Tried & Tested
We believe that any product should be simple to use, stand the test of time, look good and work brilliantly to make your life easier. Our testing team put each product through its paces at home, over several weeks, pitting them against everyday situations. Those products that make the mark are awarded a star rating. And the very, very best are awarded our ‘Ideal Home Approved’ recommendation.
1 BEST COMPACT MICROWAVE HOTPOINT CURVE MWH 1311
TYPE Corner standalone
CAPACITY 13 litres POWER 700W
FEATURES Space saver, four cooking levels, memo button, safety lock
PRICE £89.62
This compact microwave has a curved back designed to fit into a corner. It’s a clever design because corners are the least useful bit of any kitchen worktop – but of course you can put it anywhere. Capacity is just 13 litres but it fits a 28cm glass turntable in there, so it can handle a dinner plate. You can microwave cook at four power levels or defrost by time or weight.
REASON TO BUY Super compact, fits neatly into a countertop corner
REASON TO AVOID
Small internal capacity
RATING 4.5/5
2 BEST FREESTANDING COMBI MICROWAVE
PANASONIC NN-DF386BBPQ
TYPE Freestanding, oven and grill CAPACITY 23 litres POWER 1000W
FEATURES Pull-down door, wire grilling rack, metal crisper plate
PRICE £259.99 This freestanding microwave combi boasts a flatbed design, so you get 30% more usable cooking space. It comes with a grilling rack, an enamel tray for oven cooking, and a Panacrunch pan which is great for pizzas. Controls are straightforward, plus there are seven automatic programs to cook popular foods by weight.
REASON TO BUY Multi-functional with a decent capacity
REASON TO AVOID It has a large footprint
RATING 4.5/5
3 BEST OVERALL MICROWAVE SWAN NORDIC DIGITAL MICROWAVE
TYPE Digital
CAPACITY 20 litres
POWER 800W
FEATURES Defrost, express, auto cook, advance timer
PRICE £119.99 This microwave comes in four colour choices: white, grey, green or blue. The dial scrolls through timings, up to one hour, and with only 800 watts, there are more powerful microwaves out there, but this is a top pick for those who have a little more than £100 to spend.
REASON TO BUY It’s far more multi-functional than it first appears
REASON TO AVOID The controls took some adjusting to
RATING 4.5/5
4 BEST VALUE MICROWAVE RUSSELL HOBBS INSPIRE MICROWAVE OVEN
TYPE Standalone
CAPACITY 17 litres
POWER 700W
FEATURES Five power levels, defrost setting, easy clean exterior
PRICE £74.99
We loved how easy to use this microwave was. It has six settings and the timer goes up to half an hour which is convenient for the defrost mode. We found that its defrost and high power settings were brilliant for day-to-day use.
REASON TO BUY It’s super affordable
REASON TO AVOID Fingerprints will leave marks RATING 4.5/5