Microwave Sizes: Cubic Feet, Dimensions and What Fits Your Kitchen

Most combo regret starts with a tape measure nobody used. A combo sits where your old microwave sat, but it is often taller, deeper or both, and it may need more air around it. New to the appliance? Start with our guide to combos.

What sizes are out there?

These groups are our own way of sorting the models we compare. They are not an industry standard.

The Ninja Crispi MW101 sits outside these ranges in height, at about 14.1 in as listed.

"Brand" below means we read the size on the brand's page or product sheet. "Sister model" means the data comes from a very close model. "Listing" means we only have the retail listing, so check it.

Sources can disagree. Toshiba says 18 in deep for the ML2-EC10SA, while the Amazon listing says 16.4 in. When that happens, plan with the bigger number. Availability of the Frigidaire is unclear.

Why don't cubic feet tell me the outside size?

Cubic feet describe the inside, and only roughly.

• It is a maximum. Sharp's product sheet says capacity is worked out from maximum width, depth and height, and that real food space is less.
• Same size inside, different box. Three 1.0 cu ft models above run from 15.59 to 18 in deep. A 1.5 cu ft Toshiba is barely taller than a 1.1 cu ft Breville.
• Quarts are not cubic feet. Ninja's 5.5 qt is the basket, while retailers list the inside at about 0.9 cu ft. They measure different things.

For everyday use, the turntable often matters more than the volume, because round plates and square trays have to turn. Sharp's is 10.6 in. Toshiba's ML2-EC10SA and Breville's are 12.4 in. Toshiba's ML-EC42P is 13.6 in. Ninja's MW101 has a flat tray instead.

How do I measure my space?

1. Measure the width

   Measure between walls, cabinets or appliances at the spot itself, not across the whole counter.

2. Measure the depth

   Go from the wall to the counter edge. Include anything that sticks out behind the unit, such as an outlet or backsplash.

3. Measure the height

   Go from the counter to the underside of the cabinet. An 18 in gap is common according to secondary sources, but yours may differ.

4. Add the space from the manual

   Add the figures for top, back and sides to the outside size. Manuals differ, so use the one for your model.

5. Open the door in your head

   The door swings out past the front. Check that it clears the counter edge, a handle or a person walking past.

6. Measure your biggest plate or tray

   Compare it with the turntable, or with the inside if the model has a flat tray.

Then try your numbers. The checker compares stated outside sizes, and only counts the space around the unit where we read it in a manual.

What about the space around it?

The outside size is only part of the fit. The Panasonic NN-CD87 manual, for the sister model of the HomeChef we list, asks for 6 in on top, 4 in behind, 2 in on each side and 3 in from the counter edge. On a 13.5 in tall body, the top adds up to 19.5 in (computed), more than a common 18 in gap. The manual allows one side flush to a wall if the other side or the top is free. Check your manual and never block the vents.

Breville's current instruction book for the Combi Wave asks for 12 in above and 8 in from adjacent walls, so 12.6 in becomes 24.6 in (computed). Our clearance guide has the details, and what fits under cabinets does the sums.

An over-the-range microwave replaces a hood above your stove and is about 30 in wide. GE's support page gives 66 in from the floor to the bottom of the cabinet above it, or 30 in from the cooktop to that cabinet. See over-the-range models.

Which size should I pick?

Short on space? See small combos. With the usual gap and a normal counter, 1.0 cu ft is the practical middle, and it is where we would start. Cooking for a crowd? See combos for large families.

Ready to choose? Our best combos has one pick per kitchen.