If you mainly reheat and defrost food, a solo microwave may be all you need; choose a grill model if you also want to brown or crisp dishes. To cook food using hot air in a kitchen without a conventional oven, look for a combination model with a proper fan oven function, then check that it will fit and can be ventilated properly. If oven cooking is your priority and you already have another way to reheat food, mini ovens are also worth comparing.
In a studio flat, holiday home or small kitchen, you may want to cook or brown dishes as well as reheat food. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes combination models with a fan oven function from solo and grill microwaves, so check that the appliance you are considering has the cooking mode you need.
If you mainly reheat portions and defrost food, a solo microwave may meet your needs. A grill and fan oven function only come into play if you also plan to brown food or cook using hot air.
A narrow worktop or a fitted kitchen space means you should measure the appliance and allow for the ventilation space it needs before choosing its programmes. A freestanding model and a built-in model are installed differently.
First decide whether you need to reheat, brown or cook using hot air. Then check that the appliance you choose will fit your space and follow its installation instructions.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating and defrosting | Microwave and defrost functions; containers suitable for this use. | If I want to reheat portions and defrost food without browning dishes, these are the functions I prioritise. Around 29% of consumers put this need first. |
| Cooking with hot air | A clearly stated fan oven or convection mode; the model’s temperatures and accessories. | Without a conventional oven, I also want to prepare dishes that need to be cooked using hot air. This is a priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Browning and crisping | Whether it has a grill and which modes can be used with it. | I mainly want to brown the tops of dishes, rather than use the appliance primarily for oven cooking. Around 18% of consumers prioritise browning and crisping. |
| Installation | Overall dimensions, door clearance and the space required according to the instructions; niche dimensions if the model is built in. | With limited worktop space or a fitted space to work around, I need to be able to position and ventilate the appliance properly. Around 24% of consumers prioritise this constraint. |
A grill browns or crisps food, but having one does not mean the appliance can cook using hot air. This distinction matters if you plan to make cakes or cook dishes that would usually go in an oven.
Look for the explicit wording “fan oven”, “convection” or “fan-assisted”, then check the model’s temperatures and accessories.
An appliance may fit in the space you have chosen without having the clearance it needs to work properly. Whirlpool France advises that its ventilation grilles should not be blocked.
Also measure the space needed to open the door and follow the instructions. Do not install a freestanding model in a fitted space unless the manufacturer explicitly says that you can.
The internal capacity does not tell you how much worktop space the appliance will take up. The dimensions published by Whirlpool France for the MCP349WH and by Panasonic France for the NN-C69KSM vary by model.
Compare the external width, depth and height, then check that your surface and the available ventilation space are suitable for the model you choose.
If you mainly cook using hot air, a mini oven is worth comparing with a combination microwave. The Optimo 19 L from Moulinex France is a freestanding electric fan oven, but it does not have a microwave function.
Make a note of the dishes you actually plan to cook, and consider how you will reheat and defrost food if you choose a mini oven.
Panasonic France offers freestanding combination models with functions that vary by model.
Whirlpool France offers freestanding combination microwaves and built-in models, with functions that vary by model.
Samsung France offers convection combination microwaves with different functions across its models.
Electrolux France lists, among other products, a built-in grill microwave, which is different from a combination model with a fan oven function.
Moulinex France offers mini ovens worth comparing if oven cooking matters more to you than microwave reheating.
These appliances cover three different needs: combining several cooking modes in one appliance, adding a grill to a microwave, or focusing on reheating and defrosting. First choose the type that suits the dishes you make, then check the installation requirements for the specific model.
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Worth considering if you are looking for a combination microwave for a kitchen without a conventional oven. The model name indicates a capacity of 42 L. Before relying on it for oven cooking, check its modes and accessories, as well as the space and clearances required according to the instructions.
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Worth a look if you want one appliance for reheating and other cooking modes. This model is listed with a capacity of 39 L and dimensions of 54,4 × 52,5 × 32,7 cm. Check that its modes and accessories suit the dishes you make, then check the ventilation clearances in the instructions.
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Worth considering if you want to reheat food and have the option to brown dishes, without prioritising cooking with hot air. The model name indicates a freestanding design, a capacity of 25 L and a microwave power of 900 W. If you want to cook as you would in an oven, check separately whether it has a fan oven function.
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Worth a look if reheating and browning matter more to you than oven-style cooking. The model name indicates a capacity of 20 L and a power of 700 W. Check the space available, the clearances specified in the instructions and whether it has a fan oven function if you need one.
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Worth considering if you mainly want to reheat and defrost food in a small kitchen. The product name indicates a capacity of 20 L, a power of 700 W, six power levels and a defrost function. If you also want to brown dishes or cook using hot air, check that another type of appliance has the functions you need. Refer to the instructions for the required installation clearances.
It can handle some oven cooking if the model has a proper fan oven function and can fit the dishes you plan to cook. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes this function from those of solo and grill microwaves. Also check the cavity size, temperatures and accessories for the model you choose.
Not unless the model’s instructions explicitly say that you can. Panasonic, for example, says that its NN-DF38 is designed to be freestanding, not built in, while the built-in Electrolux KMSD253TB has specified niche dimensions.
Leave the clearances specified in the appliance instructions and keep its ventilation openings unobstructed. For the NN-DF38, for example, Panasonic requires at least 5 cm on the left, 10 cm behind and 25 cm above. These distances do not automatically apply to other models.
Choose containers explicitly labelled as suitable for microwave use and check their instructions. Avoid metal utensils in microwave mode, and do not assume that every plastic container is suitable.