Panasonic NN-SN67KS Microwave Oven, 1.2 cu.ft, Stainless Steel/Silver

Why it's worth it

This is a 1.2-cubic-foot, 1200-watt microwave with inverter power and Panasonic's Genius sensor. It heats leftovers edge to center without rubbery rims, and it fits under most upper cabinets without hogging your counter.

Inverter power is the single upgrade worth paying for, and this is the least expensive credible way to get it. A standard microwave doesn't have a 50% setting — it runs at full blast, then shuts off, then blasts again. Inverter units hold a steady lower power instead. RTINGS measured under 10°F of center-to-edge variance on inverter models against 25–40°F for cycling ones. You notice it on cheese that melts instead of separating.

Defrosting is where the gap gets embarrassing. Wirecutter's long-term work found Panasonic's inverter line thawed a pound of ground beef in under six minutes with no cooked edges — something equivalent-wattage cycling models couldn't match. If you pull dinner out of the freezer at 6 p.m. more often than you'd like to admit, that's the feature that saves the evening.

From our review of 7 countertop microwave ovens, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +Inverter power is the single upgrade worth paying for, and this is the least expensive credible way to get it
• +Defrosting is where the gap gets embarrassing
• +The Genius sensor handles the guesswork
• +At 1.2 cubic feet with a 13.4-inch turntable, it's a sane footprint

What to know

• –The control panel divides people
• –Panasonic's reliability record here is good but not spotless
• –The interior is a plain painted cavity with a turntable