The Verdict
The Farberware 1.1 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave is a versatile 1000-watt appliance designed to handle everything from quick reheats to full meals in a compact footprint. This 1.1 cu ft countertop microwave offers a practical balance of power and convenience for busy kitchens, offices, or break rooms.
Why We Love It (Key Features)
- Powerful Performance: With 1000 watts of output power and ten distinct power levels, you have the flexibility to handle delicate defrosting tasks as well as high-heat cooking.
- One-Touch Convenience: The six pre-programmed settings—including popcorn, potato, and pizza—and express cooking buttons (1 through 6 minutes) take the guesswork out of your daily routine.
- Thoughtful Design: It includes a clear LED display with a clock and countdown timer, plus an easy-to-view interior light that helps you monitor your food without opening the door.
- Safety First: The integrated child safety lock provides peace of mind for families, ensuring the microwave cannot be operated by unsupervised children.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- High 1000-watt power output for efficient cooking.
- Compact 1.1 cu ft capacity fits well in home and office spaces.
- User-friendly express cooking and multi-stage cooking options.
- Easy-to-clean stainless steel exterior and interior.
Cons:
- Requires dedicated counter space measuring approximately 20.7"W x 16.29"D x 11.81"H.
- As a countertop model, it is not designed for built-in or over-the-range installation.
Who Should Buy This?
This microwave is an excellent choice for homeowners or office managers who need a reliable, mid-sized cooking solution. It is particularly well-suited for those who prioritize speed and simplicity in their daily meal preparation but don't want to sacrifice too much precious counter space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this microwave have a way to save my favorite settings?
Yes, the unit features a memory function that allows you to customize and save your preferred cooking settings for easy access later.
Can I defrost items by weight?
Absolutely. You can choose to defrost by either weight or time settings, depending on the requirements of the food you are preparing.
Is this 1.1 cu ft countertop microwave easy to keep clean?
The appliance is designed with an easy-to-clean interior and exterior, making it straightforward to wipe down after daily use.
4.0 out of 5 stars Great while it lasted - 2 years, 8 months - then keypad died. Update – 2020-01-08 [2 years, 8 months after purchase]So today I experienced my first problem with the microwave – one that makes it somewhat unusable: many of the buttons no longer work, especially the STOP button. So now after each time something’s cooking, it’s necessary either to pull the plug out and plug it in again, or add time in increments, and manually count down, pulling open the door to finish cooking. I opened up the case (requires special star screwdriver heads), and pulled out the keypad panel connector to attempt to tighten the connector flat cable to the circuit board, but it didn’t fix the problem. The flat cable connector to the keypad is under the glue-fastened front stainless steel panel, so even if I did get it off, the microwave would look horrible after repair. Time for a new microwave. Star rating reduced to 4 – I’d expected at least 5 years, but it was good while it worked.Update – 2019-09-15I was just using the microwave this morning, and again wanted to do an update on how good this microwave is. I haven’t had a single problem with it; it does what I need it to. I love being able to interrupt cooking by just pulling open the door. It’s very reliable._______[Original Review]We bought this back in May 2017. I didn’t write a review back when it was delivered because I’d rather use it for a while, then assess. This morning, I was just reflecting on how happy I am with this microwave.When I bought, I was looking for an economical, 1000W microwave with a simple interface, and a door that could be opened with a handle at any time, including when the microwave is cooking. This microwave does just that, and it looks good too. Some features I like:– I can open the door with the handle at any time just by pulling on the handle (no need to press some button to make it open). And the microwave doesn’t slide across (forward) the bench when I pull the door – the tension of the latch is just right.- Cooking quality is good (haven’t done any tests about evenness of cooking, but the plate in the microwave does rotate, unlike some microwaves that don’t have this feature).- Pressing START without any other input starts cooking for 30sec- there are quick start buttons 1 through 6 that just start cooking for that number of minutes when pressed- pressing the STOP button stops cooking. Pressing again clears any remaining time. Pressing again turns off the display (e.g. if one doesn’t like the bright light of the display at night).So far, I’d recommend this, it’s a nice microwave. Thanks to all the others who reviewed this beforehand and helped me make an informed decision before I bought it.Variation: Size: 1.3 Cu. Ft.Color: Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars For the money, not a bad little microwave! My old microwave finally gave up the ghost after around 13-14 years of pretty decent service. I mostly warm up meals and made-for-microwave entrees, and of course the obligatory batch of popcorn from time to time. Saw this pop up and it had pretty good reviews. Plus, I’ve owned Farberware products going back decades. I still have a Farberware Percolator coffee-maker that’s probably pushing 40 now, and a small countertop convection oven that I’ve been using almost daily for 16+ years. So I’m pretty cool with the brand.It has a much smaller footprint than the old microwave, but curiously has pretty close to the same sized heating chamber for capacity. This is rated for 1000w, and it definitely warms/cooks things much faster than the old unit. I can cook a full bowl of popcorn in 3 minutes in this one, whereas it took 4:30 in the former microwave. The front panel is sleek and simple, and for most things it’ll do just fine. If you want to warm something for 5 minutes, you just push the 5 button on the pad and walk away. It takes care of the rest. However, I think it’s unusually fiddly when you want to input a very specific cook time, like 3m20s. Yes, you can do it. But you have to go through this whole process of setting the power level first, then inputting the total cook time. It’s just a bit of extra keypresses when you need a very particular cook duration.It also seems a bit noisier to my ears than the old unit. Not necessarily standing under a jet engine noisy, but it’s definitely noticeable. I got used to it within the first few days, and it’s not that big a deal since I live alone, but if you’re given to late night kitchen raids and want to avoid waking the wife and kids, this one is going to thump and hum a bit.For under $100, I have no complaints. If it holds up as long as my other Farberware items, I should be set for the rest of my days. And if not, this didn’t break the bank, so it’s all good. For the cost and the efficiency I gave it 5 stars, with the caveats about the time input and noise. If you can put up with those, it’s a great value.Variation: Size: 1.1 Cu. Ft.Color: Stainless Steel
1.0 out of 5 stars Unit was dead on arrival. EDIT 12/25/2024: Rating reduced from 5 stars to 1. It would be zero if I could. The unit arrived in a day and there was zero damage to the box. The unit also had no visible damage to the cabinet or the power cord. But it was electrically dead right out of the box. I read the manual and followed the instructions which were few and simple. The display would not light up. The control panel was completely unresponsive. I plugged it into several outlets proven to be working with other appliances. Nothing. It’s just dead. Back it goes. Already processed the return.It’s disappointing. I’d expect at least minimal quality control like plugging the units in to see if they’ll at least power up and the lights come on before they’re shipped out to retailers. Apparently that didn’t happen.ORIGINAL REVIEW:Just for clarity since their are multiple versions in this product listing, I bought the 1.3 cu ft, 1000W version with the stainless steel finish and the curved door handle.A microwave is pretty much like a coffee pot or a toaster oven to me. We use it 99% of the time to…..1.) Heat up coffee or tea.2.) Defrost frozen stuff.3.) Reheat leftovers.4.) Make popcorn.So the question becomes can it do the basics with an easy to use control interface and is it durable / reliable. The answer in this case is yes.This is a direct replacement for the exact same Farberware branded microwave I bought 7 years ago for the exact same price. The only difference is that the original one was black and this one has a stainless steel finish. The styling and control interface is identical except for a couple of feature additions in the new one. But as an offset, the old one had an output of 1100W and this one is rated at 1000W. No big deal.The physical size both inside and outside are identical. That’s critical for me as this thing has to fit in a built in cubby / garage over the counter. And this is the largest unit that will fit I’ve ever found. As for the inside, it will fit a large dinner plate. Good enough.As for the control interface, there is a zero learning curve as it’s almost identical to the one it’s replacing. It has the basics covered…..1.) Time cook.2.) Time defrost.3.) Weight defrost.4.) Power level adjustment5.) 5 presets for popcorn, pizza, dinner plate, potato, frozen veggies, and beverages.6.) One touch cook time from 1-6 min. The old one was 1-3 min.7.) 30 second one touch add by pressing the start button again.It’s obvious that they put some thought into the interface to make it really easy to do what microwaves are used for 99% of the time. If you need to read the manual to use this, well… you need help. LOL, it’s that easy.As for value, the original black one cost me the exact same $135 in March 2018. It’s not dead. It still heats fine. But the timer / clock display flips out intermittently then comes back to life randomly before failing again. Just annoying. And the inside has seen enough wear that its not possible to get it really clean looking any longer. But hey, this thing gets used probably 10 times daily by 4 people on average.And at $135 the original lasted 7 years. That’s about $19/year or $1.60/month. I’m OK with replacing it with a newer version at this point. I got good value out of it.Hopes this helps anyone trying to make a decision.Variation: Size: 1.3 Cu. Ft.Color: Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommend We’ve had this microwave for 4 months now. We are very satisfied with its performance. It is loud, as some people commented, but I don’t feel it’s louder than other microwaves. My partner thought we had paid a hundred dollars more, if that’s not saying something :). Highly recommend.Variation: Size: 1.3 Cu. Ft.Color: Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Faberware 1.1 CU.FT 1000 Watt Microwave oven I chose this particular microwave oven after doing a quick “top 10 best recommended” search. I have purchased a number of Faberware products and am quite happy with the quality and economical price points for them. This is a size and power upgrade for an aging GE 700 Watt countertop microwave oven. The included instruction manual is easy enough to follow and setup went fairly quickly. The unit build is quite sturdy and the easy touch Control buttons respond well. Functionality is excellent and relatively quiet. The internal glass platter has reasonably powerful steady rotation as well as the internal space being lit while in use. I can easily recommend this product to anyone looking for a mid sized countertop microwave while not breaking the bank to acquire a quality solution. One of the nicer aspects of this particular model is it comes in 7 different sizes, the larger ones with increased power ratings as well as multiple color schemes to choose from. Easy and economical choice to accommodate most any counter space.Variation: Size: 1.1 Cu. Ft.Color: Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Has 4 Specific Features I Wanted and More — RECOMMEND! I searched extensively for a microwave in my price range that had 4 specific features—and this one fits the bill.• 30 SECOND EXPRESS BUTTONMost modern microwaves have this, but it’s a must have for me. Hit ONE button to begin heating for 30 seconds. BOOM! Hit it additional times for 30 second increments. I’d rather hit the 30 second button 3 times for 1:30 than “Cook Time + 1 – 3 – 0″• NO REMINDER BEEPS!I can’t stand constant reminder beeps every 30 to 60 seconds, so this is a huge plus for me. Some people prefer this feature, so you’re welcome that I’ve just ruled this microwave out for you.• DISPLAY/CLOCK IS NOT EXCESSIVELY BRIGHTThe display is green, easy to read, and not overly bright. I didn’t even know I needed to look for this until I read multiple reviews for a microwave that said the display was so bright it lit up the kitchen like a blue night light. Since I live in a studio apartment, my kitchen and my bedroom are the same space. I cannot have a microwave display lighitng up my world with a bright blue light.• DOOR LOCK DISABLE FEATUREThis DOES have a door lock feature by default, which is a child safety feature some prefer. When enabled, you have to press the “Door Lock” button in order to open the door after heating—EVERY TIME. Very annoying when you don’t need it. DISABLE THE DOOR LOCK FEATURE by pressing: “Door Lock” button + 7 + 9 —in that order — and hold for a few seconds.Separately, it has a CHILD LOCK feature, which … when learning how to disable to the DOOR LOCK … I realized was a completely different feature. CHILD LOCK is a way to prevent a child from pressing any buttons at all, not just prevent them from “opening the door” to hot food. To engage the CHILD LOCK, you hold the CANCEL/OFF button for a few seconds. To turn the feature off—do the same. So pretty easy if you have little ones to protect.This microwave beeps three times when done and the beep sound is not annoying. It’s dark gray inside, which I kind of like, but some might prefer it to be whiter and brighter.So far I’ve heated soup in it a few times. What can I say? It’s heats soup just fine! I also “charge” my coffee cup and meal plates to warm before using, which is one reason why I love the 30 second button and the “not” reminder beeps. I know it’s done. I’ll get to it on my terms, thank you!It has a MEMORY FUNCTION I might find useful for commonly used settings. Set up to 3 memory settings. Example: Set “Memory 1” to 50% power for 2 minutes.I also like how it looks. While specific features in my price range were more important to me than the aesthetics, it’s a lovely bonus that it’s pretty. It actually looks nicer in person than I expected based on photos.I can’t speak to it’s longevity, but so far so good. I highly recommend!Variation: Size: 1.1 Cu. Ft.Color: Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Good product at a good price Great microwave. Big enough to fit whatever you need but small enough to fit into a cabinet. Seems powerful and has worked great for a month. There’s a weird auto-lock feature on the door that’s annoying until you get used to pressing unlock all the time.Variation: Size: 1.1 Cu. Ft.Color: Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Lasted nearly 7 years! Durable, reliable, and affordable! I bought the stainless steel 1.1 Cu. Ft. Microwave on 1/11/17 for $75. It is now 7/29/26. The light bulb just burnt out in the last year and it’s just now begun to rust on the interior. I have never had any issues with this microwave and can’t believe it’s lasted nearly 10 years! Highly recommend for reliability, affordability, and durability.Variation: Size: 1.1 Cu. Ft.Color: Stainless Steel