Description
The Toshiba EM131A5C-BS is a mid size countertop microwave that leans on two features you do not always get at this level: a humidity sensor and a mute button. Toshiba records a 1.2 cubic foot cavity, a 1000 watt rating, 120 volts, a listed weight of 34.6 pounds, a China country of origin and a first availability date of September 2017, which makes it one of the longer running models in this category rather than a new arrival.
What it is and where it fits in a home
This is a main microwave for a small household or a second microwave for a busy one. The cavity is a step up from the 1.1 cubic foot class, which in this catalog includes the 1.1 cubic foot Farberware FM11BKBSS, and a step down from the 2.2 cubic foot units. The published dimensions are 18.4 by 23.3 by 15 inches. Those numbers are worth treating with care: a 1.2 cubic foot countertop microwave standing 15 inches tall and 23.3 inches wide would be unusually large for its cavity, and figures in that range on this listing look like the shipping carton rather than the appliance. Measure the counter against the carton figure and you will have margin either way.
Toshiba does specify the turntable, at 12.4 inches and removable, which is the number that actually decides whether a large plate rotates. That is a more useful figure than cubic feet for anyone who reheats dinner plates rather than casseroles.
Living with it day to day
A 12.4 inch turntable takes a full sized dinner plate, and the listing states it fits a 12 inch pizza, which is a claim Toshiba makes rather than an outcome to promise. In everyday use, 1.2 cubic feet means one plate at a time, a 2 quart dish comfortably, and enough height for a standard mug beside a bowl. The 1000 watt rating is the same output as the Farberware and the GE over the range units in this catalog, so cycle times will feel familiar to anyone moving between them.
The humidity sensor is the feature that changes daily habits. On the preset menus Toshiba lists for foods such as pizza, potatoes and vegetables, the sensor reads moisture in the cavity and ends the cycle on that reading rather than a fixed timer. That removes the guesswork of picking a duration, though it also means the microwave decides when a reheat is done, which some people dislike.
The mute function is the other one. Toshiba states the buzzer can be silenced. In a studio apartment, an open plan kitchen next to a sleeping child, or an office breakroom, that single feature does more for daily life than an extra 200 watts would. The listing does not publish a decibel figure for the unit itself, so fan and magnetron noise cannot be compared on paper against a quieter design such as the Sharp SMD2470AS drawer microwave.
At 34.6 pounds this is a two person lift onto a counter, and once placed it is not something you slide around to clean behind.
Controls and what still works without an app
Everything on this microwave is local. There is no Wi-Fi, no app, no voice assistant and no scan to cook, so there is nothing that stops working when a manufacturer retires a service. The panel carries the sensor presets, ten power levels, a clock and timer, quick minute additions and the mute toggle. Toshiba also lists an eco mode that reduces standby draw and an easy clean interior coating.
The practical caveat, and the listing hints at it, is that the mute toggle and the preset programming are not discoverable without the manual. This is a keypad microwave with more functions than buttons, so functions get layered onto long presses. Anyone who wants a touch panel and a smoother interface will find it in the LG MSER1590S, which publishes SmoothTouch controls and inverter power delivery.
Running cost and upkeep
Nothing needs buying on a schedule. There is no filter of any kind on a countertop microwave, no water line and no drain. Upkeep is the removable 12.4 inch turntable in the sink, the easy clean interior wiped down, and eventually the roller ring, door latch and interior lamp as wear parts.
Electrically, Toshiba does publish the useful numbers for once: 120 volts and 1000 watts. It does not publish the input wattage or the amperage, and it does not state whether a dedicated circuit is expected, so those remain open questions for the rating plate rather than something to assume. The eco mode addresses standby draw, but Toshiba does not publish a kilowatt hour figure for it, so no energy saving should be promised on its behalf. One quirk that catches people on delivery is the protective film on the control panel, which is shipping material and should come off before first use.
Highlights
- Humidity sensor with preset menus, which is not standard at this cavity size.
- A mute option for the buzzer, genuinely useful in open plan rooms and small apartments.
- A 12.4 inch removable turntable, which is the number that decides whether a dinner plate rotates.
- Voltage and wattage are both published, which is more than most listings in this category manage.
- Fully local operation, so no app, account or firmware in the way.
Things To Consider
- Published dimensions of 18.4 by 23.3 by 15 inches look like carton figures for a 1.2 cubic foot cavity.
- 34.6 pounds is a two person lift and it will not be moved often once sited.
- Mute and preset programming are layered onto long presses, so the manual is not optional.
- No decibel rating is published, so noise cannot be compared with rivals on paper.
- No convection, grill or air fry, so it reheats and cooks by microwave only.
Who it is not for
Anyone who wants to bake, roast or crisp should not buy a microwave only cavity: the Panasonic NN-CD87KS HomeChef publishes convection and air fry modes and is the honest comparison. Anyone counting counter inches in a galley kitchen should look at the compact 700 watt models in our countertop microwave listings instead. Households wanting remote start, scan to cook or vent integration with a cooktop are looking at the over the range class, where the LG MVEL2137F carries Wi-Fi and app features. And anyone who dislikes an appliance deciding when a reheat is finished will find the sensor presets more irritating than helpful, though the manual power levels remain available.
