Microwave Buying Guide

Essential for quick and easy heating, microwave ovens are an invaluable kitchen appliance.

Microwave cooking is ideal if kitchen space is short, you have a busy lifestyle and they can also be very energy efficient. From cooking vegetables to defrosting meat and fish, microwaves are one of the most versatile kitchen appliances you can own. With so many microwaves out there, it can be tough to work out which one is best for you. Our useful buying guide will walk you through all the different types of microwaves, their sizes and their features to make sure you know exactly which one you need.

Microwave Types

Standard Microwaves

Solo microwaves are the standard, most common microwave oven in the kitchen. They’re ideal for defrosting, heating and reheating, along with cooking ready meals. They won’t brown or crisp your food, but they are hugely convenient and time-saving. You can cook at low, medium or high power, for a set period of time and sometimes with specific programmes to make life even easier.

Solo microwaves are available in freestanding and integrated designs, and with capacities ranging from a compact 13 up to a large 26 litres. Simple and easy to use, solo microwaves are generally lower in price and more compact in size in comparison to other microwave types.

We stock solo microwave ovens by Bosch, Hotpoint, Sharp, Hisense and more.

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Microwaves with Grill

If you want to make more complex meals at a rapid speed, you can grill and toast with a microwave with a grill function. Ideal for those who use a microwave frequently and want to make a wider variety of meals. They can do everything a standard microwave can do along with the ability to grill that can be used independently. This means on a microwave with grill, you can cook slightly more complex dishes such as lasagna, pizza and crispy jacket potatoes and is great to grill fish and meats.

Microwaves with grill are available in freestanding and integrated models, and with capacities ranging from 17 up to a large 30 litres.

We stock microwave with grills by Neff, Hotpoint, Bosch, Indesit and more.

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Combination Microwaves

When space is limited, installing an oven under the hob allows you to maximise your kitchen storage. A built under oven is great for offering more cooking room and only needing a slightly more space than a single oven. They are installed under a kitchen worktop and offer two seperate cooking cavities.

Built-under appliances are great for smaller rooms as they fit underneath your work counter, saving additional work top space. As they are typically boxed in at the top and sides, they are also easy to remove yet fit in to kitchen designs perfectly. Built under ovens are a maximum of 720mm tall due to being designed to fit underneath a standard kitchen counter.

The top cavity is the smaller of the two and usually functions as a grill and/or conventional oven. The main oven has a slightly larger capacity and features the majority of the ovens special functions and cleaning technologies. All electric built under ovens require a hardwired installation.

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Fit Types

Freestanding Microwaves

If you have an open and flexible kitchen, a freestanding microwave could be perfect for you. They’re easy to move if you’re moving homes or changing your kitchen.

This microwave is freestanding so it can be placed on any worktop - perfect for heating, reheating, and defrosting food. Simple and easy to use, they are generally lower in price.

Built In Microwaves

Built in microwaves can be a standard, grill, or combination microwave. Built into your wall, they can be at eye level for checking on food, and are out of the reach of children.

Built in or integrated microwave ovens are a practical way to free up worktop space and are designed to fit seamlessly into your kitchen.

Special Features and Functions

Manufacturers are constantly innovating their products. This has lead to some really nifty features being created, expanding the uses of microwaves. Some you should know about include:

Auto Weight Cook – enter the weight of the food and the microwave will calculate the best power and cooking time for your dish.

Drop-Down Door – this handy design makes it easier to put in and take out food and can also be used to rest hot food / plates while it cools. This is a great feature if the microwave is built in at eye level.

Auto-Cook Programmes – these speed up the cooking process by having pre-set programmes that will automatically cook common dishes.

Defrost Function – this setting makes sure you can get cooking sooner rather than later. Some microwaves let you put in the weight and type of food to make sure everything is defrosted perfectly.

Flatbed – Flatbed microwaves offer more space than those with a turntable. The heat is distributed evenly, the interior is much easier to clean, and you aren't as limited to the size and shape of the dishes you put inside.

Radiant Grill – These grills require slightly longer to heat, but are better for cooking thicker, denser foods, such as grilling meat.

Capacity and Power

Capacity

Microwave capacities are measured in litres, and they range from a modest 13L to a family sized 45L. The standard solo microwave capacity is around 15-20 litres. Grill and combination microwaves tend to feature capacities of 30 litres and above.

A small household of 1 to 3 people will find a capacity of 20-25 litres sufficient to defrost, reheat and cook meals. A larger household would benefit from a larger microwave with a capacity of at least 25 litres, providing a bigger interior space to cook more than one dish at a time.

Power

The power of microwaves is measured in Watts and they range from 650W up to 1900W. Generally, the higher the wattage, the more powerful the microwave is and the quicker your food will cook. It’s as simple as that!

The wattage is usually adjustable by various functions of the microwave, but usually you can chose from low, medium and high power settings. With combination and grill microwaves there are seperate power levels for the different functions, so the grill could be 900W and the microwave 800W.