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5 Best Microwaves Without Turntables [Updated 2025]

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Microwaves can be lifesavers when hungry and in a hurry.

Whether heating up leftovers from the night before or a frozen meal just pulled from the freezer, microwaves can prepare your food in a fast and easy manner (hello no extra dishes!)

Microwaves without turntables tend to have a longer lifespan than those with turntables. Being predominantly used in commercial buildings or offices, microwaves without turntables can be used constantly without breaking easily. 

The longevity of these microwaves and the power they hold does tend to make them suitable for places like offices where they are constantly being used, however they can work at home as well. 

So, what are the 5 best microwaves without turntables? The 5 best microwaves without turntables are the Panasonic NE-1054F, the Panasonic NE-1025F, the Sharp R-21LCFS, the Sharp R-21LVF, and the Midea 1025F0A.

Keep reading to learn how a microwave without a turntable works, the pros and cons to them, how to choose one, and finally the 5 best microwaves without turntables.

How Does a Microwave Without a Turntable Work?

It is rumored that microwaves without turntables cannot cook food as evenly as those microwaves that do have turntables. 

However, that rumor is false as both types of microwaves contain a rotating motor inside that helps ensure your food gets properly cooked

In a microwave with a turntable, the motor can be physically seen as you watch your food go round and round in circles while it is being cooked.

In microwaves without a turntable, that motor is there; it is just invisible and hidden on the bottom of the microwave.

There are “stirring blades” which help ensure the microwaves (these are responsible for the heating element) are distributed evenly amongst the food, making the turntable unnecessary in this type of appliance. 

What are the Pros and Cons of a Microwave Without a Turntable?

Microwaves without turntables are not extremely different from those with turntables; however, there are enough differences that make it important to look at the pros and cons before deciding which type is best for you. 

Pros of a Microwave Without a Turntable

The biggest pro to a microwave without a turntable is their longevity. They are built to be used over and over again for long periods of time making this a huge pro to this appliance. 

Another pro to a microwave without a turntable is the spaciousness of the cooking space.

Having a large interior gives you the ability to cook more than one thing at a time while also allowing space for containers and plates of all shapes and sizes. 

Without a turntable, there is less room for the food to bounce, splash, or make a mess. This makes microwaves without a turntable need less cleaning than ones with a turntable.

Not only is there less room for messes, but the lack of the turntables also makes the appliance much easier to clean.

Cons of a Microwave Without a Turntable

The one major con to microwaves without turntables in the price point. They tend to be priced significantly higher than microwaves with turntables. This is why keeping the longevity of the appliance in mind is important!

A lot of microwaves without a turntable come with a dial timer instead of an electronic one which can cause some annoyances.

For example, every time you open the microwave, the dial will reset (meaning you may have to calculate how much time is left on your own).

The dial timer also means that you cannot program the appliance like you could if there was an electrical pad. 

To be fair, there are microwaves without turntables that do not have the dial timer; however, it is important to consider when contemplating whether these microwaves are for you. 

How to Choose a Microwave Without a Turntable

Though you know you want a microwave without a turntable, I am sure you are asking yourself, “Well how do I choose the right one?” 

When deciding on a microwave without a turntable there are two major aspects you want to think about: do you want a digital or manual appliance? And how often will you be using it?

Digital or Manual

Microwaves without turntables can come with either a digital touch pad or a manual dial timer. 

The manual dial timer takes your already fast cooking time and makes it even faster by starting the microwave with a simple flick of your wrist to get the microwave going.

This is a great option for people who are in an extra hurry or for large groups. This makes the microwave line go much quicker in an office break room!

However, the manual timer does not allow for any customization like the digital touch pad does. 

The digital touchpad is exactly what it sounds like: it is a pad with buttons that controls your microwave.

The biggest pro to this type of microwave is the ability to customize it. You can create a button for your preferred popcorn cooking time, defrost time, etc. 

So again, picking between digital or manual really depends on what is important to you, the buyer!

How Often Will You Be Using It?

Like we previously mentioned, the biggest pro to a microwave without a turntable is its longevity. However, this can make them relatively expensive for someone who does not plan on using it as often as a restaurant or office would. 

Yet, that does not mean it is still not for you! The high price point might be worth it even if you are not using it multiple times a day because it is still easy to clean and able to hold bigger servings of food. 

So, if you are buying for commercial use, like an office or restaurant, it makes the most sense for you to buy a microwave without a turntable based on volume. 

But if you want one for home for the same benefits and you are okay with the price point, then a microwave without a turntable is also a good choice for you.

5 Best Microwaves Without Turntables

Now that we have discussed how these microwaves work, the pros and cons as well as how to choose one, let’s take a look at the 5 best microwaves without turntables.

RankProductKey Features
1.Panasonic NE-1054FBottom energy feed system
2.Panasonic NE-1025FMore compact design
3.Sharp R-21LCFSDial timer
4.Sharp R-21LVFMade entirely of stainless steel
5.Midea 1025F0AGuide for cook times above timer

1. Panasonic NE-1054F

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This Panasonic microwave is a high-power, compact option making it a perfect choice for keeping it on the countertop. 

This sleek stainless steel appliance, though small and compact, still holds its own when used at a high volume.

The small size does not affect its power and ability. 

The Panasonic NE-1054Futilizes a bottom energy feed system with 1000w power ensuring your food is thoroughly and evenly cooked, even without a turntable. 

The sleek black handle makes the cooking process go quick and easy and the see through door allows you to watch your food as it cooks, ensuring no bubbling or splattering is taking place. 

The handle is also built to last and withstand constant opening and closing.

This Panasonic microwave also has something extremely unique: braille on the digital and touch control keypad. This makes this microwave inclusive with the braille making this a great option for groups of people who are vision impaired.

Not only does the keypad have braille, it also is able to be customized and programmed to your liking, saving up to 20 different recipes/time frames. 

2. Panasonic NE-1025F 

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The Panasonic NE-1025F microwave has a clean stainless steel look with a hard and stable black handle.

This design makes it look nice on your counter or in your office break room. 

Like the other Panasonic microwave, it is extremely compact and can fit into smaller spaces compared to some other commercial microwaves.  

It weighs about 34 pounds making it stable and strong against the constant opening and closing of the microwave door. 

This microwave uses a bottom feed system with 1000w power and 120 volts ensuring quick and consistently cooked food. 

This Panasonic microwave is comparable to the NE-1054F, however the biggest difference is in the touchpad and timer. Where the NE-1054F has braille and is digital and programmable, the NE-1025F has a dial timer.

The dial timer makes starting the microwave extremely quick and easy, and that is one of the main benefits. Especially when multiple people are using it one after the other, the ability to start the microwave quickly makes this a great option. 

The one con to the dial is the way it resets every time you open the door. If this is a problem, a microwave without a dial may be a better option. 

Though the Panasonic NE-1025Fis unprogrammable due to the dial, this brings the price point down by almost $150, therefore if custom recipes are not important to you, this is an excellent option.  

3. Sharp R-21LCFS

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The Sharp R-21LCFS microwave is a darker stainless steel color with a smooth, silver and shiny door handle.

Compared to the previous microwaves, this one is a bit bigger having the following dimensions: 21 x 16 x 12 inches and weighing 37 pounds.

However, this large size allows for 1 cubic feet of space on the inside. 

Because the Sharp R-21LCFS is on the bigger side, it is more adaptable with what can fit and be cooked inside. It can fit up to a 13 ½ platter or plate, a half-size pan, or multiple plates and bowls both vertically and horizontally. 

This larger size makes this a great option for large restaurants and fast food chains who need to quickly heat up large portions of food.

To ensure consistent and quality cooking, this microwave uses 120 volts of power ensuring your food is evenly cooked. 

This microwave uses a dial timer instead of a touch pad so it is not programmable, but it is quicker to use than one with a touchpad.

Though the dial means the timer will restart every time the microwave opens, with this Sharp microwave the resetting helps increase the magnetrons while saving energy.

Additionally, right above the dial is a “heating guide” that includes popular microwavable foods like popcorn and pizza to assist you in choosing the right amount of time so you do not have to guess the correct cook time.

If you are looking for a microwave that can hold a large amount of food at a reasonable price point, the Sharp R-21LCFS is for you.

4. Sharp R-21LVF

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The Sharp R-21LVF microwave is the only one on our list that is made completely with stainless steel.

Because it is completely stainless steel, this makes this microwave extremely easy to clean, on both the inside and the outside.

One other difference in the way the Sharp R-21LVF microwave looks is the bright turquoise buttons on the electric keypad making it a little bit more fun than the others (or if colors are not your thing, that could be an issue!) 

Speaking of keypads, this microwave has a customizable and programmable keypad allowing up to 10 different recipes.  

The Sharp R-21LVF has blank buttons allowing you to fill in and write what recipes you have programmed right on the microwave.

It is a large microwave with the dimensions of 24 x 21 x 15 inches, especially compared to the other Sharp microwave on this list. Its size is larger, but the inside cooking space is the same, coming in at 1 cubic foot of space.

With that much space inside the microwave, there are a lot of options for how much and how large the containers of food can be. 

Ironically, though it is the largest microwave, it is the lightest on the list weighing just 21.99 pounds

Another perk of the Sharp R-21LVF microwave is the ability to turn the sound on or off, keeping the noise to a minimum when in use. You can control whether the loud “beep!” will go off when the food is finished cooking.

5. Midea 1025F0A

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The Midea 1025F0A is a light-colored stainless steel microwave with a matching handle and dial timer.

Compared to the other microwaves on the list, it is a bit smaller with the dimensions 20.13 x 17 x 12.25 inches and only 0.9 cubic feet in the interior.

Though the Midea 1025F0A can hold larger items than a traditional microwave, compared to the other commercial microwaves on this list it cannot hold the same sized items.

This should be taken into consideration if that is important to you.

This microwave utilizes a dial timer instead of an electronic or programmable keypad making it quick to use.

It also has a guide for foods that are often heated in a microwave, like popcorn and coffee, right above the dial to take the guesswork out of figuring out the correct timing.

There are two big differences in the Midea 1025F0A compared to the other microwaves on the list: it is not meant for extreme use and the fan sometimes continues blowing for minutes after the microwave cycle has ended. 

This microwave is still meant for commercial use, but it is meant for “medium” use where the other microwaves on the list can withstand constant and consistent use.

Therefore, if you are looking for a commercial microwave for your home, this might be a good choice.

The one downfall to this microwave is the noise that the fan makes even when the cooking cycle is finished. This is something to consider when purchasing this microwave. 

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