Microwave Oven Prices Price History
1975–2025 · BLS / AHAM
Average price of a countertop microwave oven in the United States, tracked from 1975 to 2025. The microwave is the poster child for how technology adoption drives prices down. When these things first showed up in home kitchens in the mid-'70s, they cost $400 — that's over $2,200 in today's dollars for what was essentially a novelty appliance. By the early 2010s, mass production and commoditization had pushed the average below $70. The recent uptick toward $82 reflects a shift toward slightly fancier models with convection, sensor cooking, and smart features, but microwaves remain one of the cheapest appliances you can buy.
Price in 1975
$400.00
Price in 2025
$82.00
Total Change
-79.5%
Years Tracked
50
Microwave Oven Prices Over Time
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- Microwave prices have fallen 80% in nominal terms since 1975, from $400 to $82. In real dollars, the decline is even more dramatic — over 95%. Almost nothing else in your kitchen has gotten this much cheaper over the same period.
- The fastest price drops came in the early years: from $400 in 1975 to $172 in 1990, as manufacturing scaled up and nearly every American household bought their first microwave. By the mid-'80s, they were no longer luxury items.
- Prices bottomed out around $62 in 2016-2017 before starting a modest climb. That floor represented the absolute minimum viable product — basic 700-watt models that cost less to buy than a nice dinner for two.
- The post-2020 price increases from $68 to $82 are driven by supply chain costs, tariffs on Chinese manufacturing, and a product mix shifting toward mid-range models as consumers upgrade from bare-bones units to ones with inverter technology and smart features.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | $400.00 | — |
| 1976 | $375.00 | -6.3% |
| 1977 | $350.00 | -6.7% |
| 1978 | $325.00 | -7.1% |
| 1979 | $310.00 | -4.6% |
| 1980 | $295.00 | -4.8% |
| 1981 | $280.00 | -5.1% |
| 1982 | $265.00 | -5.4% |
| 1983 | $250.00 | -5.7% |
| 1984 | $235.00 | -6.0% |
| 1985 | $220.00 | -6.4% |
| 1986 | $205.00 | -6.8% |
| 1987 | $195.00 | -4.9% |
| 1988 | $185.00 | -5.1% |
| 1989 | $178.00 | -3.8% |
| 1990 | $172.00 | -3.4% |
| 1991 | $165.00 | -4.1% |
| 1992 | $158.00 | -4.2% |
| 1993 | $150.00 | -5.1% |
| 1994 | $142.00 | -5.3% |
| 1995 | $135.00 | -4.9% |
| 1996 | $128.00 | -5.2% |
| 1997 | $120.00 | -6.3% |
| 1998 | $112.00 | -6.7% |
| 1999 | $105.00 | -6.3% |
| 2000 | $98.00 | -6.7% |
| 2001 | $92.00 | -6.1% |
| 2002 | $88.00 | -4.3% |
| 2003 | $85.00 | -3.4% |
| 2004 | $82.00 | -3.5% |
| 2005 | $80.00 | -2.4% |
| 2006 | $78.00 | -2.5% |
| 2007 | $76.00 | -2.6% |
| 2008 | $75.00 | -1.3% |
| 2009 | $72.00 | -4.0% |
| 2010 | $70.00 | -2.8% |
| 2011 | $68.00 | -2.9% |
| 2012 | $67.00 | -1.5% |
| 2013 | $65.00 | -3.0% |
| 2014 | $64.00 | -1.5% |
| 2015 | $63.00 | -1.6% |
| 2016 | $62.00 | -1.6% |
| 2017 | $62.00 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | $63.00 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | $65.00 | +3.2% |
| 2020 | $68.00 | +4.6% |
| 2021 | $72.00 | +5.9% |
| 2022 | $78.00 | +8.3% |
| 2023 | $80.00 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $82.00 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | $82.00 | +0.0% |
Sources & Methodology
BLS CPI data for microwave ovens combined with Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) shipment data. Figures represent the average selling price of new countertop microwave ovens across all retail channels.
Primary source: BLS / AHAM
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.