Choose a solo microwave if you mainly reheat and defrost meals: it is the most straightforward option when space is limited. A grill model is suitable for browning or finishing dishes occasionally, while a combination model makes sense if you will genuinely use the fan-assisted heat and oven-style cooking functions. Always measure the appliance, its ventilation clearances, usable cavity space and door opening before comparing features.
You are looking for an easy-to-install appliance for leftovers, quick meals and frozen food, without taking over a small kitchen. In 2023, two-thirds of students lived away from the family home according to the French Ministry of Higher Education; among the more than 12,000 respondents to the 2023 Crous housing survey, 46.6% lived in a room and 42.9% in a studio flat.
You may want either a useful appliance for reheating and defrosting, or a partial replacement for an oven for gratins, pizzas and dishes that require fan-assisted heat.
You want an appliance that is easy to put back into use, suitable for reheating, defrosting and meals that require very little washing-up, without paying for lots of rarely used functions.
Choose this if: you reheat leftovers, defrost food regularly and do not intend to brown dishes or cook regularly as you would in an oven.
Good to know: it provides neither grill browning nor fan-assisted heat; check the turntable and internal dimensions, not just the stated capacity.
Choose this if: you mainly want to brown or finish a few dishes without expecting regular oven-style cooking.
Good to know: the grill adds accessories and cleaning requirements, without necessarily matching the results of fan-assisted cooking.
Choose this if: one appliance also needs to handle fan-assisted cooking or certain browned dishes.
Good to know: this option can take up more space; its value depends on whether you will genuinely use the oven functions.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Space and ventilation | Compare the width, depth and height with the cupboard or worktop space. Follow the clearances stated in the manual and check the door opening area. | I want to position the appliance without blocking its vents or making it difficult to access my dishes. |
| Useful functions | Identify your actual needs: reheating and defrosting, browning, or fan-assisted cooking. Check the modes advertised for the model you choose. | I mainly reheat or defrost meals; I will only choose a grill or combination model if I use those functions regularly. |
| Usable capacity | Measure the turntable diameter and check the internal or cavity dimensions. Compare them with your plates, rectangular dishes and usual containers. | I need to be able to turn my plate and heat the dishes I actually use, rather than simply choosing a litre capacity. |
| Simplicity and cleaning | Look at the controls, defrost programmes, accessories and cavity cleaning. A clear manual remains useful for an appliance shared by several people. | I want to start reheating or defrosting quickly and clean the appliance easily after simple meals. |
An appliance may fit between two cupboards while not having enough air around its vents, or leave too little room to open the door and remove a dish.
Measure the appliance’s width, depth and height, then add the clearances required in its manual. For a freestanding model, Samsung recommends 10 cm at the back and on the sides, as well as 20 cm above, unless the model’s manual states otherwise.
Fan-assisted heat and oven functions are only useful if you use them regularly; otherwise, they add little to a routine focused on leftovers and defrosting.
List the meals you typically eat in a week: reheating and defrosting point to a solo model, occasional gratins to a grill, and regular oven-style cooking without another practical oven to a combination model.
Two cavities with a similar capacity may accommodate different plates, rectangular dishes or accessories, depending on the shape of the cavity and the turntable diameter.
Measure your largest plate and your usual dish, then compare them with the turntable, the published internal dimensions or the usable cavity of a model without a turntable.
A microwave falls under France’s waste electrical and electronic equipment scheme, which is designed for collection, removal of hazardous substances and recycling.
Ask the seller about take-back options when buying a new appliance, or use an eligible shop or collection point in line with the applicable rules.
A French range of solo, grill and combination microwaves, useful for comparing the three appliance types across models from 20 to 25 L.
Freestanding combination models, including turntable-free options, to consider when the shape of your dishes and versatility matter as much as the stated capacity.
A range covering solo, grill and combination models, with a distinction between freestanding and built-in appliances in its buying guide.
An option to consider if you want a compact 20 L solo microwave for reheating and defrosting rather than replacing an oven.
Joybuy options for equipping a small kitchen with a solo microwave or grill model, depending on your reheating, defrosting and browning needs.
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For everyday reheating, with straightforward mechanical controls.
20 L capacity, 700 W power, two control dials and a 30-minute timer. Check the dimensions of 452 × 362 × 262 mm, the door opening area and the required ventilation space on all sides.
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Suitable for leftovers and frozen food when your main needs are reheating and defrosting.
20 L capacity, 700 W power, six power levels and a Ready2Clean coating. The product sheet specifies 10 cm at the back, 5 cm on the sides and 20 cm above; also confirm the space required for your plates.
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Worth considering for reheating, defrosting and occasional browning in a kitchen with enough worktop space.
25 L capacity, 900 W power, quartz grill, 28.8 cm turntable and defrosting by weight or time. Its dimensions of 53.6 × 43.6 × 33 cm mean you should carefully check the worktop, door opening and ventilation space.
Always check the model’s manual first, as clearance requirements vary. Samsung recommends at least 10 cm at the back and on the sides, plus 20 cm above; Whirlpool advises keeping the vents unobstructed and not placing anything on top of the oven. Also allow room for the plug, door opening and handling dishes safely.
It can partially replace an oven if you will genuinely use the grill and fan-assisted heat functions for cooking or browning. For reheating, defrosting and simple meals alone, a solo model is generally the better fit; a grill model is the middle ground when your main requirement is browning dishes.
Do not assume that a metal accessory is safe to use in microwave mode. Que Choisir states that metal is not permitted inside the cavity when using microwave mode; use only the accessories supplied and the mode authorised in the model’s manual.
A microwave is electrical and electronic equipment. According to the French ministries responsible for ecological transition and housing, one-for-one take-back of an appliance of the same type is available without a minimum threshold when you make a purchase; one-for-zero take-back applies in retail shops with at least 400 m² dedicated to this category. Check the arrangements offered by the seller or collection point.