Best Microwaves for Apartments

In an apartment with thin walls, the mute function is the standout here - a three-second hold silences every beep, useful for early or late reheats without disturbing neighbors through a shared wall. At 700W it also draws less from a shared circuit than higher-wattage picks, worth knowing in older buildings with limited outlet capacity.

Two-step child lock and Eco mode, which cuts standby power draw by about half, round out a compact, low-fuss option sized for a small apartment kitchen.

Same Comfee unit as the pick above - same mute function, same two-step child lock - just in pearl white and priced higher. For an apartment kitchen where color coordination with cabinetry or countertops matters, this is the pick; otherwise the cheaper listing above is functionally identical.

Both are sized similarly at 0.7 cu. ft., compact enough for a small apartment counter without dominating limited space.

At 900W this heats faster than the 700W Comfee and Chefman picks in this comparison, a real time-saver if you're sharing an apartment kitchen and want the microwave free again quickly. Two-step child lock and 11 power levels carry over from Toshiba's broader lineup.

At 0.9 cu. ft. it also has a larger cavity than most of the compact picks here, useful for a full dinner plate in a small kitchen.

Functionally the same Toshiba unit as the pick above in this comparison - same 900W output, same 11 power levels, same 10.6-inch turntable - just listed at a higher price.

For an apartment budget, there's no reason to pay more here; compare both listings and go with whichever is cheaper at checkout.

Six presets labeled by specific food keep the interface simple, useful if this is a starter appliance for a first apartment and you don't want to learn a complex menu. The child lock built into the handle also matters if roommates' kids visit.

At 0.7 cu. ft. it's compact enough to fit tight apartment counter space without dominating it.

A trimmed-down sibling of the Chefman above, with just three presets - popcorn, beverages, leftovers - covering the core apartment reheating tasks without extra menu options you'd never use. Two defrost settings and the same handle-integrated child lock carry over.

The simpler interface is a real plus if you want to hand this off to a roommate or subletter without an instruction walkthrough.

Eleven power levels is a finer gradient than the 10-level standard most compact competitors here use, useful for more precise control in a small kitchen where you're often eyeballing portions. Six presets cover the core categories including a dedicated reheat button separate from the general auto-cook menu.

At 0.7 cu. ft. it lands in the middle of this comparison for both size and price - a reasonable default if neither the cheapest nor the most powerful pick specifically appeals.

Six presets include a dedicated dinner-plate setting most compact competitors skip, and the interior light lets you check on food without opening the door and losing heat - useful in a small kitchen where every open-door heat loss matters more.

The removable 10-inch turntable is also easier to clean in a compact apartment kitchen sink than a fixed plate.