If you mainly reheat and defrost food, start by comparing solo microwaves; a grill is useful if you also want to brown or crisp dishes. A combination microwave also offers oven-style cooking, provided its size and installation requirements suit your kitchen. For small meals cooked with dry heat, compare an air fryer or mini oven instead, but don’t assume either will replace a microwave for all your needs.
Start with the meal you make most often, then consider how much space you have for the appliance and your dishes.
If you mainly heat plates of food and soup, or defrost meals, a solo microwave is worth comparing first. UFC-Que Choisir’s guide distinguishes grill models for browning and crisping dishes. This feature is most useful if you’ll actually use it.
If you also want the same appliance to grill or cook oven-style dishes, compare a combination microwave with a mini oven. Check that the appliance’s external dimensions, interior capacity and installation requirements suit your available space and cookware.
If you’re considering an air fryer near your living space, add noise to your list of criteria. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the importance of its ventilation noise in an open-plan kitchen or small space.
First decide whether you’ll mainly use the appliance to reheat food, brown dishes or cook small meals. Then check what will actually fit in your kitchen.
Worth considering: if reheating and defrosting make up most of your needs, as described in UFC-Que Choisir’s guide.
The trade-off: it won’t brown or crisp food like a grill model, and doesn’t offer the fan-assisted heat of a combination microwave.
Worth considering: if you want to keep the usual microwave functions and occasionally brown or crisp dishes, as outlined by UFC-Que Choisir.
The trade-off: having a grill doesn’t mean the appliance also has fan-assisted heat.
Worth considering: if you want one appliance to combine microwave, grill and oven-style cooking functions, as distinguished by UFC-Que Choisir.
The trade-off: check how much space it takes up before giving it a permanent spot on your worktop.
Worth considering: if you mainly want to cook small meals using dry heat. UFC-Que Choisir’s test protocols include quiches and cakes cooked in air fryers, while Moulinex describes several cooking modes for its Optimo mini oven.
The trade-off: don’t assume these appliances will meet your needs for reheating a plate of food or defrosting.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking needs | Note how often you reheat and defrost food, then how often you brown dishes or cook oven-style meals. Check which modes are available on the specific model. | Do I mainly reheat meals, or do I also want to regularly make gratins, quiches or cakes? |
| Space and usable capacity | Compare the external width, height and depth, then check the interior capacity and the size of the turntable or basket. Consult the manual for clearance requirements and installation restrictions. | My appliance needs to fit in its designated spot with enough ventilation, while still accommodating the plates and dishes I use. |
| Cooking results | For a microwave, look for test results on defrosting and even reheating. For grill or fan-assisted cooking, check results for the dishes you make. UFC-Que Choisir’s test protocol treats these as separate tests. | If I plan to cook as much as I reheat, results for the types of food I make matter more than the number of programmes alone. |
| Everyday use | Check how easy the parts you use are to clean, read the safety instructions and, if an air fryer will be near your living space, consider its ventilation noise. UFC-Que Choisir draws particular attention to noise in small spaces. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to be able to factor in noise and cleaning after meals. |
A grill and fan-assisted heat are only useful in practice if you cook dishes that need them. A combination model also takes up space, so check its dimensions.
Make a list of the meals you usually prepare. If you nearly always reheat and defrost food, compare solo microwaves first, then consider other modes based on the dishes you make.
The stated capacity doesn’t tell you whether your dish will fit inside or whether the appliance will fit in the space you have. For example, Electrolux and Samsung product specifications show different external dimensions for the models featured.
Measure the space and the dishes you use most often, then compare them with the appliance’s dimensions, any turntable and the manufacturer’s ventilation requirements.
Its ventilation noise can matter in an open-plan kitchen. UFC-Que Choisir’s tests also look at ease of use and safety, not just cooking performance.
Look for tests covering noise and cleaning, then check whether the basket and accessories are suitable for the food you prepare.
A container that’s suitable for one cooking mode may not be suitable for another, particularly when an appliance combines microwave and grill functions.
Before use, follow the model’s instructions and check that each dish is compatible with the mode you’ve selected.
These models illustrate some of the functions and sizes available to compare. The features of one model don’t necessarily apply to other appliances from the same brand.
Whirlpool France lists the freestanding MWP201W microwave with a capacity of 20 L and a power rating of 700 W.
Electrolux France’s product specifications for the EMZ421MMK list microwave, grill and microwave with grill modes.
Samsung France describes the 35 L MC35R8088LC/EF combination microwave as having convection, grill and defrost functions.
Moulinex France presents the 19 L Optimo OX444810 as a freestanding mini oven, rather than a microwave.
This selection includes solo and grill microwaves, plus an air fryer for small meals. Compare each appliance with your needs and available space: their functions aren’t interchangeable.
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Worth comparing if you mainly want to reheat and defrost food in a small kitchen. The model name specifies six power levels and a 30-minute timer. Check the manual to see how much clearance to leave around the appliance.
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Worth considering if you reheat and defrost food but also want to brown or crisp dishes from time to time. Don’t confuse the grill with a fan-assisted cooking function. Check the full installation instructions before choosing a spot for it.
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This solo microwave suits those who mainly reheat and defrost, with no grill function listed. Before giving it a permanent spot, compare the available space with the model’s dimensions and the ventilation requirements in its manual.
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Worth comparing for cooking small portions, rather than assuming it will replace a microwave. The product name specifies a non-stick basket and a 60-minute timer. Check the external dimensions, installation requirements and the space needed to handle the basket.
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Worth comparing if you want to combine reheating, defrosting and grilling. The stated capacity alone won’t tell you whether it’s right for a small kitchen. Compare the dimensions and clearance requirements in the manual with your available space.
Yes, if you mainly reheat and defrost food. UFC-Que Choisir’s guide describes these as common uses for a microwave. If you often brown dishes or cook oven-style meals, compare appliances with the relevant functions too.
Measure the width, height and depth of the space, then compare them with the appliance’s external dimensions. Also check the size of your dishes and the clearance and ventilation requirements in the manual. The capacity in litres won’t answer these questions.
Not for every use. UFC-Que Choisir’s guide highlights reheating and defrosting as microwave functions, while its air fryer test protocol looks at cooking chips, quiches and cakes, among other things. Choose based on what you actually need to do, rather than assuming the appliances are interchangeable.
Yes, especially if the appliance will be used near your living space. UFC-Que Choisir notes that ventilation noise is worth paying particular attention to in an open-plan kitchen or small space. Look for an assessment of the model you’re considering.