If you mainly reheat and defrost food, a standard microwave may be all you need. Choose a grill model for the occasional golden topping, or a combi microwave with a fan oven function if you also want to cook some dishes usually made in an oven. A compact oven is a better choice when oven cooking is your priority and you can do without a microwave function. In every case, measure your dishes and the available space, then check the functions, accessories and installation instructions for the model.
If you regularly make gratins, pizzas or cakes, compare a combi microwave with a fan oven function against a compact oven before choosing a standard microwave. UFC-Que Choisir’s guide distinguishes cooking functions from everyday reheating.
For reheating and defrosting one or two portions, a standard microwave may be just right if you don’t expect it to brown food or bake cakes.
Compare the appliance’s external dimensions with your worktop, then check the usable cavity size against your dishes. For a freestanding appliance, also allow enough room to open the door and provide the ventilation specified in the manual.
Your choice depends first on how often you cook in an oven: microwave, grill and fan oven functions each meet different needs. UFC-Que Choisir assesses them separately in its testing of models sold in France.
Consider this: if you mainly want to reheat and defrost food.
The trade-off: it won’t brown food like a grill or offer the fan oven function you need for oven-style cooking.
Consider this: if you want to brown the top of a few dishes as well as reheat food.
The trade-off: having a grill doesn’t mean the appliance has a fan oven function for cakes or pizzas.
Consider this: if you need a microwave for reheating and also want to cook some oven-style dishes.
The trade-off: the size of dishes it can accommodate and the cooking results depend on the model and the function used.
Consider this: if tarts, gratins and baking matter more to you than microwave reheating.
The trade-off: it doesn’t offer microwave reheating or defrosting.
| Priority | What to check | Who this suits |
|---|---|---|
| Oven cooking | Whether it has a fan oven function, the cooking modes available and the size of dishes it can accommodate. | I don’t have a conventional oven and want to regularly make gratins or cakes; around 36% of consumers would put this type of cooking first. |
| Reheating and defrosting | Microwave and defrost functions, controls and turntable size. | For everyday meals, I mainly want to reheat a portion or defrost food; this would be the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Size and installation | External dimensions, door clearance and the space required around the appliance according to the manual. | My small kitchen needs to fit the appliance without blocking the door or vents; around 21% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Occasional browning | Whether it has a grill and the accessories designed for use with it. | I want to brown a few dishes, but baking isn’t my main use; around 14% of consumers would put this need first. |
A grill browns food, but having one doesn’t mean a microwave is suitable for cooking things like cakes or pizzas.
Make a note of the dishes you cook most often. If you regularly bake or roast, look specifically for a fan oven or convection function and check which accessories are compatible.
The stated capacity doesn’t tell you whether your dish will fit inside the cavity or whether the appliance will fit on your worktop with the door open.
Measure your dishes and the space available, then compare the appliance’s external dimensions, turntable or rack, and installation instructions.
Blocking the vents on a freestanding microwave may go against the manufacturer’s instructions. Whirlpool advises keeping the ventilation grilles clear.
Follow the clearances specified in the manual for the model you’re considering, and don’t install a freestanding appliance as if it were designed to be built in.
The presence of a cooking mode alone doesn’t tell you how well food will brown, how evenly it will cook or how well the appliance will maintain its temperature. UFC-Que Choisir assesses these aspects separately in its tests.
Check the modes and usable capacity of the model against your recipes, and look for test results covering the types of cooking you’re interested in.
The range includes standard, grill and combi freestanding microwaves.
The brand offers combi microwaves that bring several cooking modes together in a worktop appliance.
Some Samsung combi microwaves combine microwave cooking with additional cooking modes.
A Moulinex compact oven may be worth considering when oven cooking is more important than microwave reheating.
Consider this model if reheating and defrosting matter more to you than oven cooking. If you also want to brown food, confirm the functions of the version on sale before choosing.
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Worth considering for everyday reheating and defrosting: stated capacity of 25 L and stated microwave power of 900 W.
The ‘Solo’ name and the mention of a grill don’t match; if you want to brown food, confirm that the version on sale has this function. Also check that your dishes fit inside the cavity and that the installation space meets the appliance’s requirements.
It can handle some oven cooking if the model has the right functions, including a fan oven function, and can accommodate your dishes. UFC-Que Choisir tests pizza cooking, combination cooking and fan oven cooking separately. So check the functions, accessories and usable capacity rather than assuming it will reproduce every cooking method of a full-size oven.
Measure the width, height and depth of the space, as well as the room needed to open the door and ventilate the appliance. Then check your dishes against the turntable or rack: the capacity in litres alone doesn’t tell you whether they’ll fit.
Only do so if the model’s instructions allow this type of installation and you can meet all the specified clearance requirements. Whirlpool advises that a microwave’s ventilation grilles must not be blocked; built-in models have different installation requirements.
Only use containers marked as suitable for microwave use. Don’t use metal containers in this mode, and check that plastic containers are labelled as microwave-safe before use.
In France, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity applies to goods sold by a business to an individual, including new, second-hand and refurbished appliances, according to the Ministry of the Economy. If the appliance doesn’t match the seller’s description, keep a copy of the product listing and proof of purchase so you can exercise your rights with the seller. This is different from returning an item simply because you’ve changed your mind.