REASONS TO BUY
Efficient defrosting
User-friendly
Great for frozen burritos and wraps
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Uneven heating
Not the best craftsmanship
Cuisinart CMW-100 Review
This compact, user-friendly model is suitable for individuals with limited space, but its overall performance could be better
Credit: Cuisinart
By Genaveve Bradshaw ⋅ Senior Review Analyst ⋅ November 14, 2023
Contributions From: Ryan White
RELATED: The Best Microwaves of 2025
Our Verdict
The Cuisinart CMW-100 performed well in a few of our tests, particularly heating frozen burritos and its user-friendliness. However, it underperforms in various other aspects. It inconsistently heats different types of foods and often leaves them undercooked. If the unit were slightly more affordable, it may have stood a chance against our top-ranked microwaves.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Cuisinart CMW-100 didn't disappoint in too many areas of our testing, but considering its price, we had higher expectations for its performance. That's not to say it's a poor appliance, as it does well in certain aspects. It efficiently handles defrosting, and the interface is user-friendly.
The Cuisinart CMW-100 is straightforward and easy to use, thanks to its well-designed interface.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Heating
The Cuisinart heat map had no visible scorch marks, and the fluff was cooked pretty evenly, minus a couple of hot spots.
The heat map from the Cuisinart CMW-100 was mostly even with no scorch marks. Not a bad result!
Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw
The Cuisinart increases room-temperature water by 78 degrees, progressing from 42 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. While it didn't claim the top spot among the products tested, it delivered a decent performance.
After 45 seconds of heating, the Cuisinart CMW-100 increased the water temperature by roughly 78 degrees.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The reheated sausage links and green beans were heated adequately, maintaining relatively consistent temperatures, with minor variations of 12 and 15 degrees, respectively. However, the mashed potatoes had a much larger temperature range. Mixing up the potatoes after heating would likely lead to more uniform results, although this action falls outside the scope of the test.
Placing our full plate of leftovers in the Cuisinart CMW-100 to see how well it can reheat.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The soup we heated was very hot, but still edible at 162 degrees. Unfortunately, the CMW-100 didn't boast the same results with leftover pizza, which has uneven temperatures throughout. Each slice was heated to different temperatures, and both included large cold spots.
We had mixed results after reheating two slices of pizza. Part of the slice was warm, while other sections had cold spots.
Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw
Frozen Foods
Our frozen burrito was evenly heated with a perfect tortilla texture. It was free from hard or soggy areas while remaining thoroughly cooked. This was a big win for the Cuisinart.
Our frozen lasagna was heated to the ideal temperature, but required additional cooking time to reach it. The hot pocket fared slightly worse here, not cooking evenly at all. The center was mostly undercooked and soggy, while the outer edges were overcooked.
The Cuisinart does a great job cooking frozen burritos - a staple of the microwave.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Defrosting
This model offers defrosting options based on time or weight. We chose the weight option, which led to satisfying results. The meat was uniformly thawed after nine minutes and 20 seconds, with only a small frozen section in the middle.
The beef thawed by the Cuisinart.
Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw
Ease of Use
We were quite impressed with the ease of use with this appliance. The interface is well-labeled and straightforward to use. The microwave includes all the essential functions, such as a timer, item-specific cook times, power control, and defrost. In use, it offers good stability, remaining steady during operation.
The CMW-100 microwave has a high-contrast interface that is easy to read and use.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should You Buy the Cuisinart CMW-100?
While the Cuisinart CMW-100 covers essential microwave functions and is easy to use, it doesn't excel among top performers. It was inconsistent among our heating tests, resulting in some items being cooked thoroughly while other items needed extra time. Its price is above average compared to other models we tested, which doesn't completely align with its ability. Choosing a similar-performing microwave at a lower price point would be a better investment.
What Other Microwaves Should You Consider?
The GE JES1109RRSS excelled at nearly every test we threw at it, and it is available at a similar price point. If you're on the hunt for a budget-friendly option that still performs well, check out the Comfee EM720CPL-PMB. This option is also compact and ideal for those with limited counter space.
—Genaveve Bradshaw and Ryan White
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