Microwaves: How to buy the best microwave Combination microwaves

A combination microwave uses convection heating and a grill

How combination microwaves work

A combination microwave offers more cooking flexibility than a standard solo microwave model. 

This is because combination microwaves – as the name suggests – combine microwave energy, a grill and convection heating (fanned hot air) so they can heat, roast, crisp and brown in the same way as a large conventional oven.

Combination microwaves 

Pros

• Offer extra cooking options over and above basic microwaving.
• Can cook in the same way as a standard conventional oven – but more quickly.
• Usually have lots of extra auto functions and features.

Cons

• More expensive than other microwave models.
• A more basic microwave may suffice if you simply want to heat and defrost food.

What you can do with a combi microwave

Budding micro-chefs can create a whole host of meals with a combination microwave – even a full roast dinner, as we show in our microwave cooking video. 

Pre-set programs can come in really handy when cooking particular meals in a combi microwave, as they automatically cook a product for the right time and with the correct combination of microwave, convection and grill, without you having to set this yourself. Consult your microwave instruction handbook for guidelines on cooking different items.

Extra accessories such as vegetable and rice steamers and browning shelves can help to achieve the right finish and create healthy and attractive meals.

We also give each microwave we test a 'jacket potato' rating to tell you how well the microwave cooks a jacket potato.

Combination microwave prices

Combination microwaves are usually more expensive than solo microwaves – you're paying for the extra cooking functionality offered by a combi, after all. But not all of them are as expensive as you might think. One of the cheapest Best Buy combi microwaves we've tested is priced at around £110, but bear in mind that costs can go up to a far more pricey £700 for a large-capacity combination model.