If you need to cook regularly without a separate oven, consider a combination microwave with fan-assisted cooking, provided it fits in your kitchenette with the clearances specified in its manual. A basic model may be enough for reheating and defrosting; a grill is more suited to occasional browning. A mini oven is a good option if traditional oven cooking is your priority and you have room for a separate appliance for reheating.
If you plan to cook and brown dishes regularly, rather than just reheat food, consider a combination microwave with fan-assisted cooking. Check that its capacity suits your dishes and that its dimensions and ventilation requirements work for your chosen spot.
The space you actually have may determine your choice before you even look at the programmes. Measure the worktop, the door opening and the clearances required by the manual for the model you’re considering.
If you defrost and reheat food every day, a basic microwave is worth considering. A model with a grill makes sense if you’d also like to brown or crisp dishes occasionally, without planning to cook regularly using fan-assisted heat.
Choose this if: reheating and defrosting cover most of your needs.
Downside: it doesn’t offer grill browning or fan-assisted cooking.
Choose this if: you’d also like to crisp or brown a dish from time to time.
Downside: a grill alone doesn’t offer the fan-assisted cooking you get with a combination model.
Choose this if: you plan to cook regularly using a single appliance because you don’t have a separate oven.
Downside: its dimensions and ventilation clearances may limit where you can put it.
Choose this if: traditional oven cooking is your priority and you have space on your worktop.
Downside: if you also want to reheat and defrost food in a microwave, you’ll need another appliance.
Once you’ve chosen an appliance to suit the meals you usually make, check its dimensions and installation instructions against your kitchenette before comparing secondary features.
| What matters to you | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking without an oven | Whether it has a fan-assisted cooking function, a capacity suited to your dishes and accessories that are approved for use. | I don’t have a conventional oven and want to cook meals regularly without installing a second appliance; around 31 % of consumers make this their top priority. |
| Finding a place for the appliance | External dimensions, door opening and the clearances specified in the manual for the exact model. | In a small kitchenette, I first need to find a spot that meets the installation requirements; this is the main concern for around 31 % of consumers. |
| Reheating and defrosting | Usable capacity and the space it takes up on the worktop, starting with basic models. | I mainly need to reheat or defrost meals, rather than cook them as I would in an oven; nearly 19 % of consumers prioritise this use. |
| Occasionally browning or crisping food | Whether it has a grill, which accessories are included and which dishes are approved for this setting. | I’d like to brown some dishes, but don’t plan to cook regularly using fan-assisted heat; this is the top priority for around 19 % of consumers. |
An appliance may fit your dishes but not the space you have in mind. Whirlpool lists the MCP349WH as 49,4 cm deep; the manual for the separate MCP349BL model requires at least 30 cm of clearance above it and says it must not be installed in a cupboard. These instructions should not automatically be applied to the MCP349WH.
Measure your worktop, the space needed to open the door and the clearances around the appliance. Then check the manual for the exact model you’re considering.
A grill and fan-assisted cooking are for different uses from everyday reheating. If you don’t plan to use these settings, having them won’t meet an additional need.
Think about what you eat over a typical week: reheated and defrosted meals, the occasional browned dish or regular cooking. Then compare the appliance types that suit your needs.
Which dishes you use is worth considering when buying an appliance that combines microwave, grill and fan-assisted cooking. ADEME notes, in particular, that some plastic containers can release substances when heated in a microwave or as they age.
Check the information on your containers and the manual’s instructions for each setting, especially when it comes to racks and metal items.
In France, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to a private individual, as explained by the Ministry of the Economy. A commercial warranty is separate protection.
Before taking out a commercial warranty, compare its coverage, duration and exclusions with the statutory protection that applies and the terms offered by the seller.
Whirlpool offers a range of freestanding microwaves, including basic models, models with a grill and combination models. The MCP349WH is one example of a 25 L combination model with fan cooking, according to the brand.
Panasonic offers multi-function microwaves that combine convection, grill and microwave cooking, including models with capacities of 30 to 34 L.
Samsung describes the MC28M6035CK as a 28 L combination model with microwave, grill and convection cooking.
The Optimo range is an example of a separate mini oven; Moulinex offers, among other options, a 19 L model with fan-assisted cooking and a grill.
It depends on the installation instructions for the model, so don’t assume that a cupboard is suitable. The manual for the Whirlpool MCP349BL says not to install it in a cupboard and requires at least 30 cm of clearance above it. For another model, check its own manual.
A combination model with a genuine fan-assisted cooking function can handle some oven-cooking tasks, provided its settings and capacity suit your dishes. Check the specifications for the model you choose: a grill alone doesn’t provide the same cooking method, and the cavity of a combination model limits the size of the dishes you can use.
Choose containers that are suitable for each setting you plan to use. ADEME highlights the risks of heating certain plastic containers in a microwave. For racks and metal items, follow the manual’s instructions for the programme you’ve selected.
No. For an appliance sold by a business to a private individual in France, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods, according to the Ministry of the Economy. A commercial warranty is separate. Check what it covers in addition and what it excludes before taking one out.