If you already have smart plugs and smart bulbs in your house, the next big step would be to get a smart microwave. Bezos and his team already have the AmazonBasics microwave waiting for you and they don’t even want that much money for it either. The microwave costs roughly about the same as any other standard microwave would, but it works with voice commands to let you operate it handsfree as long as you have it properly set up on the Alexa App. Imagine being able to get your coffee or some popcorn made by just blurting out a voice command. “Alexa reheat one cup”. Sounds interesting doesn’t it? This microwave review will show you why the Alexa microwave is one of the best microwaves for your smart home, and why it should be your next budget-buy.
Why We Like It – AmazonBasics Microwave
The AmazonBasics microwave adds to the long list of devices that you’ll be able to control through just your voice giving you the convenience you need when your hands are too busy. The 700 Watt microwave also isn’t too fancy with features so that you can get it at an affordable price.
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- Simple, compact build
- Automated popcorn replenishment
- Clock stays up to date
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- Alexa doesn’t always work
- Small design
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Performance
You’ll definitely need a smart home hub like Amazon Echo to be able to use voice control for this small microwave. Any other smart hub won’t work because of the Alexa integration that is required. The microwave has a capacity of 0.7 cubic feet, and despite being much smaller than the Panasonic NN-SN966S, it comes with all the essentials you can expect from a decent microwave. There’s also a defined list of alexa voice commands that you can use, though they keep getting updated every now & then to give you a wide range of things you can do without walking up to it first.
Design
Unlike the Toshiba EM925A5A, this microwave doesn’t have too much to talk about in terms of design. It looks pretty similar to any other regular one with the exception of being able to use Alexa voice commands. The control panel is also not that different save for the Ask alexa button. Pressing this button exempts you from having to say Alexa every time since it wakes up your Echo device to get it ready to hear your command. The microwave has a plastic build, and you can even feel that it’s of good quality. It comes with a microwave door for easier opening, a dedicated popcorn button and a kitchen timer to help keep track of your cooking.
Value
The AmazonBasics microwave is a great alternative for anyone that doesn’t want to spend too much money for a smart device. The only catch is that you already need to have been a fan of Amazon devices & be familiar with Amazon Alexa to be able to use this microwave through your voice. First timers will need to learn how to keep their commands short and sweet by saying something like “Alexa reheat my food”, “Alexa reheat one cup of coffee”, or after pressing the Ask Alexa button, “Microwave one ounce of popcorn”. To add to that, you’ll also get to benefit from its popcorn replenishment feature, where the microwave automatically reorders for popcorn through the Amazon com Dash Replenishment program when you run low. This is something you definitely won’t get from the GE JNM3163RJSS.
AmazonBasics Microwave Wrap Up
You might find yourself asking Alexa to prepare more than one cup of coffee once you get accustomed to only using voice commands to get your food ready. It’s a lot of fun, and another step into the future as we get to make the most out of the technology that’s available now.
