Combination Microwaves - any good?

[Puddy_Tat]

The grill on my aged electric cooker gave up a few months ago, and having found a replacement element on the interweb and fitted it, the damn thing still doesn't work and i'm not going to throw any more money at it.

Option A is get a new cooker, but the rest of it still works, I'm hoping to move house some time in the next year and odds are if i do get a new cooker, it won't fit at new place and whoever buys this place won't want it.

But with the season for wanting things on toast / toasted things type snacks fast approaching, an option B, as in microwave with grill / combination microwave, seems possible.

Although that's still somewhere like £ 100 upwards and I've already got a standard microwave that works fine (although it must be 25+ years old as well. it was a house-warming present from mum-tat about 1994.)

Are combination microwaves / microwaves with grills any good? Any particular recommendations? (and i'm not spending hundreds on one)

 

[danski]

I have had one for about 20 years.
Never used the grill once.
Hth

 

[MBV]

Same. Too faffy.

 

[Crispy]

We have one but only because it was the only microwave that would fit in the odd shaped space available. It's not a proper grill, but it does make some things cook better than just the microwaves on their own. Reheating pizza. Falafels.

The combination ovens that are microwave and proper oven are really good (haven't got one). Jacket potatoes in half the time.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Had one for many years too - too much faff. This is the one I've got - the manual suggests it does convection cooking as well as grill, but only tried the grill once and lost interest. I went for that model purely because the door drops down, rather than sideways.

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This is the first time since I bought it I've actually read the manual too.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Makes me wonder whether I can cook pizza in it. Might have to give it a go.

 

[dessiato]

Makes me wonder whether I can cook pizza in it. Might have to give it a go.

You can, just follow usual instructions.

We have had convection/micro, grill/micro, and just plain micro. The convection/micro combination is the best. The one we currently have is like this, but it is a long way past its best. We plan, therefore, to get a new one next week. It‘ll do everything we need it to.

 

[existentialist]

The grill on my aged electric cooker gave up a few months ago, and having found a replacement element on the interweb and fitted it, the damn thing still doesn't work and i'm not going to throw any more money at it.

Option A is get a new cooker, but the rest of it still works, I'm hoping to move house some time in the next year and odds are if i do get a new cooker, it won't fit at new place and whoever buys this place won't want it.

But with the season for wanting things on toast / toasted things type snacks fast approaching, an option B, as in microwave with grill / combination microwave, seems possible.

Although that's still somewhere like £ 100 upwards and I've already got a standard microwave that works fine (although it must be 25+ years old as well. it was a house-warming present from mum-tat about 1994.)

Are combination microwaves / microwaves with grills any good? Any particular recommendations? (and i'm not spending hundreds on one)

I've got one I use for pretty much everything I don't use the induction hob for.

As ever, the oven's not as good as a proper oven, but the 900W microwave does everything it says on the tin.

Mine's a 15 year old LG, so giving you a model number would be pointless.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I've got one I use for pretty much everything I don't use the induction hob for.

As ever, the oven's not as good as a proper oven, but the 900W microwave does everything it says on the tin.

Mine's a 15 year old LG, so giving you a model number would be pointless.

thanks - does the grill bit grill things effectively?

 

[Elpenor]

I had one when I lived in an Airbnb in Wiltshire for a month. I believe the oven part of it undercooked some chicken which gave me very bad food poisoning

 

[existentialist]

thanks - does the grill bit grill things effectively?

I mostly use it for toasting the tops of things, and cheese on toast, both of which it does admirably, if a little slower than a decent gas grill. It's all about the expectations...

 

[pogofish]

Absolutely excellent IME. I’ve had a Panasonic for the last few years and use it for virtually everything.

Pizzas do particularly well IME And you can do toast if you use the trivet.

 

[rubbershoes]

A grill in a microwave just makes the whole thing difficult to clean

 

[twistedAM]

A grill in a microwave just makes the whole thing difficult to clean

Depends what you are grilling. I imagine bacon would mess things up a bit but I only use mine for stuff like cheese on toast or veggie sausages so its fine.
I've an 800w model and it does cheese on toast in 2 mins 20secs.

Oops..ETA - I lightly toast the beard in a toaster before putting the cheese on and banging it in the microwave. have never tried actually toasting bread itself in there.

 

[Chz]

They're alright. As ever with multipurpose devices, you can't have something that's better than okay at more than one task. If you have the space, an air fryer and microwave separate is a better option. Sadly they've got rid of cheap, bare bones microwaves everywhere - JL's cheapest is a combi-grill at £75 - so it's a more costly option. Used to be you could pick up a basic microwave for £30, spend £65 on an air fryer and come out ahead of the £100 combo microwave.

 

[Epona]

They're alright. As ever with multipurpose devices, you can't have something that's better than okay at more than one task. If you have the space, an air fryer and microwave separate is a better option. Sadly they've got rid of cheap, bare bones microwaves everywhere - JL's cheapest is a combi-grill at £75 - so it's a more costly option. Used to be you could pick up a basic microwave for £30, spend £65 on an air fryer and come out ahead of the £100 combo microwave.

I bought a basic (non-combi) microwave 2 weeks ago and there were plenty in the £40-£50 range. The one I got was a Russell Hobbs that cost me £50 from Morrison's. They also do an unbranded one which is £45, and Asda do some that are under £50.

Not sure if I misunderstood your post, but it isn't the case that you can't get basic ones (although sadly not for £30 these days).

 

[Chz]

I bought a basic (non-combi) microwave 2 weeks ago and there were plenty in the £40-£50 range. The one I got was a Russell Hobbs that cost me £50 from Morrison's. They also do an unbranded one which is £45, and Asda do some that are under £50.

Not sure if I misunderstood your post, but it isn't the case that you can't get basic ones (although sadly not for £30 these days).

That's good to know - I only checked Argos and assumed they'd be as cheap as anything else, but their cheapest microwave was £55!

 

[danny la rouge]

We had a combination microwave years ago. To be honest after some unsatisfactory results we ended up just using it as a microwave. The grilling and crisping functions were pretty pointless.

We aren’t in the market for a microwave at the moment, but I’d be interested to know if they have improved at all.

 

[Sue]

Absolutely excellent IME. I’ve had a Panasonic for the last few years and use it for virtually everything.

Pizzas do particularly well IME And you can do toast if you use the trivet.

Same. Was quite expensive IIRC but I use it all the time and it's now eight years old and still going strong so...

 

[Epona]

That's good to know - I only checked Argos and assumed they'd be as cheap as anything else, but their cheapest microwave was £55!

I've been finding Argos a bit odd lately, they do small appliances that aren't any better than those you can pick up in a big supermarket these days, but they seem quite overpriced in comparison. I used to have a look at Argos stuff first but

Maybe as Puddy_Tat already has a Microwave, getting a separate grill or an air fryer might be an option, although counter space is often at a premium.

 

[Elpenor]

Got a common or garden microwave from Sainsburys. Think it was £45 down from £70, paid with nectar points though

 

[Puddy_Tat]

If you have the space, an air fryer and microwave separate is a better option

I will have to do a bit of research on this 'air fryer' thing (like wtf is an air fryer...)

 

[danny la rouge]

I will have to do a bit of research on this 'air fryer' thing (like wtf is an air fryer...)

A tiny oven. There is no frying involved.

I’d like to find a good one, as heating the normal oven is an expense I’d like to cut back on, but every time I research them I’m put off again by some reviewer who admits they’re actually a bit crap.

 

[pogofish]

I will have to do a bit of research on this 'air fryer' thing (like wtf is an air fryer...)

There are several threads about them here already with quite a bit of info.

Or you could fry the conventional way and smoke fags, for the same healthful properties.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

A grill in a microwave just makes the whole thing difficult to clean

You're supposed to clean the microwave?

 

[rubbershoes]

You're supposed to clean the microwave?

Sorry, my post should have read

A grill in a microwave just makes the whole thing difficult for your cleaner to clean

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Or you could fry the conventional way and smoke fags, for the same healthful properties.

i can't remember the last time i did fry anything, to be honest

would an air fryer do the 'things on toast', though?

 

[pogofish]

would an air fryer do the 'things on toast', though?

Apparently, you can - Maybe the air fryer owners here could confirm this?

 

[Calamity1971]

Had one for 12 years. Heats quicker than a normal oven. Mine goes up to 250° it's a 40litre so does my mates 12" pizzas perfect. Never use my main oven.
I live alone so it's cost effective. Stainless steel interior and easy to clean, though I'm a non meat eater so no spitty dead things ( sorry ) . Also has racks like an oven as well as trivety things. Never be without one now.
Newer version of mine.

SHARP, R956SLM, 1000 W, 42 litres, Combination Microwave, Black Glass, Stainless Steel Interior, 14 programs https://amzn.eu/d/ghe0e9f