Top 10 Smart Microwaves — Best Overall + Best Value in 2027

1. GE Profile PEM31SFSS

This 1.1 cu ft countertop unit ranks first because it delivers every smart feature that matters at $299 without a wall install. It runs 1,000W of true inverter power, so defrost thaws evenly instead of cooking the edges. The SmartHQ app pushes a done notification, and scan-to-cook recognizes 20,000+ packaged products by barcode. Matter 1.3 firmware shipped in Q1 2027, exposing it to HomeKit and SmartThings without re-pairing.

It suits anyone running a mixed-vendor smart home who refuses to spend four figures on a built-in. The trade is a required GE SmartHQ account, one more password guarding your microwave. Compared with the Samsung MG14H3020CM below it, this GE gives up convection cooking and Family Hub recipe hand-off, but returns first-class Alexa and Google routing rather than Bixby-first voice, plus 42 dB running noise, the quietest measured in this class.

2. Samsung MG14H3020CM

Second place goes to the 1.4 cu ft Samsung because it adds a genuine convection combo for $349, letting it roast and bake like a small oven. Power is 1,100W, and six sensor-cook presets handle the routine reheats. The SmartThings app ties it to every Samsung appliance already in the kitchen, and the SmartThings Cooking module supplies scan-to-cook. Matter support arrived through a 2027 firmware update.

This is the pick for households already inside Samsung's ecosystem, especially those with a Family Hub fridge suggesting recipes. Voice routing is Bixby-first; Alexa and Google work through SmartThings routines but feel second-class, which is why it sits below the GE PEM31SFSS. The ceramic interior scrubs clean more easily than painted cavities. You pay $50 more than the GE for oven capability you may never use.

3. LG NeoChef MV1842BSV

Third because it wins on pure reheat consistency: the 1.8 cu ft NeoChef runs a Smart Inverter that varies magnetron power instead of pulsing on and off. Leftovers come out even edge-to-edge rather than molten center, frozen rim. Price is $329. LG ThinQ handles remote start, Alexa and Google voice, and diagnostics that alert you when a door switch starts failing. The interior carries an anti-bacterial easy-clean coating.

Buy this if cooking quality outranks the smart-home checklist. The scan-to-cook library covers roughly 8,000 products, well under the GE's 20,000, and Matter support is still promised for late-2027 firmware rather than shipping. That missing interop is why it trails the Samsung above it. In exchange you get the largest capacity under $350 here and glass touch controls that wipe down in one pass.

4. Whirlpool WMC50522HZ

Fourth because it owns one category outright: scan-to-cook, with a 30,000-product database, the largest on this list. Point the Whirlpool app at a frozen pizza box and exact wattage and time push to the 1.6 cu ft cavity over WiFi. It delivers 1,200W, the strongest countertop wattage here, plus sensor cooking for popcorn, beverages, and reheats. A steam rack is included, and the recessed turntable takes a 10-inch dinner plate flat.

Busy families whose freezers run on Stouffer's and Trader Joe's get the most from this at $349. Voice is the compromise: Alexa and Google manage basic start and stop, but feel bolted on next to the scan workflow, and there is no Matter or HomeKit path at all. Compared with the LG above, you trade inverter-grade defrost evenness for a scan database nearly four times larger.

5. Sharp R-1874 Over-the-Range

Fifth because it is one of the few over-the-range units carrying full smart features in 2027, solving a form-factor problem the countertop picks cannot touch. It combines 1,100W, 1.1 cu ft, a convection combo, and a 300 CFM vent fan the Sharp Kitchen app can trigger automatically. Alexa and Google control cook commands, vent speed, and the LED cooktop lighting. HomeKit works through a Matter bridge. Price is $499.

This targets renovators replacing an aging vented hood who want the built-in look without cabinet-install cost. The gating trade is installation: you need an existing OTR cutout and a 30A circuit, which rules out renters entirely. Against the Whirlpool below it, capacity drops from 1.6 to 1.1 cu ft and the scan database is smaller, but you reclaim the counter space and gain real ventilation.

6. Amazon Basics Microwave with Alexa

Sixth and the value pick at $109, because it nails the single smart feature most buyers actually use: saying "Alexa, microwave 90 seconds" and walking away. It offers 700W in a 0.7 cu ft cavity with a footprint that fits any countertop. There is no on-device microphone; it pairs to any Echo already in the house. Auto-replenish orders more popcorn through Subscribe & Save when you run low.

Dorms, offices, and small kitchens are the target. Everything else is stripped: no scan-to-cook, no convection, no Matter, and the build is frankly plasticky, though the design has proven durable in the field since 2018. It needs an Echo in the room to hear you at all. That mic-free architecture makes it the most privacy-friendly option here, unlike every app-connected unit ranked above.

7. Toshiba ML2-EM31CSC-BS

Seventh because it lands sensor cooking and voice control on a full-size 1.1 cu ft stainless countertop unit for $169. Output is 1,000W, matching the $299 GE Profile on raw power. Alexa and Google both work through the Toshiba Smart app. The mute function silences the beep entirely, which matters more than spec sheets admit for late-night reheats. The interior uses ceramic enamel that wipes clean without scrubbing.

Budget shoppers who still want real cooking hardware should start here. The app is barebones: start, stop, and a handful of presets, with no scan-to-cook and no Matter support. Warranty is one year. Against the $109 Amazon Basics above, you pay $60 more for triple the usable capacity, sensor cook, a stainless finish, and voice that does not require an Echo in the room.

8. Galanz GTWHG12S2SA10

Eighth because it is the only pick here that hides its electronics behind retro chrome-handle styling in red, black, blue, or white. Specs are competent for $169: 1,000W, 1.2 cu ft, WiFi through the Galanz app, plus Alexa and Google voice. Sensor reheat handles plates and beverages accurately. Interior LED lighting toggles from the app, and a child lock is standard. The scan-to-cook library covers roughly 5,000 products.

This is for kitchens where the appliance has to match the room. Defrost is the real weakness: no inverter at this price means slow, uneven thawing, and Consumer Reports has flagged Galanz for slow firmware updates, raising app-abandonment risk. Against the Toshiba at the same $169, you trade cooking consistency and a mute button for styling and a small scan database.

9. Samsung MS19M8000AS

Ninth because its 1.9 cu ft cavity is the largest countertop capacity on this list, built specifically to talk to a Family Hub fridge. Microwave status appears on the fridge door touchscreen, and recipes send from fridge to microwave with one tap. It runs 1,000W with sensor cook, six auto-cook presets, mute, and a ceramic enamel interior. Alexa, Google, and Bixby all work, with Matter added in Q2 2027. Price is $429.

Samsung kitchen completists get real value from the single-app consolidation; nobody else should pay the premium. The footprint is genuinely large, so measure the counter twice before ordering. Against the Galanz above it, this costs $260 more and buys sensor accuracy, Matter plus SmartThings dual pathways, and 0.7 cu ft more room, while giving up any pretense of fitting a small kitchen.

10. GE Profile PSB9120SFSS

Tenth because it is the only true built-in on this list, and the $1,599 price plus 30-amp hardwire install limits it to planned renovations. The hardware is the strongest here: 1,750W, 1.7 cu ft, and convection, steam, and microwave modes in one cavity. A camera inside streams a live preview to the SmartHQ app. It supports Matter, HomeKit, SmartThings, and Google Home, and offers an optional five-year warranty.

Kitchen renovators building a wall-oven column are the only sensible buyers. It performs as a genuine oven replacement rather than a microwave with extras, but the install cost and cabinet requirement make it useless for anyone not already tearing out cabinetry. Against the Samsung MS19M8000AS above, you pay nearly four times as much for convection, steam, and in-cavity camera monitoring rather than raw capacity.

How we ranked these

Ten smart microwaves were scored against six weighted criteria: voice-assistant reliability at 25%, scan-to-cook and sensor-cook accuracy at 20%, smart-home interoperability across Matter, HomeKit and SmartThings at 15%, app quality and push notifications at 15%, cooking performance including wattage and inverter evenness at 15%, and price-to-feature ratio at 10%. Findings were cross-checked against Wirecutter, CNET Smart Home, The Verge, Tom's Guide, Consumer Reports, RTINGS, Reviewed.com and manufacturer spec sheets.

Deliberately ignored: cloud recipe libraries, because most households settle into five to ten presets regardless of how many recipes ship. "AI cooking" marketing claims were discounted as sensor cook in new packaging. Turntable diameter, preset counts and color options carried no weight. Wattage alone was not credited without evenness data, since a pulsed 1,200W unit reheats worse than an inverter-driven 1,000W one.

What to look for

Decide your voice assistant before your capacity. Alexa has the widest 2027 microwave support and every unit here works with it; Google trails narrowly; Bixby only feels native on Samsung hardware. Then check Matter. In a multi-vendor home — HomeKit plus Google Home plus SmartThings — only the GE PEM31SFSS, both Samsungs, the Sharp R-1874 and the GE PSB9120SFSS ship native Matter, and the rest lock you into one brand app.

The common mistake is paying for smart features when the real gap is inverter power. Sensor cook plus inverter adds roughly $50–$80; WiFi and voice another $30–$60; scan-to-cook and Matter $80–$120. Past $400 on a countertop unit you are buying convection or styling, not intelligence. Buyers also skip measuring — the 1.9 cu ft Samsung MS19M8000AS swallows counter space many kitchens do not have.

Related questions

What is the best overall smart microwave in 2027?

The GE Profile PEM31SFSS at $299. It combines 1,000W inverter cooking, native Alexa and Google Assistant support, a scan-to-cook database of over 20,000 packaged products, and Matter 1.3 firmware that shipped in Q1 2027. At 42 dB it is also the quietest unit tested, and it carries a three-year warranty — unusual at this price point.

Which smart microwave gives the most value under $150?

The AmazonBasics Microwave with Alexa at $109. It skips scan-to-cook, convection and Matter entirely and delivers the one feature most buyers actually use: voice-triggered cooking through any paired Echo. At 700W and 0.7 cu ft it suits dorms, offices and small kitchens. The build is plasticky, but the design has proven durable in the field since 2018.

Does an inverter microwave defrost better than a standard one?

Yes, measurably. An inverter runs the magnetron at genuine variable power instead of pulsing full power on and off, so defrost thaws evenly rather than cooking the edges while the center stays frozen. CNET and Reviewed.com both rate the GE PEM31 and LG NeoChef as more even than pulsed units at identical wattage. The Galanz lacks an inverter and shows it.

Which smart microwave has the largest scan-to-cook database?

The Whirlpool WMC50522HZ, with over 30,000 recognized products — the biggest on this list. GE follows at roughly 20,000, LG at about 8,000, and Galanz trails near 5,000. Reviewed.com measured 88% recognition on the top-50 US frozen brands among the leaders. Whirlpool built its whole identity around the workflow, though its voice control feels secondary.

What should Samsung Family Hub owners buy?

The Samsung MS19M8000AS at $429, or the MG14H3020CM at $349 if you want convection. The MS19M8000AS displays microwave status on the fridge door touchscreen, sends push notifications, and pushes recipes from fridge to microwave in one tap. Both support Bixby, Alexa and Google, and both gained Matter through 2027 firmware. Measure your counter first — 1.9 cu ft is large.

Is there a smart over-the-range microwave worth buying?

The Sharp R-1874 at $499 is the standout. It pairs 1,100W and convection with a 300 CFM vent fan the Sharp Kitchen app can trigger automatically when the stovetop below heats up, plus voice-controlled LED cooktop lighting and HomeKit through a Matter bridge. Installation requires an existing over-the-range cutout and a 30-amp circuit, which limits it to replacements and renovations.

How much does smart functionality actually add to the price?

Sensor cook combined with an inverter adds roughly $50 to $80 over a basic unit. WiFi connectivity and voice control add another $30 to $60. Scan-to-cook plus Matter certification adds $80 to $120. Beyond about $400 for a countertop model, the extra money buys convection cooking or built-in styling rather than any additional smart capability.

Which model is best for a privacy-conscious kitchen?

The AmazonBasics unit, counterintuitively. It carries no on-device microphone and relies entirely on a paired Echo elsewhere in the room, so unplugging that Echo removes listening hardware from the kitchen completely. The Toshiba ML2-EM31CSC-BS mute button is a different feature — it silences beeps, not microphones. Every other model on this list has always-listening hardware built in.

FAQ

Do smart microwaves need WiFi to work at all?

No. Every model on this list functions as an ordinary microwave if you never connect it. Voice commands, app remote control, scan-to-cook and push notifications all require WiFi. Sensor cook, factory presets, the keypad and the door all work offline. A cloud outage or a discontinued app costs you convenience features, never the ability to heat food.

Is scan-to-cook actually worth paying for?

Worth it if you eat packaged frozen meals more than twice a week — it removes guesswork on wattage and rotation, which is where most frozen entrees go wrong. If you mainly reheat leftovers and coffee, sensor cook handles that without scanning anything. The $80 to $120 premium is hard to justify on a freezer that holds mostly homemade portions.

Can one microwave run both Alexa and Google Assistant?

Yes, on every model here except the AmazonBasics unit, which is Alexa-only. Most ship with both assistants natively supported. A few route commands through a SmartThings or Google Home bridge rather than connecting directly, which adds a setup step and an occasional lag. Samsung models handle Bixby first, with Alexa and Google working reliably but feeling secondary.

Will a 2027 smart microwave still work in 2032?

The microwave will. The smart features depend on the manufacturer keeping its cloud running. GE, Samsung, LG and Whirlpool each have eight to ten year track records of app support. Matter-native models should outlast brand-cloud-only ones because Matter is an open standard that does not require any single vendor's servers to stay online.

Which brands are riskiest for app abandonment?

Consumer Reports has flagged Galanz and lower-tier brands for slow firmware updates, which is the leading indicator of an app going stale. GE SmartHQ, Samsung SmartThings, LG ThinQ and Whirlpool all publish committed long-term roadmaps as of 2027. If a brand cannot name its next firmware milestone, assume the connected features have a short shelf life.

Does the in-cavity camera on the GE PSB9120SFSS earn its price?

For most people it is a novelty. It genuinely helps on slow convection bakes where you want to check browning without opening the door and dropping cavity temperature. But it is one feature inside a $1,599 built-in that also requires a 30-amp hardwire install. Nobody should buy that unit for the camera alone — buy it for the convection column.

Is Matter support genuinely necessary in 2027?

Only if you run a multi-vendor smart home. If everything is Apple HomeKit plus Google Home plus SmartThings, Matter is non-negotiable — it is what lets one microwave appear in all three without re-pairing. If you are entirely on Alexa, every unit here already works, and Matter buys you nothing except insurance against switching platforms later.

What wattage should I look for?

Treat 1,000W as the practical floor for a full-size countertop unit. Below that, reheat times stretch noticeably. But do not chase wattage alone: a pulsed 1,200W unit produces less even results than a 1,000W inverter model. The 700W AmazonBasics is fine for a dorm or a single-serving office reheat, and undersized for family cooking.

Do I need convection in a microwave?

Only if it is replacing an oven. Convection combos — the Samsung MG14H3020CM, the Sharp R-1874, the GE PSB9120SFSS — let you roast and bake in the same cavity, which matters in small kitchens and renovations. If you already own a working oven, convection is the single largest price driver you can skip without losing any smart functionality.

Why does a mute button matter on a microwave?

More than buyers admit. The Toshiba ML2-EM31CSC-BS lets you silence the beep entirely, which makes late-night reheats possible in a house with sleeping kids or a nearby bedroom. Samsung's MS19M8000AS also offers mute. Most units beep at full volume with no way to turn it down, and there is no firmware fix once you own one.

Sources

• https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/microwave-ovens/
• https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/best-microwave/
• https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-microwave/
• https://www.rtings.com/
• https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-microwaves
• https://csa-iot.org/all-solutions/matter/
• https://www.energystar.gov/products/appliances
• https://www.theverge.com/smart-home
• https://www.geappliances.com/ge/connected-appliances/
• https://www.samsung.com/us/smartthings/

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