REASONS TO BUY
Stylish in a retro way
Good with frozen items
REASONS TO AVOID
Pricey
Lacks some features
Nostalgia RMO4AQ Review
If you are looking for a product that will look great, delivering an art-deco flair to your kitchen, you won't be disappointed
This product definitely has some visual appeal that others lack.
Credit: Laura Casner
By David Wise ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ January 13, 2022
Contributions From: Austin Palmer
RELATED: The Best Microwaves of 2025
Our Verdict
If you're searching for a solid microwave that fully embraces the retro look from the '50s, then we think the Nostalgia RMO4AQ is worth your time. This cool throwback appliance delivered solid results across most of our microwave testing metrics and looked great while doing it. It did particularly well with frozen foods and defrosting, and is a fairly easy-to-use appliance. It might not be the best you can get, but it looks awesome and gets the job done.
Our Analysis and Test Results
If you like the look of the Nostalgia RMO4AQ, be prepared to pay a premium for it — it costs quite a bit more than some other comparable products. We expect anyone purchasing this product is doing so for the aesthetic and less so for performance features.
If you love the vintage look, then this is the product for you.
Credit: Laura Casner
Heating
The Nostalgia RMO4AQ didn't get off to a great start, earning some lackluster results in our heat map test. The inner ring of the marshmallow fluff was barely cooked, while one part of the outer ring was almost burnt. We also noticed a few cool spots about the size of a quarter interspersed throughout the outer parts of the ring.
In our speed test, the Nostalgia raised the temperature of 125 mL of water by 74.9°F after 45 seconds of heating, one of the lower temperature changes when compared to the top-ranked microwaves.
This appliance delivered decent results in our speed heating test.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Nostalgia RMO4AQ also failed to do a great job of heating the leftover sausage, green beans, and potatoes. While the average temperature of each type of food was relatively close to each other — within about 15°F — there was a massive spread within each type of food. For example, some of the sausage was as low as 135°F while other pieces were as high as 160°F.
The Nostalgia yields different temperatures for different foods, so it's not great for leftovers.
Credit: Laura Casner
However, the Nostalgia RMO4AQ redeemed itself somewhat in our final two tests, reheating both the soup and the slice of pizza very consistently. One edge of one slice of the pizza was slightly cooler, but it was barely noticeable.
Frozen Foods
The RMO4AQ did amazingly well with frozen burritos, only showing an average of 3°F difference between the left, right, and center.
The middle of the Hot Pocket came out just a bit cooler than the rest.
Credit: Laura Casner
This appliance continued its strong showing with the Hot Pocket, heating it almost as evenly. The average difference between the three zones was again very tiny, with our temperature measurements only showing a mean variation of 5°F.
The temperature gradient is easily visible.
Credit: Laura Casner
Regrettably, the Nostalgia RMO4AQ couldn't carry this performance into the lasagna test, heating it quite unevenly. Our biggest complaint is that there were some unacceptably cold spots along with vast temperature differences between the six different thermometers.
This product is definitely unique compared to the rest when it comes to looks.
Credit: Laura Casner
Defrosting
The Nostalgia RMO4AQ delivered one of the better results of the group here, earning it a great score. It beeped multiple times throughout the process to notify you to flip the meat.
While this was a bit more labor-intensive than some other models, it defrosted just a bit less than 13 ounces. The remainder was also easily broken apart, even if it was just a bit frozen.
This product does lack some of the user-friendly features that other models have.
Credit: Laura Casner
Presets
The RMO4AQ has a + 30 seconds button, labeled “Express”, but that's about it for quick features and functions. Its internal light isn't the brightest, and this appliance can't be used as a standalone kitchen timer when not heating food. However, we appreciated that it solidly stays in place on most surfaces when you open or close the door or press a button.
The popcorn preset on the Nostalgia left a decent number of kernels un-popped.
Credit: Laura Casner
We found the preset function for our test case — popcorn — to be decently effective, though it left a bunch of kernels unpopped. It scored points for not burning any, though.
Should You Buy the Nostalgia RMO4AQ?
If this aesthetic speaks to you, we'd say go for it, but don't expect the outstanding performance offered by some of the other products in our test suite. It's also somewhat expensive, and we believe the look is what you're paying extra for here. Nostalgia makes a full line of kitchen appliances with a similar appearance if you want to go all out with a coordinated retro kitchen.
What Other Microwaves Should You Consider?
The Nostalgia RMO4AQ is a great choice if you love this look, but otherwise, you might be better off with some of the top-tier models that sell for much less, notably the Magic Chef, which makes delicious Hot Pockets and scrumptious frozen lasagna.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare Nostalgia RMO4AQ versus top competing products:
—David Wise and Austin Palmer
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