If you mainly need to reheat food and defrost ingredients in a student or second home, choose a solo microwave. Add a grill if you’d also like to brown or crisp food. If you regularly cook dishes that need fan-assisted heat, consider a combination microwave, but don’t assume it will fully replace an oven. If oven cooking is still your main use and you have room for one, it’s better to keep a separate mini oven.
If you mainly reheat portions and defrost ingredients, start by comparing solo microwaves. A grill is useful if you also want to brown or crisp food. Only consider a combination microwave if you plan to use its oven function and have enough room for it.
If you want quick meals in a kitchen with limited equipment, start with the dishes you’ll prepare there. A grill can be useful for occasional browning. If you also want to cook oven dishes, check what a combination microwave can do or whether you have room to keep a mini oven.
If pizzas, cakes or roast dishes feature regularly on your menu, look for a genuine fan-assisted or convection mode. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes these uses from microwave and grill functions. Also check the size of dishes the appliance can accommodate, and look at test results for the oven mode where available.
Start with the dishes you prepare, then make sure the features you need suit the available space and will be easy to use day to day.
| What to consider | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking modes | Check separately for microwave, grill and fan-assisted or convection modes. According to UFC-Que Choisir, a combination microwave can bring together the basic functions of a conventional oven. A grill alone does not mean it has an oven mode. | I mainly reheat and defrost: a solo model will do the job. If I only want to brown or crisp food as well, I’ll look at models with a grill. For oven cooking, I’ll check for a combination microwave or keep a mini oven. |
| Available space | Measure the width, height and depth, and allow space to open the door. Check your dishes against the cavity or turntable, then read the installation instructions for the exact model. | In my small kitchen, the appliance needs to fit my dishes without taking over the worktop. If I keep a mini oven, I’ll need to make room for both appliances. |
| Cooking performance and controls | If you’re buying a combination microwave for oven cooking, look for tests of its convection mode. UFC-Que Choisir assesses factors including browning, evenness and cooking time for small cakes. Also check the controls and any accessories you’ll need for your recipes. | I plan to cook regularly, not just reheat food. I want to assess the mode I’ll actually use rather than choosing based on the stated power alone. |
| Containers | Check that each container or packaging is suitable for the intended use. When reheating packaged food in a microwave, follow the power and timing instructions, as recommended by Anses. | I sometimes reheat food in its packaging, so I check the instructions before putting it in the appliance. |
A grill is useful for browning or crisping food, but it doesn’t provide a fan-assisted cooking mode. If you plan to cook pizzas or cakes regularly, this difference will affect your choice of appliance.
Make a note of the dishes you’ll cook most often. For oven-style cooking, look specifically for convection or fan-assisted heat, and check the results if test information is available.
Power tells you neither whether your dishes will fit in the cavity nor whether the appliance will fit in the space you have in mind. For example, Whirlpool France lists a depth of 49,4 cm for its 25 L MCP349WH combination microwave.
Measure your dishes, worktop and the space needed to open the door. Then check the instructions for the model you’re considering to find out about its installation requirements.
Food packaging should be used according to its instructions. You can’t tell how to reheat it just by looking at it.
For packaging intended for microwave use, follow the stated power and timing instructions, as recommended by Anses. For any other container, check that it’s suitable for this use.
The number of programmes doesn’t tell you how well the appliance performs in the mode you’re interested in. UFC-Que Choisir’s test procedure looks at factors including browning and evenness when using fan-assisted heat.
If oven cooking is the main reason you’re buying, check the available test results for that mode and look into the accessories, controls and cleaning requirements for the exact model.
A useful option to compare if you’re looking for a grill microwave for reheating and browning or crisping food, rather than a fan-assisted oven.
The range includes freestanding combination microwaves to consider when you only have room for one appliance with several cooking modes.
Combination models to consider if you plan to use the oven function as well as the microwave.
The KVLBE08X is an example of a compact built-in appliance. It’s worth considering if your kitchen already has a suitable housing, rather than if you simply need a model for the worktop.
These freestanding models are suited to reheating and defrosting, with some also offering a grill. If your main aim is oven-style cooking, check that the model you’re considering has a fan-assisted or convection mode.
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Worth considering if you’d like to brown or crisp food occasionally as well as using the microwave. The title lists a capacity of 20 L and a power rating of 700 W. If oven cooking matters to you, check separately for a fan-assisted mode.
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For reheating and defrosting with preset settings. The title mentions 6 menus, 11 power levels and a defrost function. Check the dimensions and required clearance before installing it.
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Compare this model if you’re looking for a 25 L appliance for reheating and would also like to consider a browning function. Confirm the cooking modes and accessories for this variant before buying: the word “combo” alone doesn’t confirm that it has fan-assisted heat.
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An option to consider if reheating and defrosting are more important to you than extra cooking modes. Check that your dishes will fit inside and that installation leaves the clearance required by the instructions.
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Worth considering if you want to brown or crisp food without installing a separate grill. The title describes a 25 L freestanding microwave with grill. Measure the space you have in mind, and don’t confuse the grill with an oven-cooking function.
It can handle some oven-style cooking if the model has fan-assisted or convection cooking that’s suitable for the dishes you prepare. UFC-Que Choisir assesses cooking results in fan-assisted mode separately, so check the mode, dish size and available test results rather than relying on the word “combination” alone.
Start by considering the size of the plates and dishes you’ll use, then check the external dimensions and installation instructions. As a measurement guide, Samsung France lists a capacity of 23 L and a 28,8 cm turntable for the MG23K3614AW. These figures don’t guarantee that a dish of a different shape will fit.
Yes, if the packaging is suitable for this use and you follow its preparation instructions. Anses recommends following the stated power and timing instructions, in particular, for food products intended to be reheated in a microwave.
No. You’ll need a housing that meets the model’s requirements, and you must follow its installation instructions. For example, Electrolux France lists built-in dimensions of 450 × 560 × 550 mm for the KVLBE08X. Check the housing and installation diagram for the exact model before choosing it.