Black+Decker EM031MB11 Review
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
This Product Black+Decker EM031MB11 | |||||
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Awards | Best Overall Microwave | Best Microwave for Heating Frozen Food | Best Value Microwave | Best Microwave on a Tight Budget | |
Price | $135 List $126.00 at Amazon | $219 List $175.98 at Amazon | $120 List $112.99 at Amazon | $125 List $124.95 at Amazon | $82 List $69.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | While this appliance did alright in our rankings, it just didn't match the performance of some of the better models | A crowd-pleaser with robust performance in every aspect - you can't go wrong with this excellent appliance | A full-size microwave that is a solid performer across the board with outstanding frozen food heating capability | A middle of the road product for a reasonable price, scoring similarly to many others that were priced much higher | Ideal for those on a budget or with limited space, but this model falls short in terms of premium build quality and high-level performance across our evaluated metrics |
Rating Categories | Black+Decker EM031MB11 | GE JES1109RRSS | Magic Chef MC110MB | Panasonic NN-SB458S | Comfee EM720CPL-PMB |
Heating (40%) | |||||
Frozen Foods (30%) | |||||
Defrosting (20%) | |||||
Ease of Use (10%) | |||||
Specs | Black+Decker EM031MB11 | GE JES1109RRSS | Magic Chef MC110MB | Panasonic NN-SB458S | Comfee EM720CPL-PMB |
Measured 45 Sec Heating Temp Rise | 83 F | 71 F | 106 F | 89 F | 67 F |
Measured Weight of Defrosted Meat | 6.9 oz | 15 oz | 12.5 oz | 8.8 oz | 11.8 oz |
Average Temperature Difference | 21 F | 9 F | 7 F | 29 F | 13 F |
Measured Unpopped Kernels | 21 | 37 | 23 | 8 | 192 |
Wattage | 1000 watts | 1050 watts | 1000 watts | 900 watts | 700 watts |
Measured Turntable Diameter | 12.4" | 12.4" | 12.4" | 10.6" | 10" |
Measured External Dimensions (WxHxD) | 20.2" x 12.1" x 15.6" | 20.6" x 11.9" x 16.6" | 20.6" x 11.8" x 14.7" | 19.1" x 11.5" x 14.8" | 17.1" x 10.1" x 12.4" |
Measured Internal Dimentions (WxHxD) | 14.5" x 9.1" x 13.9" | 13.0" x 8.4" x 12.4" | 13.1" x 8.2" x 12.5" | 13.9" x 8.1" x 12.4" | 10.8" x 6.8" x 10.1" |
Size | 1.1 cu. ft | 1.0 cu. ft | 1.1 cu. ft | 0.9 cu. ft | 0.7 cu. ft |
Child lock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Our Analysis and Test Results
At 1.1 cubic feet, this model boasts a fairly large capacity. It also has one of the lower retail prices of the larger options, making it a decent choice if you want a full-sized microwave and are shopping on a reduced budget.
Performance Comparison
Likes
The Black+Decker EM031MB11 got off to a good start in our heating metric, reheating all three of our test types of food very well and delivering solid results in our side-by-side speed heating test.
This microwave evenly heated up the potatoes and green beans on our plate of leftovers to within 5°F of each other, although the sausages came out just a bit warmer. The canned soup and the two slices of pizza came out nice and hot, consistently heated to the correct serving temperature.
The Black+Decker EM031MB11 also scored high in our tests of the manufactured frozen foods, impressing us most with frozen burritos and Hot Pockets. This appliance heated up the burrito's left, right, and center zones to within an average difference of 9°F of each other. It performed identically with the Hot Pocket, with our thermometers showing the same average difference.
We appreciate ease of use in our kitchen appliances, and this model had many of the convenience features we like. It has quick start features and a +30 seconds button that automatically starts the microwave. It also has decent internal lighting, and the preset functions seem to work very well.
We used the popcorn function, which popped nearly all the kernels without burning any.
Dislikes
Our biggest complaint about the Black+Decker EM031MB11 is its poor showing in our defrosting test. In this test, we used the recommended settings to defrost a one-pound square of frozen ground turkey. This microwave alerted us to flip the meat partway through the process, but it only managed to defrost just under 7 ounces of meat. It didn't cook any of the parts, but the remaining turkey was still relatively frozen and couldn't be broken up easily after we scraped away the completely defrosted parts.
The Black+Decker EM031MB11 also didn't score very well in our heat map test, leaving the outer ring of marshmallow fluff almost completely raw, while the middle ring was darkened considerably.
This product only gave lackluster results when heating up the individual serving of pre-made lasagna. The temperatures varied considerably amongst the six different digital thermometers we used, with the most significant temperature gap being 47°F between regions.
Should You Buy the Black+Decker EM031MB11?
If you're hoping for a full-size microwave without a full-size price tag, this could be a good bet. However, performance-wise, we think that there are better options out there.
What Other Microwaves Should You Consider?
The Black+Decker EM031MB11 is a solid microwave, but it scored squarely in the middle of our tests. If you're looking for one of the best full-sized microwaves out there, we recommend checking out the Toshiba EM131A5C.