Over-the-range microwaves In general ... have lower wattages (our budget pick has 600 watts), so they save counter space but lose the ability to heat large meals and cook dense foods from scratch.

But most microwave ovens have less usable space than advertised, according to our tests: In fact, both over-the-range (OTR) and countertop microwaves have a usable capacity of about 50 percent of ...

You can spend less than $100 on a countertop microwave—or multiples of that on a larger, more advanced model. Spending more typically gets you more power and convenience features, such as a ...