In a small kitchen, choose a solo microwave if you mainly plan to reheat and defrost food, a grill model if you’d also like to brown dishes from time to time, or a combination microwave if you’ll regularly use its oven-style cooking functions. Before you buy, check that the appliance, its door when open and the clearances required by the instructions will all fit in the space you have in mind. Also check its electrical specifications.
If you mainly reheat and defrost portions, a solo model suits these needs without adding a browning function you may not use. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes this use from that of grill and combination microwaves.
You reheat meals every day but would also like to brown some dishes without installing a separate oven. A grill model offers this extra function, provided you have a suitable space for it.
If the appliance needs to handle some of the cooking you’d usually do in an oven, look at the functions offered by a combination microwave. Check its dimensions too, as well as the surface you plan to put it on.
Choose this: for reheating and defrosting, if you don’t need a golden-brown finish.
Bear in mind: it won’t brown dishes, as UFC-Que Choisir points out in its distinction between standard and grill microwaves.
Choose this: if you’d like to brown or grill dishes occasionally as well as reheat food.
Bear in mind: having a grill doesn’t mean the appliance also offers fan-assisted cooking.
Choose this: if you’ll regularly use oven-style cooking and don’t have a separate oven.
Bear in mind: some models need a deep worktop and a suitable surface to stand on. Check the dimensions and weight of the model you’re considering.
| Your need | What to check | Consumers concerned |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating and defrosting | Check the defrost functions and make sure the turntable is large enough for your dishes. | If I mainly prepare portions in a studio flat, I’d rather use the space I have for the functions I rely on every day. Around 50% of consumers would put reheating and defrosting at the top of their list. |
| Browning or grilling | Confirm that it has a grill mode and check the instructions for the dishes and accessories you can use with it. | I want to be able to brown some meals without installing a separate oven, even though I reheat food the rest of the time. Grilling would be the main priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Handling some of the cooking you’d do in an oven | Check the cooking modes available, then the dimensions, weight and clearances required for your chosen spot. | In a second home without an oven, I need an appliance I can use regularly for cooking, not just reheating. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise this versatility. |
Extra functions won’t make a difference to your meals if you don’t use the grill or oven-style cooking modes. Some combination microwaves also take up more room than solo models.
Make a note of the dishes you’d actually prepare in a typical week. If you mainly plan to reheat and defrost, start by looking at solo models.
A freestanding microwave shouldn’t be treated like a built-in model. Bosch’s instructions for the FEL023M and FEL053M state that they’re not designed to be installed or used in a built-in unit.
Measure your worktop, the space needed to open the door and the clearances specified in the instructions for the model you’ve chosen.
These figures don’t mean the same thing. Electrolux lists microwave output of 800 W and total power of 1 270 W for the EMZ421MMK; these figures apply to this model only.
For the model you’re considering, check the stated heating output and the power supply specifications in its product details or instructions separately.
Samsung France offers freestanding solo, grill and combination microwaves: a range worth exploring based on the functions you’ll use.
The range includes freestanding grill microwaves that combine reheating with browning and grilling.
Whirlpool offers freestanding solo and combination models to consider if you need one appliance to handle several tasks.
These models are suited to reheating and defrosting, with or without a grill for occasional browning. If you’ll regularly use oven-style cooking, look instead for a combination microwave with modes that suit your space.
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Worth considering if you’d like to brown food occasionally as well as reheat meals.
Stated capacity of 20 L and output of 700 W. Check the instructions for the total electrical power and the clearances required in your chosen spot.
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For reheating and occasional use of the grill, as long as your worktop is deep enough.
Stated capacity of 25 L and output of 900 W. Check this model’s dimensions, clearances and power supply before buying.
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Worth a look if you want to reheat, defrost and brown food occasionally using an appliance with a digital display.
Stated capacity of 25 L. The product title lists an output of 1 000 W: check which function this applies to, along with the power supply and required clearances.
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For reheating and defrosting, without the need for a grill function.
Stated output of 700 W, six preset menus and eleven power levels. Compare its dimensions and the clearances specified in the instructions with the space you have available.
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For reheating meals and defrosting food in a kitchen with limited equipment.
Features six power levels, a 30-minute timer and a turntable. Check the instructions for the electrical specifications and the space needed for ventilation.
Follow the clearances specified in the instructions for the model you choose. Samsung France gives general guidance of at least 10 cm at the back and sides, and 20 cm above, but notes that requirements vary by appliance.
Don’t do this if the instructions say it isn’t suitable for built-in installation. Bosch states that its freestanding FEL023M and FEL053M models are not designed to be installed or used in a built-in unit. Check the instructions for your own model.
Check the voltage, frequency, total electrical power and current rating for the model you’re considering, and don’t confuse these with its heating output. For example, Electrolux lists 230 V, 50 Hz, 1 270 W and 10 A for the EMZ421MMK; these figures don’t automatically apply to other models.
No. For goods bought by an individual from a professional seller in France, the legal guarantee of conformity is separate from any commercial extended warranty. The French Ministry of the Economy says it applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods. Check the terms of any extended warranty separately.