If you mainly want to reheat and defrost portions, choose a standard microwave. If you’d also like to brown the top of a dish now and then, consider a model with a grill. A combination microwave with convection cooking offers a wider range of cooking options, but it won’t necessarily deliver the same results or capacity as a conventional oven. In all three cases, check the space the appliance needs, including ventilation clearance, and make sure your dishes will fit inside.
If you already have another way to cook, a standard model may be all you need for reheating and defrosting. Measure the available space and check that your plates fit inside before choosing a model based on its stated capacity.
If you mainly reheat meals but would sometimes like to brown the top, a microwave with a grill provides that extra option. According to UFC-Que Choisir, the grill is for browning dishes; it doesn’t provide convection cooking.
If you want to cook, grill and reheat with one appliance, look at combination microwaves with convection cooking. Whether one is right for you depends on the dishes you plan to make, the cavity size and the space available for the appliance and its ventilation.
UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between standard microwaves for everyday use, grills for browning and combination models that add convection cooking. Start with the meals you’ll actually prepare, then check that the appliance will fit in your kitchen and accommodate your dishes.
Consider it if: you mainly reheat and defrost, and have another way to cook dishes in the oven.
Limitation: it doesn’t have a grill for browning or convection cooking.
Consider it if: you’d also like to brown dishes occasionally, but don’t need convection cooking.
Limitation: a grill function alone doesn’t replace everything an oven can do.
Consider it if: you don’t have a usable oven and genuinely plan to cook, grill and reheat with the same appliance.
Limitation: capacity and cooking results vary from model to model, so don’t assume they’ll match a conventional oven.
| What to consider | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Space and ventilation | Measure the appliance’s external height, width and depth. Allow for the clearances specified in the instructions for the exact model, and don’t block the air vents, as advised by Whirlpool France. | I want to position the appliance without restricting its ventilation, including under a cupboard or near a corner. |
| Cooking modes | Check the difference between microwave, grill and convection functions, and see which modes the model offers. UFC-Que Choisir associates the grill with browning and combination models with convection cooking. | Will I use the extra functions if I only need to reheat portions? If I plan to cook oven dishes, do I need convection cooking? |
| Room for dishes | Compare the turntable diameter and, where listed, the internal dimensions with your plates and dishes. The capacity in litres alone doesn’t tell you how much room they’ll have inside. | My usual plates and the dishes I want to prepare must fit inside the appliance. |
| Power ratings and electricity supply | Check the stated power ratings for the microwave, grill and oven modes separately. Consult the product details or instructions for the exact model to check the electrical requirements for installation. | I don’t want to confuse the microwave’s reheating power with the grill or oven power, or choose an appliance without checking my electrical supply. |
Two cavities with a similar capacity won’t necessarily give you the same room for your dishes. A microwave’s power rating also doesn’t tell you what its grill or oven functions can do.
Compare the external dimensions, turntable or cavity, and the power ratings for each mode against the meals you plan to make.
If you almost always reheat meals and already have a usable oven, you may rarely use the convection function.
Make a note of the dishes you’ll cook in this home before comparing a combination model with standard or grill microwaves.
A microwave may fit on your worktop without meeting the clearance requirements for installation.
Check the instructions for the exact model. Whirlpool France advises not to block the air vents or place anything on top of the microwave.
Electro Dépôt’s product listings feature standard, grill and combination VALBERG models. These are the manufacturers’ stated specifications, not a ranking of their cooking performance.
Whirlpool France lists both a 13 L solo model, the MAX34/BL, and a 25 L combination model with fan-assisted cooking, the MCP349WH.
The LG MJ 3965 BIB listed by Electro Dépôt is a 39 L multifunction model to consider if you want to fit larger dishes inside.
These models cover reheating with standard microwaves or models with a grill. If you need convection cooking, check that the function is available on a combination model rather than assuming a grill model has it.
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Worth considering if you want to reheat portions and have a grill for the occasional finishing touch. The model title lists a 20 L capacity and 700 W; check that your dishes will fit and allow for the clearances specified in the instructions.
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Designed for reheating and defrosting, this solo model is listed as having 700 W, six power levels and a 30-minute timer. Check the installation instructions and make sure the turntable suits your plates.
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For reheating or defrosting with digital controls, this model is listed as having 700 W, six pre-set menus and eleven power levels. Check the space it needs, the ventilation requirements and the turntable size for your dishes.
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Consider this model if you’ll use the grill and have enough room for a 25 L appliance. Its title lists 900 W and Inverter technology; check the dimensions and clearance requirements before placing it on a small worktop.
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If you’re looking for an appliance to reheat and brown dishes, check the VIO9’s modes in its product details and instructions. Its title lists a 25 L capacity and 1,000 W; confirm which mode that power rating applies to, as well as the space and clearances required.
It can handle some oven-style cooking if you choose a model with convection that suits the dishes you want to make. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes this function from a standard grill and tests cooking modes separately, so don’t assume the capacity or results will match your current oven.
Measure the space and compare it with the model’s external dimensions, allowing for the clearances specified in the instructions. Also check that the turntable or cavity will fit your dishes. Whirlpool France advises that the air vents must not be blocked and that you shouldn’t place anything on top of the microwave.
Only use a container designed for this purpose, and follow its instructions. Anses warns that reheating at too high a power increases the risk of substances migrating from packaging into food. DGCCRF advises following the instructions for food containers and not reusing single-use containers.
In France, the legal guarantee of conformity applies, among other things, to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to an individual. The seller must supply goods that conform to the contract, as explained by economie.gouv.fr. If the advertised specifications don’t match the appliance you receive, contact the seller with the product description and details of the discrepancy.