LG NeoChef Countertop Microwave vs Breville The Compact Wave Soft Close Microwave

Buy the LG if cooking power and even heating matter most: its 1,000-watt Smart Inverter holds low power steadily, so it defrosts and melts without the hot-and-cold cycling of a standard transformer. Buy the Breville if you want a quieter, tidier machine: the soft-close door is engineered to be 80% quieter and the crumb tray makes cleaning simple. The LG is the stronger performer; the Breville is the nicer one to live with, and its 4.2 out of 5 from 271 ratings shows owners accept the lower wattage.

• Choose the LG NeoChef if you reheat and defrost often and want steady, even heat from a 1,000-watt inverter with sensor cooking.
• Choose the Breville Compact Wave if a quiet soft-close door, a crumb tray and one-touch shortcuts matter more to you than raw power.