LG Microwaves: Countertop and Over the Range Models Compared

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Best Over the Range

LG LMV2031BD Over-the-Range Microwave
LG’s Black Stainless Steel Over-The-Range microwave is a substantial 2.0 cu.ft capacity appliance, which is perfect for large families. That capacity can be doubled thanks to an internal rack that lets you cook more than one meal at a time.

This sleek, feature-packed microwave cooks quickly and evenly with 1200 Watts of power, and with the help of a bunch of presets for added convenience. However, convenience comes with a massive price tag.

Best Countertop

LG NeoChef LMC2075ST Countertop Microwave
Despite the relatively low price point of the LG NeoChef 2.0 Countertop microwave, it has a high-end appearance, tons of space, and plenty of power, and can tackle large meals with ease.

Though it has internal components to help with cooking efficiency, there’s little assistance in the form of pre-programmed settings and timers.

While microwaves are no substitute for a traditional oven, they certainly have their place in the kitchen. They are tremendous tools for quickly and efficiently heating, defrosting, melting, or reheating food for convenient food prep for your family.

LG are among the world leaders in home appliances and the technology market and produce some of the most reliable microwaves on sale. Today we’re going to look at their range of microwave ovens and talk about our favorites. We base our opinions on affordability, appearance, build quality, durability, and performance.

Let’s get started.

Best LG OTR Microwave

1. LG LMV2031BD Over-the-Range Microwave

  • Large Capacity
  • Cooks Efficiently and Evenly
  • ‘QuietPower’ Ventilation
  • Sensor Cooking
  • ‘Bi-Level’ Cooking Rack
  • Very Expensive
  • Glass Door Only Half Transparent
  • Unresponsive Buttons

  • Score: 8/10
  • Value for money: Good

Specifications

  • Type: Over-the-Range
  • Dimensions: 29.8 x 15.8 x 16.4 inches
  • Appliance Weight: 54.4lbs
  • Capacity: 2.0 cu.ft
  • Turntable: Yes
  • Available Colors: Black Stainless Steel / Printproof Stainless Steel (LMV2031SS) / Stainless Steel (LMV2031ST)
  • Wattage: 1000 Watts

Design, Construction & Capacity

LG’s ‘Black Stainless Steel Over-The-Range’ microwave is a stunning small kitchen appliance that’s smooth, sleek, and exquisitely designed. The stainless steel exterior and interior are equipped with LG’s ‘EasyClean’ technology, which helps keep your microwave free of unsightly fingerprints, dirt, and grime.

The control panel is made from ‘Smooth Touch’ glass, which adds to the overall appearance, though the buttons can be unresponsive if you have greasy or wet hands. Many consumers would prefer traditional push-buttons.

This microwave’s interior boasts a substantial 2.0 cu.ft of space, which should be more than enough to cater to even the largest families. Moreover, LG enhanced the cooking space by adding a central rack, giving you twice the capabilities of a traditional appliance.

Features

  • QuietPower Ventilation: A three-speed fan eliminates smoke, steam, and nasty odors without interfering with cooking efficiency.
  • Sensor Cooking: This LG Over-the-Range microwave detects humidity levels and automatically adjusts power and/or time settings, so you never over or undercook your food.
  • ‘Melt’ & ‘Soften’ Settings: Never ruin butter, chocolate, or ice cream again with this feature that accurately melts or softens your ingredients.
  • Pre-Programmed Settings: Remove the guesswork from cooking with presets that choose the power and time levels. The settings include defrost, soften/melt, popcorn, kid’s meal, and reheat.
  • Bi-Level Cooking Rack: A handy rack doubles the cooking space, allowing you to cook more than one food at a time.
  • ‘EasyClean’ Technology: Assisted by an anti-bacterial coating, the interior and exterior are easily cleaned without using chemicals.

Performance

This powerful 1200W microwave cooks, defrosts, and reheats in the blink of an eye. Consumers are delighted with the speed and efficiency of this appliance.

It’s not uncommon for powerful microwaves to be extremely noisy; however, the LG Over-the-Range 2.0 machine is surprisingly quiet when it’s cooking your food. Maybe not the quietest we’ve ever used, but certainly less ear-splitting than other large capacity, powerful models. 

While the large glass viewing window has an attractive tint, for some inexplicable reason, LG saw fit to make the bottom half less transparent and almost impossible to see through. As this microwave is designed to be installed at eye level, smaller folks can’t see inside the appliance without the door being open.

Should you buy the LG Over-the-Range 2.0 Black Stainless Steel Microwave (LMV2031BD)?

LG’s Black Stainless Steel Over-The-Range microwave is an excellent option for people looking for a large capacity, a powerful appliance with that built-in professional appearance. LG has added extra convenience to an already convenient machine with presets, EasyClean technology, and a bi-level cooking rack. Be aware; this convenience will come at an enormous price point.

Best Value LG OTR Microwave

2.  LG LMV1831ST Over-the-Range Microwave

  • Sensor Cooking Technology
  • Energy Saving Key
  • Replaceable Charcoal Filter
  • Add 30 Seconds
  • Turntable On/Off
  • Noisy
  • Stiff Door
  • Dim LCD 

  • Score: 8/10
  • Value for money: Good

Specifications

  • Type: Over-the-Range
  • Dimensions: 29.9 x 16.6 x 15.3 inches
  • Appliance Weight: 48.5lbs
  • Capacity: 1.8 cu.ft
  • Turntable: Yes
  • Available Colors: Stainless Steel / Black Stainless Steel (LMV1831BD) / Printproof Stainless Steel (LMV1831SS)
  • Wattage: 1000 Watts 

Design, Construction & Capacity

It’s easy to see that LG’s design team has borrowed heavily from the appearance of their 2.0 Over-the-Range for the slightly smaller 1.8 stainless steel model. It has the LG DNA and from the outside looks almost identical to its big brother.

The minor differences are to be found in the door and control panel. The door to the 1.8 LG microwave doesn’t span the entire height of the appliance as it does on the 2.0 model, and it’s very stiff and tricky to open. While the control panel is made from the same smooth touch glass, a difference in features separates each control panel’s layout. However, they are both troublesome to press.

While the 1.8 capacity is slightly smaller, it’s still a cavernous cooking space, which is excellent for large families. This appliance also doubles its cooking space with the use of a bi-level cooking rack. 

Features

  • Energy Saving Key: This microwave’s display will switch itself off after 5 minutes of inactivity to save electricity. 
  • Add Time Function: If your food isn’t quite cooked, add additional time with the touch of a button in increments of 30 seconds or a minute.
  • Sensor Cooking: The LG 1.8 Over-the-Range microwave automatically detects whether your food is cooked via humidity levels and adjusts power and time accordingly.
  • Turntable On/Off: Cook over-sized dishes more easily with the turntable on/off feature.
  • Replaceable Charcoal Filter: A replaceable charcoal filter removes any nasty smells or grease out of the air in conjunction with the 3-speed ventilation system.
  • Pre-Programmed Settings: Various presets help with cooking convenience. They include popcorn, soften, melt, defrost, quick defrost, and hold/warm.

Performance

With 1000 Watts of power, the LG 1.8 Over-the-Range microwave is marginally slower at cooking and reheating than its big brother. However, unless you’re running them side-by-side, you probably won’t notice.

It cooks just as well as the 2.0 model, only it takes slightly longer. One noticeable difference between these two models is the noise levels. Despite running with less power, the 1.8 model is markedly louder.

All the functions perform as they should. However, the control panel itself is finicky, and though it’s backlit, it’s still pretty dim and not easy to read.

Should you buy the LG Over-the-Range 1.8 Stainless Steel Microwave (LMV1831ST)?

The LG’s 1.8 Stainless Steel Over-The-Range microwave is, in effect, a ‘2.0 Lite’ version of the larger LG model. While it has fewer features, smaller capacity, and less power, it’s still a darn good appliance. However, it is substantially more affordable than the 2.0 microwave, which is better for those on a tight budget than would prefer an Over-the-Range style appliance.

Best LG Countertop Microwave

3.  LG NeoChef LMC2075ST Countertop Microwave

  • Large & Powerful
  • Smart Inverter
  • EasyClean Interior
  • SmoothTouch Glass Controls
  • Sensor Cooking Technology
  • Lack of Features
  • Fingerprint Magnet
  • Loud Door
  • Door Only Opens to 90 Degrees 

  • Score: 8/10
  • Value for money: Good

Specifications

  • Type: Countertop
  • Dimensions: 23.8 x 13.5 x 19.8 inches
  • Appliance Weight: 36.4lbs
  • Capacity: 2.0 cu.ft
  • Turntable: Yes
  • Available Colors: Stainless Steel / Black Stainless Steel (LMC2075BD)
  • Wattage: 1200 Watts

Design, Construction & Capacity

The attractive design of the LG NeoChef betrays its reasonable price point; it’s far better looking than the price tag suggests. The stainless steel exterior is an absolute fingerprint magnet, which is exacerbated by the lack of a door handle. However, this is negated somewhat by the EasyClean interior and exterior.

You can find most of the drawbacks of this appliance’s design in the door. As previously mentioned, there is no handle, and the door won’t open past 90 degrees, which makes removing large dishes a challenge. The release button is hidden in the front of the microwave, which looks cool but it has led to some consumers thinking the only way to open the door is by pulling it (yes, really). The door is also really loud when you close it.

A large 2.0 cu.ft interior is complemented with a substantial turntable that has a stable feel thanks to three wheels, three gliders, and a hexagonal support piece.

Features

  • Smart Inverter: LG’s ‘Smart Inverter’ delivers variable power when cooking for more evenly cooked meals.
  • Sensor Cooking Technology: This LG staple will adjust the time setting depending on humidity levels to help you avoid under/overcooked food.
  • EasyClean Technology: Keep your microwave looking brand new with the EasyClean anti-bacterial coating.
  • SmoothTouch Glass Control Panel: This control panel is not only beautiful, but it’s better than other LG models and works efficiently.

Performance

The LG NeoChef 2.0 microwave is every bit as powerful as the super expensive 2.0 Over-the-Range appliance with 1200 Watts of power. The Smart Inverter and Sensor Technology ensure rapidly and evenly cooked meals, and it performs consistently.

There aren’t many features or presets on this microwave, so there will be a lot of trial and error when selecting power and time levels for different meals.

Consumers are generally happy with this LG countertop microwave’s longevity, which has minimal complaints of unit failure.

Should you buy the LG NeoChef Countertop 2.0 Stainless Steel Microwave (LMC2075ST)?

The LG NeoChef 2.0 Countertop microwave enables consumers to buy large capacity powerful appliances without breaking the bank. This particular model has a high-end appearance, too, which looks great sitting on your work surfaces. LG kept the price point low with a lack of features, leaving consumers to figure things out for themselves. This is the best countertop microwave made by LG.

Best Value LG Countertop Microwave

4.  LG NeoChef LMC0975ST Countertop Microwave

  • Super Affordable
  • Light & Compact
  • Unique Appearance
  • Smart Inverter & Sensor Cooking
  • LED Lamp
  • Unclear Control Panel
  • Annoying Notification Chime
  • Noisy

  • Score: 8/10
  • Value for money: Good

Specifications

  • Type: Countertop
  • Dimensions: 18.5 x 14.5 x 11 inches
  • Appliance Weight: 20.9lbs
  • Capacity: 0.9 cu.ft
  • Turntable: Yes
  • Available Colors: Stainless Steel
  • Wattage: 900 Watts

Design, Construction & Capacity

The exterior is finished in striking stainless steel, though it’s prone to attracting fingerprints, as is the case with most stainless steel appliances. The door stretches the machine’s full width, which gives it the appearance of not having a control panel, though the buttons and LCD are hiding directly behind.

With a lightweight construction, this countertop microwave’s overall feel is a little flimsy, which is usually the case with smaller, more affordable appliances.

As this microwave is aimed at folks who don’t need a substantial machine, the 0.9 cu.ft capacity is efficient for that corner of the market. It adequately fits a decent-sized dinner plate for reheating and cooking meals for single people or possibly, couples.

Features

  • Smart Inverter & Sensor Cooking: LG’s staple components enable evenly cooked food without under or overcooking.
  • EasyClean Anti-Bacterial Coating: Keep your microwave fresh without the need for abrasive chemicals, thanks to the EasyClean coating that makes cleaning your appliance straightforward.
  • Interior LED Lamp: This microwave’s interior light comes in the form of an LED lamp that’s three times brighter than traditional lights.
  • Defrost Presets: While there aren’t any cooking presets, there are a couple of settings for defrosting food without damaging your ingredients. They are meat, poultry, fish, and bread.

Performance

Though the LG NeoChef 0.9 Countertop microwave only sports 900 Watts of power, it still performs relatively well, as its smaller capacity means not as much power is needed. However, many consumers cite slower cooking times, with decent overall results.

While it does perform well, it’s pretty loud when in operation, which can be annoying. There’s also a notification chime that is loud and obnoxious, and consumers are united in their hatred for it.

LG didn’t design this basic appliance to be a world-beater. Instead, they created a no-nonsense microwave that performs basic kitchen-related tasks without the help of complicated features and functions.

Should you buy the LG NeoChef Countertop 0.9 Stainless Steel Microwave (LMC0975ST)?

If you’re looking for a countertop microwave with a unique appearance, the LG NeoChef 0.9 countertop appliance is worth your consideration. While it looks different from other models, the operation is basic, and its size is small. 

This microwave is the most affordable LG microwave we’ve looked at today, by quite some distance, which is perfect for single people, couples, or those on a tight budget.

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