Customers frequently mention the excellent heating performance, quiet operation, and powerful 1200 watts of the 1.6 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave. Many appreciate its perfect size and ease of use. However, some customers have expressed concerns about the door latch design.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 164 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Power
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Really an Excellent item
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Absolutely wonderful
Coming from an 1100W 1.1 cu ft Emerson this is a DREAM.
INTERIOR LIGHT
Bright. Allows one to see in while cooking. Emerson's let you see nothing.
POWER
Gargantuan
Try less until you get used to it.
I started with simple beef franks. They were letting out LOUD POWs every few seconds.
If you set 5 minutes using an 1100Watts device, just try 3 minutes in this one.
LABELING
There are both touch spots marked with the typical square button borders and places with just uninterrupted black glass. TIMER for example. You'll have no trouble figuring them out and minus a couple of borders plus a few texts in red gives it a beautiful uncluttered look.
CORNER BEZEL
FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT top to bottom have a sleek unique corners Octagonal shape. Love it.
HANDLE
Some don't like the trigger squeeze-UP handle operation of the door. I like it just fine.
MISSING FEATURES
I wanted a Smart one. No app for it.
I wanted one where the turntable returns to its starting point when you open the door. It doesn't have that.
I wanted In Home Geek service for it. I can't carry 5lbs let alone 30. Trying to get pre-sale-warranty details from Customer Service, pointless.
I didn't like the $20 price jump it took in 2 wks. Jumped to the same price as the larger model. I assume a simple typo. Calls and emails got me nowhere but the price went down Twenty. I was asked, "do you want to order again?"
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Noise level, Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Extremely happy with this purchase!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I purchased this item after reviewing many different microwaves and reviews and decided this one sounded the best… I’m really glad I did. I am very happy with this microwave!
I really like the sensor feature, which I wasn’t sure I would… It’s great not to have to worry about something being done or not…every time the potatoes are perfect! I like the size and capacity. It fits on my counter nicely without being too overwhelming, It’s quiet and I have been extremely happy with this purchase!
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from InsigniaCustomerSupport
Posted .
Hello Jan! Thank you for sharing your review with us. We’re glad to hear the Insignia 1.6 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave with Sensor Cooking and Inverter Technology is delivering the convenience, quiet operation, and reliable performance you were looking for. It’s great to know the sensor feature is working so well for you and that the size fits your counter perfectly. We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. Darshan | Insignia Products
Pros mentioned:
Overall performance
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Microwave
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
It works wonderful, heats food very good and within it's time You add.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Good buy
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Good product, Easy to use. Good value price vs Cu ft and watts.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Overall performance
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Exellent Microwave
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Beautiful Microwave everything works perfectly it blends well with the whole kitchen
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Overall performance
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Works as intended
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The microwave works as intended. Some features like the defrost were a little confusing as there are two different types.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Must have
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Loved this stainless steel microwave, big capacity and the trigger on the handle made it safe for child’s.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Overall performance, Power
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great features with inverter cooking technology
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is a very nice looking microwave. The front is stainless steel with black accents. The top and sides are painted black, which helps to make it a little less inconspicuous as it sits on the counter. It has a fair amount of features that make it a good buy for people that use microwaves to cook a wide variety of foods and not only to heat stuff up. At 1200 watts, it's a pretty powerful microwave.
Cook settings include a lot of the standards that people expect and are used to using. Both time, and weight defrost, cook time and power for more manual cooking, and some specialty modes that include melt/soften, potato, frozen vegetables, beverage, dinner plate, pizza and popcorn. There's also a sensor reheat. The keypad is laid out well, where everything is easy to find and nicely labeled. The numeric keypad also has the first six digits as express cook buttons.
Microwaves are notoriously tricky to use correctly. Everyone has their own tricks for how they like to use them, but understanding a few basics will go a long way to getting good results. While many people feel that the "extra" cooking modes are a waste of space and only want the standard time and power cook buttons, a lot of thought has gone into these extra buttons to help people get good cooking results, no matter what kind of food they're using it to cook.
You may not of heard of Inverter Technology on a microwave, and it may sound like a brand buzz phrase, but it's actually a cooking method that's used by a lot of brands and actually has to do with how the heat is applied to food.
Standard technology microwaves cook the food by always using the 100% power setting. Even if you choose 50% power to cook with, that only means the microwave will use the 100% power setting for half of the time, and then no power for the other 50% of the time. So the power level is actually based on how long the microwave uses the 100% power, it doesn't actually decrease the power level.
Inverter technology however, does cut the power down. So when you choose 50% power for 4 minutes, your microwave will actually cook your food using half the power for the full 4 minutes. This is a more even way of cooking and heating food. This method seems to work best for low power cooking (like softening butter), but to me it just seems like a better way to cook food at any level.
Sensor technology is another mode that's included. And like the name implies, it uses sensors to monitor the food you're cooking, and adjusts the power and time automatically to heat the food to a perfect temperature, which helps to eliminate hot spots and cold spots in the final result.
The Insignia offers both sensor and inverter cooking methods, so you get the best of both worlds. It's still up to the user to understand the different modes and select the one that will work best for your food, but at least the options are there for those who choose to use them.
The 1.6 Cubic foot size is a medium to large size, and even acknowledging that, the Insignia is a bit larger than most in its size class. It's by no means a small microwave, but with that said, it has ample space inside to cook a lot of different foods in a variety of dishes, bowls and plates. It also includes a good sized turntable. The door has a safety feature on it, making it a safer choice for those with small children. This involves pressing up on a button in the handle before it will allow you to pull open the door. It's a bit of an awkward motion, but I've seen this on other brands as well, so I guess this is a safety feature that the industry is adopting. My cooking experience with this microwave has been primarily using it for re-heating, and small frozen items like veggies. This is just how we use our microwaves. I can say that for the items we have used it for, it cooks very evenly and thoroughly. The food comes out at a more uniform temperature and I didn't notice any hot spots, or cold areas. So for me, I'll attribute this to the inverter cooking method. The microwave performs very well overall, and is easy to operate and get a feel for where your favorite buttons ended up. The cooking results have been very positive and I'm anxious to explore heating other foods in it. This microwave promises to be a staple in the kitchen and has made me rethink the way I want to use a microwave in general. Really nice product.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Power
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
A Step Up In Micrawave Technology For Us.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
We never have been much of a family to actually cook in a microwave. We had your basic no frills microwave before this one.
It was the occasional dinner reheater, water heater and popcorn popper.
This Insignia has many features that have shown me already this is a much more versitile countertop appliance.
It for sure has plenty of room for a full size dinner plate or a medium size cassorole dish.
So far we have used it several times trying out the features that are new to us to have in the kitchen.
I used the sensor cook feature this last time on a huge russet potato.
It was a hands off set it and forget it kinda thing and it cooked the potato to a near perfect doneness the first time around and did it in a very short time. No checking and guessing and restarting required. Still not as good as a oven baked potato but still quite good.
It also has Inverter Technology that regulates the power of the microwaves as needed and that also is how throttles down the power to a level other than 100 percent.
Without that technology if you select 50% power, it will actually run at 100% but cycle on and off so it runs only 50% of the time.
This microwave actually regulates the microwaves to 50% power for the entire cook time.
That cooks the food the way it should be cooked without over cooking it or drying it out.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Noise level, Overall performance
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great product
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
perfect size and easy to use. Works great for all the food items I fix in it. Very quiet
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Choice for your Next Microwave
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Insignia - 1.6 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave with Sensor Cooking and Inverter Technology is an excellent choice for your next microwave.
I remember when microwaves were first introduced amid uncertainty about what the effects of this new, mysterious radiation would be. Today, a microwave is an essential kitchen appliance. Most of us would be at a loss to imagine how we’d function without it. Over the years there have been a number of improvements and added features.
The thing with microwaves is they’re a rare purchase because a good one just keeps on doing what it does and I take it for granted - until I need a new one. So, with the Insignia - 1.6 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave with Sensor Cooking and Inverter Technology, I have been impressed by a number of refinements.
PROS
* The stainless steel and black finish is easily cleaned and looks classy.
* The adjustable legs make for easy leveling on a less-than-perfect counter or other surface.
* The nineteen preset functions streamline cooking/reheating.
* The popcorn setting includes amount options from 3 ounces to 1.75 ounces for more accurate popping—no more handfuls of unpopped kernels or burnt popcorn (unless you like it that way).
* The child—lock increases your options for oven placement for comfortable wheelchair access. The lock could possibly prevent misuse from persons with dementia - as well as curious children.
* The “sound off” feature means the whole house (or a baby) will sleep through the reheating of coffee—a huge plus for us “mourning doves” or okay—“night owls”.
* I appreciate that the ‘How To Use’ guides for various languages come in separate booklets rather than one single (and bulky) form.
* The 1.6 ft. size is good for large quantities. Especially nice when cooking for large groups.
* The butter-softener setting was a big selling point for me - along with the 1–6 minute express mode.
* Having a reference guide displayed inside the microwave for quick programming of a variety of menus is a big convenience.
CONS
* I can’t, honestly, think of anything I did not like. However, it did take me a little time to get used to using the door latch. It’s very simple and easy-to-use, but I had to remember to stop instinctively pulling on the door without sliding my hand up to release it first. Eventually it became automatic for me.
The Insignia - 1.6 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave with Sensor Cooking and Inverter Technology is an excellent choice for your next microwave.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Noise level, Power
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic microwave, incredible value
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Honestly, this is probably one of the best microwaves I've ever owned. I wasn't looking to spend a ton of money on a microwave, and this one seemed reasonably priced. So, I was naturally quite surprised when it out-performed a higher end model I had purchased a few years ago.
The design of the microwave looks very clean and sharp on the countertop. Most importantly, it does an amazing job of heating food. I didn't mess with any settings out of the box, but it heats food quickly and evenly, and it's incredibly quiet. The only thing you have to be mindful of, is it probably won't take near as long to heat up food as the microwave you're replacing.
All in all, incredibly happy with this device, it has the inverter technology that my previous microwave had, so you get even cooking. As a plus, the top inside of the microwave is a flush metal, so I can stick my magnetic plate cover up there, and it's easily accessible when needed. Can't complain with this purchase at all.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
It's a microwave that cooks food! News at 11.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I picked this up for our basement wet bar so guests can heat dips and snacks without running upstairs. After a week, it’s doing exactly what I wanted, heating food.
Looks-wise, the stainless-and-black combo fits in great. The Insignia logo is a bit bold for my taste, but the overall look is clean. It’s a bit bigger than I hoped for a 1.6 cu. ft. unit, It does fit on my countertop but doesn't leave as much room as I'd hoped. For my purpose though it swallows dinner plates easily and the turntable is plenty large.
Day to day, it’s simple. The touch panel is clear, the display’s easy to read, and the express buttons are perfect—tap 1 for a minute, 2 for two minutes, or hit Start for 30 seconds. Heating has been even and quick. I’ve had to shave a few seconds off my usual times (a slice of pizza is about 50 seconds here), which I take as a good sign. The melt/soften preset surprised me—I'd never encountered an "Ice Cream" button on the microwave , but instead of half-melted edges and a frozen middle, it softened my Americone Dream evenly, like it sat on the counter for 10 minutes. Win!
Noise from the microwave itself is normal, but the beeps were loud and shrill out of the box. You can mute them by holding the “8” key for about five seconds—a tip that was inconveniently missing from the owners manual. Build feels a little hollow/light, and the trigger-style door release works fine but may confuse guests. Normally the first thing I do when I buy any product is remove all the stickers, but I left on the little “how to open” sticker on the front so that I wouldn't have to explain to my grandma how to open the door. Who am I kidding...I'm still going to have to.
Overall, easy to use, easy to wipe down, and cooks evenly. For a basement/bar setup, it’s a win. I'd probably give 4.5 stars, but on a 5-star system I'll round up, because at the end of the day - it's a microwave that cooks and that's really all you can ask for.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Noise level, Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Must have for price!
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
After researching numerous microwaves and reading countless reviews, I chose this one—and I'm thrilled with my decision. It's easily one of the best purchases I've made!
I especially love the sensor cooking feature, which I was initially unsure about. Now I couldn't imagine being without it—it takes the guesswork out of cooking, and my baked potatoes come out perfectly every single time. The size and capacity are ideal too; it fits comfortably on my countertop without dominating the space. It's remarkably quiet during operation, and overall, I've been extremely satisfied with this microwave. Highly recommend!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Noise level
Cons mentioned:
Door design
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Quiet
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I can't believe how quiet it is and easy to use, the child lock out on the handle is something to get used to but may a good idea if you have little ones.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Overall performance
Cons mentioned:
Door design
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
overall statisfied
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This microwave works well and overall am satisfied with it. I like the handle for opening it, i just wish there was a way to disable the child protection which requires you to push up on the inside of the handle each time you open it.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Noise level, Overall performance, Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great so far
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
It works well so far. Sleek modern color scheme and very quiet. Perfect size for my counter.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Overall performance, Power
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great value
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is no light weight in the performance category.
I really like the fact that if you want less then 100% power you can set it for exactly what you want and it does not go on and off to reach the desired setting
Great value for the price.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Overall performance, Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Microwave
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Great microwave. Perfect size. Easy to use. In stock so was able to take home same day.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Size
Cons mentioned:
Door design
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent value
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Purchased just before Thanksgiving. It's an excellent size and power level, with a relatively intuitive menu. The only thing that's not intuitive is the mechanism to open the door. You lift up on a latch in the door handle. This is not the way most microwave ovens open. But it's not hard to adjust your muscle memory. I don't use the settings for specific foods nor the temperature sensor, and can't comment on how well they work.