Toshiba EM131A5C Review

The Toshiba EM131A5C is one of the larger and more affordable options in our microwave evaluation. Moreover, it's one of the more affordable top-performing options in the lineup.

Performance Comparison

Heating

The EM131A5C kicked off our heating tests with an underwhelming performance but quickly rose to the challenge. This metric involves five sub-tests. We first evaluated the speed and uniformity of heating by measuring the rise in water temperature. We then created a heat map using marshmallow fluff. Additionally, we assessed how evenly the microwave heated a combination of leftovers, canned soup, pizza slices, and frozen foods.

Heat Map Test

Our heat map test comprises 35% of the total heating score. We cut a sheet of parchment paper into a disc the size of each microwave's turntable tray, covering it in a thin layer of marshmallow creme. After heating the marshmallow on high for two minutes, we measured hot and cold spots and noted any burnt areas.

The Toshiba's result was slightly below average due to its uneven heating. The middle of the fluff was somewhat charred, with a couple of hot spots throughout. Meanwhile, the perimeter of the marshmallow creme was left appearing untouched.

Heating Speed Test

To assess heating speed, we placed a 125 mL beaker of refrigerated water (43 degrees) in the center of each microwave and heated it on high for 45 seconds. We measured the final temperature of the water to determine how fast the microwave could effectively heat its contents. This test contributed to 20% of each appliance's heating score.

The Toshiba EM131A5C did a decent job quickly heating the 125 mL beaker of water. After just 45 seconds of microwaving, the water temperature increased by 79 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in a total temperature of 122 degrees. Though it's not as quick as other top-of-the-line models, it's still a solid performer.

Leftovers Heating

Regrettably, this particular microwave showed subpar performance in our assessment of reheating leftovers, a segment that contributes to 15% of its heating score. To test this, we loaded up a plate containing green beans, sausage, and potatoes. Then, we utilized the preprogrammed sensor reheat function to see how well it would rewarm its contents.

We found the EM131A5C inadequately rewarmed the food. There was a noticeable temperature variation among the three food types, especially with the potatoes. Some bits of potato were perfectly cooked, while others were still cool to the touch. Additional heating time and thorough mixing will yield better results, but such adjustments were beyond the scope of our calculated testing.

Soup Heating

Soup can often be a tricky thing to cook in the microwave. Sometimes it barely gets warmed, and other times it comes out boiling. This is why we devoted 15% of our heating test to how well the unit could cook soup. Following the manufacturer's recommended cooking times, the majority of the microwaves, along with the Toshiba EM131A5C, successfully heated the soup in our tests.

The Toshiba EM131A5C did well here, cooking the soup to 160 degrees. This thoroughly heated the contents and kept them at the ideal temperature for instant consumption. Soup sippers should be pleased.

Pizza Heating

In the last 15% of the heating score assessment, we reheated two pizza slices. We evaluated how evenly the pizza was rewarmed and ensured they reached ideal eating temperatures.

The performance in pizza reheating was pretty good. There was a noticeable variation between the two slices, but they were both still edible. We were hoping for more consistency, especially when it comes to reheating a popular food item like pizza. A few small sections of each slice were left relatively cool, but for the most part, the slices were still enjoyable.

Frozen Foods

In our second round of testing, the Toshiba EM131A5C starts to really impress, exhibiting excellent performance when heating prepackaged frozen foods evenly and effectively. We evaluated its performance by strategically placing thermometers in various sections of a Hot Pocket, a personal-sized frozen lasagna, and a frozen burrito. We then analyzed the temperature variations among them.

This microwave performed nearly perfectly with the frozen burrito, cooking up a nice and even texture with no cold spots. The burrito split ever so slightly and oozed some cheese, but we were more than satisfied with the result. In fact, it outperformed nearly every other microwave we've tested with both the burrito and the hot pocket.

Unfortunately, the lasagna had a different outcome. It failed to heat the frozen lasagna properly to an edible temperature. Only one section reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit, while others fell significantly short. It definitely needed more cooking time overall, as the center only reached 81 degrees.

Defrosting

The Toshiba EM131A5C excelled in our defrosting metric, delivering one of the best overall performances we've seen in any microwave. In this evaluation, we focused on thawing a one-pound block of frozen ground beef using the preprogrammed defrost settings. If you use this function often, you can't go wrong here.

Without actually cooking the meat, this microwave flawlessly thawed the entire block in less than 10 minutes. Halfway through, the unit prompts you to flip the meat, which helps prevent overwarming. The meat was evenly defrosted throughout, and as we poked around in the meat, we didn't find any warm spots. The Toshiba has auto defrost options for weight and options for defrosting poultry, meat, and fish.

Ease of Use

Our last round of tests looked at the ease of operating this kitchen appliance, where it scored quite well. We compared the interface's simplicity, how well the preset functions worked, the internal lighting, and whether it slides around on the countertop during normal use.

Getting the Toshiba started is quick and easy. This microwave features a +30 seconds button that immediately initiates a 30-second cycle when pressed. Additionally, it offers quick start functions for cooking durations ranging from one to six minutes. These quick-access buttons include options for custom cooking, soften/melt, defrost, and popcorn, among others. We observed that the popcorn preset works efficiently, with some kernels only starting to slightly overcook toward the end, but none of them burned. Preset popcorn buttons are notoriously bad, so this was a pleasant surprise. With a sturdy internal light and excellent stability, it doesn't shift during operations, including opening, closing, or button presses. The interface can also be used as a standalone timer.

Should You Buy the Toshiba EM131A5C?

For those seeking a spacious and powerful microwave that excels at handling frozen foods with precision, this should undoubtedly be on your short list of choices. It exhibited near-perfect performance in our defrosting assessments and consistently delivered uniform heating across a variety of foods. Nonetheless, individuals with more compact kitchen spaces might want to explore alternative options.

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