If you often reheat and defrost food, but also want to grill or cook with a fan-assisted setting using a single appliance, choose a combination microwave with those functions. If you’re more interested in gratins, baking and roasting than quick reheating, consider a mini oven that suits the dishes you cook. Either way, measure the space available: a study by ADEME and the French National Consumer Institute found no general energy advantage for combination ovens over fan-assisted ovens, with results varying by dish and model.
You often reheat and defrost food, but would also like to brown dishes or cook without keeping a separate oven and microwave. A combination microwave could suit your needs, provided its cooking modes and dimensions work for your kitchen.
Gratins, roasted vegetables, pizzas and bakes are regulars on your menu. A fan-assisted mini oven is worth considering, as long as its cavity and accessories can accommodate the dishes you usually cook.
If reheating and defrosting make up most of what you do, a standard microwave or one with a grill may be enough. Just bear in mind that a grill is not the same as a fan-assisted cooking function.
For a small kitchen without a built-in oven, start with the meals you cook most often. Then check that both the appliance and your dishes will fit in the available space.
| Criteria | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating and defrosting | Check that it has a microwave mode and the defrost functions you need. | When leftovers and frozen food are regular features of my meals, I want to prepare them without keeping a second appliance. Around 31% of consumers would prioritise this need. |
| Oven-style cooking | Check for fan-assisted cooking, a grill and a suitable temperature range for your recipes. | For regular gratins or baking, I mainly need cooking modes suited to those dishes. This would be the priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Room for your dishes | Compare your dishes with the dimensions of the cavity or turntable, then measure the appliance and the clearances specified in its manual. | If my usual oven dish won’t fit, the stated capacity is no help. Dish compatibility would come first for around 25% of consumers. |
| Cleaning and energy use | Check how easy it is to access the cavity and read the cleaning instructions. For energy use, look for measurements based on comparable usage. | When I use an appliance every day, I want it to be easy to clean and to be able to compare its energy use for the meals I make. Around 13% of consumers would prioritise these aspects. |
Two cavities with a similar capacity may fit different dishes. The turntable, racks, shape of the interior and door opening all matter when you have limited worktop space.
Measure your dishes and the space you have in mind, then check the internal dimensions and clearance requirements in the manual.
In a study of four combination ovens and ten fan-assisted ovens, ADEME and the French National Consumer Institute found no general advantage for combination models. Results varied by dish, model and brand.
For the recipes you make most often, look for tests or energy-use data based on comparable usage, rather than relying on the maximum power rating.
A grill can be useful for browning dishes, but having one doesn’t mean the appliance has the cooking mode you need for baking or roasting.
If those dishes are a regular part of your meals, check that it has a fan-assisted function and confirm the cooking modes available on the specific model.
Moulinex’s range of freestanding mini ovens includes models designed for cooking in compact spaces.
Panasonic offers freestanding combination microwaves with microwave, grill and convection functions, depending on the model.
Tefal also offers compact specialist appliances, such as the Toast'n Grill TL600830, which combines a toaster and a mini oven.
This selection of freestanding appliances includes microwaves for reheating, models with a grill and a combination model. To choose between these and a mini oven, start with the cooking modes you need and the space you have available.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a worktop appliance for reheating. The model name indicates a capacity of 25 L and a power rating of 1,000 W.
If you also plan to cook oven dishes, check which modes are available. Measure the space the appliance needs, including clearance.
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Consider this if you want to combine reheating and grilling in a freestanding appliance. The model name indicates a capacity of 20 L and a power rating of 700 W.
For baking or roasting, check the cooking modes separately. Also allow for the ventilation clearances specified in the manual.
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This freestanding model may appeal if you want a microwave with a grill. Its name indicates a capacity of 25 L and a power rating of 900 W.
If your recipes need fan-assisted cooking, check that this mode is available. Also make sure your dishes will fit inside the cavity.
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Worth a look if you’re after several functions in one appliance and have enough space for its 42 L capacity.
Check that it has the cooking modes and defrost function you need, then measure the appliance and required clearances before deciding where to put it.
It can combine microwave, grill and fan-assisted cooking if the model has all those modes, but it won’t necessarily cover every use of a built-in oven. Check the size of dishes it can accommodate and the results you can expect from your recipes: according to ADEME and the French National Consumer Institute, performance comparisons vary in particular by dish and model.
Start by choosing an appliance that can fit your dishes while leaving the clearances specified in its manual. Moulinex suggests that mini ovens under 33 L may be suitable for one person, a couple or a student. This is the brand’s recommendation, so check it against the size of your dishes and kitchen.
Use containers labelled as suitable for the microwave mode on your appliance. Not all plastics are suitable. If your combination model comes with metal accessories, follow the instructions in its manual for the mode you’re using.
Before buying, check the appliance’s dimensions, how the door opens, the installation clearances and how easy it is to access the cavity for cleaning. UFC-Que Choisir considers access to dishes, controls and cleaning as part of its ease-of-use tests.