For reheating and defrosting in a studio flat or holiday home, start by considering a solo microwave. A grill is useful if you want to brown or crisp food, while a combination microwave is more worthwhile if you also plan to cook oven-style dishes regularly. Whatever you choose, check the available space, door clearance, ventilation requirements and electrical specifications before buying.
The right level of functionality depends less on the type of home you live in than on the meals you prepare and the space you actually have available.
If you mainly reheat meals and defrost portions, a solo model may do everything you need without adding cooking functions you won’t use. If you might move the appliance to a new home, check its dimensions and installation requirements too. UFC-Que Choisir lists student accommodation as one of the settings in which a microwave may be used.
If the property is only occupied occasionally, start with the meals you actually prepare there: reheating only, the occasional gratin or more regular cooking. UFC-Que Choisir includes holiday homes among the settings to consider. How often you use the microwave can then help you decide whether extra functions are worthwhile.
If you want to cook certain dishes without installing a separate oven, compare the grill and convection functions on the exact model you’re considering. A combination microwave can offer more cooking modes, provided it fits your kitchen and meets its ventilation requirements.
UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between solo, grill and combination microwaves. First, choose the functions your meals call for, then check that the model you’re considering will fit where you plan to put it.
Consider this if: you mainly reheat and defrost meals.
Limitation: it doesn’t function as a grill or a convection oven.
Consider this if: you also want to brown or crisp food occasionally.
Limitation: a grill alone doesn’t mean the appliance has a convection cooking function.
Consider this if: you plan to cook oven-style dishes regularly.
Limitation: UFC-Que Choisir says combination models generally cost more than solo microwaves. Check how much space they take up too.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Space and installation | Compare the external dimensions and door clearance with the space available. Check the manual for ventilation clearances and electrical specifications. | In a studio flat with limited worktop space, I want to be able to position and use the appliance without the door getting in the way. Around 42% of consumers would put being able to install it among their top priorities. |
| Reheating and defrosting | Check the defrost settings, how easy the controls are to read and whether there’s enough room inside for the containers you usually use. | If I mainly need to reheat or defrost meals, I’d rather have controls suited to these everyday tasks than extra cooking modes. Simplicity would be the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Additional cooking functions | Check the product listing for the grill and, if you need it, convection functions separately. Also check which accessories are included. | Without an oven in my small kitchen, I want to know whether the microwave can also brown food or handle the cooking I do regularly. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise these additional functions. |
The internal capacity won’t tell you whether the microwave will fit on your unit, whether the door can open freely or whether its ventilation openings will remain clear.
Measure the space, then compare it with the external dimensions and installation instructions for the exact model. Schneider Consumer’s manual reminds users to position the appliance in accordance with its installation instructions.
Extra functions are only useful if you prepare the dishes that need them. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between solo, grill and combination models, and says that combination models generally cost more.
Make a note of the meals you plan to prepare at home: reheating and defrosting, the occasional gratin or dishes that regularly need oven-style cooking. Choose the functions that match those needs.
A grill can brown or crisp food, but having one doesn’t mean the appliance also offers convection cooking. This distinction matters if you want the microwave to handle some of the jobs you’d normally use an oven for.
Look for each cooking mode you need in the model’s specifications rather than assuming it has certain functions just because the word ‘grill’ appears.
In a holiday home that’s rarely used, how often you actually prepare meals there will affect whether a multi-function appliance is worthwhile. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition recommends considering how useful an appliance will be if it’s only used occasionally.
Before deciding how many functions you need, think about how often the property will be occupied and what meals you plan to prepare there.
These ranges offer useful points of comparison for functions and sizes. Always check the specifications of the model you’re interested in.
Samsung France offers ranges of freestanding solo, grill and combination microwaves.
Beko France offers freestanding microwaves with capacities of 20, 23 and 28 litres, as well as grill and combination versions.
Whirlpool France offers freestanding and built-in combination microwaves designed to bring several cooking modes together.
These solo and grill models suit small homes where reheating and defrosting are priorities, with some also offering a way to brown or crisp food. Compare their functions with the meals you prepare, then check the installation requirements for the model you choose.
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For reheating and defrosting meals when these are more important than oven-style cooking functions.
The product name specifies 700 W, six pre-set menus and 11 power levels. Check the manual for the required clearances and electrical specifications before installing it.
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For a studio flat where reheating and defrosting are the main priorities, without the need for a grill.
The product name specifies 700 W, six power levels, a 30-minute timer and a defrost function. Check its dimensions and ventilation requirements against the space you have available.
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Worth considering if you want the usual microwave functions as well as the option to brown or crisp food occasionally.
The product name specifies a microwave output of 700 W. A grill doesn’t mean the appliance has convection cooking too, so check the manual for installation clearances as well.
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For a home where reheating is the priority and grill or oven functions aren’t needed.
The product name specifies 700 W. Before positioning it, check the space needed to open the door and the clearances required in the manual.
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Worth a look if you also want to brown or crisp dishes and a 25 L capacity suits your containers.
The product name mentions a digital display. Check the model’s external dimensions, ventilation clearances and electrical specifications. The grill function doesn’t confirm that it has convection cooking.
Don’t assume you can: the installation must follow the instructions for the exact model, especially its ventilation requirements. Measure the alcove and the appliance, allow room for the door to open and check that a suitable socket is within reach before choosing this spot.
Not if you mainly reheat and defrost meals there: a solo model will cover these needs. Consider a combination microwave if you regularly prepare dishes that need its other cooking modes too, and check that you can install it where you intend to use it.
Take it to a collection point for electrical and electronic equipment rather than putting it in household rubbish. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition explains how this equipment is collected and recycled in France. Check where you can drop it off locally.