Microwave oven with grill, convection or steam: what each mode is for
Microwave ovens under €300
A microwave oven is the kitchen machine most households own and almost nobody chooses carefully. It reheats yesterday's dinner, softens butter and defrosts meat, and every microwave on the shelf does that much. The real differences between microwaves sit in three places: how much of the cavity you can actually fill, which cooking modes sit next to plain microwave power, and how long the extra parts survive.
Modes are where the money goes. Solo microwaves heat and defrost, and stop there. Add a grill element and the top of the food browns. Add a fan and a ring heater and the same microwave roasts and bakes like a small oven. Add a steam pot and vegetables cook without a pan on the hob. Every step up costs more, adds weight, and puts one more part inside the microwave that can fail.
This microwave oven comparison takes four microwaves sold across the Amazon stores: the Bauknecht MW 427 SL, a 25 litre grill model with no turntable at all; a solo Toshiba; a Cecotec with convection; and a Panasonic with a steam pot. In most stores each one stays under $280, and the group sits near $200, so the question is not which price class to shop in but which modes you will actually press.
Models in this comparison
Typical price across these models: about €192. Rough figures from store prices converted at fixed rates: what you pay also depends on the store and the region you order from. With our browser extension you can compare every Amazon store at once, right on the product page.
Bauknecht MW 427 SL: the microwave without a turntable
Bauknecht MW 427 SL microwave Countertop Grill microwave 25 L 800 W Black, Grey MW 427 SL, Countertop, Grill microwave, 25 L, 800 W, Rotary, Touch, Black, Grey
ASIN: B00SWWWMM2
- ✓No turntable at all: the whole 25 litre floor is usable, square dishes included
- ✓Crisp plate for pizza, chips and lasagne, plus a steam container in the box
- ✓Grill inside a stainless steel cavity, with five RapidDefrost programmes
- ✓First place in Amazon's chart for grill and oven microwaves
- Capacity
- 25 litres
- Microwave power
- 800 W
- Cooking modes
- Microwave, grill, crisp, steam
- Turntable
- None (ExtraSpace)
- Size (D × W × H)
- 42.6 × 49 × 32 cm
- Weight
- 17.3 kg
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The design of the MW 427 SL starts with one missing part. Bauknecht calls the idea ExtraSpace: the waves are spread under the floor of the cavity instead of by a rotating plate, so nothing turns inside. The full 25 litre floor therefore carries food, square casserole dishes fit, and one more item leaves the washing-up pile. The stainless steel cavity holds 800 watts behind nine programmes.
Three cooking modes sit on top of plain heating. The crisp function uses a square plate that browns pizza, chips or lasagne; the square shape wastes none of the corners of a cavity that no longer turns. The steam function comes with its own container for vegetables, fish, rice or pasta. The grill works with the metal cooking grate and, Bauknecht says, burns itself clean at high temperature. RapidDefrost adds five defrosting programmes, from meat to bread.
Two figures matter before ordering. This is a heavy microwave at 17.3 kilograms, roughly the weight of two of the other microwaves here, and it measures 49 centimetres across. Bauknecht gives a two-year warranty and promises spare parts for seven years. The microwave sits first in Amazon's chart for grill and oven microwaves, a narrow chart but a real one.
This microwave suits a household that reheats large or square dishes and wants browning and steaming from one appliance. Skip it if the worktop gap is tight, or if you want true baking, because the fan oven mode belongs to another microwave further down.
The recent reviews are unusually detailed, and the missing turntable dominates them. Owners bought this microwave to fit bigger plates, and they report that the fear of uneven heating never materialised: food comes out warm all the way across. Several like having one fewer glass part to clean or drop. Noise comes up almost as often. A German owner calls the microwave surprisingly quiet and singles out the mute mode, which ends the beeping, while another praises its gentle tones instead of a hard beep. Buyers prefer the dial next to the buttons to a touch-only panel, and say the programmes for popcorn, defrosting and reheating do what they promise. The French and Italian notes are shorter: good-looking and versatile.
Two owners are clear about the costs. Cooking takes a little longer without a turntable, and one buyer times a frozen pizza at about eleven minutes against nine in his old microwave. The sharpest review is a one-star report about accessories rather than the oven itself: a month after the two-year warranty ran out, the crisp plate stopped releasing food, and the steam container had warped enough that its lid no longer closed and water boiled over. Without the crisp plate, that owner says, much of the reason he bought this microwave is gone.
Pros
- No turntable, so the full floor takes square and oversized dishes
- Quiet in use, with a mute mode that stops the beeping
- Dial and buttons together, which owners prefer to a touch-only panel
- Even heating and preset programmes that work as described
- Crisp plate, steam container and cooking grate all in the box
Cons
- Heating is slower than in turntable microwaves of the same class
- Crisp plate coating and steam container failed just after two years for one owner
- The heaviest and one of the widest microwaves here
- No convection, so it bakes less well than a combination model
Solo, grill, convection or steam: how these microwaves differ
Four microwaves, four answers to the same question. Read the list as a ladder: each rung adds hardware, not software.
- Solo. Microwave power only, as in the Toshiba here: heating, defrosting and cooking from the inside out. Nothing browns and nothing needs preheating. This is the whole job for most people, and solo microwaves do it with the fewest parts that can break.
- Grill. A microwave oven with grill carries a heating element under the ceiling, as the Bauknecht and the Panasonic do. It browns the top of gratins, cheese and meat, and can run together with microwave power so a dish cooks through and colours at once.
- Crisp. A metal plate that the microwave heats directly, so the base of a pizza browns rather than steams. The Bauknecht is the only microwave here with it, and the accessory does the work, which is why a worn plate matters so much.
- Convection. A fan and a ring heater, as in the Cecotec, turn the cavity into a small fan oven that bakes and roasts. A convection microwave oven is the only one here that replaces a real oven for a small household, and it draws by far the most power.
- Steam. A sealed container that boils water inside the cavity, supplied with the Bauknecht and, in a heavier metal version, with the Panasonic. Vegetables and fish cook gently without a pan.
The order of price does not follow the order of usefulness. If you reheat and defrost, extra modes are money spent on buttons you will not press. If you cook for real in a small kitchen, convection is the one upgrade that removes another appliance from the worktop.
Microwave oven capacity: litres, width and the space they take
Capacity is the figure buyers compare and the least useful one on its own. These four microwaves run from 25 to 29 litres, a narrow band, but the outside measurements move much more: from 46.9 to 49.5 centimetres wide and from 28 to 32 centimetres tall. The Bauknecht is the smallest in litres and the tallest in centimetres, because its cavity is square rather than built around a turning plate.
What fits inside depends on the plate, not the litres. The Cecotec turns 315 millimetres, the Toshiba 288, the Panasonic about 248, and the Bauknecht turns nothing, so a square dish can stand anywhere on the floor.
Measure the gap before ordering, and measure twice if the microwave goes under a wall cupboard. One German buyer of the Cecotec compared dimensions for a long time, then found the delivered microwave was 51 centimetres wide against the width in the description. He kept it after a partial refund and rated it three stars. Weight matters too: at 17.3 kilograms this microwave is not something you slide around a worktop, while the solo Toshiba weighs ten.
Toshiba MW3-AM25PFI: the solo microwave done properly
This is the cheapest of these microwaves and the best rated, at 4.5 stars from 148 ratings, and fifth in Amazon's chart for solo microwaves. It holds 25 litres behind 900 watts, with ten power levels, seven automatic menus and a Chef Defrost programme that adjusts power so the outside does not cook while the middle thaws. The turntable measures 288 millimetres and takes a ten inch pizza. The real argument for this microwave is the Origin Inverter: instead of switching full power on and off, it holds a steady lower level, which shortens heating times and, Toshiba says, drops the noise to 57 decibels.
Owners confirm both claims. One writes that the power is genuinely regulated rather than flicking between nothing and everything, and that this microwave is quieter than others he has owned. Several describe even heating, including the middle of a portion, which is what solo microwaves are supposed to get right and often do not. Others praise easy cleaning and programmes without frills.
The complaints are small and consistent. The interior light is weak and the dark enamelled cavity swallows what there is, so seeing the food means opening the door; one owner marked the microwave down to three stars for that. Another notes that the turntable judders when it starts, and a third found the controls confusing at first. Buy it if reheating and defrosting is the whole job. Look at the grill microwaves here if you want anything browned.
Toshiba MW3-AM25PFI(BK) Solo Microwave 25L 900W Microwave Oven in Black with Origin Inverter, Chef Defrost, 10 Power Levels, 7 Auto Menus, Easy Clean
ASIN: B0GR9QTHPL
- ✓Origin Inverter holds a steady power level instead of switching on and off
- ✓57 decibels quoted, and owners call it quieter than the microwave it replaced
- ✓Ten power levels, seven automatic menus and a Chef Defrost programme
- ✓288 mm turntable takes a ten inch pizza; fifth in the solo microwaves chart
- Capacity
- 25 litres
- Microwave power
- 900 W
- Cooking modes
- Microwave only
- Power levels
- 10
- Turntable
- 288 mm
- Size (D × W × H)
- 36.5 × 46.9 × 28 cm
- Weight
- 10 kg
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Pros
- Inverter power that owners say is genuinely regulated, not switched on and off
- Even heating right through the middle of a portion, in report after report
- Quieter than the microwaves several owners replaced with it
- Easy to clean, with programmes and no clutter around them
Cons
- Weak interior light in a dark enamelled cavity, so you open the door to look
- The turntable judders when it starts to move
- Controls take a little working out at first
- Microwave power only: nothing browns and nothing bakes
Cecotec Proclean 2800: a convection microwave oven
The Cecotec is the only one of these microwaves that bakes. Convection runs at 2,200 watts, the grill at 1,200 and the microwave itself at 900, and the three can be combined. The cavity is stainless steel, holds 28 litres and turns the widest plate in this group at 315 millimetres. Controls are touch buttons plus a knob, with five power levels, eight programmes, a 60 minute timer and a child lock. Cecotec promises spare parts for ten years, the longest commitment among these microwaves, alongside the usual two-year warranty.
The reviews are few, twenty-four ratings in total, and mostly warm. The most detailed one, from Italy, lists what the buyer found after switching brands: a stainless interior, two heating elements, a fan, LED lighting, quiet operation, simple controls and a self-cleaning function. His single criticism is that the interior light is weak. Spanish owners report that grill and microwave both do their job, and another Italian buyer calls the cavity roomy and the controls easy to work out.
Two warnings belong with it. The listed width was wrong for at least one buyer, so check the microwave on delivery before cutting anything. And the specification table gives the weight as one kilogram, plainly a data error. Of these microwaves this is the one to choose in a kitchen with no separate oven, or with an oven too big to heat for one tray. It is the wrong choice if you only ever reheat.
Cecotec Proclean 2800 Digital Microwave Oven with Grill 28 L 900 W | Grill 1200 W, convection 2200 W, 8 programs, 5 power levels, 315 mm plate, 60 m timer, child lock, touch
ASIN: B0FKNLPCHW
- ✓Convection at 2,200 W turns the cavity into a small fan oven
- ✓1,200 W grill and 900 W of microwave power, with five levels and eight programmes
- ✓28 litre stainless steel cavity and the widest plate here at 315 mm
- ✓Child lock, 60 minute timer and spare parts promised for ten years
- Capacity
- 28 litres
- Microwave power
- 900 W
- Grill
- 1,200 W
- Convection
- 2,200 W
- Turntable
- 315 mm
- Size (D × W × H)
- 41 × 48.3 × 29.5 cm
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Pros
- Convection, grill and microwave power in one cavity, and they can be combined
- Stainless steel interior with a self-cleaning function, called roomy by its owners
- Simple controls and a display owners find easy to read
- Quiet in use, with spare parts promised for ten years
Cons
- Weak interior light, the one fault the most detailed review names
- One buyer measured the delivered cabinet at 51 cm, wider than the listing
- The specification table gives the weight as one kilogram, plainly an error
- Only twenty-four ratings behind the score
Panasonic NN-GD39QSEPG: a steam pot and a warning
On paper this is the strongest of the four microwaves. It is the roomiest at 29 litres with a 330 millimetre wide interior, the most powerful at 1,000 watts, and it comes with the Steam+ pot, a metal dish you can sear, simmer, steam and grill in. The grill has three levels, combination cooking runs grill and microwave together without preheating, and eighteen automatic programmes sit behind a full glass door and a touch panel.
The rating tells another story: 3.0 stars from 38 ratings, the lowest here by a wide margin, and recent reviews explain why. A German owner reports the microwave switching itself off and showing error H98 before its first birthday, with the service verdict that it could not be repaired. Another German household found the pizza programme cuts out after a few minutes and only recovers if the power is pulled. A French buyer describes the same behaviour with 300 grams of potatoes in the steam pot: the oven stopped part-way through and stayed dead for ten minutes. A Spanish owner had a steam attempt end with a quiet bang on the first use. Several reviewers add that the manual explains too little.
The satisfied buyers exist. One calls this microwave much quieter than the one it replaced, one prefers it to a previous LG, and a single-person household calls it ideal. Weigh those against a pattern of cut-outs that owners in three countries describe in the same terms. Consider this model if the steam pot is the reason you are buying, and only with a return window you can actually use.
Panasonic NN-GD39QSEPG Grill Microwave with Steam+ Pot, 29L, 1000W, Automatic Defrost, Combination Cooking, Timer, Silver & Stainless Steel
ASIN: B0F32SRBN8
- ✓Steam+ pot for searing, simmering, steaming and grilling
- ✓29 litres and a 330 mm wide interior, the roomiest of these microwaves
- ✓1,000 W with a three-level grill and combination cooking without preheating
- ✓Eighteen automatic programmes and automatic defrost behind a full glass door
- Capacity
- 29 litres
- Microwave power
- 1,000 W
- Cooking modes
- Microwave, grill, combination, steam
- Turntable
- 247.5 mm
- Size (D × W × H)
- 37.8 × 49.5 × 29.2 cm
- Weight
- 12 kg
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Pros
- Steam+ pot in the box for searing, simmering, steaming and grilling
- The roomiest cavity here at 29 litres, with 1,000 W and a three-level grill
- Plain reheating, defrosting and the timer work faultlessly, even in the angry reviews
- Quieter than the microwaves it replaced, several owners say
Cons
- Owners in three countries describe the same mid-programme cut-outs
- One unit died with error H98 before its first birthday and could not be repaired
- A steam run ended with a quiet bang on its first use for one buyer
- The manual explains too little, on repeated reports
Microwave comparison by the numbers
The figures behind these four microwaves sit in one table, so the trade-offs are visible at a glance.
| Parameter | Bauknecht MW 427 SL | Toshiba MW3-AM25PFI | Cecotec Proclean 2800 | Panasonic NN-GD39QSEPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 25 l | 25 l | 28 l | 29 l |
| Microwave power | 800 W | 900 W | 900 W | 1,000 W |
| Grill | Yes | — | 1,200 W | Three levels |
| Convection | — | — | 2,200 W | — |
| Steam | Container included | — | — | Steam+ pot |
| Crisp plate | Included | — | — | — |
| Turntable | None | 288 mm | 315 mm | 247.5 mm |
| Power levels | — | 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Size (D × W × H) | 42.6 × 49 × 32 cm | 36.5 × 46.9 × 28 cm | 41 × 48.3 × 29.5 cm | 37.8 × 49.5 × 29.2 cm |
| Weight | 17.3 kg | 10 kg | — | 12 kg |
| Rating | 4.3 (541) | 4.5 (148) | 4.0 (24) | 3.0 (38) |
Read the scores together with the number of ratings behind them. The Bauknecht carries 541 opinions, by far the largest sample of these microwaves, so its 4.3 is the firmest promise here. The Toshiba scores higher on 148 ratings, still a solid base for a cheap solo microwave. The Cecotec and the Panasonic rest on 24 and 38 ratings, and the Panasonic's three stars come with a fault described in the same words by owners in three countries. Watts deserve the same caution: the 2,200 figure on the Cecotec is convection power, not microwave power, and setting it against the 800 watts of the grill microwave compares two different jobs, not two microwaves.
How to choose a microwave oven
Four questions decide which of these microwaves will still please you in three years.
- What do you cook? Reheating and defrosting need a solo microwave. Browning needs a grill or a crisp plate. Baking needs convection. Buying a mode you never use is the most common waste when buying microwaves.
- How big is the gap on the worktop? Measure width, depth and height, then check the delivered microwave against the listing. Litres tell you little; the cabinet is what has to fit.
- What goes inside the cavity? Round plates suit turntable microwaves. Square dishes and oversized containers argue for the Bauknecht, which has no plate to work around.
- Which parts wear out? Crisp plates, steam pots and non-stick coatings age faster than the microwave around them. Ask whether they can be replaced, and check who promises spare parts for how long.
The usual mistake is buying the longest feature list in the price range. The second is treating combination microwaves as full ovens; they bake one tray, not a Sunday roast. The third is trusting the listed width instead of the delivered cabinet.
Frequently asked questions
- Do microwaves without a turntable heat food evenly?
- Owners of the Bauknecht say yes. Several bought it expecting uneven results and report that food comes out warm across the whole plate, because the waves are spread under the floor of the cavity instead of by a rotating dish. The trade-off is speed: one owner times a frozen pizza at about eleven minutes against nine in his previous microwave.
- Is a grill in a microwave the same as a grill in an oven?
- It works on the same principle, an element under the ceiling that browns the surface, but the cavity is much smaller and the element sits closer to the food. In combination microwaves the grill can also run together with microwave power, so a dish cooks through and colours at once, which an oven grill cannot do.
- What does an inverter change in a solo microwave?
- It holds a steady lower power instead of switching full power on and off. Toshiba states shorter heating times, less energy used and a noise level of 57 decibels, and one owner confirms that the power is genuinely regulated rather than flicking between nothing and everything.
- Can a combination microwave replace an oven?
- For one tray, often yes. The Cecotec runs convection at 2,200 watts and bakes and roasts like a small fan oven, which is enough for a household that would otherwise heat a full oven for a single dish. It will not cook a large joint or two trays at once.
- How much capacity does a household need?
- These four microwaves cover 25 to 29 litres, the usual band for countertop microwaves. What matters more is the plate: 315 millimetres on the Cecotec, 288 on the Toshiba, about 248 on the Panasonic, and no plate at all on the Bauknecht, where a square dish can stand anywhere on the floor.
Verdict
Every model on the same criteria
Score against price
- Bauknecht MW 427 SL4.3 at about €258
- Toshiba MW3-AM25PFI4.4 at about €130
- Cecotec Proclean 28003.9 at about €169
- Panasonic NN-GD39QSEPG3.1 at about €209
The overall score divided by the typical price, with the best in the group as the full bar. A rough guide, not a verdict — a cheap model that misses the feature you need is no bargain.
Read the bars as trade-offs, not as a ranking. The grill microwave without a turntable takes the dish you already own and stays quiet doing it, but it heats slower than the rest and its crisp plate wore out for one owner just after the warranty. The solo microwave is the steadiest of the four and the least capable: even heating, a dark cavity, and nothing browned. The convection microwave oven has the widest set of modes and the thinnest evidence behind it, twenty-four ratings in all. The steam model reads best on paper and worst in service, because owners in three countries describe the same cut-outs in the same words.
Decide which modes you will use this month, not which ones sound useful, and the choice narrows to one or two microwaves. Get that wrong and you pay for a fan, a grill and a steam pot to warm up soup.