For a small home, choose a solo microwave if you mainly want to reheat and defrost food. A model with a grill is useful for occasional browning, while a combination microwave with fan-assisted cooking can handle some oven tasks, provided its functions, dimensions and accessories suit the dishes you want to cook. Before choosing, measure the space and check the ventilation requirements in the manual.
If you mainly use your microwave to reheat food, defrost ingredients and prepare simple portions, start by looking at solo models. Compare their actual footprint with the space available and the size of your plates.
If you already have an oven or another way to cook your main meals, a microwave with a grill lets you brown or crisp food occasionally. You can avoid choosing a combination model with functions you’re unlikely to use.
If you want one appliance for reheating, defrosting, grilling and some fan-assisted cooking, consider a combination microwave. Be sure to check its usable capacity, accessories and the space required for the model you’re considering.
Start with the cooking you’ll actually do, then check that the appliance’s dimensions suit your available space and the dishes you use regularly.
Worth considering: for everyday reheating and defrosting when space is limited.
Limitation: it doesn’t offer a grill or fan-assisted cooking.
Worth considering: if you’d also like to brown or crisp food occasionally, while keeping another main cooking appliance.
Limitation: a grill alone won’t replace fan-assisted cooking for oven-style dishes, as UFC-Que Choisir’s guide explains.
Worth considering: if you plan to use the grill and fan-assisted cooking regularly as well as reheating food.
Limitation: according to UFC-Que Choisir, a combination microwave can handle some tasks usually done in a traditional oven, but you’ll need to check the functions and results of each model.
| What to consider | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Available space | Compare the appliance’s external width, depth and height with the space available. Allow room to open the door and follow the manual’s instructions to keep the vents clear. | My worktop is narrow, so I need to be able to open the appliance and install it without blocking its ventilation. |
| Type of cooking | Check whether the model is solo, has a grill or offers fan-assisted or convection cooking. A grill alone doesn’t mean it can cook like a combination microwave. | I mainly reheat meals, or I’d also like to brown food and cook some dishes usually made in an oven. |
| Usual dishes | Compare the internal dimensions and turntable diameter with your plates and dishes; capacity in litres isn’t the only thing that matters. | My dishes need to fit inside and, if the model has a turntable, rotate freely. |
| Settings | Check the microwave and grill power ratings separately, and see which power levels are available. To assess how evenly a model reheats or defrosts food, look for tests of that specific model rather than relying on the wattage alone. | I’d like to adjust the settings for both defrosting a portion and reheating a meal. |
Capacity alone won’t tell you how much worktop space the appliance needs. For example, the product specifications from Panasonic France and Whirlpool France list a depth of 33 cm for the NN-E20JW solo model and 49.4 cm for the MCP349WH combination model. These dimensions apply to those specific models, not to every microwave in their category.
Measure the available space in all three dimensions, then compare the cavity and turntable dimensions with your dishes.
Whirlpool France notes that blocked ventilation openings can cause overheating. Limited space doesn’t mean you can ignore the installation requirements for your chosen model.
Read the manual, place the microwave on a flat surface and keep its vents clear.
A grill is for browning food, while fan-assisted or convection cooking is designed for other types of cooking. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol assesses these functions separately on applicable appliances.
If you want to cook oven-style dishes, look specifically for this function on a combination model. Check the capacity, accessories and test results for the model you’re considering.
These examples from different ranges can help you identify functions and dimensions to compare; they don’t represent the specifications of every model.
Whirlpool France offers freestanding solo microwaves, models with a grill and combination models.
Panasonic France’s product specifications include details of solo models and models with a grill.
Electrolux France offers freestanding microwaves with a grill, including the EMZ725MMK.
Samsung France’s guide distinguishes between standard, grill and combination microwaves.
These models offer a range of options for reheating and defrosting in a small home, with or without a grill. Before ordering, check the space needed for installation and the cooking functions of each model.
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For reheating and defrosting, with the option to brown food occasionally. The model name lists a 20 L capacity and 700 W power rating. Check the space needed for installation and the turntable size against your dishes.
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For everyday reheating and defrosting without a grill. The product name lists six power levels and a 30-minute timer. Also check that the turntable suits your plates and read the installation guidance for your chosen space.
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A solo model to consider if you want to reheat and defrost without a grill. Its name mentions quick defrosting. Measure the space, allow room to open the door and check that the turntable suits your dishes.
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For reheating, defrosting and occasional browning. Check the grill power rating for the exact model on sale, as well as its depth and the clearance requirements in the manual. Having a grill doesn’t mean the model offers fan-assisted cooking.
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For reheating and defrosting, with a stated capacity of 25 L. Before relying on it to brown food, confirm whether the model on sale has a grill: its name describes it as a solo model, while its description mentions a grill. Also check the installation clearances.
It can handle some tasks usually done in a traditional oven if it has the necessary cooking functions, such as fan-assisted or convection cooking. However, UFC-Que Choisir assesses grilling, combination cooking and fan-assisted cooking separately. Before relying on one appliance for all your cooking, check its capacity, accessories, available temperatures and test results.
Measure the available width, depth and height, then check that the door can open and that you can leave the clearances specified in the model’s manual. Whirlpool France recommends placing the microwave on a flat surface and keeping its vents clear, as blocked ventilation can cause overheating.
No. Compare the power levels, the size of dishes that will fit and the cooking functions too. Grill power is separate from microwave power. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol also treats even reheating and defrosting as separate performance criteria.