Studio flat residents who mainly reheat meals
If you’ll mainly use your appliance for leftovers, ready meals and defrosting, a solo microwave is a good starting point. Then check that it fits on your worktop and can accommodate your usual plates.
Who is each option right for?
Second-home owners who like to brown or crisp food
If you already have another way to cook but would sometimes like to brown a reheated dish, consider a model with a grill. This function alone does not provide a fan oven function.
Temporary residents without a suitable oven
If you regularly prepare dishes that need oven-style cooking, a combination microwave with a fan oven function is worth considering. Compare its overall size with the space you actually have available.
What should you check before choosing?
Start with the meals you’ll prepare in your home, then compare the functions you need with the dimensions of the appliance and your dishes.
Solo microwave
Consider this: if you’ll mainly use it for reheating and defrosting.
Limit: it has neither a grill for browning food nor a fan oven function for oven-style cooking.
Microwave with grill
Consider this: if you’d also like to brown or crisp certain dishes, but don’t need to cook regularly using a fan oven function.
Limit: having a grill does not mean the appliance has a fan oven function.
Combination microwave
Consider this: if you don’t have a suitable oven and will use the fan oven function regularly.
Limit: check its depth and the required clearances before relying on it to replace an oven in some situations.
| Consideration | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Space and dishes | Compare the external width, height and depth with the space available, then check the door opening and the clearances specified in the instructions. Check the turntable or cavity with your dishes: two appliances with the same capacity can have different shapes. | My worktop space is limited, but the appliance needs to fit the plates and dishes I use. |
| Reheating and defrosting | Look for microwave and defrost settings, as well as the time and power controls you’ll use. According to Que Choisir, reheating and defrosting are the main uses to consider before adding other functions. | I mainly prepare meals to reheat and food to defrost, and won’t use this appliance for oven cooking. |
| Grill | Check that the model’s product details list a grill and, if you want it, a combined microwave-and-grill function. Check which accessories and containers are suitable for the selected function. | I’d sometimes like to brown a gratin or a reheated dish, but I don’t need a fan oven function. |
| Oven-style cooking | Look specifically for a fan or convection function: a grill alone does not provide this. Also measure the appliance’s external depth and check how much space it needs around it. | There’s no suitable oven in my home, and I plan to regularly prepare dishes that need fan-assisted cooking. |
What mistakes should you avoid?
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Choosing based on capacity in litres alone
Capacity alone won’t tell you whether the appliance will fit in the space or whether your dish will fit inside.
Measure the available space, then check the appliance’s external dimensions, door opening, turntable or cavity, and the clearances required in the model’s instructions.
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Choosing a combination microwave just for reheating
The fan oven function won’t be useful for meals that only need reheating or defrosting.
Make a list of the dishes you’ll actually cook at home. If none needs oven-style cooking, compare solo microwaves first, along with models with a grill if you’d like to brown or crisp food.
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Confusing a grill with a fan oven function
A grill is for browning or crisping food; it doesn’t confirm that the appliance has the function needed for oven-style cooking.
For browning or crisping, look for ‘grill’ in the exact model’s product details. For fan-assisted cooking, check that this function is explicitly listed.
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Assuming a customer rating tells you which type to buy
A model’s rating won’t tell you whether your own meals call for a solo, grill or combination microwave.
Use reviews to find practical details about a specific model, then choose the type of appliance based on the meals you make and the space you’ve measured.
A guide to the brands
Whirlpool
Whirlpool France’s product pages include the MAX34/BL solo microwave, the MWF421SL with grill and the MCP349WH combination microwave with convection cooking.
- The dimensions and functions listed for each model help you compare what they’re designed for: the MAX34/BL is listed at 13 L and 700 W, while the MWF421SL combines microwave and grill functions in a 25 L cavity.
- Check the dimensions and functions of the specific model you choose: these features don’t apply to every appliance from the brand.
Electrolux
On its French product page, Electrolux describes the Y4ZM25MMK as a freestanding microwave with microwave, grill and combined microwave-and-grill functions.
- For this model, Electrolux lists 900 W for microwave cooking and 1,000 W for the grill, as well as external dimensions to help you check whether it will fit.
- These functions and figures apply to the Y4ZM25MMK, not to every Electrolux microwave.
Panasonic
Panasonic’s French product pages include the 20 L NN-E20JW solo microwave and the 30 L NN-C69KSM combination microwave, which has a grill and a fan oven function.
- The capacities, functions and dimensions published for these models make it easier to compare reheating needs with oven-style cooking requirements.
- Check with the retailer that the model you’re interested in is available before making your choice.
Microwaves available on Joybuy
These models are suited to reheating and defrosting in a small home; some also have a grill for browning food. Compare the listed functions, then check the dimensions and clearances for each model against the space you have available.
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Beko MGC20100B1 with grill, 20 L, 700 W, black
Worth considering if you want to reheat meals and also have a grill for browning food. This model is listed with a 20 L capacity and a power rating of 700 W; check the size of your dishes, the space needed around the appliance and which utensils are suitable for grill use.
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Samsung MS23K3513 solo, 23 L, Quick Defrost
This solo model is a good option if you’re focusing on reheating and defrosting, with no grill listed in its name. Its stated capacity is 23 L; before choosing it, check that your dishes will fit and that its external dimensions suit the space, allowing for the clearances specified in the instructions.
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Hisense H25MOBS7H solo, 25 L, 900 W, black
This 25 L, 900 W model is worth considering for reheating and defrosting. If you also want a grill, check the H25MOBS7H product page specifically to confirm that it has this function before choosing it. Also check the size of your dishes and the space needed around the appliance.
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Electrolux EMZ725MMTI Inverter with grill, 25 L, 900 W, titanium
This freestanding model with grill is worth considering if you’d like to brown some dishes as well as reheat them. It has a listed capacity of 25 L and a stated power rating of 900 W; check its dimensions, the required clearances and whether your utensils are suitable for each function you use.
Frequently asked questions
Which microwave should I choose for reheating and defrosting only?
Start with a solo model if you don’t need to brown food or cook using a fan oven function. Que Choisir identifies reheating and defrosting as the main uses; then check that the model you’re considering fits your dishes and the space available.
Can a microwave with a grill replace a combination microwave?
Not if you need a fan oven function: a grill is for browning or crisping food, while a combination microwave with this function can be used for oven-style cooking. If you only want to brown or crisp food occasionally, check that the model has a grill rather than assuming you need a combination microwave.
Can I use the same containers with every function?
No. Check that your containers are suitable for the function you select. Que Choisir notes, for example, that plastic should only be used with the microwave function, not with the grill or convection cooking. Also check the appliance instructions and the information on the container.
What should I do with an old microwave in France?
Ask your local authority or find a collection point for electrical and electronic equipment. France’s Ministry for Ecological Transition states that a collection scheme for household waste electrical and electronic equipment is in place in France.