Whether you live in a studio flat, student accommodation or a holiday home, choose a solo microwave if you mainly want to reheat and defrost, a grill model if you’d also like to brown dishes, and a combi if you genuinely need convection cooking. Before choosing, check the appliance and cavity dimensions against your dishes and the space available, and remember to allow for the ventilation clearances specified in the manual.
The right range of features depends mainly on what you plan to do in the kitchen you have available.
In a studio flat or holiday home, your main needs are likely to be reheating meals and defrosting food. A solo model focuses on these tasks, but do check that your plates fit on the turntable. UFC-Que Choisir specifically lists student accommodation and holiday homes among the situations where your choice of features matters.
You mostly reheat food, but would also like to brown some dishes. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes the browning function of a grill microwave from simple reheating: it’s worth considering whether you’ll use this extra feature before choosing a grill model.
In a small, poorly equipped home, you may sometimes need convection cooking as well as microwave functions. A combi can bring these modes together, provided the cavity fits your dishes and its features suit the meals you plan to make.
For a studio flat, student accommodation or holiday home, start with the cooking function you need. Then check which dishes will fit and how much space you’ll need to install the appliance.
Choose this if: you mainly reheat and defrost food, and don’t need to brown dishes.
Bear in mind: a solo model has neither a grill nor convection cooking.
Choose this if: you’d like to brown dishes occasionally as well as use the microwave for everyday tasks.
Bear in mind: having a grill doesn’t mean the appliance also has convection cooking.
Choose this if: you also plan to use convection cooking in a kitchen with limited equipment.
Bear in mind: results depend on the dish and the model; the comparison published by ADEME and the National Institute for Consumer Affairs doesn’t mean every combi can be treated as a like-for-like replacement for an oven.
| Priority | What to check | Consumers concerned |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating and defrosting | Check the defrost settings, power levels and turntable size against the dishes you use. | If I mainly use the appliance to reheat meals and defrost food, I’d rather focus on those features than on modes I won’t use. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise this need. |
| Browning dishes occasionally | Check that the model has a grill and offers the modes you need for the dishes you’d like to brown. | When I occasionally want to brown a dish, microwave mode alone isn’t enough; around 25% of consumers would put browning at the top of their list. |
| Cooking without a convenient oven | Check that the appliance has convection cooking, and compare the cavity and accessories with the dishes you use. | If I don’t have a convenient oven to use, I also want to cook some dishes in ways other than using the microwave. Around 25% of consumers would prioritise this extra cooking option. |
| Installing and using the appliance | Measure the available space, including room to open the door, then check the manual for ventilation requirements and reviews of the model for noise and ease of use. | In my small kitchen, the appliance needs to fit and be easy to use every day; around 17% of consumers would prioritise space, cleaning and quiet operation. |
A grill and convection cooking won’t offer much if you don’t use those modes. UFC-Que Choisir groups appliances by how they’re used; having several functions doesn’t remove the need to work out which ones you actually need.
Think about a typical week of meals: do you need to brown or oven-cook food, or mainly reheat and defrost? Then compare the types of appliance that match those tasks.
The internal capacity doesn’t tell you the external dimensions, how much room you need to open the door or the ventilation space required. So, even if the cavity fits your dishes, the appliance may be awkward to install where you planned.
Measure the available space and check the model’s dimensions and clearance requirements in its manual. Samsung notes that its general ventilation guidelines may vary from one appliance to another.
Anses says that using too high a reheating power can increase the transfer of substances from packaging into food.
Check that the container is microwave-safe and follow its power and timing instructions. Also follow the appliance manual.
In France, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to an individual, as the Ministry of the Economy points out. A commercial guarantee is separate from this legal right.
Before taking out additional cover, compare its exclusions and the services it actually adds, particularly for transport and repairs.
These brands offer models worth comparing for their features; the specifications mentioned apply only to the models in question.
The brand offers standard, grill and combi microwaves, making it easy to compare different levels of functionality.
Samsung’s French catalogue includes solo microwaves and models with a grill, with different capacities depending on the model.
Electrolux models let you compare, among other things, a built-in microwave designed for cooking, reheating and defrosting with a model that includes a grill.
These models let you compare solo microwaves for reheating and defrosting with appliances that also offer occasional grill use. If convection cooking is essential in your home, check for it separately before choosing.
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Worth considering if you want to reheat and defrost, with the option to brown some dishes. The model name indicates a capacity of 20 L and a power output of 700 W.
Before installing it, check the dimensions and ventilation clearances in the manual against your available space.
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Worth considering if reheating and defrosting matter more to you than browning. The product name indicates a capacity of 23 L, a power output of 1150 W and an LED display; the power rating alone isn’t enough to compare cooking results.
Check that the turntable fits your dishes and that the dimensions and ventilation requirements suit your available space.
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For temporary accommodation where reheating and defrosting are the main tasks, this solo model offers, according to its product name, 700 W, six power levels and a 30-minute timer.
Compare the turntable size with your plates and follow the ventilation instructions for the appliance.
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Worth comparing if you’d also like to brown dishes: the features listed for this model include a grill as well as reheating and defrosting. Its product name indicates 900 W, a capacity of 23 L and a stainless steel finish.
Make sure its modes and dimensions suit your dishes and the space you have available.
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For reheating and defrosting with digital controls, this model’s name lists 700 W, eleven power levels and six preset programmes.
Check the space needed for installation and the turntable size against the dishes you use.
Follow the clearances specified in the manual for the model you’re installing. As a general guide for its appliances, Samsung recommends at least 10 cm at the back and sides, and 20 cm above, while noting that requirements vary by model. These distances don’t replace the manual for a different model.
Don’t use a metal container in microwave mode unless the instructions explicitly allow it for the appliance and container concerned. An Electrolux manual warns that metal inside the cavity can cause arcing and prohibits heating food or drinks in metal containers.
Check that the packaging is suitable for microwave use and follow the stated power and timing instructions. Anses warns that using too high a power setting can increase the transfer of substances from the packaging into food.
No. In France, the Ministry of the Economy states that the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to an individual. Check the services and exclusions of any commercial guarantee separately.