If you mainly defrost and reheat meals prepared in advance, start by considering a standard microwave. A combination oven meets a different need: bringing these tasks together with oven-style cooking in one appliance. Keeping a conventional oven and adding a microwave lets you use two cavities separately, provided you have the space; don’t assume a combination oven will always use less energy.
You prepare portions in advance and mainly want to defrost and then reheat them, without regularly needing oven-style cooking. UFC-Que Choisir assesses reheating speed separately from how evenly food heats and how well it defrosts.
You want one appliance to handle reheating, defrosting and oven-style cooking. However, check the dimensions and the specific model’s functions: versatility alone doesn’t tell you whether your usual dishes will fit inside.
You want to defrost or reheat a portion without using the conventional oven. Two appliances let you do these things separately, but they need two spaces and both require maintenance.
Start by thinking about how often you use your oven each week, then check that the appliance you’ll use for prepared meals suits your portions and your available space.
Consider this if: your regular tasks are defrosting and reheating portions, and you don’t often need oven-style cooking.
Bear in mind: it won’t replace a conventional oven’s cooking functions. UFC-Que Choisir assesses microwave heating evenness and speed separately.
Consider this if: you’ll genuinely use both the microwave and oven-style cooking functions in one appliance.
Bear in mind: having a combination mode doesn’t guarantee lower energy use. In tests by the Institut national de la consommation and ADEME, four built-in combination ovens didn’t consistently deliver significant savings compared with the convection ovens tested.
Consider this if: you cook with an oven regularly and want to keep another cavity free for your portions.
Bear in mind: two appliances take up more space and each needs maintaining.
| What to consider | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating and defrosting | Check the power settings and defrost programmes. To compare results, look for tests that assess how evenly food heats, not just maximum power. | If my portions often go straight from the fridge or freezer to the plate, I want to avoid cold spots without having to keep handling them. Around 42% of consumers would prioritise this need. |
| Versatility in a small space | Check which cooking modes you’ll use, then measure the space and make sure your dishes will fit inside the cavity. | In a small kitchen, I want one appliance to cover several needs rather than making room for each one. This would be the main need for around 33% of consumers. |
| A separate oven available | Measure the space needed for both appliances, including the clearances specified, and check the functions of the additional microwave. | When I still use the oven for cooking, I’d rather be able to reheat a portion in a separate cavity. Around 25% of consumers would prioritise keeping these uses separate. |
In tests of the built-in appliances and dishes covered, the Institut national de la consommation and ADEME did not find consistent significant energy savings from using microwave and convection modes together.
Choose functions you’ll actually use and compare the energy-use information for the models you’re considering. Don’t assume these results apply to every combination oven.
Maximum power doesn’t tell you how evenly food will heat, and a capacity in litres doesn’t guarantee your dish will fit inside the cavity. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing includes checking temperatures in different parts of the food.
Compare the internal dimensions with your dishes and, where available, check defrosting and evenness test results for the specific model.
The DGCCRF advises that containers must be suitable for the cooking method being used. Anses notes that more intensive reheating can increase the transfer of substances from some packaging into food.
Follow the power and time instructions for microwave-safe packaging, or transfer the meal to a suitable container.
Frequent use means you’ll need to clean up splashes. UFC-Que Choisir advises against abrasive cleaners, which can damage the cavity, and recommends leaving technical repairs to professionals.
Before buying, check whether you can reach the walls and remove the accessories. Follow the appliance instructions for cleaning.
These examples are here to help you distinguish between appliance types, not to rank brands. The study by the Institut national de la consommation and ADEME covered built-in models bought in 2024.
The built-in NQ5B6753CAK combination oven was one of the four combination models in the study.
The built-in DKC7340X combination oven was included in the study sample.
The study included the built-in SKC6302LW combination oven and the SOP2434X convection oven.
The built-in iQ700 CM776G1B1/020420 combination oven was included in the sample.
These freestanding models are designed for reheating and defrosting portions. Some also have a grill: consider your oven-cooking needs separately before choosing an appliance.
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Worth a look if you want a freestanding appliance for reheating portions. The title states a capacity of 25 L and a power rating of 1000 W. Also check that your dishes will fit inside the cavity and that the defrost settings suit your portions.
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Consider this if a freestanding microwave suits the way you prepare meals. The title states a capacity of 21 L and a power rating of 800 W. Before placing it in your kitchen, check its dimensions and the clearances specified in the instructions.
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Worth considering if you’d like a grill as well as reheating. The title states a capacity of 25 L. To compare power ratings, check the model documentation to see which figure applies to the microwave and which to the grill.
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Consider this if you’d like a grill as well as a microwave for your portions. The title states a capacity of 20 L and a power rating of 700 W. Having a grill doesn’t mean the appliance can replace a fan oven.
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Worth a look for reheating portions in a 20 L microwave. The title states a power rating of 700 W, six pre-set menus and eleven power levels. Check how much space you’ll need to install it, along with the settings suited to defrosting your portions.
Check that your dishes fit inside the cavity, then look at the power settings and defrost programmes. If you’re choosing between two models, tests of heating evenness are more useful than maximum power alone: UFC-Que Choisir measures temperatures at the centre and surface of food, among other things.
No. Having a combination mode doesn’t guarantee this. In a study by the Institut national de la consommation and ADEME covering four built-in combination ovens and ten convection ovens, using microwave and convection modes together didn’t consistently deliver significant energy savings for the dishes tested.
Yes, but only if the tray is suitable for microwave use and you follow the instructions. Anses recommends sticking to the power and heating time stated on microwave-safe packaging; otherwise, transfer the meal to a suitable container.
Unplug the appliance before cleaning the cavity and follow its instructions. UFC-Que Choisir recommends using a sponge lightly dampened with washing-up liquid, then rinsing and drying the cavity. Avoid abrasive cleaners and leave any technical repairs to a professional.