Non-Toxic Microwaves Reviewed (No Prop 65, PFAS, BPA)

When choosing a non-toxic microwave I looked at material composition (bisphenols, PFAS, contaminants from recycled plastic) and if it has a California Proposition 65 Warning.

I also worked with Luke Skaff, electrical engineer, Dr. Bryan Quoc Le, PhD food scientist, and our resident toxicologist Dr. Hansprabha Mudgal, to provide us with information on safety of radiation, EMFs, nutrient loss, and microwaving plastics.

This article contains affiliate links, upon purchase I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Non-Toxic Microwave Criteria

Minimal Black Plastic:

• I note if they contain black plastic, because black plastic has a higher potential of coming from recycled e-waste plastic and therefore containing toxic chemicals of concern like now banned flame retardants.
• (On stainless steel microwaves, you’ll still usually find plastic on the keypad, and inside the door behind the glass). 

Bisphenols vs No Bisphenols:

• If the microwave’s interiors are steel coated in epoxy paint, epoxy paint does typically contain bisphenols, (and only BPA and BPS are on the Prop 65 list).
• Though the walls of the microwave do not typically heat up, and the BPA is not necessarily leachable from epoxy.

PFAS?:

• PFAS can be used on easy clean interiors, on the “fingerprint-resistant” exterior finishes (oleophobic coatings) on stainless steel​, and on interior accessories.

No Proposition 65 Warning:

• I used Prop 65 as a guide.
• Even though appliances with Prop 65 do not necessarily have toxic chemicals of concern in parts that you are exposed to, a company that can claim it does not need a Prop 65 warning may be going the extra mile.

Regarding Off-Gassing:

• Those who are chemically sensitive would pick up off-gassing from new microwaves.
• Limiting plastic can help, though the plastic is not particularly odorous in microwaves.
• Extremely chemically sensitive folks should wipe down visible parts (see the article on how to off-gas a fridge for instructions) and consider running it in a garage/outside before brining it inside (but don’t run a microwave with nothing in it).

Summary: Panasonic is my top brand because they have a statement on PFAS, the epoxy coating is free of bisphenols. They don’t have a Prop 65 warning on some models. I review their top models below.

Non-Toxic Microwaves Reviewed

Panasonic’s Specs:

Recycled plastic, yes, but may be fine: Panasonic does use recycled plastic (source and source), but black plastic on the microwave I bought is minimal and mine doesn’t have a Prop 65 warning so it should not contain contaminants of concern in any significant amount.

No bisphenols on interior? The Panasonic microwave interiors are steel coated in epoxy paint (based on written materials and chat). Panasonic said in an email that their epoxy coatings in microwaves do not contain bisphenols. Though there is a chemical warning on one model for BPA (not the one I got though).

No PFAS? Some of the Panasonic microwaves boast an “easy clean interior” though it’s not PFAS-based. According to their chemical disclosure none of the microwaves declare PFAS. According to a rep. “None of the commercial or residential microwave ovens has PFAS in food contact surfaces or handles as of now (June, 2025).”

No Prop 65 Warning? The Panasonic microwaves don’t have a Prop 65 warning online or on the box I received. Though one reader said the first one on the list had a warning for BPA.

Panasonic declares diboron trioxide in all their microwaves and silica in a couple, under California, Assembly Bill 1200, but these are not a risk to the user (this is different than Prop 65).

1. Panasonic NN-SU696S

This is the cheapest and most basic microwave on the list. It is the smallest and does not use the “Inverter” technology that creates even cooking.

Specs:

Panasonic’s NN-SU696S microwave cooks at 1100 watts and is made of stainless steel. 

It’s 20.44 inches wide by 16.63 inches deep (340 sq. inches). This is standard sized microwave, though fairly deep.

Materials:

A few places on the microwave have black plastics: the outside and inside of the door, the door latches, and the control panel.

The panel has a thin film of clear plastic covering the black plastic underneath.

Features:

It provides most common microwave functions, including dedicated buttons for things like popcorn.  

It carries a “Genius Sensor” that cooks with a single button by detecting the amount of moisture in food and adjusting its power and cooking time. 

Chemical warnings:

A reader said the box has a Prop 65 warning for BPA, and a chemical disclosure for PFAS.

The company said as of June 2025, “None of the commercial or residential microwave ovens has PFAS in food contact surfaces or handles as of now”.

Price:

At about $200, it’s the most affordable microwave in this review. 

2. Panasonic NN-SN76LS

This is a standard size microwave that is an upgrade as it has the Inverter technology to heat and defrost evenly. I bought this microwave when I completed the article.

Specs:

Panasonic’s NN-SN76LS microwave cooks at 1250 watts and is also made of stainless steel. 

The white one also looks good.

The width is medium length but it’s very deep.

The microwave is 1.6 cubic feet, with a footprint of 21.88 inches wide and 19.44 inches deep (425 sq. inches). 

Materials:

Around the door, the inside of the door and the control panel contain black plastic.

Features:

The NN-SN76LS carries the common microwave functions, including dedicated buttons for things like popcorn. 

This microwave features Cyclonic Wave and Inverter technology that claims to produce and distribute microwaves in such a way that cooks more efficiently and avoids overcooking (which helps to prevent nutrient loss, more about that at the end of the article). 

It definitely works way better than any microwave I have owned before.

The Inverter creates a steady stream of radiation to cook food rather than on-off pulsing the way many microwaves regulate power level, e.g. when you’re cooking at 80% power. (This is also what makes it so big).

This microwave makes use of the Inverter for its Turbo Defrost feature as well, so that you can defrost food while heating it evenly.

The “Genius Sensor” cooks with a single button-press by detecting the amount of moisture in food and adjusting its power and cooking time. 

Chemical disclosures:

They say it has an “easy clean” interior which is PFAS-free and bisphenol free.

My box did not contain a Prop 65 warning (purchased in the US) but it did have chemical disclosure for PFAS.

As of June, 2025, they have changed the label on the box. They say, “None of the commercial or residential microwave ovens has PFAS in food contact surfaces or handles as of now”.

My review:

I have used this for a few weeks now and it does defrost food more evenly than my old microwave for sure.

It cooks more evenly than older or more basic microwaves and it cooks faster.

It’s also been difficult to find a place for it because it’s so deep it does not fit in the usual compartments above stoves or in most islands.

Price:

At around $250, this microwave sits in the middle price bracket. 

3. Panasonic NN-SN97JS

This is the largest Panasonic microwave I am reviewing, with the best Amazon rating, and the highest price. It does have the function to cook food more evenly. The company says it has no Prop 65 or PFAS warning.

Specs:

Panasonic’s NN-SN97JS microwave is 1250 watts and made of stainless steel. 

It’s a large microwave at 2.2 cubic feet, and has the biggest footprint of the microwaves we reviewed, at 23.9 inches wide and 19.5 inches deep (466 sq. inches). 

Materials:

The the door and the control panel both contain black plastics.

Features:

The Cyclonic Wave with Inverter technology provides more even cooking (to prevent nutrient loss). 

It’s designed to work as a countertop microwave or as a built-in. 

Warning labels:

In an email the company said this model does not have a Prop 65 warning or warning on the box for PFAS.

As of June 2025, “None of the commercial or residential microwave ovens has PFAS in food contact surfaces or handles as of now”.

Reviews:

This microwave has the best Amazon rating on this list and comes in at the high-end at around $375. 

4. Panasonic NN-SV79MS

This options has all the bells and whistles that Panasonic offers – even heating, even defrosting, sensor to detect cook time, and it connects with Alexa. The company says it has not Prop 65 or PFAS warning.

Specs:

Panasonic’s NN-SV79MS microwave connects to your Alexa so you can speak commands to the microwave.

(This may not be a plus side for those sensitive to EMFs).

This microwave is 1200 watts and is also made of stainless steel. 

It’s a small-sized microwave at 1.4 cubic feet, with the second-smallest footprint in the list at 20.43 inches wide by 17.4 inches deep (355 sq. inches). 

Materials:

There is some black plastic on the door but not on the panel like most other microwaves.

Features:

Inverter technology provides for even cooking to retain nutrients better and powers the Turbo Defrost feature (which defrosts evenly, without overcooking parts of the food), and the “Genius Sensor” feature which detects cooking progress and adapts. 

The console is uncluttered, featuring a continuous-adjust dial and a few select buttons, like popcorn and “Quick 30” to add 30 seconds to the cook time. 

Warnings:

The company said in an email that this model does not have a Prop 65 or PFAS warning on the box.

As of June 2025, “None of the commercial or residential microwave ovens has PFAS in food contact surfaces or handles as of now”.

Price:

This microwaves sits in the middle price bracket at about $225

Other Brands to Consider:

1. GE

Likely no bisphenols: GE JVM6172SKSS and GE JNM7196SKSS models feature porcelain enamel interiors (no epoxy, no bisphenols, in theory).

PFAS (potentially not): It is not finger print resistant (so should not have PFAS on the exterior finish).

There is no Colorado HB 22-1345 disclosure for presence of PFAS in the food contact surfaces or handles of the cookware. (So those areas are definitely free of PFAS).

I am not certain that this means non-food contact areas like the interior and exterior walls are definitely free of PFAS. They company did not respond to this question when I reached out to them.

GE discloses PFAS only on the Crisper Pan.

Prop 65 Warning, yes: They do have a Prop 65 warning on their microwaves.

They do also declare some chemicals for California AB-1200 Assembly Bill 1200, 2021 (which is not the same as Prop 65), but these are are concerning in microwaves.

Recycled plastic, yes: They do talk about using recycled plastic in their products.

2. Samsung

SAMSUNG 1.2 cu. ft. Countertop Convection Microwave with Air Fry, Black Glass is one model I looked closely at.

No bisphenols: It has a ceramic enamel interior (in theory, no bisphenols here).

No PFAS on exterior: The exterior of this particular model is black glass and does not advertise “fingerprint resistance” (so likely no PFAS on the exterior, not sure about other areas like the interior walls).

Note that other models by them offer “fingerprint resistant” stainless exterior finishes, this coating could be PFAS-based.

Recycled plastic, yes but extremely minimal: While Samsung does use recycled plastic, there is very little plastic visible in this option, even the controls you tap on are glass.

Prop 65 warning, yes: confirmed with the company though it’s not listed on all seller’s pages.

FAQ

What is California’s Prop 65?

Proposition 65 is California’s list of chemicals that can cause cancer and reproductive harm.

The warning is meant to only be included if there is “significant exposures”, though it’s become common for companies to add this to all their products in what is described by some companies as a way to avoid liability.

Microwave brands I have seen that carry a Prop 65 warning include Magic Chef, Whirlpool, GE, Samsung, LG, KitchenAid, Maytag, Frigidaire, Sharp, BLACK+DECKER, Bosch and more.

For a list of Prop 65 chemicals often found in appliances this post lists them out.

Radiation, EMFs, Nutrient Loss, and Chemical Leaching from Plastics

I talked to Luke Skaff, engineer, on if microwaves give off harmful “radiation” and we look at the kinds of EMFs they produce.

I also talked to Dr. Bryan Quoc Le, PhD-level food scientist to see if microwaving food destroys nutrients and how that compares to other cooking methods.

Lastly I worked with Dr. Mudgal our resident toxicologist to go deeper into what microwave safe plastic really means and what chemicals leach from each type of plastic.

These sections can be found in Substack here.

Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.