Integrated Microwaves

A solo built-in microwave does the basics very well: defrost, reheat, soften butter, melt chocolate. If you already have a good oven and grill, that may be all you need, and the price tag stays sensible. Read More...

Add a grill and you can brown the top of a lasagne, crisp bacon, or finish a jacket potato without firing up a full oven. It's the choice most people regret not making, especially in smaller kitchens where the microwave does double duty.

A combination microwave goes further again, pairing microwave power with proper convection heat. You can roast a small chicken, bake, or use it as a fast second oven when the main one is full at Christmas. You pay more, you give up a little internal capacity to the heating element, and the controls take a few sessions to learn. For households that cook from scratch or have a single oven, it's often worth it.

Capacity is measured in litres of usable space inside, not the size of the hole in your kitchen unit. Think about the largest dish you reheat regularly. A 17 to 20 L cavity comfortably holds a dinner plate and most ready meals, and suits a tall housing or a small kitchen. A 25 to 26 L cavity is the sweet spot for families, fitting a Pyrex casserole or a roasting dish with the turntable still spinning. Combination models tend to run larger, often 40 to 45 L, because the convection function rewards the extra space.

Microwave power, usually 700 W to 1000 W, governs how fast and how evenly food heats. 800 W is a sensible baseline; the packet times on most ready meals are written for it. 900 W to 1000 W shaves time off bigger reheats and is useful if you cook from frozen often. 700 W to 750 W will still do the job, just slower, and is fine for occasional use.

Integrated microwaves are designed to drop into a kitchen unit or tall housing, so the trim, hinge side and front depth all matter as much as the cavity. Measure the housing aperture height, width and depth, then check the appliance fits with the door fully open. If the microwave is going above or below a single oven, match the brand and series where you can; you'll get a tidier fascia, similar control logic, and a colour that actually matches in daylight.

Stainless steel hides fingerprints less well than it photographs, but it pairs with almost any oven. Black is forgiving day to day and disappears into dark cabinetry. Mixed black and stainless trims split the difference and tend to date more slowly than glossy alternatives.