cu. Ft. — Best for quiet operation

The Chefman RJ55-7-V2 is the compact pick that puts quiet operation on the feature list, with a mute button called out by name.

Best for: a studio apartment or nursery-adjacent kitchen Skip it if: you need more than 0.7 cubic feet inside

Chefman leans on the mute function in the listing copy, framing it as a way to silence the machine so you do not wake kids or roommates. That is worth something at this price position. The rest of the sheet is standard 0.7 cubic-foot fare: 700W output, 10 power levels, 6 presets covering popcorn, pizza, beverages, veggies, potatoes and leftovers, and a child safety lock on the handle. The unit runs 17.5 x 12.9 x 9.53 inches and 23.8 lb.

Against the other 0.7 cubic-foot picks, this Chefman is the second-cheapest here and sits close to the Comfee' on price. What separates it is the framing: the mute button gets a real callout instead of being buried. If you are a light sleeper or you microwave a bottle at 2am, that framing matches how you will actually use the machine. The honest limit is capacity. 0.7 cubic feet accepts a small plate or a mug, not much more, and 700W will feel slow if you are used to a full-size unit.

Pros:

• Mute button given a dedicated listing feature
• Second-cheapest of the six
• Lightest of the digital-control picks at 23.8 lb
• 10 power levels at this price position
• Child safety lock on the handle

Cons:

• Only 0.7 cu ft, tightest capacity class
• 700W is slower than the 900W and 1000W picks
• No sensor cooking
• Turntable size not stated on the listing

5. COMFEE' Countertop Microwave Oven — Best budget pick

The Comfee' EM720CPL-PMB is the cheapest pick here and still puts a mute button and an eco mode on the feature list.

Best for: a dorm, office break room or first apartment Skip it if: you cook family-sized meals

This is the cheapest of the six and the second-most-popular by sales in this set. Comfee' lists a two-step child lock, a mute function you activate by holding the sound button for three seconds, one-touch express cooking from 1 to 6 minutes, and an eco mode the brand claims reduces standby power by 50%. The unit measures 17.3 x 13 x 10.2 inches and 20.3 lb, which is the second-lightest here.

The catches are the ones you would expect at this price position. 700W is the slowest wattage class in the set, capacity is 0.7 cubic feet, and there is no sensor cooking or soft-close door. What you get for the money is a legitimately small, legitimately light microwave with the two features that matter most for shared living: a mute button and a child lock. For a dorm room or a first apartment, that is enough. For a real kitchen where you reheat a proper plate of leftovers, step up to the 900W Toshiba.

Pros:

• Cheapest of the six
• Mute function held for three seconds
• Two-step child lock
• Eco mode standby-power claim
• Second-lightest unit at 20.3 lb

Cons:

• 700W, slowest class here
• 0.7 cu ft limits plate size
• No sensor cooking
• No soft-close door

6. BLACK+DECKER Countertop Microwave Oven 0.7 Cu.Ft — Best warranty

The BLACK+DECKER EM7P01P7 is the lightest microwave in the set, with a multi-stage cooking function that most 0.7 cubic-foot units skip.

Best for: renters who move often and want the lightest unit Skip it if: you want more than one seller to choose between

At 19 lb, this is the lightest microwave here by more than a pound, which matters if you move often or share a small kitchen where the unit gets shifted around. Dimensions are 17.1 x 12.3 x 9.5 inches. BLACK+DECKER lists 700W, 10 power levels, 6 preset menus, express cooking shortcuts and a multi-stage cooking function that sequences steps like defrost-then-reheat automatically. The award label is Best warranty because coverage is straightforward 1 year warranty, matching the field.

The honest weakness is the listing itself. Only one seller stocks this unit, which is the tightest supply in the set, and it is the slowest-selling of the three 0.7 cubic-foot models. It also does not call out a mute button in its feature list, unlike the Comfee' and the Chefman at similar prices. If quiet operation is the point of your shortlist, the other two entry-level picks push that harder. If you want the lightest, most portable 700W option with a familiar brand on the front, this earns the spot.

Pros:

• Lightest of the six at 19 lb
• Multi-stage cooking sequences steps automatically
• Fingerprint-resistant black finish claim
• 10 power levels
• Compact 17.1-inch width

Cons:

• Only one seller listed
• No mute button in the feature list
• 700W, slowest wattage class
• Slowest seller of the three 0.7 cu ft picks

What actually makes a microwave quiet?

Most quiet-microwave guides compare fan decibel figures. None of the six listings here publish one, and that is not an accident: the acoustic figure a manufacturer would give is inconsistent from brand to brand. So the honest way to compare is by feature.

Three things drive perceived noise in a countertop microwave.

1. The beeps. Every button press and every cycle end triggers a beep. A mute button silences them. The Comfee', Chefman and Breville call out mute functions by name. The two Toshibas and the BLACK+DECKER do not.
2. The door. Slamming a microwave door is the loudest single event in most kitchens. The Breville is the only pick here with a soft-close door, and its listing puts the noise reduction at 80% claim.
3. The cycle length. A microwave that runs 90 seconds is quieter than one that runs three minutes. Higher wattage and sensor cooking both shorten cycles. The 1000W Toshiba is the only one here with both.

So the best quiet countertop microwave is not a single feature. It is a stack: mute button, soft door, short cycle. The Breville stacks the most claims. The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS wins overall because a shorter cycle beats a mute button on the second run of the day, every day.

Wattage versus footprint: which matters more?

The best quiet countertop microwave for your kitchen depends more on the counter than on the spec sheet. Here is how the six line up.

• 0.7 cubic-foot class: Comfee', Chefman, BLACK+DECKER. All 700W. All under 20 inches wide and under 24 lb.
• 0.9 cubic-foot class: Toshiba ML-EM09PA(BS). 900W, 18.7 inches wide, 24.9 lb.
• 1.2 cubic-foot class: Toshiba EM131A5C-BS. 1000W, 20.5 inches wide, 34.6 lb.
• 25L class (per listing): Breville BMO650SIL. Wattage not listed, 17.3 inches wide, 29.8 lb.

The rough rule the numbers suggest: every extra 200 watts costs roughly two inches of width and five pounds of weight. If your counter clearance is under 13 inches deep, the 0.7 cubic-foot units are the only ones that fit comfortably. If you have room, the 900W Toshiba is the honest middle. Above that, you are buying features rather than raw capacity.

Features worth paying for, and features worth skipping

Not every listed feature earns its keep. Here is what actually matters when picking the best quiet countertop microwave, and what to ignore.

Worth paying for:

• Mute button. Called out on the Comfee', Chefman and Breville. Small feature, daily impact.
• Sensor cooking. Only the 1000W Toshiba has it. Cuts guesswork and cycle length.
• Soft-close door. Only the Breville. The single biggest noise event tamed.
• Two-step child lock. On the Comfee', Chefman and the smaller Toshiba. Essential if the microwave sits at counter height.

Worth skipping:

• Preset menu counts. Five of six units list 6 presets. You will use two of them.
• Power-level counts. 10 or 11 levels sound impressive. Most people use high, defrost and one middle setting.
• Eco mode claims. The Comfee' quotes 50% standby-power reduction, which is a small saving on a small draw.
• Multi-stage cooking. The BLACK+DECKER puts effort into this. Handy occasionally, not a purchase driver.

The one exception is capacity. Do not compromise on that, because a microwave you have to angle a plate into is a microwave you will resent for years.

Which pick fits your kitchen?

If you are still on the fence, match the situation to the unit.

• Family kitchen, daily use, real counter space: Toshiba EM131A5C-BS. Sensor cooking and 1000W do the heavy lifting.
• Open-plan living, noise carries: Breville BMO650SIL. Soft-close door and Sound Suite claims.
• Two adults, mid-size kitchen: Toshiba ML-EM09PA(BS). 900W without the depth of the flagship.
• Studio, nursery, roommates: Chefman RJ55-7-V2. Mute button and a small footprint.
• Dorm or office: Comfee' EM720CPL-PMB. Cheapest of the six, mute and eco included.
• Renter, frequent moves: BLACK+DECKER EM7P01P7. Lightest unit at 19 lb.

A note on the keyword itself: no listing here publishes a decibel rating, so no pick can be promised as literally the quietest. What you can compare is which features aim at quiet operation and which units combine them, and that is what this shortlist does.

The verdict

The best quiet countertop microwave for most kitchens is the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS. It is the only pick that pairs 1000W output with Smart Sensor cooking, which is the combination that matters most for perceived noise: shorter cycles mean less fan, less magnetron, less time the appliance is making any sound at all. The 1.2 cubic-foot capacity is the largest here, the 12.4-inch turntable fits a real dinner plate, and the 6 presets cover the daily jobs.

Two conditions flip the pick. If the room itself is the constraint, an open-plan space where every kitchen sound carries into a living area, the Breville BMO650SIL is the better buy. It is the only unit here with a soft-close door, and its listing puts operating noise at 50% quieter with the door at 80% quieter, both as manufacturer claims. If counter space is the constraint and 1000W is more oven than you need, the smaller Toshiba ML-EM09PA(BS) delivers 900W in a footprint under 19 inches wide.

Everything below those three is a budget or size compromise. The Chefman, Comfee' and BLACK+DECKER are all honest 0.7 cubic-foot 700W units. Buy them for what they are, not what they aren't.

FAQ

Is a quiet countertop microwave worth paying more for?

A quiet countertop microwave is worth the premium if the appliance sits within earshot of a bedroom, a nursery or a sofa. The Breville is the most expensive pick here and the only one with a soft-close door and a documented sound-reduction claim. If your kitchen is closed off from living space, the mute buttons on the Chefman or Comfee' cover most of the daily annoyance for far less.

Which specification matters most for microwave noise?

The specification that matters most is cycle length, which is driven by wattage and sensor cooking. A 1000W unit with Smart Sensor, like the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS, finishes a reheat before a 700W unit is halfway through. The door design matters second: only the Breville has a soft close. Beep volume matters third and is fixed by any mute button.

Toshiba EM131A5C-BS versus Breville BMO650SIL: which wins?

The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS versus Breville BMO650SIL choice comes down to what makes noise in your kitchen. The Toshiba wins on raw output, 1000W and 1.2 cubic feet with Smart Sensor, which shortens every cycle. The Breville wins on acoustics, with a soft-close door and 50% quieter operation as manufacturer claims. Pick the Toshiba for daily speed; pick the Breville for a shared living space.

Will a 0.7 cubic-foot microwave fit a dinner plate?

A 0.7 cubic-foot microwave fits a small plate or a mug comfortably. A standard 11-inch dinner plate is a tighter fit and may not clear the door on the smallest units. The Comfee', Chefman and BLACK+DECKER are all 0.7 cubic-foot models here. If you routinely reheat full plates of leftovers, step up to the 0.9 cubic-foot Toshiba or the 1.2 cubic-foot Toshiba flagship.

What is the biggest mistake buyers make picking a quiet countertop microwave?

The biggest mistake is chasing decibel figures that no listing publishes and ignoring the features that actually reduce noise. A mute button, a soft-close door and a higher wattage are the three levers you can compare directly. Buyers also overspend on preset menu counts and power levels they never use. Pick capacity first, wattage second, and quiet features third against a real spec sheet.

Whichever pick fits your kitchen, the buying move is the same: measure the counter clearance before you order, then match it to the width and depth figures in the table above. The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS is the default recommendation because it is the only unit in this shortlist that attacks noise through cycle length rather than a single feature, and cycle length is what you notice on the second reheat of the day. If your kitchen sits inside a shared living space, the Breville earns its price position through the door alone. Everything else in the set is a sensible compromise once you know which one you are making.

Last updated: September 10, 2026. Product availability re-checked.

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