Best Microwave Pasta Cooker

This is the pick for cooks who want one piece of glassware to cook, store and reheat, rather than a single-purpose gadget. It is made of borosilicate glass with a glass lid, so there is no plastic near the food, and the bowl is rated for the oven as well as the microwave and freezer. For pasta, the maker suggests microwaving uncovered and breaking long noodles in half, which suits penne and rigatoni most naturally.

Owners report that it does well beyond pasta, with quinoa, frozen vegetables and whole meals cooking as well as stovetop steaming would, and that it cleans easily in the dishwasher. The trade-off is size: a common complaint is that the capacity runs small for bigger batches, so households cooking a full box at once may want to look further down this list. Its lid vents steam rather than straining, so plan on draining the pasta separately.

This is the one to consider if you want a pasta cooker and a vegetable steamer from the same purchase, both meant for the microwave. That pairing suits small kitchens, dorm rooms and anyone who would rather own one set than two separate gadgets. If pasta alone is the goal, the Fasta Pasta Microwave Pasta Cooker (the clear original) is a more focused tool, with a lid that measures and drains the water as well.

Think of this as a starter kit for cooking whole meals in glass rather than a pasta tool in particular. It pairs a medium deep dish and a medium shallow dish with silicone-rimmed glass lids whose knobs vent steam and press down to stack. The frosted borosilicate glass goes from microwave to oven to dishwasher, so the same dishes steam vegetables, roast, reheat and serve.

Owners report that the lids seal well with hot and cold food, that the dishes hold up in the dishwasher, and that shrimp and vegetables cook nicely, fresh or frozen. Choose this over the Anyday 8 Cup Glass Microwave Pasta Cooker when you want two dish depths and a pair of lids; stay with the 8 Cup when one large bowl matters more.

This is the dedicated pasta pot of the group: a clear container with a lid that measures the spaghetti and drains the water, so you skip the colander and the extra pot. The patented design is built to give al dente pasta without boil-over or sticking, and it is made in the USA. Owners report even, al dente results and an easy rinse-out cleanup, and describe it as well sized for one to three people, including students.

At 0.5 pounds it is far lighter than the Anyday 8 Cup Glass Microwave Pasta Cooker, and it only does one job, which is the point. Owners report timing close to stovetop cooking, so it saves effort and cleanup more than minutes.

Measuring is where this one stands out: engraved rings inside the pot show how much pasta to add, and a fill line marks the 6.4 cup limit within a 9.4 cup total capacity, leaving headroom so the water does not boil over. The vented lid doubles as the strainer, and the BPA and melamine free plastic goes in the dishwasher.

Owners report that it handles long and shaped pastas alike, from macaroni to wide egg noodles, and that the heavy plastic feels sturdy. The learning curve is real, though. A common complaint is that draining takes technique, since tipping it straight upside down sends hot water out the sides, and putting the lid on before lifting it out of the microwave matters. Size is the other sticking point, with owners cooking for a bigger family finding it too small. Its vented lid does the same straining job as on the Fasta Pasta Microwave Pasta Cooker, but the engraved rings take the guesswork out of portioning.

This is the same patented reservoir design as the clear original, in red, and the maker puts one serving of spaghetti at roughly 12 to 13 minutes, with water circulating to prevent boil-over. It is a good fit for dorm cooking and for cooks who want to start the pasta and prepare other food while it runs. Owners report that results match boiling in a pot, that the lid drain works well, and that mac and cheese comes out nicely.

The limits are practical. A common complaint is that it cannot handle a full box of noodles, so it suits one or two servings best, and the lid has no click closure, which calls for a steady hand or a supervising adult when kids use it. Unlike the Pcregpae Microwave Pasta Cooker, which advertises a reinforced sealed lid, this one keeps things simple with a plain drain lid.

This clear 2.5 quart pot with a strainer lid is aimed at offices, dorms and camping, and it is built to cook up to 4 servings. It ships with a water level card and cooking guide, the lid has calculated drain holes, and the clear body lets you check doneness. Owners report easy cleanup, a size that feels right for small households, quick cooking from box to plate, and no mess.

Durability is the open question. A common complaint is that the pot melted on first use, the lid blew off, or a boil-over made a mess of the microwave plate, which sits awkwardly with its heat-resistant claims. We would hold it to a lower bar than the Nordic Ware Microwave Pasta Cooker 6.4 Cup, where owners describe thick, heavy plastic.