REASONS TO BUY
Good at reheating
Does well with premade frozen foods
REASONS TO AVOID
Didn't defrost frozen turkey well
Black+Decker EM031MB11 Review
This larger product did decently well but we don't think it quite matches the performance of the top-tier models
RELATED: Best Microwaves of 2024
Our Verdict
The Black+Decker EM031MB11 scored pretty well in the bulk of our tests, earning an above-average overall score in our best microwaves review. It delivered respectable performances in our heating and frozen foods tests and scored well in our user-friendliness metric. However, we were unimpressed by its defrosting performance, and overall we weren't impressed enough for this model to earn a spot in our kitchen.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Black+Decker EM031MB11 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | | |||
| Price | $135 List $128.97 at Amazon | $150 List $129.05 at Amazon | $125 List $99.95 at Amazon | $115 List $99.99 at Amazon | $82 List $73.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | While this appliance did alright in our rankings, it just didn't match the performance of some of the better models | This appliance is a fantastic choice for anyone predominantly heating up frozen foods and seeking a larger model | A middle of the road product for a reasonable price, but we weren't exceptionally wowed by any aspect of this microwave | This model stood out for its ease of use and great performance with frozen foods, but performed poorly at defrosting | Ideal for those on a budget or with limited space, but this model falls short in terms of premium build quality and high-level performance across our evaluated metrics |
| Rating Categories | Black+Decker EM031MB11 | Toshiba EM131A5C | Panasonic NN-SB458S | Toshiba EM925A5A | Comfee EM720CPL-PMB |
| Heating (40%) | |||||
| Frozen Foods (30%) | |||||
| Defrosting (20%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Black+Decker EM031MB11 | Toshiba EM131A5C | Panasonic NN-SB458S | Toshiba EM925A5A | Comfee EM720CPL-PMB |
| Wattage | 1000 watts | 1100 watts | 900 watts | 900 watts | 700 watts |
| Size | 1.1 cu. ft | 1.2 cu. ft | 0.9 cu. ft | 0.9 cu. ft | 0.7 cu. ft |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 20.2" x 12.1" x 15.6" | 20.5" x 12.8" x 17.1" | 19.1" x 11.5" x 14.8" | 19.2" x 11.5" x 15.9" | 17.1" x 10.1" x 12.4" |
| Turntable Diameter | 12.4" | 12.4" | 10.6" | 10.6" | 10" |
| Internal Dimentions (WxHxD) | 14.5" x 9.1" x 13.9" | 15" x 9.5" x 13.1" | 13.9" x 8.1" x 12.4" | 13.7" x 8.7" x 12.3" | 10.8" x 6.8" x 10.1" |
| Child lock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 45 Sec Heating Temp Rise | 83 F | 79 F | 89 F | 89 F | 67 F |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
At 1.1 cubic feet, this model boasts a fairly large capacity. It also has one of the lower retail prices of the larger options, making it a decent choice if you want a full-sized microwave and are shopping on a reduced budget.
Performance Comparison
Even though it couldn't match some of the top products, this product scored quite well in our evaluations.
Credit: Laura Casner
Likes
The Black+Decker EM031MB11 got off to a good start in our heating metric, reheating all three of our test types of food very well and delivering solid results in our side-by-side speed heating test.
These three types of food all heated up relatively evenly.
Credit: Laura Casner
This microwave evenly heated up the potatoes and green beans on our plate of leftovers to within 5°F of each other, although the sausages came out just a bit warmer. The canned soup and the two slices of pizza came out nice and hot, consistently heated to the correct serving temperature.
Both slices came out ready to serve.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Black+Decker EM031MB11 also scored high in our tests of the manufactured frozen foods, impressing us most with frozen burritos and Hot Pockets. This appliance heated up the burrito's left, right, and center zones to within an average difference of 9°F of each other. It performed identically with the Hot Pocket, with our thermometers showing the same average difference.
There was just a bit of a cool spot in the center but all three regions were well above serving temperature with the Black+Decker.
Credit: Laura Casner
We appreciate ease of use in our kitchen appliances, and this model had many of the convenience features we like. It has quick start features and a +30 seconds button that automatically starts the microwave. It also has decent internal lighting, and the preset functions seem to work very well.
Only a handful of kernels remained unpopped after using the "Popcorn" button.
Credit: Laura Casner
We used the popcorn function, which popped nearly all the kernels without burning any.
Unfortunately, this model didn't do the best in the defrosting test.
Credit: Laura Casner
Dislikes
Our biggest complaint about the Black+Decker EM031MB11 is its poor showing in our defrosting test. In this test, we used the recommended settings to defrost a one-pound square of frozen ground turkey. This microwave alerted us to flip the meat partway through the process, but it only managed to defrost just under 7 ounces of meat. It didn't cook any of the parts, but the remaining turkey was still relatively frozen and couldn't be broken up easily after we scraped away the completely defrosted parts.
Less than half of the turkey was successfully thawed.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Black+Decker EM031MB11 also didn't score very well in our heat map test, leaving the outer ring of marshmallow fluff almost completely raw, while the middle ring was darkened considerably.
This product only gave lackluster results when heating up the individual serving of pre-made lasagna. The temperatures varied considerably amongst the six different digital thermometers we used, with the most significant temperature gap being 47°F between regions.
This model can be a decent bargain option as well.
Credit: Laura Casner
Should You Buy the Black+Decker EM031MB11?
If you're hoping for a full-size microwave without a full-size price tag, this could be a good bet. However, performance-wise, we think that there are better options out there.
What Other Microwaves Should You Consider?
The Black+Decker EM031MB11 is a solid microwave, but it scored squarely in the middle of our tests. If you're looking for one of the best full-sized microwaves out there, we recommend checking out the Toshiba EM131A5C.
—
David Wise and Austin Palmer
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