Best Budget Microwave: Is a Cheap One Good Enough?

Last updated: 2026-09-04

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Yes, a cheap microwave is genuinely good enough if your daily use is simple: reheating, warming milk, defrosting. 20L models at 700W handle that job well, and the cheapest ones in Egypt right now start at around 3,800 EGP. What you give up is the grill, digital controls, and bigger capacity, not the core heating quality.

The quick answer

A cheap microwave (roughly a 20L mechanical solo) is plenty for reheating, warming, and defrosting, which covers most daily use in any home. What you lose is the grill, the digital display, and bigger capacity, not the heating performance itself. What matters is picking a known brand with available service, not any unfamiliar name.

Key points

• Price doesn’t say much about core heating quality, because every microwave runs on the same electromagnetic wave principle (microwave oven definition from US FDA).
• What separates cheap from expensive is the extras: a grill, a digital display with auto menus, bigger capacity, a nicer exterior finish.
• Rating count and brand matter more than the price number itself. A cheap model with hundreds of positive ratings is a safer bet than an unfamiliar model with none.
• 700W is enough for daily reheating, and only adds a few extra seconds versus the 900W tier on bigger dishes.
• Service and spare parts matter more than the price gap itself, especially with local brands that have wide reach in the Egyptian market.

What do you actually give up on a cheap microwave?

Usually not heating performance. A cheap microwave still heats, warms, and defrosts just like any other, because the same principle (electromagnetic waves agitating water molecules) applies at every tier. What you give up is: a grill that browns the surface, a digital display instead of a turn dial, bigger capacity for party trays, and a more modern exterior. If you don’t need any of that, the extra money doesn’t buy better heating, it buys features you won’t use.

What still matters even on the lowest budget?

• Warranty and service: ask the seller what warranty, service and spare parts cover the exact model, since that matters more than a hundred or a hundred and fifty pounds of price difference.
• The rating count: a model with over 200 ratings averaging high gives you reassurance that plenty of people have used it and been happy, even if it’s the cheapest model on the market.
• The right capacity for your home: 20L covers one or two people, so don’t pay extra for capacity you won’t use, and don’t undersize below your real need either.

The table: which tier fits you

When is the low budget not enough?

If you want to brown food (chicken, toast, gratins) without firing up the big oven, you need a grill, and the budget tier doesn’t have one. If your family is large or you regularly reheat full trays, 20L will feel tight and you’ll want 36L or more. And if precise control and a digital display matter to you, the mechanical tier won’t give you that.

If you want to skip the budget question entirely

Some buyers would rather buy once and settle every one of these questions, instead of buying again in a year or two. An example from our shortlist: the LG MH8265DIS at 42L and 1,200W with Smart Inverter tech and a built-in grill. This is the exact opposite of a low-budget pick, but if your budget is flexible and you want to guarantee you won’t think about it again, it’s the most-reviewed model among our picks with over 715 ratings, which is what puts it at the top of our guide to the best microwave in Egypt.

See the LG MH8265DIS price on Amazon ↗

Bottom line

A cheap microwave is genuinely good enough if your need is reheating, warming, and defrosting, which is most of the daily use in any home. Check the rating count and the stated warranty before the price. If you need browning, big capacity, or digital control, you’ll need to pay more, and that’s normal, not a trick. If you want the full checklist before you decide, read what to look for before buying a microwave, and compare current microwave prices in Egypt before you buy. To see the full ranking across every tier, browse our microwaves section, or read our how to choose a microwave guide.

Sources

• US FDA, “Microwave ovens”, the heating principle shared across every microwave tier: https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/resources-you-radiation-emitting-products/microwave-ovens

This analysis is based on published information from US FDA (Microwave ovens).

Written by Mohab Mohamed Hussein