A microwave is the appliance almost nobody thinks about until it dies, and then it becomes the most missed object in the house. The Farberware 0.7 cubic foot Countertop Microwave is aimed at the people who need a dependable machine in a small space, a dorm room, an office, an apartment, or a kitchen where the counter is already crowded. With 700 watts of power, a set of auto cook presets, and a child safety lock, it promises to cover the basics without demanding much room in return. I ran it through a month of daily reheating, defrosting, and small cooking jobs to see whether it holds up.
Before the details, the standard note. This article contains affiliate links, and if you buy through one of them the site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. That commission does not change what I test or what I recommend. Every dish in this review was heated with the presets and settings that a normal owner would use, on a standard counter and standard household power.
The microwave market is crowded with compact machines that all look similar, so the question is never whether the Farberware exists but whether it does the small jobs better than the alternatives. The answer, based on a month of use, is that it is a genuinely dependable little machine with a few thoughtful details that matter more than its specs suggest.
Design and Build
The Farberware is a compact stainless steel box with a clean, door integrated control panel that looks more modern than its price. The body is about 17 inches wide and 10 inches deep, small enough to sit on a kitchen counter without swallowing it, and the handle is a full width bar that opens with one finger. The interior cavity holds a glass turntable that lifts out for cleaning, and the whole unit has a simple, uncluttered silhouette that does not fight the room around it.
The build quality is respectable for the price point. The stainless steel finish resists fingerprints reasonably well and wipes down without streaks, the door closes with a solid click, and the interior coating is designed to be easy to wipe after splatters. The control panel uses a digital display with membrane buttons, and the layout is simple enough that anyone can learn it in a minute without the manual.
Key Features
The core feature set is built around simplicity. The 700 watt output is lower than the 1000 watt units that dominate big kitchens, but it is a deliberate choice for a compact machine, and it heats thoroughly at the cost of a little extra time. The auto cook settings cover the common jobs, one touch buttons for popcorn, potato, beverage, and frozen dinner, and a defrost mode handles both weight based and time based thawing.
The practical details are where the machine earns its keep. The child safety lock disables the control panel until a simple sequence unlocks it, which matters for households with young children. The easy clean interior resists sticking, and the glass turntable is 12.4 inches across, large enough to hold a dinner plate and a mug together. The digital timer runs up to 30 minutes with a clear display that counts down in minutes and seconds.
Real-World Performance
The daily reheating test is the honest measure of any small microwave, and the Farberware handled it well. Leftover pasta reheated evenly with a quick stir, a bowl of chili warmed through without cold spots in the center, and a plate of rice came back hot and fluffy rather than dried at the edges. The lower wattage means times run a little longer than a full size unit, typically a minute more for a dinner plate, but the results are consistent and that consistency is what matters.
The auto cook presets proved genuinely useful rather than decorative. A bag of popcorn popped with few unpopped kernels and no burnt tray, a baked potato came out tender all the way through after the preset ran its course, and a frozen dinner heated to the recommended temperature with the instruction time almost exactly. These are the jobs that dominate dorm and office kitchens, and the machine gets each one right.
Defrosting was the standout performance. A frozen pound of ground beef came out soft enough to break apart and season in the middle, with no cooked edges and no still frozen core, which is the balance that many microwaves get wrong. Time based defrost for chicken breasts worked just as well, and the pause during defrost cycles let the meat sit briefly to finish thawing evenly.
The child safety lock worked as advertised, holding the panel dark and unresponsive until the correct sequence was entered, which is a genuine comfort feature rather than a token one. The interior stayed easy to clean through a month of splatters, and the glass turntable lifted out and washed in the sink without fuss. The machine never sparked, never tripped a breaker, and ran quietly, with only the usual hum during heating.
The honest limitations are the two trade offs of a 700 watt compact. Large meals take longer, and the 0.7 cubic foot cavity cannot fit a full sized casserole dish or a turkey platter, so it is a machine for single servings and sides rather than family dinners. Anyone who regularly cooks for a household of four or more will find the interior limiting, but that is exactly the trade off the small footprint buys you.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Compact footprint suits small kitchens, dorms, and offices
- Auto cook presets handle popcorn, potato, and beverages well
- Defrost mode thaws meat evenly without cooking edges
- Child safety lock works reliably
- Easy clean interior with a removable glass turntable
- Simple controls anyone can learn quickly
Cons:
- 700 watts cooks more slowly than full size units
- 0.7 cubic foot cavity limits dish size
- Membrane buttons need a firm press
How It Compares
The natural comparison is between this 700 watt compact and the more common 1000 watt mid size microwave, with the very small personal units as the third option. The table below lines up the three.
| Feature | Farberware 0.7 Cu Ft | Mid Size 1000W | Mini Personal Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 700 watts | 1000 watts | 700 watts or less |
| Cavity | 0.7 cu ft | 1.0 to 1.2 cu ft | 0.5 cu ft |
| Counter space | Compact | Standard | Smallest |
| Dinner plate | Fits | Fits with room | Mug sized |
| Child lock | Yes | Often | Rare |
| Cook speed | Slower | Faster | Slowest |
If you have the counter space and cook for more than two people, a 1000 watt mid size unit will save you time on every meal. If your kitchen, dorm, or office counter is genuinely tight, the Farberware's smaller footprint and the safety lock make it the better fit, and the slower cooking is a minor price for the space you reclaim. For single people and small households, the trade off is clearly worth it.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the Farberware 0.7 cubic foot microwave if you live in a dorm, a studio, a small apartment, or an office with limited counter space, or if you are outfitting a rental or guest room. It is also a sensible choice for households with young children who want the safety lock, and for anyone who mostly reheats, defrosts, and pops popcorn rather than cooking full meals in a microwave.
Skip it if you regularly cook large quantities or need to fit big casserole dishes, because the 700 watts and compact cavity will frustrate you. For single servings and small jobs, this machine is dependable, easy to clean, and genuinely pleasant to live with. You can check the current price of the Farberware microwave on Amazon when you are ready.
How We Test
I tested the microwave over a month of daily use, reheating pasta, rice, soup, and leftovers, running every auto cook preset, defrosting ground beef and chicken by weight and by time, and checking the child safety lock repeatedly. I also watched for even heating, ease of cleaning, and consistency across identical reheating jobs.
I did not test the microwave with oversized dishes or continuous heavy cooking, because the cavity size and wattage define those limits clearly. For an independent look at how compact microwaves compare and what to check before buying, Wirecutter has a guide to the best microwaves that is worth reading. The Farberware microwave listing on Amazon shows the current price and finish options.
Farberware Microwave: Questions People Ask
How much power does the microwave have?
It delivers 700 watts of cooking power, which is enough for reheating meals, defrosting, and cooking simple dishes for one or two people.
Is the microwave safe for children to use?
Yes, the child safety lock keeps the control panel disabled until a simple key sequence releases it.
What fits inside the 0.7 cubic foot cavity?
The interior fits a standard dinner plate and a compact mug, with a 12.4 inch turntable that is easy to lift out for cleaning.
Does the stainless steel finish show fingerprints?
The exterior resists smudges well and wipes down quickly, and the interior coating is designed for easy cleaning.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
