Microwaves have been a staple in the kitchen since they were first launched onto the market back in the Seventies. And while air fryers may be getting all the attention at the moment, microwaves are still a must-have item with 93 per cent of British households owning one.
Microwaves are one of the most energy-efficient ways to cook and can produce a meal in minutes. But these days they don’t just heat up your meals; they can also bake, steam, grill and air fry, making them one of the most versatile kitchen appliances.
The other good thing about microwaves is that they are affordable, and with so much choice on the market, there’s a microwave available for all cooking styles and budgets.
Whether you want a basic microwave to heat your favourite ready meal or an all-performing powerhouse model that will cook anything you put in it, we have put some of the best options to the test to find out which ones are worth the money and a spot in your kitchen.
How we tested
We tested a range of microwaves with different functions to try and find the best for all those who enjoy microwave cooking. From students to busy parents, we tested a range of different foods in the microwaves we tested to see how well they cooked and how fast they cooked. We also took into consideration how much room the microwaves took up in our kitchen and aspects of whether they were noisy, had a timer function and if they were easy to keep clean.
The best microwaves for 2024 are:
Salter duowave two-in-one air fryer and microwave
If space is a premium in your kitchen then this appliance will be a game changer – it is a microwave, air fryer and combo oven all in one. We found it to be perfect for busy households because whatever dish you want to cook, this machine has a function to do it. It’s user-friendly, with everything clearly labelled and it has a 26l capacity, which is great for larger portions.
While it did a good job of everything from cooking jacket potatoes to reheating leftover pizza, one thing that really stood out was the keep warm function, which is particularly handy if you can’t all eat at the same time. Plus, there are 10 pre-set functions including meat, potatoes, pizza, chicken, pasta, vegetables and more so you know that your food is going to be perfectly cooked. These presets worked really well but you have to check the instructions to find out what preset is for what as each preset has a number attached to it. Overall, this microwave is one of the best on the market and with the added extra functions you’ll be able to cook everything all from one machine.
Buy now £189.99, Salter.com
Beko 700W 20l compact microwave
This is one of the best microwaves if you’re on a budget. It’s also a good choice if you’re struggling to find space on your countertop as it’s small and compact. This microwave has manual controls so it’s really easy to use — there’s nothing to learn, you just choose your power level from a choice of six, select the minutes and just press start it’s really that simple.
The top power setting is 700W but it’s still really powerful and cooks food quickly and evenly. It also has a defrost function which we found worked really well and is ideal if you’ve forgotten to take your dinner out of the freezer. It has a 20l capacity which isn’t huge but still big enough to fit a regular size plate so you can cook or reheat meals with ease. Best of all, we found it easy to clean – simply take a clean cloth or paper towel and wipe around after use.
Buy now £69.00, Amazon.co.uk
Samsung large capacity solo microwave oven
If you’re looking for a microwave that looks as good as it performs, the Samsung solo microwave is the one. This is a lovely-looking machine with a well-laid-out control panel that makes it straightforward to use.
With a large 32l capacity, it’s big enough to fit a whole chicken in, so you can cook almost anything in it. The appliance has what Samsung calls a triple distribution system, which means the heat is distributed in three ways, so it cooks evenly no matter how large the item you’re cooking is. It also has an auto cook function, which we thought worked really well and takes away any guesswork – you simply select what dish you want to prepare from a choice of 15 most popular cooked dishes (fish, chicken, vegetables and pasta) and it will start cooking with the appropriate mode, time and temperature. You do need to know the weight of the food you’re cooking before using these modes so don’t throw away the packet before noting it down.
We found that food cooked well and it was also easy to clean – this is down to the ceramic interior which doesn’t discolour over time and can be wiped clean.
Buy now £149.00, Amazon.co.uk
Daewoo five-in-one air fryer and microwave
Why have multiple appliances when this five-in-one microwave from Daewoo does it all? This is one of the easiest-to-use microwaves we’ve tested and with 28 cooking pre-sets you won’t have to guess the timings instead select the option, sit back and wait for your perfectly cooked meal.
Owing to its large size, you will need quite a lot of counter space for it to fit but when you consider what appliances you’ll no longer need to have hanging around your kitchen it’s a good deal. The microwave function works incredibly well – it’s powerful yet eco-efficient and because of its large capacity, everything gets evenly cooked so you won’t have to keep taking it out and turning it around. Talking of power, it has 10 different power settings so you can tailor it to what you’re cooking so nothing will come out under or overcooked. The control panel is simple to use and when plugged in the buttons light up so it’s easy to see. Cleaning is no issue, just wipe clean once you’ve finished using it to remove any condensation and to ensure any food splatters don’t stick. It comes with a handy baking tray and crisper basket, which are also easy to clean and dishwasher-friendly.
Buy now £185.00, Amazon.co.uk
Salter Toronto microwave
The Salter Toronto microwave will look good in any kitchen. Its sleek black design with wooden highlights makes this one of the best-looking microwaves we’ve tested. But it’s not all about the looks, it performs well too. With a 20l capacity, it’s big enough for standard dinner plates, although, if you are regularly microwaving larger items you may want to consider a larger size. It has a clear control panel and the buttons are easy to see to see and use. There are also eight auto-cooking functions for common dishes including pasta, fish, meat, potato and pizza. You will have to learn which number goes with what food but the instruction leaflet provides a handy table. This microwave is pretty quiet when in operation but the beeps when your food is done are loud enough that you can hear them from another room. It’s easy to keep clean and the turntable is removable for easy washing. This microwave did a good job at cooking food and was super efficient when defrosting items.
Buy now £89.99, Amazon.co.uk
Swan nordic microwave
If you don’t have a lot of room then this model is compact enough to fit in even the smallest kitchens. Plus it looks super cool with its Scandinavian design and matte finish. Of course, being a smaller microwave means it has a limited 20l capacity but this will still hold a standard dinner plate and work well with medium-sized dishes.
It’s an easy-to-use microwave with intuitive controls and a clear LED display. The pre-set cooking functions are handy, taking the guesswork out of common tasks like defrosting and reheating. Food cooked really well in this microwave, it cooked quickly and evenly and the 800W power certainly did its job. We also found it was easy to keep it clean, the inside just wiped clean and it is recommended that you wipe the inside down after each use to avoid condensation being trapped and potentially causing rust.
Buy now £104.00, Amazon.co.uk
Tower renaissance 20l microwave
A total delight to use, this microwave features a chrome control panel that is clear and easy to see. It is powered by intuitive technology so the heat is evenly distributed, meaning there are no overly hot or cold spots after cooking just perfectly cooked foods. It also does a brilliant job of defrosting food.
There are eight pre-set programs and a handy 95-minute timer for optimum cooking precision. We found it easy to clean but did notice that it gathered a bit of condensation after cooking, so we’d recommend that you wipe dry it before closing the door so that you don’t risk it getting rusty. The 20l capacity means this microwave is quite compact but it still has enough room to cook a decent-sized meal.
Buy now £101.17, Amazon.co.uk
Samsung smart combi microwave with air fryer MC32DG7646CKE3
If you’re looking for a do-it-all microwave that will save space on your countertop, then Samsung’s latest smart microwave triples up as a convection oven and air fryer, so you’ll only need one appliance to get the job Just swap out the glass plate inside when you want to use the oven or the air fryer and off you go.
Sleek, stylish and very powerful, it’s a super modern piece of art, and while it’s quite large with a 32l capacity, there are so many different cooking methods to suit all households. You can control the microwave using the SmartThings app, whether it’s air frying, heating up, baking, roasting, grilling or defrosting, though you do still need to get up off the sofa to send the recipe to the microwave once you’ve programmed it in the app.
We particularly liked that the power defrost mode had set food type presets, so if we were defrosting chicken, it was clever enough to know how long and how powerful it needed to run. The only thing we didn’t like was that the text on the microwave is quite small, making it hard to read on occasion. The touch screen is very responsive, however, and really easy to use.
Buy now £299.00, Amazon.co.uk
The verdict: Microwaves
Choosing the right microwave for your home depends on a few factors including how much counter space you have and what kind of cooking you’re planning on doing. We highly rate the Salter duowave two-in-one air and microwave not only for its exceptional microwave abilities but also for having the added air fryer and combo oven means that it can cook everything you want without the need for separate appliances. The Daewood five-in-one microwave and air fryer also have the same functions and are fractionally cheaper, it’s worth noting that both of these microwaves are also incredibly energy efficient and could save you money when compared to a regular microwave or oven.
If you are looking for a smaller microwave or you’re on a budget then the Beko 700W 20-litre compact microwave is a great pick. It’s cheap, compact and works exceptionally well.
Want more kitchen appliance recommendations? Read our guide to the best air fryers
