Magic Chef Countertop Microwaves Compared

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Best Overall

Magic Chef MCM1611ST Countertop Microwave
Magic Chef’s 1.6 Countertop (MCM1611ST) microwave is an attractive mid-sized appliance with a reasonable price point.

It’s an easy to use, straightforward, no-nonsense microwave that’s an excellent choice for folks looking for an everyday appliance that won’t let them down. While it doesn’t have many features, the ones it does have function well.

Best Value

Magic Chef MCM990ST Countertop
If you don’t need an enormous appliance, only have a small kitchen, or are only looking for a microwave for occasional use, Magic Chef’s 0.9 countertop (MCM990ST) model is just the ticket.

This compact pocket rocket may be light on features, but it makes up for it with power and efficiency. With a super low price point, this microwave is worth a look if you’re on a tight budget.

The popularity of microwaves has maintained a steady level for decades because they’re a quick, easy, and convenient method of cooking food. While they can’t replace the traditional over or stove, they’ve got a place in kitchens worldwide.

Magic Chef produces a wide range of basic, affordable microwaves that cater to people looking for a no-nonsense small kitchen appliance. Today we’re going to look at their products and talk about our favorites. We base our opinions on affordability, appearance, build quality, durability, and performance.

Let’s get started.

Best Magic Chef Microwave

1. Magic Chef MCM1611ST Countertop Microwave

  • Large Capacity
  • Easy to Use
  • Pre-Programmed Settings
  • Child-Safety Lock
  • 11 Power Levels
  • Add 30 Seconds Feature
  • A Little Loud
  • Slides Around
  • No Interior Light 

  • Score: 8/10
  • Value for money: Good

Specifications

  • Type: Countertop
  • Dimensions: 19.2 x 21.8 x 12.8 inches
  • Appliance Weight: 36.8lbs
  • Capacity: 1.6 cu.ft
  • Turntable: Yes
  • Available Colors: Stainless Steel
  • Wattage: 1100 Watts

Design, Construction & Capacity

Though Magic Chef is known for its budget appliances, their 1.6 Countertop Microwave (MCM1611ST) is their most high-end looking machine. Many affordable microwaves with a brushed stainless steel finish look cheap and nasty. However, Magic Chef has done a superb job with this exterior.

The control panel is simple yet striking. The few buttons it has, are laid out in a manner that’s easy to follow and with a crisp design. The door is fitted with a sturdy handle which is a rarity in microwave ovens in the modern era.

With 1.6 cu.ft of cooking space, this is Magic Chef’s most sizable appliance that we’re looking at today and is suitable for small families to help with everyday cooking tasks. The underside of the machine is fitted with small rubber feet. Unfortunately, the rubber is too hard and causes the microwave to slide around if you’re a little heavy-handed.

Features

  • Pre-Programmed Settings: With a series of presets, this Magic Chef appliance will remove the guesswork with settings such as; potatoes, popcorn, pizza, frozen vegetables, dinner plate, and beverages.
  • 11 Power Levels: This microwave’s power output helps the pre-programmed settings with 11 different power levels to ensure it cooks your food efficiently.
  • Add 30 Seconds: Add thirty seconds to your cook-time with the single press of a button.
  • Child-Safety Lock: A simple safety feature that stops children from accessing scalding hot food.
  • Handle: An often overlooked feature, the fitted handle makes opening and closing this appliance quick and easy. 

Performance

This Magic 1.6 microwave has a stellar 1000 Watts of power, which’s sufficient for heating, reheating, and defrosting food rapidly. There’s no uneven cooking with this appliance, and it performs exactly the way you’d expect an affordable, basic microwave to perform.

While the performance is excellent, the volume of this microwave is not. It’s deafening. So loud that some consumers regret buying it on that basis alone. 

Should you buy the Magic Chef 1.6 Countertop Stainless Steel Microwave (MCM1611ST)?

The Magic Chef 1.6 Stainless Steel microwave is one of this company’s largest, best looking, most powerful appliance. Though it’s their most expensive too, it’s relatively cheap compared to similarly-sized models from rival brands and performs well with its limited features.

Best Value Magic Chef Microwave

2. Magic Chef MCM990ST Countertop

  • Super Affordable
  • Compact Design
  • 9 Handy Presets
  • Excellent Power-to-Size Ratio
  • Cheap Interior
  • Stiff Door Button
  • It Moves When Opening the Door 

  • Score: 8/10
  • Value for money: Good

Specifications

  • Type: Countertop
  • Dimensions: 14.6 x 19.1 x 11.3 inches
  • Appliance Weight: 28.7lbs
  • Capacity: 0.9 cu.ft
  • Turntable: Yes
  • Available Colors: Stainless Steel
  • Wattage: 900 Watts 

Design, Construction & Capacity

Magic Chef’s 0.9 countertop microwaves is a decent looking appliance, and though it won’t win any beauty pageants; the stainless steel exterior and easy-touch control panel give the overall aesthetic an appearance that betrays its extremely low price point.

While the exterior is pleasing to the eye, the interior appears cheap and flimsy. However, this doesn’t negatively impact the performance of the microwave.

The Magic Chef MCM990ST microwave’s overall footprint is super compact, making it an ideal choice for a smaller kitchen. However, its compact size brings with it a slight drawback. Because this appliance is so lightweight, you’ll find that (unless you have your microwave positioned up against a wall or cabinet) every time you push the door-release mechanism, that the microwave slides backward as the button is overly stiff.

Features

  • 8 Pre-Programmed Settings: Eight handy presets automatically selects power and time. Settings include; Potatoes, popcorn, pizza, beverage, soup, dinner plate, fresh vegetables, and frozen vegetables.
  • ‘Express Cook’: Straightforward, one-button custom time settings.
  • Weight Defrost: This Magic Chef microwave calculates the correct power and time settings needed to defrost food based on its weight.
  • Kitchen Timer: Use your microwave’s LCD as a timer for other kitchen-related tasks.
  • Child-Safety Lock: A safety feature to prevent little hands from accessing hot foods. 

Performance

Small countertop microwaves don’t require as much power as their large appliances, so you’ll find most compact devices have smaller wattage outputs. While this is also the case with the Magic Chef 0.9 MCM990ST, it still sports a substantial 900 Watts of power.

Coupled with a smaller internal cooking capacity, this relatively powerful can easily cope with anything you can fit inside the small interior. It’s worth noting that this microwave’s depth is relatively shallow, and it won’t fit large, square dinner plates inside.

Despite this small microwave’s high-powered nature, it runs relatively quietly, which is pleasing to many consumers.

Should you buy the Magic Chef 0.9 Countertop Stainless Steel Microwave (MCM990ST)?

Not everybody needs a massive microwave; compact appliances have their place on the market. Whether you want one for small warming tasks, live alone, have a small kitchen, or need something for occasional use, it’s good to know there are options out there that are affordable and effective.

3. Magic Chef MCM1110B Countertop Microwave

  • Sleek Black Appearance
  • Reasonable Price
  • Excellent for Heat Drinks
  • Reactive Control Panel
  • Loud
  • Questionable Power Levels

  • Score: 8/10
  • Value for money: Good

Specifications

  • Type: Countertop
  • Dimensions: 18.11 x 22.8 x 14.25 inches
  • Appliance Weight: 35.9lbs
  • Capacity: 1.1 cu.ft
  • Turntable: Yes
  • Available Colors: Black
  • Wattage: 1000 Watts

Design, Construction & Capacity

Magic Chef’s 1.1 MCM1110B countertop microwave is a sleek black appliance that makes a refreshing change to an overwhelming abundance of stainless steel models on the market place. 

Though the overall styling is a nice change of pace, the control panel on this model is exactly the same as the panel featured on the 0.9 model, in terms of layout and button function/features, with the only slight difference being the color of the text on the ‘stop’ and ‘start’ buttons.

While there are many similarities between the Magic Chef MCM1110B microwave and its little brother, this particular model has a larger 1.1 cu.ft cooking capacity. It’s heavier, too, so you don’t get the same issues with the appliance moving around.

Features

  • 8 Pre-Programmed Settings: Eight handy presets automatically selects power and time. Settings include; Potatoes, popcorn, pizza, beverage, soup, dinner plate, fresh vegetables, and frozen vegetables.
  • ‘Express Cook’: Choose specific cooking times with the express cook one-touch buttons.
  • Weight Defrost: This Magic Chef microwave calculates power and time settings for defrosting based on the weight of your food.
  • Kitchen Timer: Keep track of the other jobs you’ve got going on with this kitchen timer.
  • Child-Safety Lock: Make sure your little ones can’t open the door and access potentially dangerously hot food and beverages.  

Performance

With a 1000 Watt power output alongside the 1.1 cu.ft capacity, this model has an excellent ratio for quick and efficient cooking. Consumers are delighted with how evenly this microwave heats their food.

Though there are an advertised ten power levels on this Magic Chef microwave, calling them ‘levels’ is questionable at best. For instance, setting the microwave at 50% power for 5 minutes doesn’t run the power at 50% for five minutes. Instead, you’ll get 100% power for two and a half minutes, with intermittent blasts of energy. Which is not conducive to beautifully cooked food, and the reason some meals come out a little rubbery. 

Should you buy the Magic Chef 1.1 Countertop Microwave (MCM1110B)?

If you’re sick and tired of stainless steel microwaves saturating the small kitchen appliance market place, we think you’ll be satisfied with the sleek black appearance of the Magic Chef 1.1 MCM1110B.

Though the features and functions are the same as the smaller 0.9 capacity appliance), its increased price point is justified by a larger capacity and superior power output.

4. Magic Chef MCM1110ST Countertop Microwave

  • ‘Digital Touch Interface’
  • Excellent Appearance & Nice Door Handle
  • Auto-Defrost
  • Add 30 Seconds
  • Matching Stainless Steel Interior
  • Exterior Gets Hot
  • Clumsy Control Panel Layout
  • Button Text Difficult to See

  • Score: 8/10
  • Value for money: Good

Specifications

  • Type: Countertop
  • Dimensions: 24.5 x 18.5 x 15.6 inches
  • Appliance Weight: 37.8lbs
  • Capacity: 1.1 cu.ft
  • Turntable: Yes
  • Available Colors: Stainless Steel
  • Wattage: 1000 Watts

Design, Construction & Capacity

At a distance, the Magic Chef 1.1 stainless steel microwave has a beautiful aesthetic with a beautiful finish and stylish door handle that will look excellent in most kitchens, but when you get up close, it’s not so great.

The control panel is a mish-mash of buttons with different shapes and layouts, which makes it look messy. The text on the buttons is tiny and challenging to read, especially for people with imperfect eyesight. 

A 1.1 cu.ft capacity is mid-sized, which is suitable for couples or maybe a small family. The interior cooking space has a stainless steel appearance, which makes a refreshing change to the clinical white interiors you’ll find on most appliances.

Features

  • Weight & Time Defrost: Select whether you defrost your food based on its weight or a specific time.
  • 8 Pre-Programmed Settings: The same eight presets which automatically select power and time. Settings include; Potatoes, popcorn, pizza, beverage, soup, dinner plate, fresh vegetables, and frozen vegetables.
  • ‘Express Cook’: Choose a specific period of time for cooking your food.
  • Add 30 Seconds: If your food isn’t quite ready, add an extra 30 seconds to your cook time.
  • Pull Door Handle: Magic Chef chose a pull handle rather than a traditional push button to open the microwave door.

Performance

There are very few consumer complaints regarding the Magic Chef 1.1 (MCM1110ST) stainless steel microwave performance. The 1000 Watts power output is more than sufficient for adequate cooking.

While there are no concerns with the internal performance, multiple consumers are worried about this Magic Chef microwave’s external temperature when operating a 100% power, as it gets relatively hot, so ensure you position it in a more open area of your kitchen.

It’s worth noting that no unit failures have been reported due to this microwave overheating. 

Should you buy the Magic Chef 1.1 Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave (MCM1110ST)?

The Magic Chef 1.1 (MCM1110ST) stainless steel microwave is a decent option for folks looking to buy a new kitchen appliance. It’s beautiful and works efficiently, though the button text might be an issue for some. It comes at a reasonable price point and worth considering if the features, functions (or lack thereof), and capacity meet your needs.

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