Top 10 Panasonic Microwaves
for September 2023

The Panasonic NN-TK621SS is an efficient, easy-to-use microwave, with a sleek black design and attractive control panel. Its 1250-watt inverter cooking power is powerful, and we found that it consistently and evenly cooked food. Its Smart Cooking settings automatically adjust power and cooking times based on food type, so meals are cooked to perfection. The built-in Genius Sensor also adjusts power and times based on the food, so foods come out perfect every time. The Panasonic NN-TK621SS also has 14 preset menu items as well as quick minute timer, delay start and child safety lock, so it's easy to prepare simple meals. The unit has 14 preset menu items, as well as 10 preprogrammed cooking times, for quick preparation of meals. The Panasonic NN-TK621SS has 10 preprogrammed cooking times, from 30 seconds to 4 minutes, so meals are cooked to perfection every time. The Genius Sensor adjusts power and times based on the food, so foods come out perfect every time. The NN-TK621SS has 14 preset menu items, including pizza, popcorn, potatoes, veggies, chicken, meat, fish, reheat, frozen meals, and 1-minute quick cook. The NN-TK621SS has 10 preprogrammed cooking times, from 30 seconds to 4 minutes, so meals are cooked to perfection every time. The Panasonic NN-TK621SS has 14 preset menu items, including pizza, popcorn, potatoes, veggies, chicken, meat, fish, reheat, frozen meals, and 1-minute quick cook. The NN-TK621SS has 10 preprogrammed cooking times, from 30 seconds to 4 minutes, so meals are cooked to perfection every time. The Panasonic NN-TK621SS has 14 preset menu items, including pizza, popcorn, potatoes, veggies, chicken, chicken, meat, fish, reheat, frozen meals, and 1-minute quick cook.

The Panasonic NN-TK73LSS is a decent microwave, but it's a bit overpriced for what you get. It's a decent microwave, but it's a bit overpriced for what you get. The Panasonic NN-TK73LSS has a roomy 1.6-cu ft interior, a removable turntable, and 30 different power levels. However, the controls are basic: There's only one sensor, only one power level, and only one timer. The 30 power level options aren't as useful as they could be, because there aren't that many power levels. The Panasonic NN-TK73LSS also has a few quirks. First, the control panel has a slick, smooth design, and this panel is not made from metal, it's plastic. The plastic is sturdy, but it can scratch or damage easily, so be careful. Second, the power level indicator light on the top of the microwave is very bright, so it's easy to forget which level you're on. Third, the 30-power-level button doesn't work very well: It takes a long time for the microwave to ramp up to full power, and the power level indicator light doesn't turn red until full power is attained. Furthermore, the power level indicator light on the front of the microwave turns off after about 5 seconds, so there's no way to tell if a full-power setting has been selected. Finally, you can't adjust the microwave's interior temperature.

The Panasonic NN-SU696S is a really powerful microwave, and it's loaded with features. It has 1.3 cubic feet of capacity, so it's big enough for a large pizza or a family-size platter of lasagna, and it has a 1.4-inch turntable, so cooking larger items will be easy. The 1100-watt power level is fast, and the 13.4-inch turntable is large, so even the defrost button does a great job of defrosting large items. The 6.2 inch color LCD is very sharp, and the 6-level power control allows you to cook at lower temperatures, which is good for delicate items like eggs. The delay-start feature lets you pop popcorn at 10:30 at night, and the keep-warm feature keeps the food warm until you're ready to eat it. The Panasonic NN-SU696S has 7 preset auto cook menu items, and you can select from 3 power level options for perfect popcorn popping every time. The Panasonic NN-SU696S is very reasonably priced for a 1.3-cubic-foot microwave. The KitchenAid KPTM1100 Countertop Microwave we tested, for example, is 1.2 cubic feet, and costs $159, but it's an older model with less power and less features. The Panasonic NN-SU696S has 3 power levels, and the delay-start feature and 30-second popcorn button cost extra on other microwaves. Overall, the Panasonic NN-SU696S is a full-featured microwave that's great for cooking large meals and for reheating leftovers.

Our rating for the Panasonic NN-SN67KS is based on our experience with this microwave. We loved the 3-level popcorn button, which lets you choose the optimal popping temperature and time for different bag capacities, and we loved that it comes with a built-in sensor that adjusts the power and times to take the guesswork out of everyday cooking. The Panasonic NN-SN67KS also features 16 sensor cook settings, which are ideal for reheating leftovers and baking, and 3 inverter cooking settings, which are ideal for cooking frozen foods. The Inverter Turbo defrost feature works quickly, and while it doesn't come with a defrost rack, you can use any wire cooling rack (like we used in testing). The microwave has a sleek, stainless steel exterior, and it comes with a one-year warranty.

The Panasonic NN-SN736W is one of the best countertop microwaves we've tested. It's attractive, has powerful cooking power, and it's easy to use. The 1250-watt power rating is just enough to cook most food, but if you need to cook a big meal, this microwave has no problem. The Genius Sensor technology is great, especially for defrosting frozen food. Our food thawed quickly, and our frozen pizza tasted great. The Panasonic NN-SN736W also cooks food evenly. Our frozen meatballs turned out perfectly. The microwave has 14 preset auto cook menu items, but the Genius Sensor also lets you customize each setting, which is helpful, since some foods cook better in the microwave than others. The microwave also has 15-inch turntable, which is large enough to cook most food. The 14-inch turntable is large and works well, especially if you need to reheat a large tray of leftovers. The microwave has 15 power levels, and you can set the time and delay start for up to 30 minutes. The microwave has a ceramic interior, which helps keep food warm. The microwave has a 5-inch touch display. The touch display is large, and it features simple icons and easy-to-use controls. The microwave has a Child Safety Lock, and it has a Quick 30-second and Popcorn button. The microwave has a Keep Warm feature, which keeps foods warm until they're ready to serve. The microwave has 1.6 cu. ft. of interior space, which is large enough to cook most food.

The Panasonic NN-SB438S is among the smallest microwaves in our roundup, but it's also one of the most versatile. It has a spacious interior, and it also has more microwave power than most compact microwaves. It also has a timer, 7 preset auto cook menu items, a 30-second popcorn button, and quick-heat buttons for quick cooking. The 900-watt microwave power is excellent, and the interior cavity is large enough to microwave a medium-sized pizza or a 10-oz. cup of water. The microwave also has a large slot that's perfect for microwave popcorn, and it has a dial that lets you choose the power level, depending on the size of the bag. The dial also lets you choose how many minutes you want the microwave to stay on, and there's a child safety lock to prevent accidental cooking. The microwave is black and stainless steel, and it's portable, so it can go with you if you move. The Panasonic NN-SB438S is a great microwave, and it earns a 4.5 out of 5.

This is a solidly built, roomy microwave oven with tons of features. Its inverter technology provides rapid cooking times and consistent heating, and the spacious interior is big enough to cook multiple dishes at once. The auto cook menus are easy to use, and the delay start feature allows you to set the microwave and forget it. The auto defrost feature works well, but we found that some of our favorite foods, such as lasagna, took 30 minutes or longer to heat up fully. The oven's sensor cooking mode is fairly accurate, but it may not be sensitive enough to detect small fluctuations in cook time, which can result in overcooked or undercooked food. The 20-inch interior cooks up a storm, and Panasonic's Inverter Technology provides consistent cooking power even at low wattage levels. The oven's interior is easy to clean, and the removable glass plate makes loading and cleanup a snap. However, the microwave's high price tag is steep, and it's a bit loud when in operation, making it less than ideal for a small kitchen.

The Panasonic NN-T945SF 1250-watt microwave oven offers plenty of power and great features, and it's well built. It has 2.2 cubic feet of interior space, so it can fit large dishes, and the interior is roomy enough that you won't feel cramped. The microwave has a lot of power, up to 1250 watts, and it has several automated features, including a freeze feature, a multi-cook feature, and a defrost feature that automatically adjusts cooking times based on the food being defrosted. The microwave comes with 15 preset menu options, including defrost, popcorn, microwave, and reheat, as well as three custom programs. The microwave's digital controls have touch-sensitive buttons, and the interior is easy to clean, although we did discover some areas where the water dripped from the microwave and collected in a puddle on the floor. The microwave has a one-year limited warranty.

Our top recommendation for a microwave is Panasonic's NN-SN66KB Intelligent Genius Sensor, which is ideal for large kitchens or for those who frequently cook large meals. Its 30-second cooking interval button is great for reheating leftovers, and its 1100 watts of power are powerful enough to reheat food quickly without drying out or overcooking it. The Genius Sensor technology adjusts the microwave power level based on the food being cooked, so users don't have to worry about overcooking or undercooking their food. The Genius Sensor also remembers your last setting and lets you start cooking without entering any command, so you can easily reheat the same meal as last time. The 1200-watt power level and 11 preprogrammed power levels also make this oven ideal for cooking steaks and other foods that require higher cooking temperatures. The microwave's 1.2 cubic foot capacity is big enough to fit a 12-inch pizza, and its 12-inch-wide turntable rotates 360 degrees, so you can easily load and unload grocery bags. The microwave's interior is white, so it's easy to clean. The microwave's exterior is black, so it's designed to match most countertop kitchens.