The Cuisinart CMW-70 is a very small microwave, so it's a good choice for cramped spaces like RVs or dorm rooms. While it lacks a steam sensor, it has most of the functions you'd expect from a microwave, like defrost, quick-start, and programs like 'Popcorn.' However, you can't mute the controls, which is a little disappointing.
Our Verdict
The Cuisinart CMW-70 is a relatively slow microwave. Despite its advertised 1000-watt power, it's not as fast as some 900-watt microwaves, like the Toshiba EM925A5A-BS.
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Compact design.
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Heats food relatively slowly.
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No mute function or steam sensor.
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Updated Oct 28, 2024:
We've added a link to our new 'Best Cheap And Budget Microwaves' article to give more options for people looking to buy a new microwave.
- Updated Jul 10, 2024: Review published.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This microwave comes in Black (CMW-70) or White (CMW-70W). We tested it in 'Black,' and you can see the label for the unit we tested here and here. The microwave has a slightly different model number when sold by Canadian retailers: CMW-70C for the Black variant and CMW-70WC for White.
If you come across another variant, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Microwaves
The Cuisinart CMW-70 is a very small microwave. It's not a bad option for small spaces, but it doesn't heat food very quickly and doesn't have a mute function. However, the GE JES1072HSS is around the same size, heats food somewhat faster, and has a mute option. If you want a much faster small microwave, consider the Toshiba EM925A5A-BS or the high-end LG LMC0975ST. The very smallest microwaves we've tested don't have steam sensors, but if you want that feature, the Toshiba EM131A5C-BS is pretty small.
If you're looking for a recommendation, check out the best microwaves, the best over-the-range microwaves, and the best budget and cheap microwaves.
Test Results
The Cuisinart CMW-70 is one of the smallest microwaves we've tested, along with the GE JES1072HSS, so it's good for small spaces and cooking for one. The light inside isn't that bright, so it's not very easy to see inside when it's running.
This microwave has simple, basic controls. It's easy to start cooking with one press using one of the number buttons from 1–6 or with one of the food-specific buttons like 'Pizza' or 'Popcorn.' You can set it up to cook in stages with different power levels, a standard feature for most microwaves. You can also save a few custom programs, which is nice if your usual microwaved snack isn't adequately heated by any of the 'Auto-Cook' functions. However, it doesn't have a steam sensor that could make microwaving more automatic. A little more unusual, it doesn't have a mute option.
Microwaves all heat food in shallow dishes quite similarly. Heating evenness depends on factors like what kind of food you're microwaving, how much of it, and in what container. If you're interested in knowing more about microwave performance, check out our investigation here.
You won't notice a difference between how different microwaves perform when evenly heating food in deeper dishes. Evenness depends on what you're heating, not what microwave you use. You can read more about our investigation into microwave performance here.