> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://scotchandcigarettes.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Best Quiet Microwaves: Toshiba ML-EM45P Leads - URL: https://scotchandcigarettes.com/best-quiet-microwave-large-families/ - Published: 2026-09-07T07:24:19.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-07T09:49:24.000Z - Description: Five countertop microwaves compared on capacity, footprint, mute functions and turntable size, with a clear winner for households cooking in volume and a warning about what 'quiet' actually means on a listing. - Author: Elin Rowe - Tags: Kitchen & Dining, Kitchen Appliances, Microwaves The best quiet microwave for large families is the Toshiba ML-EM45P, because it pairs a documented mute function with a 13.6-inch turntable and 1200W in a body just 21.8 in deep. If your counter can take 24.4 in of depth and you want the biggest cavity with a stated warranty, the 2.2 cu. ft. Toshiba ML-EM62P is the better buy. Most shoppers compare wattage across these five and stop there. Wattage tells you almost nothing about noise, and nothing at all about whether your dinner plate spins freely inside. In this guide 1. [Best quiet microwave for large families at a glance](#best-quiet-microwave-for-large-families-at-a-glance) 2. [How I cut five picks down from a crowded category](#how-i-cut-five-picks-down-from-a-crowded-category) 3. [What does quiet actually mean on a microwave listing?](#what-does-quiet-actually-mean-on-a-microwave-listing) 4. [1\. TOSHIBA Microwave Oven with Smart Sensor — Best overall](#1-toshiba-microwave-oven-with-smart-sensor-%E2%80%94-best-overall) 5. [2\. TOSHIBA Large Countertop Microwave Oven with Smart Sensor — Best warranty](#2-toshiba-large-countertop-microwave-oven-with-smart-sensor-%E2%80%94-best-warranty) 6. [3\. Sharp SMC2266KS 2.2 cu. ft. 1200W Stainless Steel — Best upgrade](#3-sharp-smc2266ks-22-cu-ft-1200w-stainless-steel-%E2%80%94-best-upgrade) 7. [4\. GE Countertop Microwave Oven — Best premium](#4-ge-countertop-microwave-oven-%E2%80%94-best-premium) 8. [5\. COMFEE' Countertop Microwave Oven — Best budget pick](#5-comfee-countertop-microwave-oven-%E2%80%94-best-budget-pick) 9. [Will it fit your counter and your plates?](#will-it-fit-your-counter-and-your-plates) 10. [How much capacity does a large family really need?](#how-much-capacity-does-a-large-family-really-need) 11. [What the listings do not tell you](#what-the-listings-do-not-tell-you) 12. [The verdict](#the-verdict) 13. [FAQ](#faq) ## Best quiet microwave for large families at a glance | Pick | Capacity | Mute function | Price | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Best overall**[TOSHIBA Microwave Oven with Smart Sensor](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081T6GZZF?tag=scotchcigars-20) | 1.6 cu. ft. | Yes, hold "8" for 3–5 sec | [Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081T6GZZF?tag=scotchcigars-20) | | **Best warranty**[TOSHIBA Large Countertop Microwave Oven with Smart Sensor](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PK7WZC1?tag=scotchcigars-20) | 2.2 cu. ft. | Yes, sound on/off | [Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PK7WZC1?tag=scotchcigars-20) | | **Best upgrade**[Sharp SMC2266KS 2.2 cu. ft. 1200W Stainless Steel](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNQB66MB?tag=scotchcigars-20) | 2.2 cu. ft. | Not listed | [Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNQB66MB?tag=scotchcigars-20) | | **Best premium**[GE Countertop Microwave Oven](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDM4N45M?tag=scotchcigars-20) | 2.0 cu. ft. | Not listed | [Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDM4N45M?tag=scotchcigars-20) | | **Best budget pick**[COMFEE' Countertop Microwave Oven](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GV36BLD?tag=scotchcigars-20) | 0.7 cu. ft. | Yes, hold sound button 3 sec | [Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GV36BLD?tag=scotchcigars-20) | ## How I cut five picks down from a crowded category Three things got listings cut before I compared anything else. First, no documented capacity figure. A cavity described only as "family size" is unusable when you are trying to work out whether a 12-inch dinner plate turns. Every pick here publishes a cubic-foot number. Second, no published dimensions. Countertop microwaves are the appliance most often returned for not fitting, and depth is the killer. All five below list exterior dimensions to a tenth of an inch. Third, no stated wattage. Two of these run 1200W, one runs 700W, and knowing which is which changes how long a family meal takes to reheat. What survived is five countertop units spanning 0.7 cu. ft. to 2.2 cu. ft., all with a child lock, all with some form of defrost by weight or time. I then lined up the published specifications side by side: capacity, exterior footprint, weight, turntable diameter where stated, warranty, and whether the listing documents a way to silence the beeper. That last column is what separates the field for anyone searching for a best quiet microwave for large families, and it is the column with the most blanks. ## What does quiet actually mean on a microwave listing? Here's the trick with this category: none of these five listings publishes a decibel figure. Not one. So "quiet" cannot be verified as a running-noise claim on any of them, and I am not going to pretend otherwise. What the listings do document is beeper control. Toshiba states that holding "8" for 3–5 seconds mutes the ML-EM45P buzzer, and that the buzzer switches off after a long confirmation beep. The ML-EM62P lists a sound on/off option. COMFEE' says holding the sound button for 3 seconds turns off all beeps. Sharp and GE publish no mute function at all. That distinction matters more than it sounds. In practice, the noise a family notices is not the magnetron hum. It's the four-beep cycle at 6 a.m., the end-of-cycle chime during a toddler's nap, the keypad chirp on every button press. A mutable beeper is the one noise variable you can actually confirm from published data. So when you shop for the best quiet microwave for large families, treat mute as the checkable feature and running noise as the unknown. Two picks here document it clearly. Two do not document it at all. ## 1\. TOSHIBA Microwave Oven with Smart Sensor — Best overall **The only pick that pairs a clearly documented mute procedure with a 13.6-inch turntable and a body under 22 in deep.** [![Toshiba ML-EM45P countertop microwave in black stainless steel — the 1.6 cu. ft. cavity that fits a 13-inch pizza on a 21.8-inch-deep counter](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31uMQD5ESAL._SL500_.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081T6GZZF?tag=scotchcigars-20) **Best for:** a family of four to six with limited counter depth **Skip it if:** you regularly reheat a 16-inch pizza whole This is the balance point of the set. At 12.1 x 19.2 x 21.8 in, the ML-EM45P is 2.6 in shallower than either 2.2 cu. ft. unit here, which is often the difference between clearing an upper cabinet and not. It weighs 36.6 lb, sitting between the 20.3 lb COMFEE' and the 49.2 lb ML-EM62P. Capacity is 1.6 cu. ft. with a 13.6-inch turntable, and Toshiba says that fits a 13-inch pizza. Output is 1200W across 10 power levels, matching the two largest picks in this group despite the smaller cavity. Toshiba lists a sensor menu that adjusts heating for common foods, a position-memory turntable that returns to its starting point, multi-stage cooking, auto defrost and a child safety lock. The mute instruction is the most specific in the set: hold "8" for 3–5 seconds. Warranty is 1 year limited. It sells faster than three of the four others here, and only two sellers list it. Its trade-off is real. Choose it and you give up 0.6 cu. ft. of interior volume against the ML-EM62P for the same 1200W and the same warranty length, and you lose the 16.5-inch turntable the Sharp offers. **Pros:** - Most specific published mute procedure in the set - 13.6-inch turntable at only 21.8 in deep - 1200W and 10 power levels - Position-memory turntable resets automatically - 1 year limited warranty stated **Cons:** - 0.6 cu. ft. smaller than the two 2.2 cu. ft. picks - No decibel figure published, so running noise is unknown - 36.6 lb makes shelf mounting awkward - Only two sellers list it [Check Price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081T6GZZF?tag=scotchcigars-20) ## 2\. TOSHIBA Large Countertop Microwave Oven with Smart Sensor — Best warranty **The largest cavity here that also documents a mute option and a stated warranty term.** [![Toshiba ML-EM62P stainless steel microwave — a 2.2 cu. ft. cavity Toshiba says fits a 16-inch pizza or whole chicken](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31FW1VCDrSL._SL500_.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PK7WZC1?tag=scotchcigars-20) **Best for:** households cooking in bulk who want the biggest cavity with a stated warranty **Skip it if:** your counter is under 24.4 in wide Two picks in this set reach 2.2 cu. ft. Only this one publishes a sound on/off option, which is why it edges the Sharp for anyone who cares about beeps. Toshiba says the cavity fits a 16-inch pizza or a whole chicken, and output is 1200W. It's the heaviest unit here at 49.2 lb, on a 13.6 x 19.6 x 24.4 in footprint. Measure before you buy. That's the widest body in the group, and it needs the full 24.4 in plus clearance. Toshiba lists 23 one-touch menus, a humidity sensor that adjusts power and time, custom auto-defrost by weight or time with programs for meat, poultry and fish, an ECO mode and a child safety lock. Warranty is 1 year limited, matching the ML-EM45P and the Sharp, and beating the GE, which lists none. This is the fastest-selling of the four full-size picks here. Two sellers list it. The trade-off is footprint and money. You pay a mid-range position and surrender 2.6 in of counter depth against my top pick, for extra cubic feet and 23 presets rather than any documented noise advantage. **Pros:** - Joint-largest cavity here at 2.2 cu. ft. - Sound on/off option documented - 23 one-touch menus and humidity sensor - Defrost programs for meat, poultry and fish - 1 year limited warranty stated **Cons:** - Heaviest pick at 49.2 lb - Needs 24.4 in of counter width - No decibel or turntable diameter published - Costs more than the top pick for the same wattage [Check Price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PK7WZC1?tag=scotchcigars-20) ## 3\. Sharp SMC2266KS 2.2 cu. ft. 1200W Stainless Steel — Best upgrade **Inverter cooking technology and a 16.5-inch turntable, the largest in this comparison.** [![Sharp SMC2266KS stainless steel microwave with grey interior — a 16.5-inch carousel turntable, the widest plate clearance in the set](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/314GWPPatgL._SL500_.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNQB66MB?tag=scotchcigars-20) **Best for:** someone who wants inverter cooking and the largest turntable here **Skip it if:** you want a documented mute function The Sharp is the technical outlier. It's the only pick whose listing claims inverter cooking technology, which Sharp positions as a step up from the on/off power cycling used in conventional units. It's also the only one publishing a turntable that big: 16.5 inches of carousel, against 13.6 in on my top pick. Capacity is 2.2 cu. ft. at 1200W with 10 power levels and 2-stage cooking. Footprint matches the ML-EM62P exactly at 13.6 x 19.6 x 24.4 in, but it weighs 33.7 lb, which is 15.5 lb lighter and makes it the lightest full-size unit in the group. Sharp also lists a grey interior, a white LED display, LED interior lighting, sensor cook, a melt/soften function, weight and time defrost and express cook up to 6 minutes. Warranty is 1 year limited. It's the most expensive pick here and the slowest seller of the five. The problem for this article's purpose is straightforward. Sharp's listing documents no mute or sound on/off function, so if the beeper is what drives you up the wall, you are buying blind on the single noise feature that can be checked. **Pros:** - Largest published turntable at 16.5 in - Only listing here claiming inverter cooking technology - Lightest full-size pick at 33.7 lb - 2.2 cu. ft. with 10 power levels and 2-stage cooking **Cons:** - No mute or sound on/off function listed - Most expensive pick in the set - Slowest seller of the five - No release year published [Check Price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNQB66MB?tag=scotchcigars-20) ## 4\. GE Countertop Microwave Oven — Best premium **A 2.0 cu. ft. cavity with sensor cooking from a familiar name, but the only pick with no warranty stated.** [![GE GCST20S1WSS stainless steel countertop microwave — 2.0 cu. ft. and 1200W with eight auto cook settings](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31wTOficmlL._SL500_.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDM4N45M?tag=scotchcigars-20) **Best for:** a shopper who wants a familiar brand and simple one-touch controls **Skip it if:** warranty coverage matters to you The GE GCST20S1WSS lands at 2.0 cu. ft. and 1200W, slotting between the 1.6 cu. ft. Toshiba and the two 2.2 cu. ft. units. Dimensions are 13.8 x 19.4 x 24.1 in and it weighs 48 lb, so it needs the same deep counter run as the largest picks without quite matching their volume. GE lists sensor cooking controls that monitor moisture and adjust time, eight convenience cook settings, one-touch express cooking, a digital display and electronic keypad, child-lock technology, and both manual and auto defrost modes. The listing suggests it for a countertop, dorm room or apartment. Here's where it stumbles. The warranty field reads "No Warranty," and every other pick in this set publishes a 1-year term. For a 48 lb appliance in the highest price position here, that's a hard thing to argue past. It's also the only pick with a single seller. There's no mute function documented either, which puts it alongside the Sharp on the one noise variable I can verify. Against the ML-EM62P it gives up 0.2 cu. ft. and a stated warranty while asking more, and the eight cook settings can't match Toshiba's 23 menus. **Pros:** - 2.0 cu. ft. with 1200W output - Sensor cooking adjusts time by moisture - Eight auto cook settings plus express cooking - Manual and auto defrost modes **Cons:** - Warranty listed as none, unique in this set - Highest price tier with less capacity than the 2.2 cu. ft. picks - No mute function documented - Only one seller lists it - 48 lb on a 24.1 in deep footprint [Check Price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDM4N45M?tag=scotchcigars-20) ## 5\. COMFEE' Countertop Microwave Oven — Best budget pick **The cheapest and smallest pick here, and the one large families should treat as a second unit rather than the main one.** [![COMFEE' EM720CPL-PMB black compact microwave — 0.7 cu. ft. and 20.3 lb, the smallest footprint in the set](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31jg1PUc69L._SL500_.jpg)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GV36BLD?tag=scotchcigars-20) **Best for:** a small kitchen, a dorm, or a second microwave for drinks **Skip it if:** you need to heat a full dinner plate I'm including this one honestly, not as a recommendation for the headline use case. At 0.7 cu. ft. and 700W, it's less than a third of the cavity and well under two-thirds the power of the top picks. It is not a best quiet microwave for large families in the main-appliance sense. What it does well is fit anywhere. Dimensions are 10.2 x 13 x 17.3 in and it weighs 20.3 lb, making it 4.5 in shallower and 16.3 lb lighter than my top pick. It's the cheapest of the five and the fastest seller of the group. On noise, COMFEE' documents the mute clearly: hold the sound on/off button for 3 seconds to turn off all beeps. It also lists an ECO mode that cuts standby power by 50%, a two-step child lock, one-touch express cooking from 1 to 6 minutes, a +30 seconds key and two defrost settings. Warranty is one year manufacturer. Released in 2018, it's the oldest design here. The trade-off is blunt. 700W means longer reheats, and a big plate may not turn. **Pros:** - Cheapest pick in this comparison - Smallest footprint at 10.2 x 13 x 17.3 in - Mute procedure clearly documented - ECO mode claimed to cut standby power 50% - Lightest unit at 20.3 lb **Cons:** - 0.7 cu. ft. is too small for family-sized dishes - 700W is the lowest output here by 500W - No turntable diameter published - Oldest design in the set, released 2018 [Check Price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GV36BLD?tag=scotchcigars-20) ## Will it fit your counter and your plates? Two measurements decide this, and shoppers usually check only one. 1. **Exterior depth against your counter and cabinet.** The two 2.2 cu. ft. picks and the GE all need roughly 24 in of depth. My top pick needs 21.8 in. On a standard 25 in counter with an upper cabinet at 18 in of clearance, that 2.6 in gap is often the whole decision. 2. **Turntable diameter against your largest plate.** Only two listings publish it: 13.6 in on the ML-EM45P, 16.5 in on the Sharp. If your dinner plates are 11 in and your casserole dish is 13 in, the smaller turntable still works. A 16 in platter does not. Here's the full depth ranking, shallowest first: COMFEE' at 17.3 in, Toshiba ML-EM45P at 21.8 in, GE at 24.1 in, then the Sharp and Toshiba ML-EM62P tied at 24.4 in. Weight matters too, and not just for lifting. At 48 lb and 49.2 lb, the GE and ML-EM62P are heavy enough that a microwave shelf or cart needs checking against its rated load. The 20.3 lb COMFEE' goes anywhere. ## How much capacity does a large family really need? The listings are loose with the phrase "large family," so let me anchor it in the published numbers instead. - **0.7 cu. ft.** COMFEE'. Drinks, single bowls, popcorn. Not a family dinner cavity. - **1.6 cu. ft.** Toshiba ML-EM45P. Fits a 13-inch pizza per Toshiba, with a 13.6-inch turntable. Handles a covered casserole and standard dinner plates. - **2.0 cu. ft.** GE. More volume, same 1200W, no published turntable size. - **2.2 cu. ft.** Toshiba ML-EM62P and Sharp. Toshiba says the ML-EM62P fits a 16-inch pizza or a whole chicken. The cutoff I'd use is a whole chicken or a 16-inch box. If either of those is a regular thing in your kitchen, jump to 2.2 cu. ft. and accept the 24.4 in footprint. If your reheating is plated leftovers, covered bowls and the occasional 13-inch pizza, 1.6 cu. ft. does the job while saving counter depth. Note that all four larger picks run 1200W. Going up in cubic feet buys you room, not speed. ## What the listings do not tell you Three gaps in this data are worth naming before you commit. **No decibel ratings.** None of the five publishes a running-noise figure. Anyone selling you a best quiet microwave for large families on a specific dB number is going beyond what these listings support. Mute functions are checkable. Fan and magnetron noise is not. **Turntable size is often missing.** Three of five listings omit it. If plate clearance is your constraint, the ML-EM45P and Sharp are the only two you can plan around. **Warranty terms vary in wording, and one is absent.** Four picks state a 1-year term in some form. The GE listing states no warranty. That's a documented difference, not an inference. I'd add a fourth: seller depth. Four of these five show two sellers, the GE shows one. It's a small signal, but it's one of the few things in the data that speaks to how the listing is supported rather than how the appliance performs. ## The verdict The Toshiba ML-EM45P is the best quiet microwave for large families in this set, and it wins on a combination no other pick matches. It's the only unit here with both a step-by-step published mute procedure and a stated turntable diameter, and it delivers the same 1200W as the two largest picks in a body 2.6 in shallower. That 21.8 in depth is what makes it liveable on a real counter. Two conditions flip it. First, if you regularly heat a whole chicken or a 16-inch pizza, go to the Toshiba ML-EM62P: it's the only 2.2 cu. ft. pick that also documents a sound on/off option, and it carries the same 1-year limited warranty. Second, if plate clearance is your hard constraint and beeps don't bother you, the Sharp SMC2266KS is the answer, with a 16.5-inch carousel and the only inverter cooking claim in the group at 33.7 lb. The GE is hard to justify at the top of the price range with no warranty stated and 0.2 cu. ft. less than the 2.2 cu. ft. pair. The COMFEE' is a genuinely good compact unit and a fine second microwave, but 0.7 cu. ft. and 700W put it out of the running as a household's only one. ## FAQ ### Is the best quiet microwave for large families worth spending more on? The best quiet microwave for large families is worth a step up in spend only for capacity and mute control, not for wattage. All four full-size picks here run 1200W, so extra money buys cubic feet, turntable size and preset counts. My top pick sits in the entry tier and still documents a mute procedure, which is why it wins on value. ### How do the two Toshiba picks compare? The two Toshiba picks differ mainly in size and presets. The ML-EM45P is 1.6 cu. ft., 36.6 lb and 21.8 in deep with a 13.6-inch turntable. The ML-EM62P is 2.2 cu. ft., 49.2 lb and 24.4 in deep with 23 one-touch menus. Both output 1200W, both list a mute option, and both state a 1-year limited warranty. ### Can I actually turn off the beeping? You can actually turn off the beeping on three of these five. Toshiba says holding "8" for 3–5 seconds mutes the ML-EM45P, and the ML-EM62P lists a sound on/off option. COMFEE' says holding the sound button for 3 seconds silences all beeps. The Sharp and GE listings document no mute function at all. ### Will a 2.2 cu. ft. microwave fit under my cabinets? A 2.2 cu. ft. microwave fits under most cabinets, but check depth first. Both 2.2 cu. ft. picks measure 13.6 x 19.6 x 24.4 in, and the GE needs 24.1 in. Standard counters run about 25 in deep, so clearance is tight once you add rear venting space. The 21.8 in Toshiba ML-EM45P leaves more room. ### What mistake do buyers make in this category? The mistake buyers make in this category is treating wattage as a proxy for everything. Four of these five picks are 1200W, so wattage separates nothing among them. Capacity, exterior depth, turntable diameter and mute control are what actually differ. Buying on wattage alone leaves you with a unit that either won't fit or won't stop beeping. Start with a tape measure, not a spec sheet. Measure your counter depth, your cabinet clearance and your largest plate, then match those three numbers to the dimensions above. If your counter clears 22 in and your plates are standard, the Toshiba ML-EM45P is the sensible default: same 1200W as everything bigger, a published turntable size, a stated warranty and the clearest mute instruction of the five. If your kitchen swallows a 24.4 in body and you cook in volume, the ML-EM62P gives you 2.2 cu. ft. without giving up the sound on/off option. *Last updated: September 23, 2026\. Product availability re-checked.* *This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.*