The GE JES1145SHSS packs powerful performance into its small size, making it one of the best microwaves you can buy in our eyes. It's been on the market long enough that we've tested it twice, and it was still great on the second go-around; the only major downside here would be the price.
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.
Like most microwaves today, this GE compact microwave includes popcorn, pizza, and potato buttons. However, it is missing a sensor reheat button, so you must guess when your leftovers need and monitor your food to ensure it doesn't overcook.
In addition to these standard presets the GE includes buttons for a beverage, a dinner plate, and a frozen vegetable. This gives you a good variety, though some other microwaves include even more food settings, such as ones for fresh vegetables and frozen entrees.
Although the GE microwave is smaller than the two roomiest microwaves in our lineup, it can still comfortably fit a big mixing bowl, a tall glass, or a standard dinner plate.
This GE compact microwave only has a standard warranty of one year to protect your purchase. If your microwave has defective parts, including the magnetron, you can send it back to GE for a free repair or replacement; other units offer more coverage.
The price seems high, especially considering the small size and low wattage, but the GE JES1145SHSS outperformed some of its bigger and more powerful competitors in some tests. Although it's missing the convenience of sensor reheating and some presets, it includes enough buttons to help you cook efficiently and other features to place it among the best compact microwaves.
As for the actual cooking experience, we felt the GE performed well in every test. It cooks food completely and quickly. It even tied for the best score on popcorn, preparing every kernel to perfection.
Like the other top-rated countertop microwaves on our list, the GE aced the first test with its ability to quickly and thoroughly cook a frozen macaroni and cheese meal. We followed the directions on the back of the box and cooked it for 3:30 minutes. When it finished cooking, the meal's temperature was 171 Fahrenheit, which is above the recommended minimum temperature of 165 Fahrenheit.
We also cooked a kids' frozen meal with mini corn dogs and other food compartments. After following the instructions on the box, we recorded the temperature of each corn dog. One near the center only registered at 145 F, so we cooked the meal for another 30 seconds, which was plenty of time to bump the temperature of the colder corn dog up to 175 F.
We also cooked potato in this microwave for six minutes, the average time it takes to cook a standard-sized russet potato in a microwave. It had a few raw spots, but it was still good overall. So, overall, this compact microwave performed better than most of the others we tested.
Would I buy the GE JES1145SHSS?
With its powerful performance and compact size, the GE JES1145SHSS compact microwave impressed us. While it lacks a sensor reheat button and some presets, it has enough buttons for efficient cooking. Despite its higher price, it outperformed larger, more powerful competitors. It cooked food thoroughly and quickly consistently and met recommended temperatures when cooking popcorn and frozen meals.
Although it struggled a little with cooking a russet potato, it outperformed most of the other microwaves we tested. It has a one-year warranty, but you can get free repairs or replacements if it breaks.
| Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Heating Efficiency | effectively cooking a variety of foods; performed exceptionally well in tests, such as cooking frozen macaroni and cheese and popcorn | 9/10 |
| Time Consistency | consistently delivers well-cooked results; a few instances, like cooking a potato, where some raw spots were noted | 8/10 |
| Control Panel and Functionality | range of standard presets, including popcorn, pizza, and potato buttons, as well as options for beverages and frozen vegetables; lacks a sensor reheat button | 7/10 |
| Magnetron Functionality | obust performance, supporting efficient cooking and reheating | 8/10 |
| Size and Space | accommodates standard dinner plates; size is manageable for most households | 8/10 |
