The Faberware FMO07ABTBKA didn't perform perfectly during our cooking tests, though it still performed decently and is reasonably priced; we found it for less than $70 on some sites, meaning it's still worth considering, even if it's not quite one of the best compact microwaves on the market.
A contracted writer for TTR, Angie has covered all kinds of devices from countertop appliances and other home goods to vacuum cleaners and mold testing kits for more than eight years. Her spare time often goes to planning improvements for her quirky 103-year-old home or hiking in the gorgeous Utah mountains. In her past role, she was a newspaper journalist and she has a bachelor's degree in Technical Writing.
At only 0.7 cubic feet, the Faberware FMO07ABTBKA is tied for being the smallest microwave we tested. Things did seem a little tight inside on some tests, but if you just use your microwave to heat up individual portions, it will work fine. If you plan on using it to prep larger meals or know you'll need more capacity, we suggest checking out one of the best microwaves.
The Faberware FMO07ABTBKA tied for second best on the potato test. It produced a thoroughly cooked finished potato by using the potato button. That was not the case with some microwaves, which produced uneven results when using their potato option.
The FMO07ABTBKA struggled quite a bit with popcorn. In the end, it had almost the most unpopped kernels. It did much better on the second round, though, popping more of the bag and producing no overdone spots.
The results were not stellar when we tested heat consistency with pizza rolls. The pizza rolls on one side of its tray were about 15 degrees hotter than on the other. That's not great, but there were microwaves that did much worse – some with more than a 50-degree difference from one side of the tray to the other.
The FMO07ABTBKA offers a decent selection of cooking options. It has presets for popcorn, potato, pizza, frozen vegetables, beverages, and dinner plates. You can also use the six express options and cook for between one and six minutes with the touch of one button.
This is not one of the microwaves that senses moisture levels and adjusts cooking times automatically, but it does have a memory button for saving often-used settings. For instance, if you often cook something at 80% power for 2 minutes and 10 seconds, you can avoid inputting those time and power level settings every time by saving that setting and pushing one button.
In addition to the cooking options, this microwave allows you to defrost by time or by weight. A keypad lock prevents children from accessing any of the features.
The FMO07ABTBKA has just 700 watts, the lowest of all the ones we tested. It wasn't noticeable during our testing, or at least we couldn't directly connect a weaker performance to the lower wattage.
Other microwaves of the same wattage had unique scores for everything, and they outscored the units with more watts on some tasks, though that’s not to say that you may want a more powerful microwave for some tasks.
This microwave's warranty is lackluster. It covers all parts for just one year, which is not as impressive as the ones that guarantee their magnetrons for more time. Since this one represents less of an overall investment, that is a little less troubling.
The Faberware FMO07ABTBKA ties for the smallest size and lowest wattage of all the microwaves we compared. It has a very small price tag to match, and we found it to be solid, if not perfect, during our testing. If you planned to use your microwave for preparing large quantities of food, this is not the best option, but it's still a decent machine.
Would I buy the Faberware FMO07ABTBKA?
The Faberware FMO07ABTBKA microwave offers decent heating efficiency, particularly for basic reheating tasks. However, it struggles with demanding cooking tasks and doesn't cook food evenly. Compared to more advanced models, the control panel doesn't have advanced sensing technology, so its functionality is limited.
It's also got a 700-watt magnetron, which is good for simple reheating, but not so great for more powerful stuff. This microwave is perfect for compact spaces and single servings, but it's not as versatile for bigger cooking needs.
| Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Heating Efficiency | decent but not outstanding; performed well with some foods, but struggled with others like popcorn | 6/10 |
| Time Consistency | a mixed bag; managed to cook potatoes evenly; may require monitoring and adjustments | 5/10 |
| Control Panel and Functionality | decent selection of presets and express options; includes a memory function to save frequently used settings; lacks advanced sensing technology | 7/10 |
| Magnetron Functionality | on the lower end of the power spectrum; didn’t noticeably underperform during tests | 6/10 |
| Size and Space | compact and affordable; can be limiting for users needing to heat larger portions | 5/10 |
