Best Microwaves for College Students

College microwaves get used hard: ramen, mac and cheese, reheated dining hall leftovers, the occasional actual meal. You need something affordable, compact enough for a dorm desk or small apartment counter, and reliable enough to last four years. The models below are countertop microwaves under 1100W — within typical dorm wattage limits — and 21 inches wide or less.

• ✓ Many dorms cap microwave wattage at 700W or 800W — check your housing policy before purchasing anything higher.
• ✓ A 0.7–0.9 cu ft capacity is enough for single-serving cooking; larger is wasted space on a small desk.
• ✓ Avoid smart WiFi models — the added cost isn't worth it, and many campus networks block device registration for appliances.
• ✓ Consider the door hinge direction relative to where the microwave will sit — a door that opens the wrong way in a cramped dorm room gets annoying fast.
• ✓ A simple "Add 30 seconds" button is the most-used feature in a college microwave. Make sure it has one.

300 models in this guide