The Cheap Microwave Brand You Should Avoid Buying At All Costs

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When it's time to buy a new microwave, many of us start by surfing the internet. We look up the online stores, assess which brands fall within our budget, maybe talk to some friends about their trusty microwaves, and read the reviews once we've zeroed in on the top few contenders. But something that very few think to do is seek the advice of an actual professional — the person who gets called when microwaves malfunction. Our friends at House Digest spoke to Daniel Vasilevski, the director and owner of an electrical company called Bright Force Electrical. According to him, the microwave brand that's absolutely not worth the money is Magic Chef.

In his practice, Vasilevski has observed the poor longevity of Magic Chef. One of the interesting facts about your microwave that you should know is that a key part of the appliance is called the magnetron. This is the part that creates the microwaves and heats the food — and it's also the part that's often faulty in Magic Chef ovens. "This issue tends to happen much earlier than expected, often within just a couple of years," Vasilevski said. Indeed, as one Amazon reviewer reported, "Lasted two years. Don't buy!! Had a Panasonic model previously, that lasted over ten years. Magic Chef is a 'No-Go.'"

A very common issue that customers report in Magic Chef microwaves is the sudden overheating of the oven. Interestingly, this problem is often caused by a faulty magnetron, the very issue Vasilevski pointed out. One person reported the microwave set off the smoke detector, while another customer noticed visible peeling and burn marks on the inside of the appliance in less than three years. There have also been cases where the oven has overheated so much that it caught on fire. Patty Lynn, who this has happened to, noted in an Amazon review, "I do not know how this microwave has not been recalled yet." Well, the reason Magic Chef air fryers were recalled in 2022 was precisely because of overheating and being a fire hazard, so it seems this issue is not new for the company at all.

Magic Chef microwaves have problems beyond the overheating too. Several people have complained about the buttons that open the door as well as the keypad on the side. The buttons are difficult to press, don't seem to have good contact, and wear off really fast. The glass used for the doors and the inside tray has also spontaneously shattered on multiple occasions, which presents another safety hazard. All this considered, it's better to leave Magic Chef on the shelf and opt for any of the 12 popular microwave brands instead.

Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and House Digest.