Whether you’re curious to learn what kind of features money can buy or simply looking to complete your desired kitchen aesthetic, a shiny high-end microwave can sure do the trick. But just how expensive are the most expensive microwaves on the market today, and would you be willing to buy them?
These microwaves come with ridiculously hefty price tags, ranging from a little over $1,000 to more than $4,000. If you’re choosing one of these appliances for home use, you might want to scrutinize each of their features to decide whether they’re actually worth it.
Table of Contents
1. Panasonic NE-3280 Microwave Oven With Sonic Steamer
If you don’t mind spending a few thousand dollars on a microwave oven, the Panasonic NE-3280 Commercial Microwave Oven with Sonic Steamer is undoubtedly the one to pick.
Power and Capacity
At 3200 watts, this microwave can cook anything from quick heats to elaborate dishes and fit two full-sized pans measuring at 4 inches high. It also has an oven capacity of 1.6 cubic feet – which is a lot for a microwave oven but makes sense for one that’s designed for commercial use.
The power and size go hand-in-hand in this microwave because you can cook two full batches in one go, which can save you a lot of time. If you’re thinking of buying this for a busy restaurant, for example, it will definitely make the kitchen so much more stress-free.
Ease of Use
This microwave oven is very easy to operate, with dial controls and recipe presets that you can program beforehand and use whenever you need to. No more going back to and from your recipe book to set the right time and temperature.
Durability
The stainless steel body of this microwave makes it durable, resistant to scratches and dents, and easy to maintain and clean. The oven door also comes in a drop-down counter style that’s straightforward and, at the same time, less prone to damage.
This microwave can also last you a long time, even with frequent use, unlike other microwaves that you can get for less than $200.
Design
When it comes to design, this microwave is sleek, with a modern touch while retaining that vintage microwave look that we’ve always known and loved. However, this is not a microwave that you can put on a countertop, which can make it quite bulky and take up space on the floor.
If you want to maximize a small kitchen area, you might want to consider a drawer-type or countertop microwave oven instead.
Bottomline
If you have a big family and require a high-power microwave oven that’s easy to use, this can really be a kitchen game changer. However, considering how much this microwave costs, you can find other microwaves that offer similar features at a fraction of the price.
2. SubZero Wolf Transitional Drawer Microwave
The next most expensive microwave on the list is the SubZero Wolf Transitional Drawer Microwave, which comes with a price tag of slightly over $2,000. Not as expensive as the Panasonic Commercial Microwave, but definitely not cheap either. And considering that this microwave is designed for home use, you could even say it’s the more expensive choice.
Let’s see how this one does in terms of power, convenience, durability, and design.
Power and Capacity
This microwave operates at 950 watts and has a capacity of 1.2 cubic feet. If you’re comparing this with the earlier Panasonic microwave, the power is nowhere near the first one’s, but for a microwave designed for home kitchens, it’s powerful enough.
Moreover, it’s capable of cooking or heating food evenly and quickly, which is really half of what you want in a microwave.
The internal space is also pretty sizey, accommodating pans up to 7 inches tall. With this one, though, you can only put one pan at a time.
Ease of Use
This microwave comes with 10 power levels and sensor heating for quick cooking. If you’re using this at home to reheat pre-made meals or reheat leftovers, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you can have food ready.
Additionally, it comes with different cooking modes that you can choose from so you don’t have to figure out the settings manually. For example, if you want to retain your food’s moisture while at the same time cooking it quickly while bringing out a full flavor, you can simply select Gourmet mode, and this microwave will do all the heavy lifting for you.
Durability
This microwave is made of stainless steel so it’s resistant to corrosion and scratches. Additionally, it’s built to withstand lots of wear and tear while being lightweight enough so it’s easy to install. In short, if you’re looking to make a long-term investment, you can’t go wrong with this SubZero microwave oven.
Design
One of the elements to love about this microwave is the design. It’s a drawer-type microwave that’s sleek and minimalistic. But precisely because it’s a built-in microwave, it’s only ideal if you’re renovating your kitchen completely or moving into a new home. It can work otherwise, but installation may be a bit of a hassle.
When fitted into your kitchen, though, it helps give off a clean overall aesthetic–you get a functional kitchen without a bulky oven or a microwave that eats up too much space.
Moreover, if you have kids, you will be pleased to know that this microwave comes with a child lock so you never have to worry about children poking their fingers inside.
Bottomline
This Wolf microwave is a bit pricey but nowhere near as pricey as the Panasonic NE-3280, and it does come with features that go above and beyond what you would normally expect from a microwave.
If you’re moving into a new home or renovating your kitchen, this is a great appliance to achieve that smooth, put-together, and clean look without sacrificing the functions that you need in a microwave.
3. Sharp Flushmount Stainless Steel Microwave Drawer
This Sharp Flushmount Stainless Steel Microwave Drawer is the next expensive item on the list. It costs half as much as the SubZero Wolf, which is great if you’re looking for impressive features without having to spend a couple of thousand dollars.
Furthermore, with Sharp being the first to release microwave drawers, you can expect their products to be top-notch in terms of quality and features. This one, in fact, achieves the perfect balance between great functionality and reasonable cost.
If you have never purchased a microwave drawer before and want to be 100 percent sure when it comes to quality, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Power and Capacity
This Sharp microwave boasts a 950-watt operating power and a capacity of 1.2 cubic feet. The power and capacity are pretty standard for a microwave drawer–powerful enough for its size and fits most pans and casseroles. If you’re one to microwave a drink, it also fits a 20-oz glass.
It also features a whopping 27 cooking options as well as sensor cooking, so you can program the cooking method depending on the recipe, your cooking or reheating needs, or the food you’re working with.
Ease of Use
This microwave drawer was definitely designed to be easy to use while looking good. It comes with a user-friendly Easy Touch automatic drawer that opens and closes as you wave your hand near it or with a gentle push of a button. The control panel is easily accessible but can be concealed when not in use.
It also features a drawer system that allows it to close and open smoothly – no sharp thuds or having to pull the drawer open – so that you can avoid spilling sauces and lift hot pans easily.
Taking the good old microwave to the next level, this one also comes with Wi-Fi connectivity and can be accessed using an iOS or Android device. If you have family members with limited mobility or who cannot walk around as much, this feature can really make life easier.
Durability
This microwave comes with a stainless steel body that lends it a sleek look while making it extremely durable. Additionally, it’s designed for easy cleaning and lifting of hot casseroles off the drawer, so it’s more resistant to damage due to wear and tear.
Design
All its other features are impressive enough, but the design of this microwave is something else. It’s a microwave drawer that can help you achieve a sleek, clean aesthetic in your kitchen. But unlike the Wolf built-in microwave, this one can fit under your island, a wall oven, or cabinets.
The low-profile design definitely makes it easy to work with when it comes to styling because it blends right in wherever you decide to install it. Additionally, as it’s designed to be installed under an island, it’s just the right height so it’s easy to reach, making putting your casserole and taking it out a breeze.
Bottomline
This Sharp microwave drawer manages to achieve the best of both worlds, maintaining that tricky balance between looks and functionality. Yes, it might be a bit pricey, but it’s not as costly as some of the other options mentioned on this list, and it comes with such useful features that make using a microwave a fun part of your day.
4. Midea Equipment Commercial Microwave Oven
Next on this list is the Midea Equipment 1817G1A Commercial Microwave Oven that can be used both for home and commercial use. It’s a little less pricey than the Sharp microwave drawer, but let’s see whether saving a few hundred dollars by purchasing this instead is actually worth it.
Power and Capacity
This microwave oven has a cook power of 1800 watts and is generally considered a heavy-duty microwave oven ideal for use in restaurants or commercial kitchens. It has a capacity of 0.6 cubic feet and has a stackable interior so you can load two or more batches in one go.
Ease of Use
It also comes with a USB port with which you can load and program cooking preferences or pre-make cooking customizations wherever you use it. Furthermore, it comes equipped with a splatter shield and an air intake filter, so it’s easy to clean and maintain.
Design
In terms of design, this is a pretty standard microwave oven that’s commonly seen in commercial kitchens. It’s powerful enough for frequent use and quick turnaround, but it doesn’t have that stylish, sleek appeal that the previously mentioned microwaves have.
This one might look out of place in a home because of its almost industrial, bulky appearance.
Bottomline
This is a heavy-duty microwave that’s designed for commercial use. For a commercial microwave with reasonable internal space and widely customizable cook options, it’s definitely worth the price tag. However, if you’re a home cook, your money is better off spent elsewhere.
5. Cosmo Built-In Microwave Drawer With Automatic Presets
The Cosmo COS-12MWDSS 24-Inch Built-In Microwave Drawer is a great built-in microwave drawer for the home, with a stylish design and flexible installation options. If you’re looking for a sleek microwave with a good range of features at a fraction of the cost of the Panasonic NE-3280, this is a good choice.
Power and Capacity
Perfect for home use, this Cosmo microwave drawer operates at a cooking power of 1000 watts and a capacity of 1 cubic foot, powerful and spacious enough to accommodate most pans and casseroles.
It also comes with 11 power levels and four cooking presets that cover some of the most common cooking options for microwave use, such as popcorn, melting, softening, and beverage.
Durability
Built with a stainless steel body, it’s designed for durability and long-term use. It also is equipped with a child safety option, so you can have peace of mind if you have kids at home. Therefore, if you’re looking to make a long-term investment that you can safely use for years on end, this is an excellent option.
Design
The microwave comes with a sleek design that fits under an island, cabinetry, and a wall-mounted oven. It also gives off a modern look, though the visible touchpad may bother those who want a clean, sophisticated aesthetic.
Moreover, the built-in design is great for those who want to save space.
Bottomline
This Cosmo microwave drawer is a great option for those who want to achieve a clean look and space-saving benefits of a microwave drawer at a reasonable price. It’s not the cheapest microwave on the market, but its safety features and wide range of functions definitely make it worth the purchase.
Key Takeaways
If you’re looking for a luxurious new microwave, these five pricey options are hard to beat. If you’re willing to spend thousands of dollars on a piece of kitchen appliance, though, it better be powerful, durable, look great, and convenient to use.
In this quick roundup, we find that all five indeed meet these metrics. However, if you still want to get the most bang for your buck, I recommend going with the Sharp Flushmount Stainless Steel Microwave Drawer.
