Farberware FMO11AHTBKB 1.1 Cu Ft Countertop Microwave — 1000 Watts, 10 Power Levels, Child Lock

Farberware FMO11AHTBKB Review — A Straightforward 1000-Watt Countertop Microwave

Microwaves are the appliance nobody researches until theirs dies, and then the choice is unexpectedly confusing: cubic feet, watts, inverter technology, sensor cooking and a dozen preset buttons that all sound essential. The Farberware FMO11AHTBKB cuts through most of that by being a plain, well-executed 1000-watt machine at a fair price, and 10,851 owners have rated it 4.4 stars.

What you get is 1.1 cubic feet of usable cavity, ten power levels, six one-touch presets and a stainless finish. What you do not get is inverter power delivery or sensor cooking, and whether those absences matter depends entirely on how you actually use a microwave — which for most households is reheating, defrosting and melting rather than cooking from raw.

Quick verdict: the Farberware microwave scores 8.0/10 in this SoftPickr review. it is a competent, honest machine at a fair price, and the missing inverter is the reason it does not take a badge.

Key Specifications

One Thousand Watts Is the Right Number

Wattage on a microwave is the specification that actually predicts how it performs, and 1000 watts is the sensible target for a household machine. Below 900 watts, reheat times stretch noticeably and packet instructions stop matching reality, because almost all frozen-food timings are written for a 1000-watt oven. Above 1200, you gain speed and start paying for a cabinet that no longer fits under a shelf.

The practical result is a machine that heats a plate of leftovers in the time the packaging says it should, and that reheats a mug of coffee without producing a scalding ring around a cold centre. That is a low bar in theory and a surprising number of cheaper microwaves miss it, which is part of why this model has held its rating for years.

Capacity, Turntable and What Actually Fits

One point one cubic feet with a 12.5-inch turntable is the standard mid-size configuration, and the turntable diameter is the number that matters more than the cubic feet. A 12.5-inch plate rotates freely, which means an ordinary dinner plate fits and turns rather than catching on the cavity wall — the single most common frustration in smaller 0.7 cubic foot machines.

What will not fit is a large casserole dish or a full-size baking tray, and a nine-by-thirteen glass dish is right at the limit and will not rotate. Households that regularly reheat family-sized dishes should size up to 1.6 cubic feet or plan to decant. For plates, mugs, bowls and standard frozen meals, this cavity is comfortably adequate.

Ten Power Levels, Six Presets and the Child Lock

Ten power levels is more granularity than most people ever use, but the ones that matter are there: a genuine low setting for softening butter and chocolate without scorching, and a mid setting for reheating dense leftovers evenly. Multi-stage cooking lets you chain two power levels in one program, which is more useful for defrost-then-heat than the presets are.

The child safety lock is worth naming because it is not universal at this price. It disables the keypad entirely until a deliberate sequence unlocks it, which matters in a house with small children and a microwave at counter height. The six one-touch presets — popcorn, potato, pizza and three others — are the usual convenience buttons and work about as well as such buttons ever do.

Build, Finish and the Interior Surface

The stainless exterior and interior is the specification that makes this feel more expensive than it is. A stainless cavity wipes clean where a painted interior chips and stains around the door frame over a few years, and it is the part of a microwave that ages most visibly. Fingerprints show on the outside, as they do on any stainless appliance.

The door and keypad feel appropriate for the price rather than premium — the door closes with a solid enough click and the buttons are membrane rather than tactile. At 20.2 inches wide and 16.5 inches deep it needs real counter space, and the usual clearance rules apply: a few inches at the rear and sides for the ventilation the cabinet depends on.

Limitations and Compromises

There is no inverter. Conventional microwaves deliver reduced power by cycling the magnetron fully on and off, so a fifty percent setting is really full power half the time. An inverter delivers genuine continuous low power, which is materially better for defrosting and for anything delicate like melting chocolate or softening ice cream. If you defrost often, this absence is the one that will bother you.

There is no sensor cooking either. Sensor-equipped microwaves measure humidity in the cavity and stop when food is actually hot, rather than running a timer you guessed at. Without it, reheating is a matter of estimating, checking and adding thirty seconds — which is how most people use a microwave anyway, but it is a genuine feature gap at this price point.

The cavity will not take a family-size casserole and a nine-by-thirteen dish will not rotate. The 1000-watt draw is enough to trip a shared circuit alongside a kettle or toaster in an older kitchen. And the one-year warranty is standard rather than reassuring on an appliance whose magnetron is the expensive part and the usual failure point.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The single most effective cleaning trick for any microwave costs nothing: heat a bowl of water with lemon slices on full power for three minutes, leave the door closed for five, then wipe. The steam loosens everything and the stainless interior comes clean with a cloth rather than a scourer. Abrasive pads will scratch the cavity and should stay away from it entirely.

Wash the glass turntable and its roller ring regularly, since food debris under the ring causes the grinding noise owners often mistake for a motor fault. Keep the door seal and the frame it closes against clean, because burnt-on residue there is the one hygiene issue that also affects how well the door seals, and check the rear vent is not pushed against a wall.

Who Should Buy It?

• Households replacing a dead microwave who want 1000 watts without researching for an hour
• Anyone whose microwave use is reheating, defrosting by time and melting rather than cooking
• Apartments and smaller kitchens where 1.1 cubic feet is the right size
• Families who want a working child safety lock at a hundred-dollar price point
• Buyers who want a stainless interior that will not chip and stain in five years

Look elsewhere if you defrost frequently, because an inverter microwave handles that job genuinely better and the difference is not marginal. Anyone who reheats large casserole dishes needs 1.6 cubic feet or more, and anyone who wants the oven to decide when food is hot rather than guessing at a timer needs sensor cooking, which this model does not offer.

SoftPickr Verdict

The Farberware microwave earns 8.0/10. This is a straightforward, competent microwave that does the ordinary jobs well: 1000 watts so packet timings match reality, a 12.5-inch turntable so a dinner plate rotates, a stainless interior that will still look right in five years and a child lock that actually works. At around a hundred dollars, 4.4 stars across nearly 11,000 ratings is a fair reflection of what it delivers.

It takes no badge because of two specific absences. There is no inverter, so low power settings are really full power cycling on and off, which matters most on defrost. And there is no sensor cooking, so every reheat is a guess and a check. Neither is a flaw at this price — but a badge should mean a product is the one to buy, and for anyone who defrosts regularly it is not.

Price and availability change frequently on Amazon, and prices shown here may be out of date — check the current listing before ordering.

Farberware microwave — Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Farberware microwave have inverter technology?

No. It uses a conventional magnetron that delivers lower power settings by cycling fully on and off rather than running continuously at reduced output. In practice that means defrosting is less even than on an inverter model, and delicate jobs like melting chocolate need more attention. For straight reheating at full power the difference is negligible.

Will a dinner plate fit and turn inside?

Yes. The turntable is 12.5 inches across, which is enough for a standard dinner plate to rotate freely rather than catching on the cavity wall — the most common complaint about smaller 0.7 cubic foot microwaves. A nine-by-thirteen casserole dish is at the limit and will not rotate, so family-size dishes need a larger cavity.

Is 1000 watts enough?

It is the right number for a household machine. Almost all frozen-food packaging is written for a 1000-watt oven, so timings match reality rather than needing mental arithmetic. Lower-wattage machines stretch every reheat, and higher-wattage machines gain speed at the cost of a cabinet that often no longer fits the space available.

Does it have a child lock?

Yes, and it is a genuine keypad lock rather than a token feature, requiring a deliberate sequence to unlock. That is worth noting because it is not universal at this price point and it matters in any house where a microwave sits at counter height within reach of small children. It disables the whole keypad rather than just the start button.

Ready to buy? You can check the current price of the Farberware microwave on Amazon — the listing shows live pricing and current stock, both of which move around more than the specification does. SoftPickr earns a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Related Reviews

If the Farberware microwave is not quite the right fit, these SoftPickr reviews cover the closest alternatives we have tested:

• Black+Decker TO1313SBD Toaster Oven — the browning tool a microwave cannot be
• Duxtop 1800W Induction Cooktop — precise hob heat for the same counter
• Aroma ARC-757SG Rice Cooker — better rice than any microwave method