My mother’s microwave crashed out on her after 6 years and 7 months of loyal service. I remember clearly because it was my new year’s gift to her. My mother thought she could stay without a replacement, but she couldn’t. She reached out to me, and I began to look for replacements.
We all have various uses for a microwave. I personally want something a little big, fast, and reliable. On the other hand, the kitchen in my mother’s apartment didn’t have much space. That is why I narrowed my focus to a countertop microwave oven.
I like countertop microwave ovens because they are small and portable. Those small appliances can do a lot of wonders in the kitchen. Their size means you can tuck them away when you are done.
My mother is a woman with simple needs. She simply needed a microwave oven that would work well for a long time. If you are like her, you need to carry out careful research to ensure you don’t buy an inferior product.
So, when I heard about the COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven, I decided to give it a shot. And why not? There was a lot of buzz about the oven, so I decided to check it out for myself.
What Should You Consider When Choosing Your Microwave Oven
When it comes to microwave ovens, the most essential features are accessibility, speed, size, and durability. The best countertop microwaves are the ones that are easy to operate, fast when it comes to heating, baking, and defrosting. Additionally, you want to be sure that you are not looking for another replacement in 6 months.
The COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven has all of those features. There is also a ton of extra features that makes it an excellent choice. And I am not talking about the microwave oven for homes alone. You can use it in the office kitchen too.
My only issue with the oven is that it isn’t straightforward to use at first. Why? There are so many controls to choose from. Imagine wanting to warm a cup of coffee and having to select between numerous controls.
But the result is worth it. Plus, when you consider all the fantastic things this countertop oven can do, it makes sense that it has too many buttons and control options.
We’ll talk about all that and more in this review.
COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven
The microwave oven is an ultra-compact, space-saving powerhouse. It is the perfect oven for tabletops and counters with its 0.7 Cu Ft and 18 x 14 x 10 size that makes it ideal for small households, offices, and a studio apartment.
The COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven is specifically designed to meet any cooking, heating, and defrosting needs. You can use it for your everyday needs or specific occasions. Regardless of your needs, the COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven is sure up to the task.
I know this because my mother has been using the oven for months now and it works as new. When I’m around, I use it daily, mainly for heating leftovers. Then there are times we don’t use it at all for days, even weeks. Whenever we return to it, the COSTWAY microwave oven still works as new.
If you are going to be doing extended hours of cooking, you are in safe hands. From our experience, the COSTWAY microwave oven is strong, dependable, and effective.
A Bright Spot of Vintage Red
The first thing we noticed when we received the COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven was its retro appearance. Its beautiful red vintage appearance had the appeal of the ’90s. The sharp red was stylish and beautiful; it added a touch of brightness to the white-tiled kitchen.
If you love minimalistic designs, know that the microwave oven colour isn’t loud. It gives just enough colour range to go with the kitchen. And if you do not want it hanging around, its compact size means you can always tuck it into a cabinet when you are done with it.
Overall, I give it full points for colour. Seeing the microwave on the countertop simply lightens up my mood. I am sure we could all use a spot of brightness in our kitchens.
Perfectly Fit for Small-to-Medium Sized Kitchens
My mother lives in a small apartment, so she has a relatively small kitchen. She can whoop up a storm when she wants to cook, so she likes to have a lot of space. That means a large microwave oven wasn’t going to work for her.
You can imagine her delight when I found the COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven. From the dimensions I saw online, it seemed too good to be true! Well, the COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven is a perfect fit for her relatively small kitchen. It weighs just 23 pounds. That makes it relatively easy to move around. If you are the type that stores your microwave oven after use, this one won’t give you any problems.
I got greedy and decided to stretch the limits. I put in an 11 inches plate, and it fits into the microwave! While I had to do some wiggling, I was pleasantly surprised that with the microwave’s small size, it could take an 11 inches plate.
Suppose you are looking for an oven that lies in the sweet spot between small and large internal spaces. In that case, the COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven is exactly what you’re looking for.
Powerful for All Your Cooking Needs
Since we were satisfied with the appearance, size, and weight, we decided to check out the power. After all, a machine is only as good as what it can do. The COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven packs a 700 wattage heating power with 360 degrees even heating.
The heating machine comes equipped with 5 microwave power levels. You can choose between a range of 100% to 20%. This allows you to select the exact heat level you need for either defrosting or simply reheating takeout.
Combined with a 700 wattage power, this microwave is perfect for its size!
If you are confused with all the mumbo-jumbo technical words, I understand. Let me break it into simple terms.
The 700 wattage heating power makes the microwave oven an absolute heating beast for a machine of its size. Say goodbye to long waiting hours. This microwave will heat and defrost your food quickly.
The “360 degrees even heating” is a fancy phrase for the microwave’s turntable feature. My mother had used an oven that didn’t have a turntable, and she didn’t like it. Why? Because some areas of the food sometimes come out partly cooked. A 360-degree turntable feature will ensure that your food is cooked properly.
The power levels give me a lot of control when it comes to cooking. We had to check the manual before getting the hang of it. You might balk at having to read a manual before using something as commonplace as a microwave oven. My mother did too. After all, she has been using microwave ovens before I was born. However, I assure you, this is not a commonplace oven. Every second of the 3 minutes we spent checking out the manual was worth it.
Extra Features
There are 3 extra features I love about the COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven. They are not deal-breakers to me; I simply like the fact that the oven has them.
LED Display
The machine has a LED display on the top of the control panel. The green on black background tells you what’s going on. My last microwave oven didn’t have a display, so I was used to cooking without one. Still, this is a great addition.
Child Safety Lock
If you have children or your young cousins, nieces, and nephews are always coming around, then you will appreciate this feature. The child safety lock ensures that children do not mess around with the microwave oven.
COSTWAY Retro Red Microwave’s Viewing window
Yes, this is advertised with the machine. If you like to see the food turn around in the oven as it cooks, well, this is your chance. The door of the microwave oven is made with transparent glass. It also comes with a steel handle.
Conclusion
Like I said earlier, the most essential features are accessibility, speed, size, and durability. Does the COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven meet these standards? Yes!
The machine is relatively easy to use. Yes, you have to check through the manual for a bit, but it’s worth it! The controls were well-labeled, and everything is explained in the manual. You can consider the 3 minutes of checking the manual as an investment.
As for speed, I would say it’s super-fast for its size. However, suppose you have a large family or need it for business purposes. In that case, you should get an oven with a larger wattage. You can check out the Farberware Classic Microwave. It comes with 1,000 wattage and 1.1 cubic feet.
For size, the COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven screams perfect! Its compact size fits almost anywhere. For people who don’t have much space in their kitchens, the COSTWAY microwave is a great choice.
When it comes to durability, my mother and I can vouch for it. The microwave has never failed us before and we were pleasantly surprised by its amazing features. Then the added bonus, its beauty! The retro red colour is the needed spot of colour in the kitchen.
If you are looking for a compact, fast, and dependable microwave oven, then the COSTWAY Retro Red Countertop Microwave Oven should be a top candidate.