The grill gave our sausages a patchier finish than most, but given its extensive capabilities, this microwave is excellent value – especially for often pricey Panasonics. It also has a whopping 40 auto programmes, including ones for rice and fresh fish, alongside a nifty “keep warm” function. We programmed it to defrost a 1.5-kilogram chicken, and it calculated the right length of time, fully defrosting it within 24 minutes. Another impressive combination microwave from Panasonic, this one does everything the above model can, and it steams food too. It’s ideal if you tend to cook for only one or two people, as it saves you heating a large oven and performs just as well.
Igenix IG3095 Digital Microwave with Grill
This determines how quickly your microwave will cook; in general, the higher the wattage, the quicker the cooking time. Or, if you’re ready to shop, our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have tested 41 combination microwaves to find the best versatile cookers on the market. Combining microwave, grill and oven functions in one unit saves counter space and replaces separate appliances. During our convection microwave oven research, we found 124 convection microwave oven products and shortlisted 10 quality products. The Igenix IG3095 Microwave combines the advantages of a fan-assisted oven with the rapid cooking of a microwave, making it ideal for busy lifestyles. Additionally, the 2500W fan oven provides even cooking results, ideal for baking or roasting.
Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. In her free time, she openly admits to being a music geek and indulges her creative side through crocheting, baking, singing and writing. Her aim is to find the top-performing products on the market, to help take the hard work out of housework. She enjoys delving into the intricacies of products and refining testing protocols to ensure we’re testing them against their claims. As head of the homes testing team, she has led reviews across multiple categories, from pizza ovens, and smart plugs to portable fans and hobs. Blossom is passionate about finding the best home products and appliances for GH readers.
Ratings and reviews
FindThisBest (UK) aims to create a platform to help you make better shopping decisions with less time and energy. Mohammed has gathered enough experience from his time practicing as a professional architect and now has vast knowledge in home designs and aesthetics. Enjoy consistent outcomes and delightful flavours with this innovative kitchen companion. You’ll appreciate the 10 auto menu settings that simplify meal preparation, allowing you to select options like pasta or pizza with ease. Additionally, the Dough and Yoghurt Function provides the perfect environment for fermentation, allowing you to create fresh meals with ease.
Not all the features are dishwasher-safe either (although the turntable is) but this sleek microwave is well designed and easy to use, making dinner time simple. Its dedicated setting prepared fluffy yet crispy chips and some delicious chicken Kyivs too. We wished the air fryer tray was dishwasher-proof for a quicker clean-up, but otherwise, we can’t complain. Only mac and cheese proved a challenge – it cooked as we’d expect, but the cheese didn’t become golden.
- The powerful 1300W quartz grill provides the ability to achieve perfectly grilled dishes, enhancing your cooking repertoire.
- The auto convection setting cooked a whole chicken well with lovely moist meat, and it grilled sausages beautifully.
- Her aim is to find the top-performing products on the market, to help take the hard work out of housework.
- Generally, they will use less electricity than traditional ovens because they heat a smaller space.
- These figures show how much power you can use to cook, rather than directly reflecting how much electricity a microwave may use when cooking.
The 11 best combination microwaves for easy dinnertimes
- The grill gave our sausages a patchier finish than most, but given its extensive capabilities, this microwave is excellent value – especially for often pricey Panasonics.
- This powerful combi does it all, including cooking up a Sunday roast thanks to its 29 auto-cook programmes that include roast lamb and beef.
- Combination microwaves tend to have bigger footprints than their solo counterparts, so measure your space before you shop.
- It’s not the fanciest of combis, but it’s more affordable and compact than many on this list – ideal for smaller kitchens.
- You can’t set its grill and convection power and temperatures manually, but otherwise it’s a real box-ticker.
- In her free time, she openly admits to being a music geek and indulges her creative side through crocheting, baking, singing and writing.
- A detailed manual will guide you through this, along with all its other functions, which produced well-heated and cooked food as well as nicely defrosted meat.
Our testers were impressed with its tender, juicy roast chicken and found the grill and combination cooking modes effective. Combining all the best air fryer and microwave benefits, this smart machine from Sage, which is also a grill and convection oven, is another great multitasker. When testing the air fryer mode, they enjoyed a well-cooked, tender whole roast chicken and delicious sausages – add some fluffy mash and that’s dinner sorted in just ten minutes. For example, using the grill and microwave at the same time to cook your ready meal means it would emerge quickly cooked and with a mouth-wateringly crispy topping.
TOSHIBA 5-in-1 Countertop Microwave Oven
With the Fast Combi function, you can combine cooking methods for quicker results, making meal preparation easier and more efficient. This means you can effortlessly prepare crispy fries, roast a succulent chicken, or quickly defrost food, all with one appliance. The powerful justbit 1300W quartz grill provides the ability to achieve perfectly grilled dishes, enhancing your cooking repertoire. Its spacious 30-litre capacity can accommodate a 12” dinner plate, perfect for cooking family-sized portions.
This smart technology ensures your food is heated perfectly every time, preventing any chance of over or undercooking. Its dual-level cooking allows you to prepare multiple dishes at once, saving you time and effort. Moreover, the 95-minute timer allows you to cook meals without the concern of burning, providing you with peace of mind while preparing your favourite dishes. Alternatively, our best value combination microwave is the Russell Hobbs 900W Combination Microwave RHM2574, and it was also rated the easiest to use in the lab.
Thanks to their quick-heating powers, microwaves can be dinner-time miracle workers for many busy households. These figures show how much power you can use to cook, rather than directly reflecting how much electricity a microwave may use when cooking. Automatic cooking settings can be helpful too, but some models only have pre-set programmes for combination cooking. While we don’t have any on this list, it’s also worth noting that some combination microwaves are available as built-in models too.
While this Samsung model doesn’t have a convection oven (so skip if you want one for cakes and roasts), it does have a grill with one temperature setting that’s perfect for giving microwave meals a crispy finish. With a 26-litre capacity, it offers lots of flexibility; on test, our experts cooked a roast chicken in 41 minutes, and praised its ready meal and jacket potato prep skills too. Not all combination microwaves have the same features; some have a grill, some have convection cooking, and some have both. Using a combination of microwave and convection heating, these ovens can cook, bake, roast, and grill a wide variety of foods quickly and efficiently. The auto convection setting cooked a whole chicken well with lovely moist meat, and it grilled sausages beautifully.
Functions that make cooking easier
One appliance handles microwaving, grilling and baking, so you can cook more without clutter. The Russell Hobbs RHM3002 Microwave offers great versatility in your kitchen. Additionally, the stainless steel interior is not only durable but also easy to clean, ensuring a hassle-free cooking experience. With 900 watts of power, it efficiently handles cooking, reheating, and defrosting tasks. If you’re often in a rush, the auto defrost function makes thawing seafood, poultry, and meats quick and easy. The Daewoo Combination Microwave offers an impressive 25L capacity, making it perfect for families and larger gatherings.
One appliance, more ways to cook
Its 30L capacity allows you to cook larger meals or multiple dishes at once, making family cooking more efficient. Its Element IQ system employs smart algorithms to provide precise power distribution, ensuring perfectly cooked meals every time. The BLACK+DECKER Microwave Oven is a versatile 3-in-1 appliance that combines a 900W microwave, 1100W grill, and 2500W convection oven. The additional nine air fry auto menus enable you to enjoy healthier meals, as they require no added oil while still achieving that crispy texture. The Panasonic CF87 Oven features a spacious 31-litre capacity, making it ideal for cooking large family meals. The Samsung Convection Microwave offers innovative cooking solutions for your kitchen.
It effortlessly baked fluffy fairy cakes, grilled crispy-yet-juicy sausages, and produced a golden-topped mac and cheese. Note that you can’t change the temperature of these functions though – only the time – which limits its versatility when compared with an actual oven. It was fantastic at cooking ready meals from both chilled and frozen too. This reasonably priced design put in a stellar performance in our lab, scoring full marks when heating up soup and cooking jacket potatoes. Like the Sage above, this Salter is ideal if you want to join the air fryer train without sacrificing precious kitchen space. This combi microwave was the simplest to use of all the models we tested, with an easy-to-read manual and responsive buttons that make cooking effortless.