If you live somewhere without a conventional oven, choose a standard microwave if you mainly reheat and defrost meals. Add a grill if you’d also like to brown or crisp dishes from time to time. According to the functions distinguished by UFC-Que Choisir, a combination microwave with a fan oven function is better suited to oven-style cooking. A mini oven is worth considering if you cook this way often and have enough space for it. Before choosing, compare the dimensions of the appliance and your dishes with the installation requirements in the manual.
How often you cook in an oven matters more than simply not having one at home.
If you mainly need to reheat and defrost meals, with the occasional simple cooking task, start by comparing standard microwaves. A grill or fan oven function is only worth having if the dishes you make genuinely need it.
If you want to reheat food every day and occasionally cook oven-style dishes without installing two appliances, consider combination microwaves with a fan oven function. Check that the cavity fits your dishes and that the appliance can be installed in your kitchen.
If you make pizzas, gratins or cakes several times a week, compare the space available, usable dimensions and cooking modes of a combination microwave and a mini oven. However, a mini oven can’t replace a microwave for reheating.
Start with the dishes you’ll actually be making. Then check that they fit in the appliance and that it can be installed in your chosen spot.
| What to consider | What to check | Depending on your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking modes | Check the microwave, grill and fan oven modes separately. Gifam distinguishes between reheating and defrosting, browning under the grill, and cooking using the fan oven function. | I mainly reheat portions: a standard model may be enough. If I want to brown or crisp food, I’ll look for a grill; for oven-style cooking, I’ll check for a fan oven function. |
| Available space | Measure the width, depth and height, and don’t forget the door clearance. Check the manual for the clearances and ventilation requirements for your model; Whirlpool France advises that ventilation openings must not be blocked. | In a kitchenette, I need to be able to position the appliance and open its door while leaving the space required for installation. |
| Dish size | Compare your dishes with the turntable or the usable dimensions of the cavity. The capacity in litres alone won’t tell you whether a tin or rectangular dish will fit. | I want to use my usual dishes, not just a plate, so I’ll measure the one I plan to use for gratins or cakes in particular. |
| Oven-style cooking | Check the modes, accessories and temperatures of the model you’re considering. The UFC-Que Choisir test protocol, published in July 2026, assesses preheating, pizza cooking and temperature accuracy in fan oven mode separately. The word ‘combination’ alone doesn’t tell you how well the appliance performs in these areas. | If I cook oven-style meals often, I’ll compare a combination microwave and a mini oven based on the dishes I plan to make and the space they take up. If I also need to reheat food by microwave, I’ll factor that into my decision. |
A fan oven function and grill won’t add anything if you only need to reheat meals in the microwave. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes these extra functions from those of a standard model.
Make a note of the meals you eat in a typical week. If you mainly reheat and defrost food or do simple cooking, compare standard models first.
The stated capacity doesn’t guarantee that your dish will fit in the cavity or that the appliance will fit in your space with the required clearances.
Measure your dishes and the space available, then check the turntable or cavity, external dimensions, door clearance and installation instructions.
A grill is for browning or crisping food; it doesn’t mean the appliance has the fan oven function you need for certain types of oven cooking.
If you only want to brown or crisp food occasionally, look at models with a grill. If you also plan to cook oven-style dishes, check specifically for a fan oven function, the right accessories and dimensions to suit your recipes.
A mini oven with a fan function meets your oven-cooking needs, but doesn’t offer microwave reheating. A combination microwave brings several cooking modes together in one appliance, but the cavity and cooking options vary by model.
If oven cooking is your priority, compare mini ovens with the space you have available. If you need one appliance to reheat and defrost food every day as well, compare combination microwaves that fit your dishes.
These models illustrate different sizes and functions to compare. The features mentioned apply to the specific models listed, not to every product from each brand.
Whirlpool France features the freestanding MCP349WH combination microwave, with a stated capacity of 25 L and a fan-assisted function.
The LG MJ3965BIB, featured by Electro Dépôt, is an example of a larger-capacity microwave, with a stated volume of 39 L.
The Valberg MWO 23 CG K 902C 2 is an example of a 23 L freestanding combination microwave featured by Electro Dépôt.
The Moulinex OX484100, featured by Boulanger, is another option: a 39 L mini oven with a fan function, but no microwave reheating function.
This selection includes combination microwaves and grill models for homes without a conventional oven. First, choose the cooking modes your meals need, then check the available space and which dishes will fit in each appliance.
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Worth considering if you want one 39 L appliance for several types of cooking. If you have a kitchenette, check its dimensions, the required clearances, the modes your recipes need and which accessories are included before choosing.
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The grill is worth considering if you’d like to brown or crisp food occasionally as well as use the microwave for everyday tasks. With this 20 L model, compare the size of your dishes with the turntable and check the installation clearances in the manual. A grill alone doesn’t confirm that the appliance has a fan oven function.
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This grill model is for anyone who wants to brown or crisp certain dishes without choosing an appliance solely on that basis for oven-style cooking. Check the turntable diameter, the space needed for installation and whether it has a fan oven function if your recipes require one.
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This grill model could suit a shortlist focused on reheating and occasional browning. Measure the available depth, allow room to open the door and check the clearances in the manual. If you want to cook using a fan oven function, check separately that the model has the one you need.
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Its stated capacity of 42 L may appeal if you’re considering a larger combination microwave. Check its external and usable dimensions, installation clearances and the specific modes you need, including defrost if you use it every day.
A combination microwave with a fan oven function can handle some types of oven cooking in a home without a conventional oven. However, don’t assume it will suit every recipe or larger batches. For the dishes you make often, check the usable dimensions, accessories and modes on the model. The UFC-Que Choisir test protocol assesses preheating, pizza cooking and temperature accuracy separately.
No. A grill is for browning or crisping food, while a fan oven function is a separate feature to look for when you want to cook oven-style dishes, as explained by UFC-Que Choisir and Gifam. If you plan to make pizzas or cakes, check the available modes and the size of dishes the appliance can accommodate.
Follow the clearance requirements in the manual for your chosen model rather than assuming the same distance applies to every appliance. Whirlpool France says that ventilation openings must not be blocked. Remember to check there’s enough room to open the door before you buy, too.
Choose containers that are suitable for the mode you’ll be using and will fit inside the cavity. Check the manual for the dishes and accessories allowed in microwave, grill or fan oven mode, then measure your usual containers rather than relying on the capacity in litres alone.