Altimo vs Panasonic Microwaves

Altimo is represented by Altimo MMW701S (£54), with the MMW701W white and MMW701B black 700W 20L models, both at £54. It sits as an ultra-budget 20L freestanding line, aimed at very low-cost solo microwaving. Panasonic counters with Panasonic NN-CF87LBBPQ (£509), alongside the NNSF464MBPQ 1000W 27L solo model at £199 and NN-E27JWMBPQ 800W compact model at £79. The choice is less about one winner than about fit, cooking style and budget.

Technically, Altimo MMW701S brings a 700W, 20L solo format with five cooking power levels, quick defrost and a manual kitchen timer, available in silver, white and black. Panasonic NN-CF87LBBPQ brings a 31L 3-in-1 combination model at the top, plus a 1000W 27L solo microwave and an 800W compact option, giving clear choices across capacity, power and cooking flexibility. So compare installation style, litre capacity, wattage and whether the appliance is solo, grill or full combination. Finish matters: a fitted gloss or stainless look feels very different from a plug-in worktop microwave.

Altimo suits students, landlords, spare rooms, offices and anyone needing basic reheating for the smallest outlay. The £54 price is the main value case; it will not replace an oven, but it can handle drinks, ready meals and defrosting cheaply. Panasonic suits busy households, cooks who want a credible oven substitute for smaller meals, and buyers who value wattage and cavity size over built-in styling. The higher models can reduce full-size oven use for small dishes, while the £79 compact unit keeps Panasonic accessible. Energy payback is usually modest on microwaves, so value is more about avoiding wasted oven use, saving worktop space or keeping replacement cost low.

Bottom line: "choose Altimo if you need the lowest-cost 20L 700W microwave with manual controls / opt for Panasonic if you want strong freestanding microwave performance with 31L 3-in-1 flexibility available"