The Toshiba EM925A5A-BS is a simple, budget-friendly microwave that's well-suited for cooking for one or for cramped kitchens. It has the basic controls most microwaves include, like ten power levels, a defrost function, and quick-start buttons. You can also mute its controls, but it lacks a steam sensor that would provide a more automatic cooking experience.
Our Verdict
The Toshiba EM925A5A-BS is a small 900-watt microwave. It heats food slightly faster than the very similar Toshiba ML2-EM09PA(BS), but not as quickly as many 1000-watt microwaves.
-
Compact design.
-
Mute controls option.
-
No steam sensor.
-
Doesn't heat food as fast as some microwaves.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This microwave comes in either 'Black Stainless Steel' (Toshiba EM925A5A-BS) or plain 'Stainless Steel' (Toshiba EM925A5A-SS). We tested the 'Black Stainless Steel' version, and you can see the label for the unit we tested here and here.
If you encounter another variant, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Microwaves
The Toshiba EM925A5A-BS is a small, simple microwave. While it lacks a steam sensor and more advanced programs like 'Keep Warm' or 'Simmer,' you can mute the controls, unlike some budget microwaves. Aside from a different button layout, it's basically identical to the Toshiba ML2-EM09PA(BS), except it heats food somewhat faster. The Insignia NS-MW09SS8 is an even cheaper small microwave that performs similarly and has similar features. If you want a small, fast microwave with a steam sensor, you might want the LG LMC0975ST, although you can't mute its controls and it's much more expensive.
If you're looking for a recommendation, check out the best microwaves and the best over-the-range microwaves.
Test Results
It's a small microwave, so it's best for heating food for one person in a mug or small bowl. The light inside makes it very easy to see into the cooking chamber.
The Toshiba EM925A5A-BS has all the basic functions you might expect from a microwave: a quick-start button, shortcut buttons for specific foods, like 'Popcorn' and 'Pizza,' and defrost by time or weight. You can save up to three custom programs and set it up to cook in up to two stages with different power levels. There's also an energy-saver mode meant to reduce how much power it uses when you're not actively microwaving. It lacks a steam sensor, so it can't automatically calculate cook time based on steam.
Microwaves all perform similarly when evenly heating food in shallow dishes. It depends on factors like what kind of food you're heating, in what amount, and what container you're using. If you're interested in reading more about microwave performance, check out our investigation here.
Like with shallow dishes, all microwaves heat food in deep dishes similarly evenly. Evenness depends on what food you're heating, how much of it there is, and in what container, instead of which microwave you're using. Check out our investigation into microwave performance here.