If you regularly want to cook oven-style dishes in a small kitchen without a conventional oven, consider a combination microwave with fan-assisted convection. A solo microwave or one with a grill alone won’t do the same job. For reheating and defrosting, with the occasional browned or grilled finish, a solo or grill model may be enough. Before choosing a combination model, check how much space it needs, which dishes will fit and how well it performs in the modes you plan to use.
In a studio flat or holiday home, you may also want to make pizzas, cakes and other oven-cooked dishes. Look for a combination model whose specifications explicitly mention fan-assisted convection, and check that your dishes will fit inside.
You often reheat and defrost food, but rarely need to cook oven-style dishes. Start by comparing a solo microwave with a grill model, based on how often you really want to brown or grill food.
Whether you’re placing the appliance on a worktop or fitting it into a cabinet, measure the space first. The external dimensions, door opening and ventilation requirements for the model matter just as much as its stated capacity.
Start with the types of cooking you’ll actually do, then check whether the appliance can be installed where you want it. If oven cooking is your main priority and you have space for a dedicated installation, a compact conventional oven is also worth considering. You could then choose a separate appliance for microwave reheating.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Oven-style cooking | Explicit mention of fan-assisted convection; compatible dish and accessory dimensions. | I don’t have a conventional oven and want to regularly make cakes or oven-cooked dishes, not just reheat food. Around 36% of consumers make this their priority. |
| Space and installation | External dimensions and door opening; clearance required in the model’s instruction manual. | My worktop space is limited, or I need an appliance that can be built in. Space and installation come before other criteria for around 29% of consumers. |
| Reheating and defrosting | Controls, defrost function and the space taken up by a solo model. | If I mainly need to reheat or defrost food quickly, I don’t need to prioritise oven functions. This is the main requirement for around 21% of consumers. |
| Occasional browning | Whether it has a grill; browning results if getting a golden finish is especially important. | I’d like to brown food from time to time, but don’t plan to bake or roast regularly. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this as their only additional use. |
A grill can brown food, but its presence doesn’t mean the appliance has fan-assisted convection. Que Choisir also assesses results separately for different cooking modes in its test procedure, so the number of functions alone doesn’t tell you how well they perform.
A grill is for browning and grilling; it doesn’t mean the appliance has fan-assisted convection for oven-style cooking.
Make a note of the dishes you prepare regularly. If they need an oven mode, look for it explicitly in the model’s specifications.
The cavity capacity doesn’t tell you how much worktop space the appliance needs or how much clearance is required around it.
Compare the external dimensions with your available space and follow the installation measurements in the manual for the exact model, especially if it’s built in.
In its testing procedure, Que Choisir assesses aspects such as evenness and browning separately. A list of functions doesn’t, by itself, tell you how the food will turn out.
If the combination microwave will be your main oven, look for test results covering the modes you’ll use most.
The NN-CD87KS is a freestanding combination microwave worth considering if you want microwave, grill and fan-assisted convection in one appliance.
LG France offers a range of combination microwaves with microwave, grill and fan-assisted convection. Check the functions on the specific model you’re interested in.
The French range includes both freestanding and built-in combination models. Choose between them based on the space available and the type of installation you can accommodate.
These models offer two options for a small kitchen without a conventional oven: a combination microwave to consider for oven-style cooking, and grill microwaves for reheating, defrosting and occasional browning. Check the functions and installation requirements for each model before choosing.
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Worth considering if you want microwave, grill and convection for oven-style cooking. It has a stated capacity of 42 L, but be sure to measure your available space and check the manual for the required clearances. Having a convection mode doesn’t guarantee a particular cooking result.
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For reheating and occasional grilling, with a defrost function listed for this model. The model name specifies 20 L and 700 W. If you also want to cook oven-style dishes regularly, check separately for fan-assisted convection. Make sure your dishes will fit and check the ventilation clearances too.
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Worth considering if reheating and occasional browning matter more to you than oven-style cooking. The model name specifies 25 L, 1000 W and a digital display; defrosting is also listed among its uses. Check that it has fan-assisted convection if you need it, and consult the manual for installation requirements.
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For reheating, defrosting and occasional use of the grill listed for this model. The model name specifies 21 L, 800 W and a freestanding design. If you want to cook oven-style dishes, check for fan-assisted convection; also allow for the clearances stated in the manual.
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Worth considering for reheating, defrosting and occasional grilling. The model name specifies a 25 L, 900 W freestanding microwave with a grill. Check that your dishes will fit, allow for the required ventilation clearances and make sure it has fan-assisted convection if you also expect to cook oven-style dishes.
It can handle some oven-style cooking if the model has fan-assisted convection and your dishes fit inside. Check the modes and results that matter to you: Que Choisir assesses several aspects of reheating and cooking separately in its test procedure.
Measure the available width, height and depth, and don’t forget to allow for the door opening. Compare these measurements with the model’s external dimensions and the clearances specified in its manual. You can’t work out ventilation requirements from the dimensions of a different appliance.
A grill alone isn’t a fan-assisted cooking mode. If cakes or other oven-style dishes are important to you, look specifically for this function and check which dishes will fit in the model you choose.
Yes. The French Ministry of the Economy states that the statutory guarantee of conformity is compulsory for goods sold by a trader to a private individual, whether they’re new, second-hand or refurbished. If an additional commercial warranty is offered, check its terms separately.