The best microwaves of 2024 for home cooking, including multi-function combi models

A microwave oven may not carry the same artisanal allure as a swanky bean-to-cup coffee machine – but what they lack in glamour, the best microwaves more than make up for in convenience. Nothing can get your dinner ready as quickly. But in fact, many modern microwaves don’t just heat up meals but bake, air-fry, steam and grill food too. No wonder 93 per cent of British households have one.  

So which is right for you? One thing’s for sure: don’t buy a dirt-cheap model (often found in supermarkets). It won’t last long and won’t perform consistently. “They get progressively worse the more they’re used, so we try to steer people away from budget ones,” says Trevor Cobb, director of the Microwave Service Company. £70-£80 is a good starting point, though the best models will set you back around £100-£300. Cobb says combi models are particularly popular among those lacking the space for a proper oven. 

We’ve tested every different kind of microwave and you can read our full reviews of this year’s best further down, followed by advice on how to use them. But if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at our top five:

Which are the best microwaves in 2024? At a glance

• Best overall: Sage the Combi Wave 3 in 1
• Best value: Russell Hobbs Groove 17l
• Best small microwave: Bosch FEL023MS2B
• Best combination microwave: Samsung Easy View MC28M6055CK
• Best steam microwave: Panasonic NN-DS59

What to look for in a microwave oven

You’ll want to choose between a turntable and a flatbed option. Rotating turntables help to ensure all the food (or drink) heats equally, but you can fit more food inside a flatbed. Modern inverter technology (see FAQ section, below) ensures the food still cooks evenly. Flatbeds are also easier to clean, since there’s no plate getting in the way.

In terms of power, around 900 Watts is more than enough for heating food for two. “Anything more powerful than 1,000 Watts is wasted on domestic use,” says Cobb. Features to look for include pre-programmed settings that automatically adjust to a particular food group – for example a baked potato setting – and sensors that can tell when the food is ready and automatically switch off. Cobb says Panasonic, Sharp, Samsung and Bosch all make good use of this.

Many of this year’s best microwaves go far further than this, with settings to brown meat or steam veg, built-in grills and even air fryer functions, the latter being particularly popular this year.

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How we tested the best microwaves

To get a fair idea of how well these microwaves perform on a day-to-day, basis we used them to make a variety of dishes. When making ready meals, we wanted to see an even cook without scorching at the edges and a soggy middle. For more challenging cooking, we tried making a microwave mug cake by following a popular recipe online. 

We also tried cooking green veg (broccoli, peas etc) inside and also tried cooking a 10-minute microwave jacket potato. Where the microwaves have added features such as a steam function, convection heat or a grill, we tested those on salmon, chicken and bread.

If you’re upgrading your kitchen, by the way, you might want to read our guides to the best fridge-freezers and the best kettles.

Best microwave ovens

1. Sage the Combi Wave 3 in 1

Currently £349.95, Sage

Best overall, 9/10

We like: Useful controls and comes with a trivet and crisper pan

We don’t like: The high price 

• Dimensions:  H 32cm x  W 52cm x  D 52cm
• Power output:  1,100 Watts
• Capacity: 32 litres
• Functions: microwave, convection oven, air fry, grill

Reviewed by Emily Peck 

It’s hard not to be impressed by the Sage the Combi Wave 3 in 1, a good-looking microwave in brushed stainless steel with a whole lot of useful cooking features. Although its premium features are reflected in its price tag, it does come with a two-year warranty. 

The 3 in 1 in its name refers to its air frying, convection oven and microwave capabilities, but the appliance can also grill, reheat, defrost and has a ‘fast combi’ setting that cooks dishes faster than a traditional oven by combining the best of its microwave, air fry and oven settings. 

While I found that there was a lot to get my head around in terms of functionality, Sage has done a great job at making sure the control panel is easy to follow. A digital display sits to the right of the door with six buttons highlighting main functions such as fast combi, oven, air fry and so on, and two dials below this to adjust the time and temperature. 

There are lots of nice shortcuts, such as the ‘A bit more’ button, which when pressed gives you 20 more seconds. The 30 second instant start function that comes into action just by pushing the start dial is useful, too. There’s also a quick start menu on the inside of the door with illustrated buttons for popular microwave jobs such as melting butter and chocolate, cooking popcorn and keeping food warm. 

Sage’s Element IQ technology does well to ensure food is evenly cooked through. I popped in a microwave spinach and cannelloni ready meal for seven minutes and it came out piping hot and nicely cooked through. 

Be aware, this is a powerful device. On my first attempt at microwaving a jacket potato for 10 minutes, it partially exploded, possibly because the setting was too high. On my second attempt I took the power setting down to 80 per cent for six minutes and this seemed to work far more effectively on my well-forked potato. The unique benefit of air fry setting on this model meant that I could crisp up the skin for a minute at the end too, which made a positive difference to the final taste. 

2. Russell Hobbs 17L Groove Manual

Currently £84.99, Amazon 

Best value microwave, 8/10  

We like: Simplicity and good looks 

We don’t like: The control dials aren’t the most ergonomic we’ve tried

• Dimensions:  H 26cm x W 45cm x D 36cm
• Power output: 700 Watts
• Capacity: 17 litres
• Functions: microwave only

Reviewed by Emily Peck

Good looks and simple performance are key features in a countertop appliance and the Russell Hobbs 17 litre Groove Manual microwave combines both at a low price. I found setting up this sub-£100 microwave simple. It weighs just 10.7kg and is only 35cm deep, so it was easy to lift out of the box and onto the worktop, plug in and start using straight away. 

The Groove comes in black, grey or white, each with an eye-catching ‘groove’ design on the right of the fascia. Both the dials and handle are finished in gold, which gives the design a luxury feel. It looked good alongside my existing rose-gold Ninja appliances. 

You can buy a matching Groove Russell Hobbs kettle and toaster too. While the body of the microwave is easy to wipe clean, I do think you’d need to keep on top of the cleaning to keep the mirror finish smear-free every day. 

There are no program settings on this 700-watt unit, just two basic control dials. The timer dial stops at 35 minutes, which could be somewhat limiting if you’re after a microwave that cooks for longer periods without intervention. Using the top dial I was able to choose between low, defrost, medium, medium high and high power settings.

I first cooked a spaghetti bolognese ready meal for five minutes on 800 Watts, as the packet instructed. I found the gold timer dial a little hard to grip, as its finish is a little slippery, but this may be because it was new. The ready meal came out hot, evenly cooked and ready to eat, but not unpleasantly scorching. 

I also tried cooking frozen peas inside for four minutes on the high setting, which came out well-cooked through and edible. My chocolate mug cake wasn’t a flop either and rose very quickly in just two minutes. Not a bad little machine for £85.

3. Bosch FEL023MS2B 20-litre

£169 AO, also available at Bosch

Best small microwave, 9/10  

We like: The basic controls for microwaving and grilling  

We don’t like: Not the most stylish design we’ve come across

• Dimensions:  H 26cm x W 42cm x D 34cm
• Power output: 800 Watts
• Capacity: 20 litres
• Functions: microwave and grill

Reviewed by Emily Peck

At just 42cm wide and 15.7kg in weight, I found it easy to lift the Bosch out of the box and onto the worktop. At 20 litres, it’s one of the smaller microwaves I’ve tested, but the interior is deep and provides ample room for your regular ready meal, coffee cup or standard microwavable dish. There are no convection oven settings here to confuse you either, which makes for a refreshing change to some of the more complex multi-tasking designs I’ve tried. As well as the standard microwave settings, this microwave does have a handy grill feature, however.  

While the Bosch’s stainless steel and black finish may be a little underwhelming, at least the appliance and its control panel are streamlined and easy to wipe clean. There is a fair bit of condensation to wipe away from the interior after use, a common problem, but most of this dried up after I had left the door open for a little while. 

The Bosch isn’t the most powerful microwave I’ve come across either, but it does have a good range of basic microwave settings for everyday tasks. The power settings are, in fact, clearly illustrated on the control panel, which makes it easy to choose the setting you need. There’s a gentle 90 watt setting for defrosting food such as fish and chicken without overcooking it in the process, but also an 800 watt setting for standard ready meal cooking, heating up milk or microwavable warmies and so on. 

With the star button, you can also use the memory feature to save the setting for a dish and call it up instantly next time. If you know the exact weight of your food, you can also use the automatic programmes to cook specific foods such as potatoes, vegetables and rice. (Check out our review of the best rice cookers if you’re cooking large amounts, though.)

Due to the modest 800 watt power setting, a jacket potato was cooked evenly here without overcooking and hardening up in parts. Using the grill that spans the roof of the microwave, salmon worked well inside this appliance too. If you wouldn’t use the grill feature and simply want a compact microwave, it might be better to choose the Russell & Hobbs above, which is half the price and almost as small.

4. De’Longhi 900W Enamel Cavity Combination Microwave

£135, Argos 

Best convection oven microwave combi, 8/10 

We like: Low price for a combi and you get two recipe books with it

We don’t like: It’s bulky and the instructions are intense 

• Dimensions:  H 31cm x W 51cm x D 51 cm
• Power output: 900 watts
• Capacity: 25 litres
• Functions: microwave, convection oven and grill

Reviewed by Emily Peck

At 20kg in weight and with a depth of 51cm, this appliance takes up quite a bit of room on the worktop and is a two-person job to lift out of the box. Its black design is stylish, though, and I found it easy to keep it looking box-fresh by wiping it down with a microfibre cloth. 

As well as microwaving, the De’Longhi functions as a grill and convection oven, which I think is great value for a design sub £135. There are two inspirational recipe booklets inside the box too – one for convection oven/grill recipes and one for microwave cooking. Inside the booklets, you’ll find recipes for dishes such as chicken hotpot, grilled lamb chops with apricots and a winter warming leak and potato soup. 

The design comes with a two-in-one grill stand that can be used in two positions for grilling, convection and microwave heating, depending on your requirements. There’s also a turntable in the box that is easy to assemble inside the microwave before you can use it. 

While the control panel looks simple to use at first, however, the markings on the control buttons are slightly vague. Reading the instruction manual is a must and you do need to be concentrating to get to grips with this appliance. The microwave dial, for example, has settings from A1 to A10, but without looking at the manual there’s no way you’d know what these mean. A1 is for reheating, A2 is for potatoes, A3 for meat and so on for fish, pasta, soup and chicken.  

I chose the A2 setting for a baked potato, which then offered up 3 settings depending on the weight. Are you still following? I then chose number 1, which suggested six minutes for a 230g potato, which seemed to cook it nicely. What I found slightly annoying, however, is that once the programme has started there’s no way to use the dial to adjust the time without stopping the cooking cycle. 

Microwaving a ready meal for seven minutes was slightly more straightforward as the timer dial can be used to select the time you want. Making a mug cake for two minutes was easy too and it came out fluffy and well risen. 

To use the convection cooking side, the instruction manual recommends you preheat first and then you can choose your ideal temperature for the food you want to cook, from 150 to 220°C. I think this is a nice range for all types of food, especially if you want to bake at lower temperatures.

If you can get your head around the manual, the De’Longhi will prove a good buy. And at least it will give your brain a workout.

5. Samsung Easy View MC28M6055CK 28 Litre 

£149, Amazon, also available at Samsung

Best three-in-one microwave, 8/10  

We like: Its versatility and premium finish 

We don’t like: Settings like ‘slim fry’ are not well explained

• Dimensions:  H 31cm x W 52cm x D 47cm
• Power output: 900 Watts
• Capacity: 28 litres
• Functions: microwave, convection oven, grill

Reviewed by Emily Peck

With its black and silver finish and enamel interior, this microwave has the good looks you’d expect from a Samsung. At 31cm high and 46cm deep, though, you’ll need a decent amount of worktop space to house it. I noticed the sides got quite hot to touch while it was in use too, which is something to bear in mind when finding a position for it, as is making sure you have enough ventilation space.   

However, you could also see this as a space-saving device since, in theory, you would no longer need a conventional oven, nor a grill. The Samsung has both grill and convection modes, plus a dough proofing setting, a homemade yoghurt setting and a slim fry setting, the latter of which is ideal for chips and potato wedges. 

There are also two HotBlast settings which use the large fan to blast hot air directly onto food and reminds me of the similar crispy results you can get from air frying. 

The Samsung has ‘Smart Moisture Sensors’ that measure the humidity levels inside and prevent food from being under- or over-cooked, which I think is a reassuring feature. There’s also a healthy cooking mode that works well for brown rice, green beans or fish and poultry. I tried this with a couple of salmon fillets and although after 12 minutes the texture of the salmon was a little tougher than I would have liked, it was evenly cooked through and tasted good. 

There are useful accessories inside the box, including a high and low rack so you can cook two dishes at once and a crusty plate to ensure pastry and pizza dough crisp up. 

Trying to navigate the control panel here took some brainpower, since settings such as ‘slim fry’ and ‘hot blast’ were new to me. I found it much easier to use the powerful 1,500W grill, which worked well when cooking chicken tenders. Using the microwave dial to change the timings – which go up to an impressive 90 minutes – was also a cinch. But I found the ‘Simple User Manual’ you get in the box far from simple to follow. To get a more comprehensive set of instructions to follow, I had to look online. 

When using the 900W microwave setting to cook a jacket potato in 10 minutes, I was pleased with how even the cooking was, although you don’t get the same crispy finish as you would a traditional convection oven. In order to compare the microwave and convection settings, I also tried cooking a jacket potato on the convection mode for 20 minutes. This produced a jacket potato that was evenly cooked through, fluffy on the inside and had a marginally crispier skin.

6. Sharp YC-QC254AU-B

£219.99, Amazon 

Best flatbed microwave, 9/10  

We like: The large flatbed that gives you a lot of cooking space 

We don’t like: You have to remember not to use metal accessories when switching to microwave mode 

• Dimensions:  H 29cm x W 49cm x D1cm
• Power output: 900 Watts
• Capacity: 25 litres
• Functions: microwave, convection oven, grill

Reviewed by Emily Peck

One of the most attractive features of this microwave is its wipe-clean flatbed base. The lack of turntable gives you a lot more usable cooking space and is designed to make sure food is cooked more evenly. It seemed to work well for me when cooking a spaghetti ready meal, but the flatbed does get hot in use so oven gloves were needed. 

25 litres is not the biggest capacity on the market but, when I first opened the microwave door, I was impressed with just how deep it looked. It gives you ample room for larger dishes such as lasagne and for roasting a whole chicken. You can place your own non-metallic dishes inside the oven, but it also comes with a metal grill rack and baking tray as part of the set, for use with the separate grill and convection modes. These accessories can’t be used with the microwave function, however, so I had to remind myself to take out the grill when using the microwave setting to reheat meals and liquids.    

Looks wise, the exterior is sober, but has a modern feel. The control panel is illustrated with options for the grilling, microwaving and convection settings. There are separate microwave-and-grill, and microwave-and-convection settings too, which presumably reduce cooking times from the standard ones. Unfortunately, the instruction manual is vague and doesn’t explain how best to use these features. I think you’ll need to endure a bit of trial and error. 

The Auto Menu display that provides fast shortcuts for cooking popular food items is very helpful and time-saving. You can choose from settings such as ‘reheating beverages’, ‘fresh vegetables’, ‘jacket potato’, ‘pizza’, ‘frozen meal’ and ‘popcorn’. 

There are also useful reheat and defrost modes here too. I tried cooking a single potato with the jacket potato setting, which suggested five minutes. While it did a reasonable job, I needed to add a few more minutes to ensure it was completely cooked through. There was quite a bit of condensation on the door of the microwave after cooking the potato, but went with a quick wipe down. The mug cake worked wonderfully here and rose quickly in just two and a half minutes on the microwave setting.

7. SMEG MOE34CXIUK 34-Litre  

£449, AO also available at SMEG

Best powerful microwave, 9/10

We like: powerful but easy to use

We don’t like: too big for galley kitchens

• Dimensions: H 32cm x W 52cm x D 51cm
• Power output: 1,100  Watts
• Capacity: 34 litres
• Functions: microwave, convection oven, grill

Reviewed by Simon Lewis

SMEG is the classic middle-class kitchen brand. If you’ve already got the fridge and the blender, you’ll be wanting the matching microwave, even if it doesn’t come in the usual jolly SMEG colours. You won’t be too disappointed: at 1,100 Watts, this a powerful unit that gets very even results very quickly when heating (no stubborn frozen areas) and has a few other tricks up its sleeve.

If you’re buying it for a smaller kitchen however, maybe as a space-saving replacement for a conventional oven, it might not be the right choice. For a start, it’s not that space-saving at nearly two feet wide. (Since it’s a turntable model, not flatbed, you can only use dishes up to a foot wide – although this is still much wider than most turntables.) 

It’s worth noting that the convection oven function only operates at 150-200C, which is absolutely fine for most supermarket meals but can’t compete with the flexibility of a conventional oven. On the plus side, it does reach cooking temperature extremely quickly. A whole chicken can be roasted in 45 minutes using a combination of oven and microwave power.

You can also grill, albeit slowly, using a supplied rack to lift your food up nearer the element. The microwave, convection oven and grill functions can be combined in dozens of permutations, although you do have to spend some time peering over your spectacles at the instruction manual and the little icons on the doorframe that explain sub-programmes like ‘Melt chocolate’ and ‘Stew chicken’. They work well, greatly expanding what you can do with a microwave, but it’s a bit complicated.

Overall, the SMEG is a quiet, powerful, good-looking machine with impressive functions. But cheaper competitors like Sage have stolen a march with the addition of air fryer capabilities, leaving it suddenly looking just short of state-of-the-art.

8. Panasonic NN-DS59 steam combination microwave

£439.99, Panasonic, also available at John Lewis and AO

Best steam combi microwave, 8/10

We like: unique steam function works a treat 

We don’t like: you pay a premium for functions you may not use 

• Dimensions: H 35cm x  W 51cm x  D 46cm
• Power output: 1,000W
• Capacity: 27 litres
• Functions: microwave, convection oven, grill, steamer

Reviewed by Simon Lewis

You don’t see many microwaves with the hinges at the bottom and a handlebar at the top. You don’t see many with runners inside for sliding grill trays in and out. Both are usually seen on traditional gas or electric ovens. That’s your clue that Panasonic’s catchily-named NN-DS59NBBPQ (DS59 to its friends) is designed to do things the average microwave can’t.

For example, it comes with a specially designed ‘Pana-crunch’ grill tray which absorbs heat and effectively griddles the underside of any food that sits on it, while the quartz grill heats the food from the top. You end up with nice brown stripes on your bacon or chicken breasts, not quite up to George Foreman standards but certainly prettier than the usual pallid complexion of microwaved meat. It’s good for jacket potatoes too. The tray collects a lot of grease, but it’s easy to clean and dishwasher safe. 

The headline news here, though, is the steam function, unique to Panasonic. A small water tank slots in at the bottom right-hand corner which can fill the chamber with steam at high or low settings (careful when you open the door) to give very decent results on fish and veg. You can fit far more veg in the Panasonic than you can in a stovetop steamer basket. 

The large (27-litre) capacity is one of this unit’s big selling points. It’s a flatbed, so you can use the full width of the floor and when using the sliding tray you can cook two layers of food at once. 

The other selling point is the versatility from combining the microwave, convection, steam and grill functions in different orders. You can do pies with steamed fish and veg that are crispy on the top, for example. As with all combi microwaves, this takes a fair amount of scrolling through function wheels and flipping through the manual. But it’s far from the most complicated one we tried. 

It is, however, one of the most expensive. If you haven’t bought a microwave since your student days, you’ll wince at the cost of the NN-DS59, but you’ll like what it can do.

FAQ

How does a microwave work? 

Microwaves are a type of slow electromagnetic radiation, sitting between infra-red and radio waves on the frequency spectrum. A magnetron inside your oven generates microwaves which bounce off its metal walls, but are able to pass through food. As they do so, the energy in the waves is absorbed by water molecules, causing the food to heat up. 

How many Watts is a good microwave?

All the experts we spoke to said around 900W is enough for cooking ready meals and reheating food. The higher the wattage, the quicker your food can cook, and the more you can cook at one time. 

“Food can only absorb so many microwaves at a time,” says Cobb. This means a very powerful device will struggle to heat small quantities of food effectively.

What is an inverter microwave?

Traditional microwaves can only operate at 100 per cent or 0 per cent power. If you select a low power setting it actually just slows down the cycle, switching between 100 and 0 less frequently. This can cause fatty foods to spatter and pop as the full-power microwaves hit them. An inverter circuit can supply steady power at fractions of the maximum Wattage. Your food will be more evenly cooked or defrosted.

What can I cook in a microwave?

In the main, microwaves are used for heating ready meals, leftovers, and drinks. Many now have pre-programme functions, so, for example, if cooking a pizza or baked potato, you just press the button and it knows what to do. 

Increasingly, microwaves are being used to cook fresh produce, too. Solo ones (those without grills or convection heating) can cook vegetables and meat, but it won’t get brown and crispy. Combination microwaves do enable you to crisp up food while cooking it in a microwave, though they tend to be a bit more expensive.  

“They’re really useful bits of kit,” says Cobb. “They’re ideal for all vegetables. Once you’ve used one, dare I say you’ll be converted. You’ll think, ‘what’s the point in getting the saucepan out?’” 

Are microwave ovens safe? 

There have been fears about microwaves ever since they first came on the market. However, when used properly, there is no danger. According to the World Health Organisation, “When used according to manufacturers’ instructions, microwave ovens are safe.” There could be leakage, however, if your microwave is damaged. 

“In actual fact, they have very good safety mechanisms,” says Cobb. For example, you can’t turn them on if the door’s open, so none of the heat can get out. Even if it does, it’s non-ionising radiation, so it’s relatively low-energy and won’t ionise atoms and molecules. 

There’s also some scaremongering that it’ll spoil the nutrients in food (or that the food will become radioactive). This is unfounded, Cobb informs me. “All it’s doing is agitating the molecules in food or drink. It doesn’t damage them any more than it would if you boiled them on the stove. If you boil something to death it breaks down, and that’s the same in a microwave.” Obviously, ensure any food is thoroughly cooked. 

One word of warning, however, is to never run a microwave without food or drink inside it. “It should never be run empty, it needs to have moisture in there,” says Cobb. This is most commonly done when warming plates, but it can ruin the microwave. If you want to warm plates, put a cup of water on top of them. 

What’s the lifespan of a microwave?

Even with daily use, all microwaves should last seven years. Used less frequently, many will last nine or 10 years with no problems. The main reason to replace one may be to upgrade to new features, such as convection oven cooking, steaming, grilling and even air frying.

Are combination microwave ovens worth it?

A combination microwave can be a good investment especially if you have limited access to other appliances. Combi microwaves can bake, grill, steam and more but tend to use less energy than a standard oven. 

How do I clean a microwave oven effectively?

Many people recommend ‘steam-cleaning’ it by adding a teaspoonful of either vinegar, lemon juice or baking soda to a mug of warm water and heating it in the microwave until it fills the oven with steam. The steam supposedly softens any baked-on food, making it easier to wipe off with a damp cloth. 

However, boiling water in a microwave can be very dangerous: it can ‘superheat’ and explode when touched. The smart thing is just to clean the microwave after each use, rather than allowing the dirt to build up and harden. A cloth damped with warm soapy water is fine.

To avoid messy eruptions in the first place, make sure to use the right power setting and the right timing. Most are cause by overcooking food. 

How much energy does a microwave oven use?

At current energy prices, it costs just over 3p to run a 900W microwave oven for 10 minutes. Microwaves can use up to 80 per cent less energy than conventional ovens, but the amount will depend on its wattage, size and how often you use it. 

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