If you mainly want to reheat and defrost portions, choose a solo microwave. If you’d also like to brown or crisp food from time to time, consider a model with a grill. A combination microwave with fan-assisted cooking can handle a wider range of cooking in a small kitchen, provided its settings, cavity and overall dimensions suit the dishes you plan to cook and the space available.
If you mainly reheat and defrost portions, a solo model will cover those needs. Before considering a combination microwave, think about whether you’ll actually cook with it like an oven and whether it will fit on your worktop.
A combination microwave can bring together microwave, grill and fan-assisted cooking functions if you want to cook without installing several appliances. If you rarely use the oven there, first compare the functions you’ll actually use.
A microwave with a grill adds a golden finish to your reheating and defrosting options. However, a grill alone isn’t the same as fan-assisted cooking, as UFC-Que Choisir points out.
Start with the meals you actually prepare, then measure your dishes and the available space before comparing appliances.
Choose this : for reheating and defrosting portions when you don’t need a golden finish.
Limitation : a solo model has neither a grill nor fan-assisted cooking.
Choose this : if you sometimes want to brown or crisp a dish as well as reheat it.
Limitation : as UFC-Que Choisir explains, a grill doesn’t replace fan-assisted cooking for recipes that need hot air circulation.
Choose this : if you plan to regularly cook oven dishes without installing a separate appliance.
Limitation : the cavity and settings on your chosen model must suit your recipes ; it won’t automatically replace a full-size oven.
| Factor | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking modes | Check the microwave, grill and fan-assisted settings separately. For oven recipes, check the settings and temperature range of the specific model. | Do I mainly reheat portions, or do I also want to brown food and regularly cook oven dishes ? |
| Dimensions | Compare the external width, height and depth with your available space and the clearances specified in the manual. Measure the cavity, turntable and your dishes, too : capacity in litres doesn’t tell you everything. | My usual plates and dishes need to fit inside the appliance, and it must sit comfortably in its intended spot on the worktop. |
| Cooking without a separate oven | For a combination model, check the usable cavity size, the accessories included and the settings needed for the recipes you have in mind. | In a small kitchen or second home, I want to cook oven dishes without adding more appliances. |
| Maintenance and repairs | Check the seller’s or manufacturer’s information about spare parts and servicing. If you need a repair, check the Repair Bonus scheme’s terms and use of an approved repairer. | I want to be able to consider a repair if the appliance breaks down, especially if it’s used in a second home. |
If you only need to reheat and defrost meals, fan-assisted cooking won’t serve a specific purpose.
Think about the dishes you usually make. Choose a combination model only if you genuinely expect to use its oven-cooking settings.
Capacity doesn’t tell you the shape of the cavity or the external dimensions. For example, Samsung France lists a cavity measuring 331 × 211 × 324 mm and external dimensions of 489 × 275 × 374 mm for its 23 L MS23F301EAW.
Measure the space and your dishes, then compare the width, height and depth in the same order. Also check the manual for installation clearances.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, a grill is for browning and crisping, while a combination microwave also offers fan-assisted cooking. So a model described as having a “ grill ” won’t, by itself, cover recipes that need hot air circulation.
For these recipes, look specifically for “ fan-assisted cooking ” or “ convection ” in the settings for the exact model.
ADEME states that microwaves are among the appliances covered by the Repair Bonus, subject to the scheme’s terms. This is separate from the legal guarantee of conformity that applies to purchases from professional sellers in France.
Keep your proof of purchase and check the information about spare parts and servicing. If the fault may be covered by the legal guarantee, contact the professional seller. For repairs outside this arrangement, check the terms with an approved repairer.
These examples illustrate different types of appliance; they don’t indicate the features of every model from a particular brand.
The brand offers compact freestanding combination microwaves, including the NN-DF38PBEPG, which is available in France.
Its French range includes solo models and models with a grill, so choose according to the meals you prepare.
The brand features in France’s range of combination microwaves and also offers separate mini ovens.
These models let you compare solo, grill and combination appliances for reheating portions or cooking meals when space is limited. Check the settings and dimensions of each model against your needs.
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Worth considering for reheating portions and, if you’d like a golden finish, for its cooking settings. Check the VIO7’s product details to confirm it has a grill, and make sure there’s enough space around the appliance and that the cavity fits your dishes.
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This model with a grill is for anyone who’d sometimes like to brown a dish as well as reheat it. Before choosing, compare your dishes with the cavity and check the installation dimensions ; don’t confuse a grill with fan-assisted cooking.
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Worth comparing if you mainly need to reheat and defrost, without browning or hot air cooking. Check that the cavity is big enough for your dishes and follow the installation clearances in the manual.
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Worth considering if you want one appliance for both reheating and oven cooking. Check the MJ3965ACS product details for the settings you need, including defrost if you use it, then measure the cavity, the space available and the ventilation clearances.
It can handle some of the cooking needs of one person or a small household, provided your dishes fit in the cavity and its settings suit the recipes you have in mind. UFC-Que Choisir describes combination models as bringing together grill and fan-assisted cooking. Even so, check the functions and dimensions of the specific model rather than assuming it’s a direct replacement for a full-size oven.
Measure the width, height and depth of the space, then check the appliance’s external dimensions and the clearances specified in the manual. Also compare your dishes with the cavity or turntable dimensions : capacity in litres doesn’t guarantee that a particular dish will fit.
A grill is for browning and crisping, but it doesn’t mean the appliance can circulate hot air. For recipes that need fan-assisted cooking, check that this setting is explicitly listed among the chosen model’s functions, in line with the distinction made by UFC-Que Choisir.
For a new item bought from a professional seller in France, the DGCCRF states that you can claim under the legal guarantee of conformity for two years. It also explains that during this period, consumers don’t have to prove the fault existed at the time of sale.
If it breaks down, first look into your options for a repair or having it taken in for assessment. ADEME states that microwaves may be eligible for the Repair Bonus, subject to the scheme’s terms. If the appliance can no longer be used, take it to an appropriate electrical and electronic equipment recycling scheme.