The Best Microwave for a Small Apartment

Last updated: 2026-09-04

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For a small apartment or kitchen, you don’t need to hunt for the smallest microwave available. If you live alone, 20L is enough and takes the smallest counter footprint. If the apartment houses a couple or a small family, 25L is the smarter pick because it takes roughly the same outside footprint but gives you enough capacity for a wider dish without reheating in two batches.

The quick answer

Size the microwave to your household, not the counter space alone. One person is covered by 20L, and a small family of 2 to 4 people is best served by 25L, since it takes a footprint close to a 20L unit but delivers more practical capacity. If your space is genuinely comfortable and you want one unit that does everything for years, the grill and inverter earn their extra shelf footprint.

Key takeaways

• A microwave heats using a magnetron that generates waves inside a sealed metal cavity, so extra litres inside usually mean a larger unit outside (microwave oven definition from US FDA).
• The common mistake is picking the smallest capacity available just because the apartment is small, rather than sizing to the actual number of people using it daily.
• 20L covers one or two people and normal reheating, while 25L takes a wider dish for a very small increase in outside footprint.
• A grill model needs a bit more shelf height than a solo at roughly the same capacity, because the top browning element adds to the unit’s height.
• Measuring your shelf spot before you buy matters more than the litre number itself, especially if there’s a cabinet or shelf right above it.

Size to your household, not the counter alone

Apartment size and shelf space are two different things. A small apartment can still have a counter corner that handles a bigger capacity than you’d expect if it’s measured correctly, and the opposite can happen in a larger apartment with a counter crowded by other appliances. The real question is: how many people actually eat from this microwave daily?

Measure your shelf spot before you buy

The number on the box tells you the capacity inside, not the size of the unit outside. Before you commit:

1. Measure the width, depth, and height of the available counter or cabinet spot, and record exact numbers, not estimates.
2. Leave clearance around the side or rear vents, since a tight space blocks heat dissipation and strains the unit.
3. Measure the available height if it will sit under a wall cabinet, so the door opens comfortably without hitting anything.
4. Make sure the outlet is within reach, so you don’t need a long extension cable running across the counter.

Solo or grill in a tight space?

At roughly the same capacity, a grill microwave tends to come slightly larger outside than a solo, because the top browning element adds height inside the cavity. If your counter space is genuinely the tightest possible, a 20L or 25L solo is the better fit and there’s no reason to pay for space or a feature you won’t use. If you have even a few extra centimetres and you actually brown food a few times a week, the grill earns its keep. We break the full comparison down in solo vs grill microwave.

So what should you actually pick?

If your counter space is genuinely tight, focus on the 20L to 25L solo tier described above, it saves you money and space without giving up anything for daily use. But if you have even a little extra room and want one unit that settles the question for years, the LG MH8265DIS grill and inverter at 42L is our overall top pick, and it’s the most-reviewed model among our picks with over 715 ratings. The clear trade-off is that it’s one of the largest units on the list and needs generous shelf space, so it’s not the first choice if your kitchen is genuinely the tightest possible. It tops our guide to the best microwave in Egypt, which has picks across sizes you can compare against your exact space. You’ll find its current price and the Amazon.eg link in the card below.

See the LG MH8265DIS price on Amazon.eg ↗

Bottom line

For a small apartment or kitchen, size the microwave to your household, not the counter space alone. One person is covered by 20L, and a small family is best served by 25L, since it delivers more practical capacity for a very small increase in outside footprint. Measure your shelf spot and vent clearance before anything else, and decide solo versus grill based on how you actually cook, not a hypothetical. For the full comparison between the two, read solo vs grill microwave, and for buying criteria beyond size see our how to choose a microwave guide. Compare current microwave prices in Egypt before you decide, or browse the microwaves section for every option.

Sources

• US FDA, “Microwave ovens”, how a microwave heats using a magnetron inside a sealed metal cavity: 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