The Emerson MW8999SB 0.9 cu. ft. 900 watt Microwave Oven is relatively compact, and certainly inexpensive, but doesn't skimp on functionality. We were surprised at all the options you get with this little microwave. It's only 20 inches wide, 11.3 inches high and 16.1 inches deep yet. The interior can still accommodate a regular size dinner plate or small (10-inch-square or round) casserole. Plus, there are 10 power levels, eight one-touch function buttons, six Express Cook settings, timed and automatic defrost options, and a rotating glass turntable to circulate the food for more even cooking.

We were very pleased with the performance of the Emerson MW8999SB. It did a fine job heating water for tea, cooking a couple of baked potatoes, reheating leftovers and steaming fresh vegetables. Even the automatic defrost proved surprisingly efficient, letting you enter the weight of the item(s) to be defrosted (4-100 ounces) for easy operation. Chicken breasts were almost fully defrosted after one cycle. We needed to stop and separate the food pieces to finish the defrost cycle.

The unit is styled mainly in black but has stainless steel trim around the door and control panel. The smooth touchpad control panel is attractive and easy to wipe clean. We loved the one-touch Express Cook buttons, which let you activate the unit at 100 percent power for 1-6 minutes, by pressing the corresponding number pad. We also appreciated extra touches such as the Start/+30 sec. button, which can be used to start the oven or add an extra 30 seconds each time it is depressed.

It's hard to go wrong when the functions are so simple. The only tricky part was identifying certain codes used on the display screen. When changing the power level, for instance, PL10 is displayed on the screen. Pressing the button additional times lets you toggle through the different levels. Likewise, the Auto Cook settings may need to be pressed multiple times to obtain the correct weight or portion for the food being cooked.

We were amazed that a machine costing so little also offered two-stage cooking, which lets you start cooking (or defrosting) on one setting and finish on another. All in all, the Emerson MW8999SB is an excellent value.


Pros: Touchpad controls, eight one-touch function buttons, six Express Cook settings, two-stage coking option
Cons: Limited interior capacity can only accommodate dishes up to 10 inches, no sensor

Warranty
1 year, limited