Microwave ovens in Japan: 5 compact 18–26 L picks from ¥19,800

Five oven microwaves in Japan, 18 to 26 L, from about ¥19,800
Only the Sharp and Iris Ohyama reach 1000 W; BALMUDA stops at 800 W
Oven ceiling: 200°C on the Twinbird, 250°C on the other four

The five

Best for	Where to get it	Score	Street price, incl. tax
24 L and 1000 W at 13.1 kg — room to bake for two, under ¥30,000 — if you can’t decide	Iris Ohyama steam oven microwave, 24 L (MO-F2404) See price	73/100	¥26,800 (street price)
The only 18 L model with 1000 W, and 54 automatic menus to cook as well as reheat	Sharp oven microwave, 18 L (RE-SD18C) See price	71/100	¥37,498 (street price)
An 18 L model under ¥20,000, with a 250°C oven and 18 automatic menus	Yamazen flat oven microwave, 18 L (YRP-F181TV) See price	66/100	¥19,800 (street price)
An infrared sensor under ¥20,000 — one button and it is just hot enough	Twinbird flat oven microwave with sensor, 18 L (DR-E852) See price	65/100	¥19,980 (street price)
A 20 L model to leave on show, with an oven set in 10°C steps to 250°C	BALMUDA The Range, 20 L (K09A) See price	62/100	¥43,280 (street price)

These are sold on Rakuten Ichiba, which generally ships within Japan only, and they run on Japanese mains power (100V, 50/60Hz). They suit a home in Japan rather than a suitcase.

24 L and 1000 W at 13.1 kg — room to bake for two, under ¥30,000

Iris Ohyama steam oven microwave, 24 L (MO-F2404)

Microwave steps: 1000, 600, 500 and 200 W equivalent
Steam comes from water poured into the tray
A 40°C proofing menu for bread

See today’s price on Rakuten→

Why it made the five

24 L with a 1000 W microwave and an oven from 100 to 250°C; the same output in eastern and western Japan
A time-saving boost for reheating, and simultaneous cooking for several dishes at once
At 13.1 kg, the lightest of the three 23 L-plus models compared
Right for: Wanting to bake side dishes or a gratin for two at once, on a budget under ¥30,000.
Not for: Choosing by the number of automatic menus — there are 26.
Worth knowing: It is about 51.3 cm wide (excluding handle and knob), around 5 cm wider than the 18 L models compared. Some of the most-reviewed Rakuten listings bundle it on one page with a different 18 L model, so check you are choosing the 24 L MO-F2404.

Score breakdown — 73/100

Criterion	Stars	Why
Quality	★★★★☆	From one, 1000 W maximum adds one, a 250°C oven one, and output not split by frequency on the hertz-free specification one. 26 automatic menus, under 30, adds nothing
Value for money	★★★☆☆	¥26,800, the cheapest Rakuten listing for the 24 L model alone, earns three
Easy to live with	★★★★☆	From three, 13.1 kg — 14 kg or less — adds one. No interior coating or deodorising menu on the official product page (the tray is fully washable)
Trust	★★★☆☆	33 reviews averaging 3.73 across the top 30 Rakuten listings for MO-F2404-W — 10 or more earns three (listings shared with the 18 L model are not counted)
Only here	★★★★☆	Of the three 23 L-plus models compared (this, the Toshiba ER-60C and the Panasonic NE-FS3E), the lightest at 13.1 kg and the only one under ¥30,000 on Rakuten — big enough for two, yet easy to move and to afford: one point

The only 18 L model with 1000 W, and 54 automatic menus to cook as well as reheat

Sharp oven microwave, 18 L (RE-SD18C)

Simmered dishes and vegetable sides finish without setting quantity or frozen versus chilled
Menus include a set of bar snacks to make at home
Microwave steps: 1000, 600, 500 and 200 W equivalent; 40°C proofing
Comes with one wide tray

See today’s price on Rakuten→

Why it made the five

1000 W even at 18 L (for up to two minutes at a time), and an oven from 110 to 250°C
An absolute-humidity sensor that reads the steam, and 54 automatic menus
About 12 kg, and it can sit flush against a wall on its left side and back
Right for: Living alone but wanting to cook with automatic menus, not just reheat.
Not for: Wanting the lowest price, around ¥20,000.
Worth knowing: It has only 4 Rakuten reviews so far (26 October 2026). 1000 W runs continuously for two minutes at most, and an oven at 210°C or more drops to 200°C after about five minutes.

Score breakdown — 71/100

Criterion	Stars	Why
Quality	★★★★★	From one, 1000 W maximum adds one, a 250°C oven one, 54 automatic menus one, and the same output at 50Hz and 60Hz on the official specification one
Value for money	★★☆☆☆	¥37,498, the cheapest on Rakuten, earns two
Easy to live with	★★★★☆	From three, about 12 kg — 14 kg or less — adds one. No interior coating or deodorising menu on the official page
Trust	★★☆☆☆	4 reviews averaging 4.25 across the top 30 Rakuten listings by model number — 1 to 9 earns two
Only here	★★★★☆	Of the six 18–20 L models compared, the only one with a 1000 W maximum, and its 54 automatic menus are the most at that size: frozen food heats faster in a small body and cooking can be left to the menus — one point

An 18 L model under ¥20,000, with a 250°C oven and 18 automatic menus

Yamazen flat oven microwave, 18 L (YRP-F181TV)

Has a grill function
Comes with a tray
The maker’s warranty is one year

See today’s price on Rakuten→

Why it made the five

¥19,800, the cheapest on Rakuten of the nine compared
An oven from 100 to 250°C with 35 and 40°C proofing, and 18 automatic menus
Auto-off, mute and finish adjustment
Right for: Mostly reheating, baking toast or a gratin now and then, with a budget under ¥20,000.
Not for: Living in eastern Japan (50Hz) and caring about microwave power.
Worth knowing: It is hertz-free and works anywhere in Japan, but 650 W is available only at 60Hz (western Japan); at 50Hz (eastern Japan) the maximum is 500 W. The oven drops from 250°C to 210°C after about three minutes.

Score breakdown — 66/100

Criterion	Stars	Why
Quality	★★☆☆☆	From one, a 250°C oven adds one. The microwave gives 650 W at 60Hz and 500 W at 50Hz — under 1000 W and different by region — and 18 automatic menus is under 30, so nothing more
Value for money	★★★★★	¥19,800, the cheapest on Rakuten, earns five
Easy to live with	★★★☆☆	From three, 15.3 kg changes nothing. No interior coating or deodorising menu on the official online-shop page
Trust	★★★★☆	685 reviews averaging 4.16 across the top 30 Rakuten listings by model number — the average is under 4.5, so four
Only here	★★★☆☆	The cheapest of the nine on Rakuten at ¥19,800, but the Twinbird DR-E852 is also under ¥20,000 at ¥19,980, and nothing is this model’s alone, so nothing is added

An infrared sensor under ¥20,000 — one button and it is just hot enough

Twinbird flat oven microwave with sensor, 18 L (DR-E852)

For manual use, set power and time on a dial
The oven offers 40°C proofing and 110 to 200°C
White interior, door and dial; the door opens downward

See today’s price on Rakuten→

Why it made the five

An infrared sensor that reads the food’s surface temperature and heats it to the right point
Six dedicated buttons: rice, drinks, side dishes, defrost, fried-food reheating and pizza
A mute setting that flashes the backlight instead of sounding the buzzer
Right for: Mostly reheating, wanting one button to get it right, and no beeping at night.
Not for: Wanting to bake pizza or cakes properly hot — the maximum is 200°C.
Worth knowing: Microwave power changes by region: 500 W at 50Hz (eastern Japan), 600 W at 60Hz (western Japan). The 200°C maximum oven temperature is the lowest of the nine compared.

Score breakdown — 65/100

Criterion	Stars	Why
Quality	★☆☆☆☆	From one, nothing added: 500 W at 50Hz and 600 W at 60Hz is under 1000 W and different by region, the oven tops out at 200°C, and the six dedicated buttons are the automatic menus
Value for money	★★★★★	¥19,980, the cheapest on Rakuten, earns five
Easy to live with	★★★☆☆	From three, about 15.0 kg changes nothing. No interior coating or deodorising menu on the official store page
Trust	★★★★☆	143 reviews averaging 4.27 across the top 30 Rakuten listings by model number — the average is under 4.5, so four
Only here	★★★★☆	Of the two models under ¥20,000 on Rakuten (this and the Yamazen YRP-F181TV), the only one whose maker lists infrared-sensor automatic heating: rice and side dishes reach the right temperature at one button, with no time to set — one point

A 20 L model to leave on show, with an oven set in 10°C steps to 250°C

BALMUDA The Range, 20 L (K09A)

Guitar tones play while it runs, and a spotlight lights the inside
Oven modes with and without preheating, plus proofing
Comes with one tray; warranty is one year, extended by a year if bought from BALMUDA’s online store

See today’s price on Rakuten→

Why it made the five

Dial controls, guitar tones while it runs, and a spotlight on the food
An oven set in 10°C steps from 100 to 250°C, with 40°C proofing
2,079 Rakuten reviews, the most of the nine compared
Right for: Caring how an appliance looks when it sits out in the kitchen or a one-room flat.
Not for: Wanting automatic menus to do the cooking, or a lower price.
Worth knowing: The microwave maximum is 800 W (for up to three minutes), less than the 1000 W of other models compared. The automatic functions are mainly modes — heating, drinks, frozen rice and defrost — and BALMUDA does not publish a number of cooking menus. The official specification page gives no annual energy consumption.

Score breakdown — 62/100

Criterion	Stars	Why
Quality	★★★☆☆	From one, a 250°C oven adds one and the same output at 50Hz and 60Hz on the official specification one. 800 W maximum is under 1000 W, and no menu count is published
Value for money	★★☆☆☆	¥43,280, the cheapest on Rakuten, earns two
Easy to live with	★★★☆☆	From three, about 15.3 kg changes nothing. No interior coating or deodorising menu on the official specification page
Trust	★★★★★	2,079 reviews averaging 4.63 across the top 30 Rakuten listings for the brand name and model number — 100 or more at 4.5 or higher earns five
Only here	★★★☆☆	The only one of the nine that plays guitar tones while it runs and lights the inside with a spotlight — character in looks and enjoyment, not a figure that bears on heating or cleaning, so nothing is added

Know before you buy

Hertz-free does not mean the same power everywhere. It means the oven works in eastern (50Hz) and western (60Hz) Japan; the Yamazen YRP-F181TV reaches 650 W only at 60Hz and 500 W at 50Hz, and the Twinbird DR-E852 gives 500 W and 600 W.
1000 W is a short burst. The Sharp RE-SD18C runs at 1000 W for at most two minutes; the Toshiba ER-60C and Panasonic NE-FS3E for about three before dropping to 600 W.
250°C is time-limited too. The Yamazen drops from 250°C to 210°C after about three minutes, the BALMUDA from 220–250°C to 210°C after about three, and the Sharp from 210°C or more to 200°C after about five. The Twinbird tops out at 200°C.
Electricity barely separates them: 72.1 to 73.4 kWh a year, about ¥2,235 to ¥2,275 at ¥31 per kWh.
18 litres or 23 and up? The 18 L Sharp is 460 mm wide and about 12 kg; the 24 L Iris Ohyama about 513 mm and 13.1 kg; the 23 L Toshiba ER-60C about 15 kg.
Most of the new 2026 Toshiba, Panasonic and Sharp models had between none and eight Rakuten reviews, so the five were filled first from models with 30 or more reviews.

How we chose: theme, conditions, scoring

How we chose

Candidates: 26
Met every condition below: 24
Kept: five, each the best at something different

Conditions (all of them, not most of them)

A household oven microwave of 18 to 26 litres total capacity, with an oven temperature you set in numbers
Total capacity, microwave power and oven temperature published on the maker’s own site (including its official online shop)
The unit itself buyable new on Rakuten Ichiba

Scoring

Five criteria, one to five stars each, weighted to one hundred points. Every star says where the number came from.

Quality25 pts
- Starts at one star. Add one for a maximum microwave power of 1000 W or more, one for a maximum oven temperature of 250°C, one for 30 or more automatic menus as officially listed, and one for the same output at 50Hz and 60Hz (power that does not change by region). Five at most.
Value for money20 pts
- The cheapest new price for the unit on Rakuten Ichiba: under ¥20,000 five stars, ¥20,000 to under ¥25,000 four, ¥25,000 to under ¥35,000 three, ¥35,000 to under ¥45,000 two, ¥45,000 or more one.
Easy to live with20 pts
- Starts at three stars. Add one for a body of 14 kg or less, subtract one for 16 kg or more, and add one if the maker lists an interior coating (ceramic, silicone and the like) or a deodorising menu. Five at most, one at least.
Trust15 pts
- Review count across the top 30 Rakuten Ichiba listings for a model-number search, colours combined: 100 or more averaging 4.5 or higher five stars, 50 or more four, 10 or more three, 1–9 two, none yet one.
Only here20 pts
- Starts at three stars. Add one or two where a figure or function belongs to this model alone among the nine compared, and where it bears directly on daily reheating and cooking for one or two, on where it fits, or on cleaning up.

What we dropped

Candidate	Verdict	Why
Zojirushi EVERINO oven microwave, 18 L (ES-KA18)	Runner-up (68/100)	68 points, but only 15 Rakuten reviews. The five were filled first from models with 30 or more reviews, and the last place went by score to the Sharp RE-SD18C at 71. We will look again as reviews come in.
Toshiba Ishigama Oven steam oven microwave with tray, 23 L (ER-60C)	Runner-up (68/100)	68 points, but released in September 2026 with no Rakuten reviews yet (26 October 2026). The five were filled first from models with 30 or more reviews, and the last place went by score to the Sharp RE-SD18C at 71. We will look again as reviews come in.
Toshiba oven microwave, 18 L (ER-40C)	Runner-up (62/100)	62 points with no Rakuten reviews yet (released September 2026), and its 12 kg body matches the Sharp RE-SD18C, with nothing that is its alone.
Panasonic oven microwave, 23 L (NE-FS3E)	Runner-up (60/100)	60 points, the lowest of the nine, with no Rakuten reviews yet; its full-width door and one-bowl menus are not figures that belong to it alone.
Iris Ohyama oven microwave, 18 L (MO-F1810)	Runner-up	18 L and 250°C meet the conditions, but its official dimensions (48.5 × 37.6 × 30.2 cm), 15.3 kg, output (500 W at 50Hz, 650 W at 60Hz) and 72.6 kWh a year are the same as the Yamazen YRP-F181TV, so it duplicates it.
Iris Ohyama steam oven microwave, 18 L (KMO-F1812 / MO-F1808) and oven microwave, 18 L (MO-F1809)	Held back	They meet the conditions, but the most-reviewed Rakuten listings bundle them on one page with microwave-only or different-capacity models, so the price and reviews for each model cannot be separated (26 October 2026).
Twinbird flat oven microwave with sensor (DR-E857)	Runner-up	Its official 18 L, output (500 W at 50Hz, 600 W at 60Hz), 15.0 kg and 73.4 kWh a year are the same as the DR-E852; the difference is a mirrored-glass and matt-black finish. Out of stock at the official store.
Twinbird flat oven microwave with sensor, 20 L (DR-E220)	Runner-up	20 L, an oven from 100 to 250°C and a re-fry mode meet the conditions, but it has only 4 Rakuten reviews.
Toshiba Ishigama Dome ER-D70C / ER-D90C / ER-D4000C (26 L)	Held back	26 L, 1000 W and a 250°C oven (300°C on the ER-D4000C) meet the conditions, but they were released in July and August 2026 and have between none and 3 Rakuten reviews (26 October 2026). The cheapest new, the ER-D70C, is ¥37,800.
Panasonic NE-MS4E / Bistro NE-BS5E (26 L)	Held back	26 L, 1000 W, 250°C and 83 (NE-MS4E) or 87 (NE-BS5E) automatic menus meet the conditions, but they have 4 and 8 Rakuten reviews. The cheapest new prices are ¥44,550 and ¥59,944 (26 October 2026).
Sharp PLAINLY RE-WF187 (18 L) / RE-WF237 (23 L)	Held back	18 L at 900 W and 23 L at 1000 W meet the conditions, but they have no Rakuten reviews yet (26 October 2026).
Sharp Healsio AX-U1D (26 L) / Zojirushi EVERINO ES-GY26 (26 L)	Held back	26 L, 1000 W and 250°C meet the conditions, but they have none and 1 Rakuten review respectively (26 October 2026).
Toshiba ER-RB10B (20 L)	Outside the theme	Its official function list has no oven temperature setting, only three levels of rebake (hot-air heating) — low, medium and high (condition 1).
Iris Ohyama steam oven microwave, 26 L, tank type (MS-F2601)	Outside the theme	A Rakuten search turns up only replacement parts, so the unit itself cannot be bought new (condition 3).
Sharp RE-SS26B / Toshiba ER-Y60	Outside the theme	Many Rakuten reviews, but the RE-SS26B has no product page on Sharp’s site and Toshiba lists the ER-Y60 as discontinued. We compare current models only.
Hitachi Healthy Chef	Outside the theme	The official range is 15 L and 27 L or more, with no current 18–26 L model. The 23 L MRO-S23D, which has Rakuten reviews, is not in the official range.

Questions visitors ask

Which should I choose if I can’t decide?

The Iris Ohyama steam oven microwave, 24 L. Its total across the five criteria, 73 points, was the highest.

Which is the cheapest of the five?

The Yamazen flat oven microwave, 18 L, at a street price of about ¥19,800 including tax (as of 25 October 2026).

How current are the prices?

They are guide prices checked against the makers’ sites and Rakuten Ichiba on 25 October 2026. Campaigns and stock change them, so check the linked page before you buy.

Where can I buy one in Tokyo?

All five are sold by Rakuten Ichiba stores that ship to addresses within Japan, and the links above go straight to them. If you would rather see them in person, the big electronics chains — Yodobashi Camera, Bic Camera and Yamada Denki — have branches next to the main stations and carry the major Japanese brands. Online prices are often lower than in the store, so it is worth checking both.

18 litres or 23 to 26 — which should I choose?

Decide by the space you have and how much you bake at once. Among those compared, the 18 L Sharp RE-SD18C is 460 mm wide and about 12 kg, the 24 L Iris Ohyama MO-F2404 about 513 mm and 13.1 kg, and the 23 L Toshiba ER-60C about 15 kg. The supplied trays grow too: 365 × 279 mm outside for the RE-SD18C, 38.4 × 30 cm for the ER-60C. If you live alone and mostly reheat frozen food and ready meals, 18 L; if you want to bake a gratin or pizza for two at once, 23 L or more.

It says hertz-free — so why does the microwave power change by region?

Hertz-free means it can be used in both eastern (50Hz) and western (60Hz) Japan, not that the power is the same. The Yamazen YRP-F181TV gives 650 W only at 60Hz and at most 500 W at 50Hz. The Twinbird DR-E852 gives 500 W at 50Hz and 600 W at 60Hz. The Sharp RE-SD18C (1000 W) and Iris Ohyama MO-F2404 (1000 W) do not split their output by frequency on the official specification.

Does a 1000 W maximum last?

No. High power is available only for a short time. The Sharp RE-SD18C runs at 1000 W continuously for two minutes at most; the Toshiba ER-60C and Panasonic NE-FS3E run at 1000 W for about three minutes, then switch to 600 W. The BALMUDA K09A’s 800 W also lasts at most three minutes.

Can the oven stay at 250°C?

No. Every model compared limits how long it runs at a high temperature. The Yamazen YRP-F181TV drops from 250°C to 210°C after about three minutes, the BALMUDA K09A from 220–250°C to 210°C after about three, and the Sharp RE-SD18C from 210°C or more to 200°C after about five. The Twinbird DR-E852’s oven tops out at 200°C.

How much does the electricity differ over a year?

Hardly at all: annual energy consumption of the models compared is 72.1 to 73.4 kWh. At ¥31 per kWh, the Iris Ohyama MO-F2404 at 72.1 kWh costs about ¥2,235, the Yamazen YRP-F181TV at 72.6 kWh about ¥2,251, and the Sharp RE-SD18C and Twinbird DR-E852 at 73.4 kWh about ¥2,275. The BALMUDA K09A’s official specification page gives no annual figure.

Why are the high-scoring Zojirushi ES-KA18 and Toshiba ER-60C not in the five?

Because the five are filled first from models with 30 or more Rakuten reviews. The ES-KA18 scored 68 points but had 15 reviews; the ER-60C scored 68 but, released in September 2026, had none yet (26 October 2026). The last place went by score among the rest, to the Sharp RE-SD18C at 71 points. We will look again as reviews come in.

Why are there so few 23–26 L models from Toshiba, Panasonic and Sharp?

Toshiba’s current models are officially listed as released between July and September 2026, and the current Toshiba, Panasonic and Sharp models had only between none and eight Rakuten reviews (26 October 2026). The Toshiba ER-60C (23 L) and Panasonic NE-FS3E (23 L) are among the nine we scored. The 26 L Toshiba ER-D70C, Panasonic NE-MS4E and others are listed under what we dropped.

Changes

2026-10-25　First published. Scored from 26 candidates.