If you are a “just add 30 seconds over and over” type of microwave user, there’s a better way—the LG MVEF1337F 1.3 Cu. Ft. Low-Profile Over-The-Range Microwave senses the humidity of your food to determine how long it will last, so you just have to tell it what you are cooking, and it does the rest of the thinking. This is a great way to let technology work for you if you reheat your dinner after a long day. It also means fewer overheated meals or adding those 30 more seconds repeatedly.
Other smart features you never knew you could want in a microwave suddenly become indispensable once you have them. For example, you can easily sync your LG smart range or cooktop to auto-activate the microwave’s light and vent above it.
The microwave’s design is unique. It has a large, slim, “zero clearance” door that allows flush installation against a wall or cabinet. The entire panel is the door, which opens with a wide swing, so watch your head. While the brand promotes a “print proof” door, my five kids beg to differ—and there soon was just as much smudging as usual.
Finally, this microwave connects to an app to access those smart functions, though it can work perfectly without it if you can’t stand the thought of yet another app on your phone, mainly to reheat food. Keep reading to see my full verdict, and for more information, visit our guide to the best over-the-range microwaves.
Alex Frost is an experienced journalist with 20+ years of experience in product testing. She has tested various products during her career, from appliances to mattresses to baby equipment. As a mom of five kids under 10, her busy family life and activities allow her to test products for efficiency, durability, and time-savings.
LG MVEF1337F 1.3 Cu. Ft. Low-Profile Over-The-Range Microwave: Key specs
| Capacity | 1.3 cu.ft. |
| Power | 1000 W |
| Functions | Humidity sensing technology |
| Dimensions (exterior) | 29 7/8'' x 11 15/16'' x 19 1/8 inches |
| Dimensions (interior) | 19 13/16'' x 8 3/8'' x 13 1/8 inches |
| Weight | 59.22 lbs |
LG MVEF1337F 1.3 Cu. Ft. Low-Profile Over-The-Range Microwave: Setup
The delivery professionals who set up the microwave and removed my old one above the range did the unboxing process. They took around 30 minutes to complete the project, with two delivery people involved. They brought in the large box, which took both of them to carry, and unboxed it, removing packaging and styrofoam-type protection, and there were no marks or scratches on the product upon arrival.
The assembly involved two people mounting the microwave and securing it above the range. I immediately noticed that this wider, lower profile, and shorter (top to bottom) microwave left a large gap where my previous microwave was. So, if you select this one, you should account for what part of the wall won’t be covered by it. Now, I have a few inches of exposed wall that isn’t tiled like the rest of the backsplash area.
Its technical abilities required some learning but appeared spacious and would be a powerful reheating tool in my kitchen. That proved to be true.
- Score: 7 out of 10
LG MVEF1337F 1.3 Cu. Ft. Low-Profile Over-The-Range Microwave: Design & features
This product is long, lean, and requires less space than other microwaves. A key design difference most users will notice immediately is that the entire front panel of the product opens, including the buttons you use to choose settings. This is different from others that typically have a button panel remaining on the right when the door is open. This takes a bit of getting used to and means the door swings out much more expensive than usual. But it’s also the reason for such a big interior to the appliance, which means some seriously efficient heating and lots of room for larger meals.
It is black with a mirror-like finish, so you might find yourself touching up your hair while waiting for breakfast to heat up. It’s designed to be smudge-proof, but I found it to be everything but that. It clearly showed where someone had touched the buttons or pushed them closed.
It’s easier for kids to use (with adult supervision) because you don’t need to do anything fancy or particular to open or close, like squeezing a lever or button. However, it has a bit more of a learning curve when determining which buttons to push, as the microwave’s code shows which numbers are for which types of foods.
Overall, the design is intuitive, engaging, and accessible for most people. It also gives greater specificity to the cooking process, with numerous options for reheating.
- Score: 8 out of 10
LG MVEF1337F 1.3 Cu. Ft. Low-Profile Over-The-Range Microwave: Performance
This microwave cooks faster, evenly, and more efficiently than any microwave I’ve tested. It doesn’t heat food as superficially as some, where the top of your chili is piping hot, but it’s cold in the middle. Instead, the entire meal is evenly heated to the perfect temperature in less time than expected.
I tested this by warming a meal with multiple food groups, which included leftover pizza and chicken. I chose the “chicken” option for the smart sensor, highlighting one issue — if you are using this and must select the type of food, sometimes there isn’t a perfect description of what you are heating. But that didn’t seem to matter much, and in several minutes, the meal was properly heated but not overdone.
I have five kids, the youngest of which is a baby who likes to wake up at the sound of a blender, microwave, washer and dryer, or even the dishwasher turning on. So, it made sense to test the sound levels of this microwave in a real-life setting to determine if moms around the country could warm up their coffee so that they could finally get to drink it when the baby goes down for a nap without issue.
I was happy to report she did not wake up, and the microwave is very quiet. I sometimes had to check if it was on and functioning until I got used to the quieter sound.
I find reheating soup exceptionally annoying because it often has hot spots that burn your mouth and cooler spots that make you want to throw it back into the microwave. This is another situation where the smart sensing technology performed well, heating the soup to the perfect temperature. I did have one complaint with the sensing technology: you don’t know how long it will take to finish heating. When I put in the soup, it didn’t display a countdown such as “five minutes” but instead showed what type of food I was heating up. This was a bit of an inconvenience when it came to timing it up with other food groups in the meal so that all of them would be ready on time.
The microwave was easy to wipe down, and the glass plate was sturdy but easy to remove, wash, and reinsert. However, consumers should note that the front will take as much effort to clean as a mirror and will likely need more maintenance than other microwaves.
- Score: 9 out of 10
LG MVEF1337F 1.3 Cu. Ft. Low-Profile Over-The-Range Microwave: Price & value
The microwave is sometimes out of stock on LG’s site, such as at the time of this article. However, it is available from other vendors, such as Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowes, and others, so you will likely find it quickly even when LG’s site doesn’t have it available.
The price is typically around $450 but varies with sales. Since you can expect to spend a similar amount on other smart over-the-range microwaves, it’s a fair price for what it can do.
- Score: 8 out of 10
Would I buy the LG MVEF1337F 1.3 Cu. Ft. Low-Profile Over-The-Range Microwave?
The microwave's sleek, unique design doesn't sacrifice capacity, so it's a visually appealing addition to your kitchen. With its intuitive functionality, it's the perfect choice for busy households. Its smart features can be seamlessly synced with your range and cooktop if you own other LG appliances. It might take a while to install due to limited availability.
Because of its size might leave a gap in your over-the-range setup, and the mirror finish needs frequent cleaning, especially if you have kids.
| Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | professional installation and efficient unboxing process; noticeable gap left by its design | 7/10 |
| Design & features | innovative design, space-saving features, and user-friendly accessibility; unique opening mechanism; generous interior capacity; learning curve associated with the button layout | 8/10 |
| Performance | exceptional cooking performance, efficient heating, and quiet operation; smart sensor technology; lack of a countdown timer | 9/10 |
| Price & value | competitive pricing, feature-rich design, and availability through multiple retailers | 8/10 |
How I tested the LG MVEF1337F 1.3 Cu. Ft. Low-Profile Over-The-Range Microwave
The TopTenReviews protocols and scoring system helped me evaluate the microwave's unboxing, installation, sound test, performance, and cleaning. I was impressed with the well-packaged contents, which kept the mirror from scratching, and the detailed instructions. The installation team was efficient and detail-oriented. The microwave was quiet compared to my old one, so it's perfect for households with napping kids.
Thanks to its humidity-sensing technology, this appliance excels at reheating and cooking various foods, which ensures even heating. Cleaning the interior was easy, but maintaining the outside's mirror appearance was not.
