For reheating and defrosting in a studio flat or holiday home, start by considering a solo microwave. Choose one with a grill if you’d also like to brown or crisp dishes occasionally, or a combination model if it needs to handle some of the cooking you’d usually do in an oven. A mini oven is better suited to conventional oven cooking, but it won’t replace a microwave for reheating. Before choosing, check the space needed for the appliance, ventilation and door opening, as well as the space for your dishes.
If you mainly use the appliance to reheat portions and defrost food, a freestanding solo microwave may be all you need. UFC-Que Choisir highlights student accommodation and holiday homes among the situations where it’s worth comparing these appliances. Be sure to check the dimensions against the space you have available.
If reheating is still your main priority but you’d like to brown or crisp some dishes, look for a model with a grill. This feature alone doesn’t mean the appliance has a fan oven function.
If you plan to cook proper meals in a kitchen with limited equipment, compare a combination microwave with fan oven function and a mini oven. The former still works as a microwave; the latter is designed for oven-style cooking, but won’t replace a microwave for quick reheating.
In a student kitchen, temporary accommodation or holiday home, start with the function that matters most to you. Then check that the appliance and your dishes will fit in the space available.
| Feature | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating and defrosting | That the necessary settings are included; the dimensions of the cavity and turntable for the dishes you usually use. | If I mainly reheat portions and defrost food, I don’t need to pay for a cooking function I’ll rarely use. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise this need. |
| Occasional browning or crisping | That it has a grill and the right accessories for the mode you’ll use. | I want to brown a dish now and then without having to make room for a separate oven, while still having a microwave for everyday use. Around 17% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Taking over some oven cooking | That a fan oven function is explicitly listed; external dimensions, ventilation and door opening. | Without a full-size oven, I want to cook meals rather than just reheat them, but I also need to make sure the appliance will fit. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise this option. |
| Prioritising conventional oven cooking | The mini oven’s settings and temperature range; the size of dishes it can accommodate and the space it will take up. | If I mainly prepare oven-cooked dishes, I can choose a mini oven, provided I have another way to reheat food in a microwave. Around 17% of consumers would prioritise conventional oven cooking. |
The capacity in litres doesn’t guarantee that your plate or rectangular dish will fit inside, or that the door will open in a narrow kitchenette.
Compare the turntable and cavity dimensions with your largest everyday dish. Measure the space where you plan to put the appliance, too, and check the manual for ventilation clearances.
An appliance with several functions offers little benefit if you only use it for reheating. Its larger size may be more of a drawback in a small kitchen.
Think about the meals you usually make: a basic model covers reheating and defrosting, while a grill can be useful if you occasionally want to brown or crisp a dish.
A grill is for browning or crisping; it doesn’t mean the microwave can handle the cooking you’d usually do in an oven.
If oven-style cooking is important to you, check that the exact model explicitly lists a fan oven or convection setting.
Packaging and cookware aren’t automatically suitable for microwave use. Anses recommends following the preparation instructions for products designed for microwave cooking.
Check that your container is suitable and follow the power and timing instructions. Don’t use metal cookware in microwave mode.
Samsung’s range lets you compare a solo microwave for reheating with a model that has a grill.
Whirlpool’s freestanding range includes standard models, grill models and combination models.
Two Severin appliances illustrate different options: a combination microwave and a mini oven for oven-style cooking.
These models cover reheating with a solo microwave, browning and crisping with a grill model, and cooking with a combination model. First decide which function you need, then check the dimensions and clearances of the model you’re interested in.
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Worth considering if you regularly reheat meals and would also like to brown or crisp some dishes. The stated capacity is 25 L. Before installing it, check the manual for ventilation clearances and the space needed to open the door.
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For everyday reheating and the occasional browned or crisped dish, this model combines a microwave with a grill. The stated capacity is 20 L. A grill doesn’t mean the appliance has a fan oven function, so check for this if you want to cook as you would in an oven. Also check the required clearances around the appliance.
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Designed for reheating and defrosting, this solo model has a stated capacity of 23 L and features Quick Defrost. If you’d like to brown or crisp food, or cook with a fan oven, look for a model that explicitly includes those settings. Measure the space available and check that the door can open fully before buying.
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Worth a look if you need one appliance for reheating and some oven-style cooking. Its stated capacity of 42 L makes it especially important to check your worktop space, door opening and ventilation clearances. Also confirm that it has the cooking settings you need.
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For everyday reheating, this model has a stated capacity of 20 L. If you need to defrost food, check the product specifications to confirm it has the setting you want. Also check the required clearances and space for the door to open.
A solo microwave is a good place to start if you rarely cook in an oven and mainly use the appliance to reheat or defrost food. Check that your dishes fit inside the cavity and that the appliance fits in the space you have, allowing for the open door and ventilation.
A grill lets you brown or crisp food, but it doesn’t mean the appliance has a fan oven function. If you want it to handle some of the cooking you’d usually do in an oven, check that the exact model has this function and compare the usable cavity dimensions with your dishes.
Compare your largest everyday dish with the cavity and turntable dimensions rather than relying on the capacity in litres alone. Measure separately the space needed for the appliance, ventilation and door opening.
Use a container labelled as suitable for microwave use, and follow the power and timing instructions on the food or its packaging. Metal cookware isn’t suitable for microwave mode. Anses also recommends following the preparation instructions for products intended for this use.