If you mainly want to reheat and defrost ready meals, choose a solo microwave. A grill is useful for browning food occasionally; consider a combination model with a fan oven if you also plan to cook oven-style dishes regularly. In a compact home, check the external dimensions and the clearances required in the manual before deciding where to put it.
Your choice depends less on the type of home you live in and more on the meals you prepare there and the space you actually have available.
If you mainly reheat meals and defrost food, a freestanding solo model is a good place to start. Check that it will fit on your worktop and review the installation requirements before planning to move it. UFC-Que Choisir lists student accommodation as one of the settings where microwaves are used.
For occasional stays when you mainly need to reheat and defrost food, choose the functions you’ll actually use. UFC-Que Choisir also mentions second homes as a setting where microwaves are used.
If you’d like to brown or crisp a dish from time to time, look at models with a grill. If you regularly make recipes that need oven-style cooking, compare combination models with a fan oven instead, while keeping their size in mind.
Start with the type of cooking you’ll actually do, then measure the space: a suitable internal capacity doesn’t guarantee that the appliance will fit with the required clearances.
Choose this: for reheating and defrosting, if you don’t need to brown food or cook as you would in an oven.
The trade-off: it doesn’t offer grill or fan-oven functions.
Choose this: if reheating is still your main use, but you’d sometimes like to brown or crisp a dish.
The trade-off: having a grill doesn’t mean the model also has a fan oven.
Choose this: if you plan to cook oven-style dishes regularly as well as reheating food.
The trade-off: pay particular attention to the space and support needed: the combination model Panasonic NN-C69KS, listed by the brand, measures 520 × 520 × 327 mm and weighs 22.2 kg.
| Priority | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Compare the external width, depth and height with the space you’ve measured. Allow for the door to open and for the clearances specified in the manual. | My worktop is narrow: the appliance needs to fit without obstructing the door or blocking its vents. |
| Cooking functions | Check the functions of the exact model: microwave for reheating and defrosting, grill for browning, and fan oven for oven-style cooking. Don’t assume it has the last of these just because it’s described as a ‘combination’ model. | I mainly reheat meals, but I’d like to know whether I’ll sometimes brown a dish or cook as I would in an oven on a regular basis. |
| Internal capacity | Check the stated capacity, as well as the usable cavity and turntable dimensions if provided. Make sure your usual dishes will fit the model you choose. | I need to be able to fit one of my regular dishes inside the appliance and, if it has a turntable, it must be able to rotate freely. |
| Installation | Check that the model is suitable for freestanding installation and read its ventilation instructions. Whirlpool recommends placing its freestanding models on a flat surface and keeping the vents clear; the required clearances depend on the model’s manual. | I need to be able to install the appliance in the space I’ve chosen without restricting airflow around it. |
Extra cooking functions can come with a larger appliance. According to Panasonic France’s product specifications, the combination model NN-C69KS measures 520 × 520 × 327 mm, compared with 443 × 330 × 258 mm for the solo NN-E20JW. These examples don’t replace the need to compare the models you’re considering.
Make a note of the meals you usually prepare. If you won’t use the fan oven or grill, start by looking at the dimensions of solo models.
A grill browns or crisps food; it doesn’t, by itself, confirm that the microwave offers oven-style cooking. Whirlpool France explains the difference between these functions in its microwave advice.
If you want an appliance that can partly replace an oven, look specifically for a fan oven, its temperature range and the cooking modes listed in the specifications for the exact model.
Depth, height, door clearance and ventilation also matter in a compact kitchen. Whirlpool recommends keeping the vents on freestanding appliances clear.
Measure the whole space, then compare it with the appliance’s overall dimensions and the clearances specified in the manual.
Choosing a model doesn’t confirm its availability, delivery arrangements or whether you have space for your old appliance. In France, used electrical and electronic equipment is handled through a collection and treatment scheme described by the ministries responsible for the ecological transition.
Before ordering, check availability and the terms offered by the seller. If you’re replacing a microwave, make arrangements for disposing of the old one too.
These models are useful for comparing functions and dimensions documented by their manufacturers; they don’t represent every range from each brand.
Panasonic France provides details of both a 20 L solo model and a 30 L combination model with a fan oven.
Whirlpool France’s product specifications let you compare a solo microwave with a model that has a grill and no turntable.
Electrolux France presents the EMZ421MMK as an example of a freestanding microwave with a grill.
This selection includes three solo microwaves for everyday reheating and one model with a grill for occasional browning. Compare their functions with the meals you prepare, then check the installation space required in the manual for your chosen model.
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A solo model worth considering for everyday reheating and defrosting. The product listing mentions six preset menus and eleven power levels; check the manual for the clearances needed for installation.
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The grill is handy for browning a dish from time to time, alongside the microwave’s usual functions. Measure the space and check the manual for all the required clearances, particularly above the appliance.
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Its stated capacity of 23 L and Quick Defrost function are worth considering if you want a solo model for defrosting. Check the external dimensions, door clearance and ventilation clearances before choosing where to put it.
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This solo model is worth considering for everyday reheating. If you need to defrost food, check how it works in the manual; also make sure you allow for the required clearances before installation.
Yes, if you mainly reheat and defrost food. If you want to brown food occasionally, consider a model with a grill; if you also want to cook oven-style dishes, look for one that explicitly lists a fan oven.
No: the space must meet the requirements for the model. Whirlpool France recommends a flat surface, a room temperature of 5 to 35 °C and clear ventilation openings for its freestanding appliances; check the manual for the exact clearances required for your chosen model.
It can cover some of the tasks you’d use an oven for, provided the model has a documented fan oven and suits the recipes you prepare. For example, Panasonic France lists a temperature range of 40 to 220 °C for the NN-C69KS; also check that you have enough space and a suitable support for its weight of 22.2 kg.
The statutory guarantee of conformity applies to goods sold by a professional seller, under the conditions set out in French law. According to economie.gouv.fr, consumers have two years from delivery of the goods to exercise this right; keep proof of purchase and delivery.
Take it to an appropriate electrical and electronic equipment recycling scheme rather than putting it in your household rubbish. The French ministries responsible for the ecological transition provide information about the national collection and treatment scheme for this equipment; check what collection or take-back options are available to you.