If you mainly want to reheat and defrost food, a solo microwave will do the job; a grill model also lets you brown or crisp dishes from time to time. If your home has no oven, choose a combination microwave with convection if you also want to bake cakes and pizzas or roast food. Check how much space it needs, the size of dishes it can accommodate and which accessories are included. The combination setting alone won’t tell you what you’ll be able to cook.
If you live in a small home without an oven, how often you cook oven-style dishes — rather than the size of your kitchen alone — should guide your choice.
If you mainly need to reheat and defrost food, along with preparing a few dishes that are suitable for microwave cooking, a solo model may be all you need. Convection is useful if you regularly plan to cook recipes that would usually go in the oven.
A grill lets you brown or crisp food from time to time without needing another appliance. If you also want to cook pizzas or cakes, consider a combination microwave with convection instead. Measure the available depth before choosing, as some models are over 50 cm deep.
If you want to roast food or bake, look for a combination microwave with convection and a grill. Then check the internal dimensions, whether there’s room for your dishes and which accessories are included. The stated capacity in litres won’t answer these questions on its own.
Choose this if: you mainly reheat and defrost food, and prepare dishes suited to microwave cooking.
The trade-off: it doesn’t have a grill or convection function for recipes that need them.
Choose this if: you’d also like to brown or crisp a dish from time to time.
The trade-off: a grill on its own can’t replace convection for some oven-style cooking.
Choose this if: you plan to bake, grill or roast without installing a conventional oven.
The trade-off: its external dimensions and cavity size may limit where you can install it and the size of dishes it can accommodate.
Once you’ve chosen the type of appliance, compare its functions and dimensions with your actual cooking needs, and check the instruction manual.
| What to consider | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking modes | Check for a grill and convection separately. For convection, look at the temperature range specified for the model. Que Choisir distinguishes between browning with a grill and convection cooking in combination microwaves. | “I mainly reheat meals” calls for different functions from “I want to bake cakes or roast food regularly”. |
| Space and dish size | Measure the external width, height and depth, then check the cavity dimensions, whether there’s a turntable and which accessories are included. Whirlpool France and Panasonic France product specifications show that capacity, turntables and external dimensions vary by model. | Your pizza, tin or usual cookware needs to fit inside the appliance, and the appliance needs to fit in your kitchen. |
| Cooking results and ease of use | If you want to use it as an oven, look at browning, evenness and temperature control ratings, not just the listed programmes. The test published by Que Choisir in July 2026 also assesses reheating, defrosting and ease of use. | If this appliance will be used for most of my meals, even cooking and easy-to-use controls matter every day. |
| Installation and reheating | Check the manual for the model’s required clearances and keep its vents unobstructed, as recommended by Whirlpool France. When reheating packaged food, follow the power and time instructions. Anses warns that prolonged reheating increases the risk of substances migrating from some packaging. | I want to position the appliance without blocking its ventilation and reheat food according to the instructions on its packaging. |
A grill can brown or crisp food, but on its own it won’t provide the convection needed for some baking, pizzas or roasts. Que Choisir explains the difference between these functions in its microwave guide.
If you plan to bake regularly, look for a “convection” function and check its temperature range.
Two cavities with a similar capacity may fit dishes of different sizes. External depth also matters in a small kitchen.
Measure the space available, then compare the internal dimensions, whether there’s a turntable and the size of your usual tins and dishes.
Blocked vents can restrict airflow. The installation requirements for a freestanding appliance aren’t the same as those for a built-in model.
Check the instructions for the exact model before buying, and only install it in a built-in space if the manufacturer says it’s suitable.
According to Anses, prolonged reheating can increase the migration of substances from some packaging into food.
Follow the power and time instructions on the packaging. If it doesn’t say the packaging is microwave-safe, transfer the food to a suitable container.
The details below relate to the models mentioned, not every appliance made by each brand.
Whirlpool France lists freestanding combination microwaves with different cavity layouts. Compare them based on the space you have and the size of your dishes.
The MC28H5013AS/EN is an example of a mid-capacity combination microwave listed by Samsung France.
Panasonic France lists combination microwaves with a grill and convection, for dishes that fit the chosen cavity.
These models are suited to choosing a microwave with a grill for reheating and browning food in a small kitchen. If you want to cook as you would in an oven, check that the model you’re considering specifically has a convection function.
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Worth considering if you mainly want to reheat meals and brown or crisp them from time to time. Check the size of your dishes, the installation clearances and whether it has a convection function if you plan to cook as you would in an oven.
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The grill is handy for browning or crisping food occasionally as well as reheating meals. Before choosing this model for a small kitchen, check the size of dishes it can accommodate and its ventilation requirements. Check separately whether it has convection if your recipes need it.
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This model combines microwave and grill functions for reheating or browning and crisping food. Measure the space available and check that the cavity will fit your dishes. A microwave/grill setting alone doesn’t confirm that the appliance has convection.
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If you mainly want to reheat food and brown or crisp it from time to time, check the size of your dishes and the clearances required around the appliance. If you want to roast food or bake, make sure it has a proper convection function and check its temperature range.
It can handle oven-style cooking if it has convection and a grill, and if its cavity, temperature range and accessories suit your recipes. Pay particular attention to the size of dishes it can fit. A compact appliance won’t meet your needs if you want to use large baking trays or cook on several levels at once.
Leave the clearances specified in the manual for your exact model, and keep its vents clear. Whirlpool France also recommends not placing anything on top of a microwave. Don’t assume a freestanding model can be installed in the same way as a built-in appliance.
No. Follow the packaging instructions on whether it can go in the microwave, and check the recommended power and heating time. Anses says that prolonged reheating can increase the migration of substances from some packaging. If the instructions don’t say it’s suitable for microwave heating, transfer the food to an appropriate container.
According to the Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to an individual in France. It is separate from any commercial guarantee the seller may offer.
If it still works, consider having it repaired, donating it or selling it on, as recommended by ADEME. Otherwise, you can return it to a shop or take it to a collection point for electrical and electronic equipment, such as a household waste recycling centre.