If you mainly reheat and defrost food, start by comparing solo microwaves. Choose a model with a grill if you regularly brown or crisp food, or look at a combination microwave if you also need oven-style cooking but don’t have a working oven. Keep an oven or mini oven that already meets your needs rather than assuming a combination model will be a better replacement: according to a study by ADEME and INC published in February 2026, combination microwaves vary in efficiency compared with convection ovens, depending on the dishes and models. In every case, measure the space and check that your dishes will fit inside the appliance.
If you mostly prepare leftovers, ready meals and frozen food, a solo microwave may cover your needs without adding cooking modes you rarely use. Check that it fits in your kitchen and can accommodate your usual dishes.
If you also want to brown food and prepare dishes that need oven-style cooking, compare the actual functions of a combination microwave with those of a mini oven. One appliance could free up space, but its cooking modes and dimensions need to suit your recipes.
For a kitchen you use occasionally, start with the meals you actually prepare there: reheating and defrosting may be enough, while regular oven cooking or making gratins could affect your choice. Consider which appliances are already there before adding another one.
UFC-Que Choisir recommends a solo microwave for everyday use, a grill model for browning and crisping, and a combination model for added oven functions. The right choice then depends on the dishes you prepare and the space you actually have available, including room to open the door.
Consider it if: you mainly reheat and defrost food, while another appliance handles oven cooking.
Limitation: it won’t brown or crisp food, or offer convection cooking.
Consider it if: you want to brown or crisp dishes without needing all the functions of an oven.
Limitation: having a grill doesn’t mean the appliance has a convection oven mode.
Consider it if: you don’t have a working oven and want one appliance for reheating, grilling and oven-style cooking.
Limitation: according to the ADEME and INC study published in February 2026, its efficiency compared with a convection oven varies depending on the dishes, models and brands.
Consider it if: your current appliance already meets your oven-cooking needs; a solo microwave can then take care of reheating.
Limitation: keeping two appliances means checking how much space they take up together.
| What matters to you | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating without taking up too much space | External dimensions, clearances specified in the manual and turntable size. | I mainly reheat and defrost, but my worktop and dishes place practical limits on what I can choose. Around 33% of consumers would put compact reheating first. |
| Cooking food in an oven | Whether it has an oven or convection mode, its temperature range and the accessories required. | Without a working oven, I also want to prepare dishes that need oven-style cooking. This would be the priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Browning or crisping food occasionally | Whether it has a grill, its combination modes and instructions for the rack and cookware. | I want to brown some dishes, but don’t necessarily want to replace an oven. Around 20% of consumers would put grilling first. |
| Keeping a suitable oven | The space taken up by both appliances and the dishes your current oven can already prepare. | My oven or mini oven works well for cooking; I’m only looking for an additional appliance for quick tasks. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise this set-up. |
Capacity alone won’t tell you whether your plate will fit inside the cavity or whether the door can open where you plan to put the appliance.
Measure your largest dish and the available space, then compare them with the turntable, the appliance dimensions and the clearances specified in the manual.
Having several cooking modes in one appliance is only useful if they suit the meals you prepare. The ADEME and INC study published in February 2026 found no consistent efficiency advantage for combination microwaves compared with convection ovens.
Think about the dishes you usually make: if you mainly reheat and defrost, compare solo models first; if you want to brown or crisp food, look at models with a grill.
A grill can brown the surface of food, but its presence doesn’t confirm that the appliance offers convection cooking.
If you plan to cook oven dishes regularly, check the modes, temperature range and accessories of the model you’re considering.
The range includes freestanding, compact, grill and combination microwaves, making it worth exploring if worktop space is a key consideration.
Samsung offers solo, grill and combination microwaves, making it easy to compare the functions you’re looking for.
Some Panasonic combination microwaves bring together microwave, grill and oven functions, making them worth considering if you don’t have a working oven.
Sharp solo microwaves are worth considering if you mainly want to reheat and defrost food.
These solo and grill models are mainly for reheating and defrosting, with the Beko also offering a grilling function. If you’re looking for oven-style cooking, compare the features of a combination microwave or mini oven separately.
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Worth considering if you want to reheat food and also have a grill for browning it.
Advertised capacity: 20 L; microwave power stated in the product name: 700 W. Check the cavity dimensions and the clearances in the manual to make sure it will fit your space.
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Worth comparing for reheating and defrosting if you’d like digital controls.
Advertised power: 700 W; 11 power levels and six pre-set programmes. Check the turntable diameter and required clearances before choosing a spot for it.
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Worth considering if you mainly reheat and defrost, and your dishes need a suitably sized turntable.
The product name states 1,150 W but doesn’t specify what type of power this refers to: don’t assume it’s the microwave output. Check the external dimensions and the clearances required in the manual.
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Worth comparing if you mainly want to reheat and defrost, rather than prioritise browning or crisping.
Advertised power: 700 W; five power levels, a 30-minute timer and a 245 mm turntable. Measure the space and check the external dimensions and ventilation clearances.
Yes, if you mainly reheat and defrost food, with only the occasional simple cooking task. If you also want to brown food or cook it as you would in an oven, check whether another appliance already covers those needs before you choose.
Compare the width, height and depth of the space with the model’s external dimensions, then allow room to open the door and for the clearances specified in the manual. Check the turntable and cavity against your usual dishes too: capacity in litres isn’t enough to go on.
No. A combination microwave can bring several functions together, but its usefulness depends on the dishes you prepare and the model you choose. The ADEME and INC study published in February 2026 found that combination microwaves vary in efficiency compared with convection ovens, depending on the dishes, models and brands, with no clear, consistent advantage.
Don’t assume that a dish is suitable for both modes. Follow the manual’s instructions for each function and for the rack supplied, and check that any plastic container is explicitly suitable for the intended use.