Start by choosing according to how you really plan to cook: a basic model is enough for reheating and defrosting, a grill is useful for occasional browning, while a combination model makes sense if it needs to regularly take the place of an oven. Measure the worktop, cavity and usable turntable area, then follow the clearances specified in the manual for your chosen model.
When furnishing a studio flat, shared house or student accommodation, choose a freestanding appliance whose size and functions match your usual meals. In 2023, two-thirds of students lived away from the family home, according to the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.
If you already have an oven for longer cooking times and browning, a microwave will mainly be used for reheating, defrosting and a few simple preparations. A basic model may therefore meet your needs without adding unnecessary functions.
A combination model can make sense when the appliance also needs to handle some cooking and browning. Insee recorded 3.7 million second homes or occasional-use dwellings in France on 1 January 2024; however, check the available space and ventilation before choosing this type of appliance.
Choose this if: you mainly reheat portions and defrost food, while an oven or hob covers other types of cooking.
Good to know: it cannot replace an oven for grilling or fan-assisted cooking.
Choose this if: you also want to brown or gratinate certain dishes without installing a second appliance.
Good to know: the grill adds browning, but it is not the same as fan-assisted cooking.
Choose this if: no usable oven is available and you regularly plan to cook dishes that would usually go in an oven.
Good to know: this type can be larger and heavier, so do not choose it solely for its extra programmes.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking functions | Compare the modes you genuinely need: reheating and defrosting, a grill for browning, and fan-assisted cooking for oven-style results. Check that a model described as a combination microwave actually includes the latter function. | I want to avoid choosing a more complex appliance if my meals mainly need reheating or defrosting. If I regularly cook without an oven, fan-assisted cooking becomes a practical consideration. |
| Space and crockery | Measure the overall width, depth and height. Also compare the internal dimensions and turntable diameter with your largest everyday dish, rather than relying on the litre capacity alone. | My microwave needs to fit on the worktop while accommodating my usual plates and dishes. |
| Installation and use | Place the appliance on a flat surface and do not block the ventilation openings. Follow the clearances specified in its manual, as well as the power and cooking times shown on food packaging. | I want to install the appliance in a small kitchen without restricting ventilation, then reheat prepared dishes according to their instructions. |
Two appliances with the same capacity can have different cavities, turntables and external dimensions. A 20 L capacity therefore does not guarantee that a particular dish will fit inside.
Measure your largest plate or usual dish, then compare it with the internal dimensions and turntable diameter published for the exact model.
Ventilation distances depend on the model and installation. Blocked openings can cause overheating, as Whirlpool France points out.
Use the distances, installation surface and ventilation guidance in the manual for the microwave you ultimately buy; do not install it in a recess that is not designed for it.
A combination model can partly replace an oven when it is genuinely used for cooking and grilling, but it may also take up more space than a basic or grill model.
Make a list of the meals you expect to cook in the oven each week. If you have no regular need for fan-assisted cooking, start by comparing a basic or grill model that suits your available space.
Anses states that reheating at high power or for too long can increase the migration of substances from certain food packaging into the food.
Follow the power, cooking time and other instructions printed on the packaging, particularly for trays designed for microwave use.
Panasonic offers, among other models, the compact NN-E20JW basic microwave and the 20 L NN-K10JW grill microwave, making it easy to compare basic and grill use with published dimensions.
Whirlpool offers freestanding basic, grill and combination models; the MCP349WH is an example of a 25 L combination microwave with fan-assisted cooking and a grill.
Samsung France presents freestanding basic, grill and combination microwave ranges, allowing you to compare these categories within the same brand.
Joybuy options for reheating, defrosting and, depending on the model, browning dishes in a studio flat or second home.
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Suitable for reheating and defrosting, with occasional browning.
Freestanding format measuring 45,2 × 35,3 × 26,2 cm, with a 245 mm turntable and 800 W grill. Allow at least 10 cm of clearance at the sides and rear; the grill does not replace fan-assisted cooking.
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A straightforward option for reheating and defrosting when other cooking is handled elsewhere.
Dimensions of 452 × 362 × 262 mm, with a 315 × 294 × 210 mm cavity and 245 mm turntable. This basic model has neither a grill nor fan-assisted cooking, and requires 10 cm of clearance on each side.
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Worth considering if you want to reheat, defrost and brown certain dishes.
950 W grill, 29,2 cm turntable, weight-control programmes and dimensions of 47 × 26 × 37 cm. Check the manual for the required clearances and to ensure your dishes are compatible, as the cavity dimensions are not listed here.
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A basic model designed for reheating and defrosting in a compact space.
Dimensions of 44,6 × 36,3 × 24,3 cm, six power levels and a 30-minute timer. Before installation, check that your dishes will fit and review the ventilation clearances in the manual.
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Suitable for quickly reheating and defrosting portions in a kitchen where space is limited.
External dimensions of 440 × 319 × 259 mm, eleven power levels, six programmes and defrosting by weight or time. Before buying, check the turntable, cavity and required clearances.
Measure the available width, depth and height, then separately check the cavity and turntable diameter against your plates and dishes. Add the clearances required by the model’s manual, as these vary between appliances. For example, a Schneider manual specifies 30 cm above the appliance and 20 cm between the appliance and each wall, while Whirlpool France advises not blocking the ventilation openings.
A combination model is worthwhile if you regularly need to cook as you would in an oven and no usable oven is available, particularly for fan-assisted cooking. For occasional browning or gratinating, a grill model meets the need more directly; for reheating and defrosting, a basic microwave remains the sensible choice.
No. Anses recommends following the preparation instructions, particularly the power and cooking time shown on the packaging. It states that intensive reheating, at a higher temperature and for longer, increases the risk of substances migrating from certain types of packaging into food.
For a new or second-hand product bought from a professional seller, you have two years to request cover under the statutory guarantee of conformity, according to the French Ministry for the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty. Any commercial warranty is optional and comes in addition to, rather than replacing, your statutory rights.