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Black+Decker EM720CB7 Review

This product failed to impress us too much, ranking close to the bottom of the overall
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Black+Decker EM720CB7 Review
Price:  $100 List
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Manufacturer:   BLACK+DECKER
By David Wise and Austin Palmer  ⋅  Jan 14, 2022
54
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#11 of 13
  • Heating - 40% 4.9
  • Frozen Foods - 30% 4.0
  • Defrosting - 20% 8.0
  • Ease of Use - 10% 6.1

Our Verdict

The Black+Decker EM720CB7 earned one of the lowest scores out of our lineup of the best microwaves, struggling in quite a few of our tests. It did very well in our defrosting test with the ground turkey, but that is far from enough to redeem its multiple poor showings in other tests. All in all, we generally think you could probably find better options out there for your kitchen.
REASONS TO BUY
Did well at defrosting
Fairly inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Struggled with some frozen foods
So-so heating results
Editor's Note: This product review was updated on January 12, 2022 to include more info on what we would buy and help to better compare products.

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards  Top Pick Award
Best Microwave for Heating Frozen Food
Best Buy Award
Best Value Microwave
 Best Buy Award
Best Microwave on a Tight Budget
Price $100 List
$99.99 at Amazon
$120 List
$115.53 at Amazon
$125 List
$124.95 at Amazon
$90 List
$89.99 at Amazon
$82 List
$81.99 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
54
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55
Star Rating
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Bottom Line All in all, this appliance didn't deliver very impressive results, failing to earn it a recommendation from usA full-size microwave that is a solid performer across the board with outstanding frozen food heating capabilityA middle of the road product for a reasonable price, scoring similarly to many others that were priced much higherA no-frills, compact, and affordable microwave that will take a little longer to cook your foodIdeal 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 EM720CB7 Magic Chef MC110MB Panasonic NN-SB458S Farberware 700W 0.7... Comfee EM720CPL-PMB
Heating (40%)
4.9
6.4
6.2
6.5
5.5
Frozen Foods (30%)
4.0
8.7
6.7
4.3
4.3
Defrosting (20%)
8.0
8.0
7.0
8.0
7.0
Ease of Use (10%)
6.1
7.9
5.5
6.5
6.3
Specs Black+Decker EM720CB7 Magic Chef MC110MB Panasonic NN-SB458S Farberware 700W 0.7... Comfee EM720CPL-PMB
Measured 45 Sec Heating Temp Rise 73 F 106 F 89 F 76 F 67 F
Measured Weight of Defrosted Meat 12 oz 12.5 oz 8.8 oz 12.5 oz 11.8 oz
Average Temperature Difference 29 F 7 F 29 F 27 F 13 F
Measured Unpopped Kernels 95 23 8 126 192
Wattage 700 watts 1000 watts 900 watts 700 watts 700 watts
Measured Turntable Diameter 10.0" 12.4" 10.6" 10" 10"
Measured External Dimensions (WxHxD) 17.3" x 10.3" x 13.0" 20.6" x 11.8" x 14.7" 19.1" x 11.5" x 14.8" 17.3" x 10.2" x 14.1" 17.1" x 10.1" x 12.4"
Measured Internal Dimentions (WxHxD) 12.1" x 8.1" x 12.0" 13.1" x 8.2" x 12.5" 13.9" x 8.1" x 12.4" 10.8"x 6.8" x 10.2" 10.8" x 6.8" x 10.1"
Size 0.7 cu. ft 1.1 cu. ft 0.9 cu. ft 0.7 cu. ft 0.7 cu. ft
Child lock Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Our Analysis and Test Results

Aside from its exceptional result at defrosting the one-pound brick of ground turkey, there was very little about this microwave's performance that made it stand out from the rest of the pack. Even then, other models still outperformed this model, making it difficult for us to find a reason to recommend this appliance above others.

Performance Comparison


black+decker em720cb7 - overall, we think this product performed a bit below average.
Overall, we think this product performed a bit below average.
Credit: Laura Casner

Likes


As we said before, the main thing we like about the EM720CB7 is how well it did in our defrosting metric. For this test, we used a one pound square of frozen ground turkey. Following the manufacturer's directions for defrosting, we were able to defrost 12 ounces of the turkey at the end of the microwave's defrost cycle. None of the meat was cooked through, and the remaining 4 ounces of turkey was easily broken apart — enough that we wouldn't think twice about tossing it all in a pan to start browning it.

black+decker em720cb7 - this black+decker microwave did fully defrost 3/4 of the frozen...
This Black+Decker microwave did fully defrost 3/4 of the frozen ground turkey.
Credit: Laura Casner

The Black+Decker also did decently well at reheating the canned soup, but this isn't rare; nearly every model we tested did a good job with this test. It got the soup to the perfect serving temperature following the heating directions for this microwave's power rating. In the heat map and speed tests, this model delivered average results. We used marshmallow cream spread out on parchment paper to make a map of heating intensity. This microwave evenly burned the center and middle rings. The outer ring was just getting toasted with a few completely uncooked spots.

The top of the heat map looked much more consistent.
The top of the heat map looked much more consistent.
There were some noticeable hot spots after the heat map came out of...
There were some noticeable hot spots after the heat map came out of the EM720CB7.

For the speed test, we heated 125 mL of water for 45 seconds and measured the temperature increase to determine scores. This microwave raised the temperature of the water by 73.4°F — fairly typical results.

black+decker em720cb7 - the em720cb7 delivered middle-of-the-road results in our speed test.
The EM720CB7 delivered middle-of-the-road results in our speed test.
Credit: Laura Casner

The Black+Decker EM720CB7 also did well quite well with the Hot Pocket, heating the left, right, and center areas within a few degrees of each other.

black+decker em720cb7 - this model has many of the standard quick-start features.
This model has many of the standard quick-start features.
Credit: Laura Casner

The EM720CB7 has most of the standard convenience features, such as a +30 seconds button and some other quick-start features.

black+decker em720cb7 - we did like that this model is decently easy to use.
We did like that this model is decently easy to use.
Credit: Laura Casner

Dislikes


The EM720CB7, unfortunately, delivered poor results in our other two heating tests. Neither the plate of leftovers nor the pizza were warm enough for serving, and both were heated very inconsistently.

black+decker em720cb7 - this plate of leftovers definitely would have required more time in...
This plate of leftovers definitely would have required more time in the microwave before serving in our minds.
Credit: Laura Casner

The EM720CB7 also failed to properly and evenly heat the frozen burrito and the lasagna. After following the directions, the miniature lasagna was far from a satisfactory serving temperature, with an average temperature difference of 29°F between zones. The burrito had a similar variation between areas, with the middle failing to reach the recommended temperature.

black+decker em720cb7 - we didn't like how easily this microwave slid around on smooth...
We didn't like how easily this microwave slid around on smooth countertops when we opened or closed the door.
Credit: Laura Casner

We weren't thrilled with how much this product slides around during normal use, and it has so-so internal lighting. We also didn't find the presets to be super effective. We tried out the popcorn function, which left a lot of kernels unpopped. None were burned, at least.

black+decker em720cb7 - all in all, we generally think you could do better than this product.
All in all, we generally think you could do better than this product.
Credit: Laura Casner

Should You Buy the Black+Decker EM720CB7?


Though any of the microwaves in our test will get the job done (eventually), many people shopping for kitchen appliances want the best products available, and we don't think the Black+Decker EM720CB7 is that — particularly if you are seeking speed or uniformity in your microwave cooking endeavors.

What Other Microwaves Should You Consider?


Though this is a small, fairly affordable model that is suitable for small kitchens, we'd suggest the Toshiba EM131A5C for a full-size microwave that earns its keep as a premium model.

David Wise and Austin Palmer