Magic Chef MC110MB Review

The Magic Chef MC110MB is a large microwave that could fit any dinner plate and efficiently heat any quantity of leftovers or frozen treats.

Heating

The Magic Chef demonstrated impressive heating capabilities throughout our battery of tests, creating delicious leftovers.

Pizza Reheating

The cheese on our reheated pizza achieved that coveted melty consistency with delightful, stretchy cheese pulls, and notably, the texture was softer and more satisfying than what I experienced with lower-wattage models.

Pizza reheating proved to be a standout strength for the Magic Chef. After 49 seconds (adjusted for its 1000-watt power), our test slices reached temperatures between 130-190°F, with most areas hovering in the ideal 140-150°F range. I was particularly impressed by how the microwave managed to heat the crust without making it tough or chewy, a common pitfall when reheating pizza. The bottom stayed relatively crisp rather than becoming soggy, and the toppings heated through without overcooking or drying out. The cheese achieved that coveted melty consistency with satisfying cheese pulls, and notably, the texture was less chewy than what we experienced with lower-wattage models

Heat Map

For this part of the test, I created a heat map of each microwave's heating capability by spreading an even layer of jet-puffed marshmallow creme on a circular piece of parchment paper cut to the turntable's size and heated it on high for two minutes, then took an infrared photo to see the hot and cold spots. Below, you can see that the center area tended to cook more aggressively in the center, creating what we call a “hot spot.”

The underside revealed three distinct heating rings, which explains the concentrated center heating. However, this characteristic didn't significantly impact real-world cooking performance and taste, as the turntable rotation helps distribute heat more evenly during actual use.

Heating Speed

Next up, I tested the speed at which each microwave can heat by placing a beaker of 125 mL of refrigerated water (45 degrees) and giving each microwave 45 seconds on high to see how quickly it could raise the water's temperature.

The MC110MB achieved one of the highest temperature increases in our 45-second speed test, raising the water temperature by an impressive 106 degrees Fahrenheit. This translates to noticeably faster heating times for beverages and soups compared to many competitors.

Frozen Foods

Where the Magic Chef MC110MB really earned its stripes was in frozen food preparation, cooking up scrumptious frozen meals.

The hot pocket test confirmed this microwave's frozen food prowess. The crust developed some golden-brown spots with visible flaky layers, achieving a slight crispiness that's often elusive in microwave cooking. The cheese inside was perfectly melty without being molten, and I enjoyed the consistent texture throughout without any tough or chewy sections. This level of cooking quality rivals microwaves that cost significantly more.

The left, center, and right sections reached 192°F, 186°F, and 194°F, respectively — remarkably consistent temperatures that indicate even heating throughout.

During our standardized lasagna test using a 32-ounce frozen lasagna, I was impressed by how evenly the dish cooked. The lasagna itself tasted pleasantly hot, with warm, gooey, and savory cheese that melted in my mouth. Following the adjusted instructions for this wattage (adding just one extra minute during the full-power stage), the center reached a perfect 170°F. The pasta layers maintained their texture without becoming mushy or dried out at the edges, while the meat sauce was heated through completely with no cold spots. Even the corners, which often remain lukewarm in lesser microwaves, were properly heated and enjoyable to eat. What really caught my attention was the minimal water accumulation in the bottom of the dish - a common problem with many microwaves that leads to soggy, unappetizing results.

Defrosting

Defrosting performance proved to be another strong suit for this unit. The Magic Chef has settings for both weight and time for defrosting. I selected the latter, and the microwave allotted seven minutes and eight seconds to defrost the meat. The microwave helpfully beeped twice during the process to remind me to flip the meat, though I found the alerts could have been clearer.

After defrosting, I found that 12.5 ounces of the 16-ounce package was properly thawed — that's over 78% efficiency. Only small frozen nuggets totaling about 2.5 ounces remained, primarily in the thicker sections. We found zero areas of the meat were cooked during the process, though some defrosted sections felt slightly warm to the touch.

Presets

The Magic Chef comes equipped with a thoughtful selection of preset buttons that actually work as intended, which is not always a given with microwave presets. The control panel features dedicated buttons for popcorn, potato, pizza, frozen vegetables, beverages, and dinner plates, along with separate controls for time defrost, weight defrost, power level, clock, time cook, and timer functions.

And since I'm a big fan of one-touch quick start buttons, I was happy to see that the Magic Chef easily allows for instant cooking for 1-6 minutes without having to press start. The 30-second button adds time quickly, and the interface feels intuitive even for first-time users.

The popcorn preset deserves special mention. I tested it with a 3.2-ounce bag of buttered popcorn. The preset ran for 1 minute and 40 seconds, producing mostly well-popped corn with just a few scorched pieces. While some bites had a slight burnt taste, the overall texture was good, and I counted only 23 unpopped kernels out of the entire bag — an excellent ratio. The microwave scored particularly well here compared to models that either under-pop (leaving excessive kernels) or over-cook popcorn (creating that acrid burnt popcorn smell we all dread).

Should You Buy the Magic Chef MC110MB?

The MC110MB performed quite well across our gamut of testing. I'd especially recommend this model for busy families who frequently heat frozen meals, college students needing a dependable dorm appliance, or anyone seeking a straightforward microwave that excels at the basics. Its superior frozen food heating, fast heating speeds, and successful preset functions make it an excellent value that punches well above its price point.

What Other Microwaves Should You Consider?

If you're working with limited counter space and need something even more compact for under $100, consider the Farberware 700W 0.7 Cu Ft. While it has lower wattage and slightly slower heating times, it delivers reliable performance in a smaller footprint. It had even heating during our heat map test, which I found translated to evenly heated leftovers.

For those interested in expanded cooking capabilities beyond standard microwave functions, the Panasonic HomeChef 4-in-1 offers convection cooking, broiling, and air frying in addition to microwave functionality. It was also a standout when reheating pizza with some of the best crust texture and deliciously melted cheese.