The Verdict
The GE 1.6 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Countertop Microwave Oven is a powerful, 1,150-watt appliance designed to handle everything from quick snacks to family-sized meals with ease. Its combination of sensor cooking technology and versatile preset controls makes it a reliable, high-performance addition to any modern kitchen.Why We Love It (Key Features)
- Sensor Cooking Controls: This system monitors moisture levels while your food cooks, automatically adjusting the time to ensure your meals are prepared perfectly without the guesswork.
- Balanced Capacity and Power: With a 1.6 cu. ft. interior, this stainless steel countertop microwave offers the ideal footprint for everyday meal prep while packing 1,150 watts of power for fast, even results.
- Precision Defrosting: Whether you prefer manual control or auto-defrost based on food weight, this unit helps thaw frozen meat, poultry, and seafood evenly to prevent those frustrating overcooked edges.
- User-Friendly Interface: Featuring one-touch express cooking and 8 convenience settings, the electronic keypad and digital display make it simple to navigate through your favorite cooking tasks.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Powerful 1,150-watt output for fast heating | Requires significant clearance (3" sides/top, 1" rear) for proper airflow |
| Sensor cooking prevents over- or under-cooking | Large 21.75" width requires dedicated counter space |
| Includes safety-focused two-step child lock | Non-integrated countertop design |
Who Should Buy This?
This microwave is an excellent choice for busy households, families, and individuals in apartments or shared living spaces who need a dependable, mid-sized appliance. Its intuitive interface and sensor technology cater to those who want efficient, consistent results for daily reheating and cooking tasks without dealing with overly complex settings.Frequently Asked Questions
Does this stainless steel countertop microwave have a child lock feature?
Yes, it includes a two-step child lock feature designed to prevent unintended use, which can be easily disabled when it is not needed.What are the specific clearance requirements for this unit?
To ensure proper airflow and performance, you must provide 3 inches of clearance on each side and above the unit, 1 inch at the rear, and keep the bottom area completely unobstructed.Does this model come with a turntable?
Yes, it includes a removable, microwave-safe glass tray that provides a smooth-rotating design for even and efficient cooking.
5.0 out of 5 stars Good product. I wasn’t sure I wanted this microwave. I knew I wanted a GE because I’d loved the other one I’d had for many years, but I wanted to down size it a little bit. I’ll admit I didn’t fall in love with it immediately. I had to get use to the buttons being different, but once I did it’s smooth sailing. I’d recommend it.Variation: Color: Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Value and Easy to Use I was looking for a replacement for another brand microwave that was installed in the cabinet on top of the conventional oven. This one turned out to be a perfect fit, and I didn’t have to change the rails that my old microwave was using. It not only fits perfectly in the cabinet but also looks great.The noise level is considerably lower than my old one, and it is easy to use. I tried popcorn to test it because my old microwave used to leave a lot of seeds at the end, but this one leaves only a few. The heat is even across the container and it is totally worth the money I spent on it. I am a happy customer.Variation: Color: Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars Fit the old whirlpool and old trim kit perfectly I have a 7 years old Whirlpool WMC30516HZ0 that have rusted interior and need to replace. My set up was a built-in so Whirlpool obviously didn’t have the same model and any newer model requires both the microwave and the trim kit purchased separately, some of the trim kit goes as high or not higher than the microwave itself! Stumbled on this one, saw one of the reviews has the same issue and purchased his microwave which fit the trim kit. So i decided to give it a try, take over night to ship and confirmed the microwave fit the old trim kit perfectly. Thinking i to spend over $500 for a new microwave plus new trim kit but this found save me lot of money. If the microwave can last 3-2 years, i am happy! Great find and thanks to that reviews, hope adding mine here for anyone in the same situation so you can save money on trim kit!Variation: Color: Stainless Steel
3.0 out of 5 stars It's Okay Meh. It works. It is pretty powerful for a countertop model. But it is noisy as crap. When the microwave is on it sounds like a rattling hunk of garbage. And the child-proof lock that you have to disable every time you want to get into it is annoying.Variation: Color: Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars GE GREAT MICROWAVE! What a great GE microwave. Great price and fit perfect in my kitchen shelf. Easy to work with commonly use item keypad and just the perfect size. Very please with this brand and purchase!Variation: Color: Stainless Steel
4.0 out of 5 stars Lettering on screen hard to read Good product. Works well, but I personally would not reorder, because the lettering – numbers and letters are so light and small, I have to put on reading glasses to operate, which I didn’t with my previous microwave.Variation: Color: Stainless Steel
5.0 out of 5 stars It fits It works great. It fits where I needed it to fit. All goodVariation: Color: Stainless Steel
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed The control panel is so dark we used a flashlight to set the oven. Slow to warm coffee.Returned for credit.Variation: Color: Stainless Steel