Smart microwaves offer voice control, scan-to-cook barcode recognition and remote monitoring, though the practical gains over a good conventional model are modest.
Voice control is the feature most people actually use, usually for setting a time without touching a greasy keypad. Scan-to-cook, which reads a package barcode and sets the power and duration, works well for the products in the manufacturer's database and not at all for anything else.
Worth noting: microwaves are rarely operated from another room, so remote start adds little, and most models still require you to press start at the appliance for safety. Judge these primarily as microwaves.
