If you mainly reheat and defrost portions, start by looking at a solo microwave. A grill is useful when you want to brown food occasionally; if you also want to cook using convection, look for a combination model with a cavity large enough for your dishes. An air fryer is better suited to meals cooked in its basket, and won’t replace a microwave for every type of leftover, soup or container.
In student accommodation or a second home, reheating and defrosting may matter more than browning. A solo microwave is suited to these uses, as described by UFC-Que Choisir, provided your containers fit inside the cavity.
If you also want to brown food under the grill and cook using convection, consider a combination microwave. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes these features from those of a solo microwave. Check that the model’s capacity and accessories suit the dishes you prepare.
An air fryer is worth considering if your meals are suited to basket cooking, rather than reheating in their containers. Basket size and the space needed to pull out the drawer are key considerations in a small kitchen.
Start by choosing the appliance that suits what you do most often: reheat, brown, cook as you would in an oven, or prepare food using hot air. In a small home, an extra function is only useful if the appliance and your dishes will genuinely fit.
Best for: if reheating and defrosting make up most of your everyday meals.
Limitation: it doesn’t brown food under a grill or cook using convection.
Best for: if you sometimes want to brown food under the grill while still having a microwave for reheating.
Limitation: a grill doesn’t mean the appliance cooks by convection, as UFC-Que Choisir’s distinction makes clear.
Best for: if you want one appliance that combines reheating, grilling and convection cooking.
Limitation: how well it works as an oven depends on the model’s capacity, temperature range and accessories, not just the ‘combination’ label.
Best for: if you mainly prepare food suited to hot air circulating around a basket.
Limitation: a basket isn’t as well suited to reheating soup or a meal kept in its container.
| Need | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating and defrosting | Defrost function; usable cavity or turntable dimensions compared with your plates and containers. | If I mainly reheat portions and leftovers, I want to use my usual containers without having to transfer food between them. Around 42% of consumers concerned would put this need first. |
| Cooking without a separate oven | Explicit mention of convection, temperature range, and enough room for your dishes and accessories. | Without a convenient oven, I need to cook or brown food, not just reheat it. This would be the priority for around 33% of consumers concerned. |
| Hot-air cooking | Usable basket area, space to pull out the drawer, and the model’s installation instructions. | My meals are suited to basket cooking, but the appliance must also be easy to handle on my worktop. For around 25% of consumers concerned, this need would come before the others. |
The grill browns the surface of food; for oven-style cooking, you need a convection function. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between these features in its microwave guide.
If you plan to cook or roast regularly, check the function listed, the temperature range and the cavity dimensions before choosing.
Plastic that is suitable for microwave use may not be suitable for the heat from the grill or convection. UFC-Que Choisir advises against using plastic in either of these modes.
Follow the instructions from the container’s manufacturer and the food packaging. Don’t use metal utensils in microwave mode.
An appliance may fit on the worktop but still get in the way of a drawer opening or block its vents. Whirlpool advises against blocking a microwave’s ventilation.
Measure the space with the appliance open and check the model’s manual for clearance requirements. For an air fryer, also allow for a stable, heat-resistant surface.
Basket cooking isn’t suitable for every recipe: Moulinex, for example, says not to add liquid to an air fryer’s cooking bowl.
If soups, saucy dishes or defrosting make up a large part of your meals, consider separately which appliance you’ll use for them.
The range includes combination microwaves which, depending on the model, bring together microwave, grill, convection or air fryer functions.
The range includes air fryers in different sizes and with different functions, including models with a grill.
The range distinguishes between standard microwaves, grill models and combination models.
These Joybuy models suit three of the uses covered here: a solo microwave for reheating and defrosting, a microwave with a grill for occasional browning, and an air fryer for cooking small batches. If you want convection cooking in a microwave, check separately that the model you’re interested in has this function.
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Worth considering if you want to reheat meals and have a grill for occasional browning.
Listed capacity: 20 L; power stated in the product name: 700 W. For convection cooking, look for a model that explicitly lists this function.
Before installing it, check the manual for the clearance required around the appliance and choose containers to suit the cooking mode.
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Consider this if your meals mainly need reheating and defrosting, and you don’t need a browning function.
The model name lists 700 W, six pre-set menus, 11 power levels and a defrost function.
Check that your dishes fit inside the cavity and that the installation location meets the ventilation instructions in the manual.
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Worth considering if reheating and defrosting are your priorities, with a listed capacity of 23 L.
The size of your dishes and the appliance’s external dimensions are just as important as its capacity when deciding whether it will suit your kitchen.
If you also want to brown food or cook using convection, look for a model with these functions; check the installation clearances in the manual.
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Worth considering if you mainly prepare food suited to hot-air cooking, rather than soups or portions that need defrosting.
Before choosing this model, compare its footprint with the space available and check the manual for the room needed to use and ventilate it.
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Consider this if your food is suited to small batches in a hot-air basket.
The product name lists a 2 L capacity, a 60 min timer and a non-stick basket described as dishwasher-safe.
If defrosting is essential for you, plan a suitable alternative for that use. Also check the model’s footprint and installation instructions.
Use a container whose manufacturer says it is suitable for microwave use, and also follow the instructions on the food packaging. Avoid metal utensils and dishes with metallic decoration. Anses recommends following the preparation instructions for products intended for microwave cooking.
No, not simply because it is microwave-safe. UFC-Que Choisir advises against using plastic in grill or convection mode. Choose a container approved for the cooking mode you’re using, and avoid sealed containers that could build up pressure.
It can handle some oven-style cooking if the model has convection and is large enough for your dishes. Panasonic lists this function on its NN-CD87KS and NN-CD88 models, but check the temperature range, cavity and accessories needed for your recipes on the appliance you’re considering.
Allow enough space for ventilation and opening, then follow the model’s manual for clearances and electrical connection. Whirlpool advises against blocking a microwave’s vents. For an air fryer, choose a stable, heat-resistant surface and keep it away from water.
Don’t pour soup into it: Moulinex says you should not add liquid to the cooking bowl when using an air fryer. To reheat soup, consider a microwave with a suitable container, following the instructions for both the food and the appliance.