In a small kitchen without a conventional oven, a solo microwave is a good choice if you mainly want to reheat and defrost food; choose a grill model if you also want to brown dishes. A combination microwave with an oven function offers more cooking options, provided its dimensions and the clearances specified in the manual are suitable for your chosen spot.
In a studio flat or holiday home, you may mainly want to reheat and defrost food, with the occasional simple cook. UFC-Que Choisir lists these types of living spaces among the possible uses for a microwave, so it’s worth considering a solo model before adding extra cooking functions.
If your meals include portions that need browning, a grill function is designed for just that. However, it doesn’t replace the fan-assisted cooking of an oven.
If you want to prepare more than just reheated meals, look for a combination model with cooking functions that suit the dishes you usually make. Check its weight, external dimensions and installation requirements too: these are especially important in a small kitchen.
Start with the dishes you actually prepare, then measure the space available for the appliance and its ventilation.
| Your priority | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating and defrosting | Compare the size of your dishes with the cavity, and measure the appliance’s external dimensions. | If I mainly need to reheat or defrost meals, I’d rather have controls suited to those tasks than extra modes. Around 42% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Browning and gratinating | Check that it has a grill, and find out which dishes and accessories are suitable for this mode. | For toasted sandwiches or cheesy, browned portions, heating alone isn’t enough: I also want to brown the top. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Oven-style cooking | Check the oven cooking modes, especially fan-assisted cooking, as well as the space the appliance takes up and its ventilation requirements. | Without a conventional oven, I want to regularly prepare dishes that need more than reheating or grilling. This type of cooking is the priority for around 33% of consumers. |
UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between a grill, which is used to brown food, and a combination microwave, which adds oven cooking functions. A grill alone may not be suitable for the dishes you planned to cook using fan-assisted heat.
Think about the dishes you usually make: look for a grill if you want to brown food; if you regularly want to cook as you would in an oven, check that the exact model has the cooking mode you need.
An appliance may fit your dishes but still take up too much worktop space. For example, Whirlpool France lists the combination microwave MWSC 9133 SB as 54 cm deep and weighing 27,45 kg.
Measure the width, depth and height, as well as the space needed to open the door, then compare them with the external dimensions of your chosen model.
Whirlpool France says that the ventilation openings on a freestanding microwave must not be blocked.
Choose a flat surface and check the clearances specified in your model’s manual before deciding where to put it.
UFC-Que Choisir advises that plastic suitable for microwave use is not necessarily suitable for grill or convection functions.
Before switching modes, check the information on the container and in the appliance manual.
The French range includes freestanding microwaves with grills and combination models in a variety of sizes.
The French range lets you compare solo microwaves, grill models and combination models according to the functions you need.
The brand also offers combination models that bring several cooking modes together in a freestanding appliance.
These models show the options available for reheating and defrosting, adding a grill or choosing a combination appliance. For each one, check the exact functions and the space needed for installation.
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Worth considering if your main priorities are reheating and defrosting in a small kitchen. The product title lists 700 W, six pre-set menus and 11 power levels. Check the manual for the required clearances before placing it in a tight space.
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Worth considering if you’d also like to brown portions, but don’t need fan-assisted cooking. The product title lists a microwave output of 700 W. Check which accessories are suitable for the grill and how much space the appliance needs around it.
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This solo model is suited to anyone mainly looking to reheat and quickly defrost food. If you want to brown or cook with fan-assisted heat, choose a model that clearly lists these modes. Also check the clearances specified in its manual.
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Worth comparing if a 25 L cavity suits the size of the dishes you use for microwave cooking. The product title lists 900 W and describes the model as “solo”. If you’re buying it to brown food, confirm that the version on sale actually has a grill, and check its installation instructions.
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Worth looking into if you want to cook without a conventional oven and have enough room for a 42 L appliance. The product title describes it as a three-in-one combination model. Check its exact modes, including convection if you need it, along with its dimensions and specified clearances before deciding where to put it.
A solo model will do the job if you don’t want to brown food or cook with fan-assisted heat. UFC-Que Choisir highlights reheating and defrosting as common uses. Then compare the size of your dishes with the cavity and the space you have available.
A grill can brown and gratinate food, but having one doesn’t mean the appliance can cook with fan-assisted heat. If your dishes need this mode, check that it’s explicitly listed among the functions of your chosen model.
Place it on a flat surface and keep the ventilation openings clear. Whirlpool France recommends using it in a room where the temperature is between 5 and 35 °C. Follow the manual for your chosen model to find out how much space to leave around it.
Don’t assume they’re suitable for both: UFC-Que Choisir points out that plastic suitable for microwave use is not suitable for grill or convection functions. Check the information on the container and the appliance before changing modes.
The statutory legal guarantee of conformity applies: the French Ministry of the Economy states that you can claim it for two years on a new product. This is separate from any commercial warranty, so check what additional cover it offers beyond your statutory rights.