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If your kitchen is a little short on space, it’s a great idea to get yourself a microwave convection oven combo. It basically provides several great cooking functions in just one small appliance.
Not only does it defrost and warm up your food, but it also lets you bake or roast food too. You can cook an entire chicken, or brown a pizza and so on.
That’s all thanks to its additional heating element and fan. Yet it still remains the size of a traditional microwave. This makes it a great choice for any home with a small kitchen, or even for an RV.
Plus a microwave convection oven combo is generally way more affordable than a regular oven.
Or if you already have an oven, you can roast roast or bake side dishes or dessert while you’ve got your main dish roasting away.
There are some great microwave convection oven combos out on the market today. We’ve been checking them out, and after much deliberation, we were able to handpick our top 5 favorites, which we can’t wait to show you.
In the interest of brevity, this article is going to concentrate on countertop models. However, some of them come with trim kits, so you make them look built-in.
But better yet some of the appliances in our top 5 picks, do even more than microwaving and convection cooking!
But we get that choosing the perfect appliance can be tricky, so in addition to our microwave convection oven combo reviews, we’ve also got a handy buying guide for you which will walk you through all the key points you might want to think about before you buy.
But that’s not all. We’re going to top that off with a section where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
So, without further ado…
OUR TOP PICK
This machine is amazing - it basically does the job of 4 different machines in one appliance. It’s an inverter microwave, a convection oven, and an air fryer, plus a broiler. HOw space saving is that?!
It comes from a great well-established brand, Panasonic no less, and comes highly recommended.
As an air fryer you get your food really crisp and golden on the outside, while the FlashXpress Broiler achieves grill-like results for your meats.
The appliance can also replace your convection oven with its roasting and baking temperatures ranging from 100 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and as an inverter microwave as well, you get far more even heating than you would with a traditional microwave.
You can also combine the cooking methods, for more fine tuned and quicker cooking. And better yet, there’s no preheating required.
But despite all this functionality, the machine is very intuitive and easy to use. You can simply select which function you want to use and use the dial to set the time and weight as applicable.
And if you don’t know how long to cook it or at what power, just let the Genius Sensor take care of it for you.
It’s wattage is very impressive, coming in at a whopping 1,100 watts for the broiler output and 1000 watts for the microwave output. So your food will be ready in no time at all.
It’s easy to clean and there’s a child safety lock, to avoid burnt hands. All the accessories you need are also included in the box.
It has a slim space saving design, and it comes with a trim kit if you want this countertop microwave to look built-in. Yet it’s still large enough to fit an entire chicken. See the product page for exact dimensions.
If you do decide to go with this machine, we recommend that you download the accompanying apps to retrieve hundreds of tasty custom designed recipes.
Sure it’s expensive, but with all this functionality and versatility it really is a great little machine. Besides, you can pay in more affordable installments upon approval for the Amazon Rewards Visa Card.
If you do decide to buy from Amazon, be sure to select the 4 in 1 microwave, because the 2 in 1 option doesn’t feature convection oven capability.
Pros
- 4 cooking functions in one appliance
- Combine the various cooking methods
- Space saving yet with a large interior
- Genius Sensor to determine settings
- Impressive power at 1100 watts
- You can pay in installments
Cons
- Premium product at a premium price
EDITORS CHOICE
This is no ordinary microwave convection oven combo!
The stand out feature of this beauty is it’s smart technology, and how it works via Alexa. You can ask Alexa to start to stop cooking, or to let you know when the oven is sufficiently pre-heated, or when your food is ready.
We also love the scan-to-cook function, which allows you to simply scan the barcode of your food item to tell the appliance how to cook the food.
But that’s not all. In addition to microwaving or convection cooking your food, this baby is also an air fryer besides!
For those who don’t know, an air-fryer can fry your food with a minimal amount of oil, so it’s way healthier than a traditional deep fryer.
It’s great for keeping your food warm too. So handy when one side dish is ready before another, but you want to keep everything hot.
The other thing we love about it is the internal temperature and humidity sensors. With this at hand you can ensure your food is cooked at the perfect temperature, and remains sufficiently moist.
It’s very easy to set up and use. There are only 3 steps to follow to get it up and running, and it’s all laid out for you on the Amazon page.
It’s also more affordable than some of the other comparable appliances around.
If you don’t already have an Echo Dot or an Echo Show, you can buy them alongside this microwave convection oven combo in a package deal and save yourself some money.
You can also buy a trim kit to make your appliance look built-in, and/or you can buy a 2 year warranty and accident protection.
Pros
- Works with Alexa on Echo Dot or Echo Show
- Internal temperature and humidity sensors
- Also has air-frying capabilities
- Amazing scan-to-cook function
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- Only 4 brands of food can be used with the scan-to-cook function, though we think this may change over time
BEST VALUE
Now this microwave convection oven combo comes highly recommended - and it’s super affordable too.
It comes from a great, very well-established brand, Toshiba no less.
And just like traditional microwaves have pre-set programs for certain foods, there’s preset programs available for auto baking and auto roasting too! And that’s not all - you can also grill with it too .So whether you want to cook meats, muffins or biscuits, it’s all made very easy for you.
We also love the wattage, which comes in at a very high 1000 watts, very powerful. But this high wattage doesn’t mean it’s going to dry your food out.
There’s a built in humidity sensor, and it’s readings can trigger the automatic adjusting of the temperature and cooking time.
Another thing we love about is just how energy efficient it is. It can save you up to 50% on your electricity used, and this will surely be reflected in your bill.
For those who are conscious about how much space it would take up in your kitchen, there’s a handy photo on the Amazon page which makes the dimensions and minimum clearance required very clear.
It’s great for keeping food warm while you're preparing other items. And it’s easy to clean too.
You can either buy it in traditional stainless steel, or in black stainless steel. Both options look very smart if you ask us.
Or if you’re not too sure about buying a microwave with convection capability, you could decide for one with air fryin capability instead - that’s on the product page too.
There are some cool videos on the Amazon page which show you how to make some great foods using this product. And you can also access a user manual and cookbook from the product page too.
Pros
- Preset programs for auto baking & roasting
- Very energy efficient, save 50% energy
- Plenty of power output at 1000 watts
- Cookbook available on product page
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- Some customers found the manual lacking
RUNNER UP
This is a somewhat no frills deal. But that’s what’s good about it. No umming and arring about what kind of settings to use, it's just a straightforward microwave convection oven combo.
As a microwave, it can deliver a high 900 watts of power output, and get your food ready much more quickly than with a traditional microwave oven. So it’s great for chilled ready meals, defrosting, and making popcorn.
But it’s uses don’t stop there. As a microwave convection oven combo, you can also use it to roast your dishes, or brown your foods, or even bake your favorite goodies.
And if you’re not sure about what power settings or cooking times to go for, you don’t need to worry.
If your food item comes within any one of the 8 menu options, the machine does the calculating for you. This is all thanks to the Precise Cook sensor.
With the slim touch control panel on the right hand side of the appliance, there are 12 one-touch options. You can press it and forget it. It could not be any easier to use.
It has a good size inner capacity, coming in at 1.5 cubic feet. But at the same time is still quite a space saving design.
The interior is stainless steel, which is very easy to clean. Plus the outer glass is scratch resistant, so it will maintain its smart appearance.
Pros
- Very straightforward & easy to use
- Comes from a well-established brand
- Precise Cook sensor does all the calculations
- Total of 12 one-touch cooking options
- Good size inner capacity at 1.5 cubic feet
Cons
- Premium product at a premium price
RUNNER UP
Who hasn’t heard of GE appliances. Certainly one of the most trusted and reliable brands out on the market today.
This is their microwave convection oven combo. And it’s a good one too. You can use it as a countertop appliance or you can make use of the trim kit to make it look built-in.
As a microwave oven it packs some real output power, 1000 watts to be exact, that’s about 200-300 more than more traditional microwaves. This means you can satisfy hungry tummies sooner rather than later.
And customers have found that it's very good as a convection oven too. You can roast meats and vegetables etc. Or you can bake biscuits, bread, pizza, or muffins etc.
It also features sensor cooking which enables the appliance to correctly identify what power setting is required and how long the food needs to go in for. Saves a lot of guesswork.
We love that it comes with a special rack for roasting. It helps hot air to circulate around the foods for more even heat distribution.
It also has broiler capabilities too. I have no idea why they don’t mention that in the product description.
It’s a good space saver for smaller kitchens. (Please see the product page for the exact dimensions.) And it's also very easy to clean.
It is expensive, true, but you can take advantage of the opportunity to pay in installments via the Amazon Rewards Visa Card.
Pros
- Trusted and reliable brand
- Sensor cooking rather than guesswork
- Comes with a special rack for roasting
- Features broiler capabilities
- Can be bought in installments
Cons
- Premium product at a premium price - you’re paying for the brand
Best Microwave Convection Oven Combo Buying Guide
As promised here’s your buying guide.
We’ll walk you through everything you might want to think about before you buy your microwave convection oven combo.
Benefits of Using a Microwave Convection Oven Combo
We mentioned a little of this in our introduction, but let’s go over it in more detail.
Space Saving
Instead of having both a microwave and a convection oven, having both functions in just one appliance can really save you much coveted space if you have a small kitchen area.
Versatility
While a more traditional microwave is great for defrosting and reheating etc, a microwave convection oven combo offers a lot more functionality and versatility.
Have you ever tried cooking a chicken or a pizza in a traditional microwave? Don’t bother, the results are awful. For that you’re going to need something with convection heating.
Food Is Ready Quicker
When you use a convection microwave, you get two heat sources working away, which results in a much quicker cooking time.
Energy Efficiency
Because your food is ready in a fraction of the usual time, you save energy. And in turn, this will also mean a reduction in your electricity bill.
It’s a win-win.
What To Look For In A Microwave Convection Oven Combo
How Many Cooking Functions
A microwave that also works like an oven is great, if you’ve been paying attention to our product reviews, you’ll have noticed that some microwave convection oven combos can have even more functionality besides.
This is perfect for anyone with a small kitchen where space is limited.
If you want a microwave convection oven combo that’s also a broiler we can recommend our number 1 pick, the Panasonic NN-CD87KS Home Chef 4 in 1 Microwave Oven. Or our number 5 pick, the GE Profile PEB9159SJSS Countertop Convection/Microwave Oven
Or alternatively, if you want a microwave convection oven combo that’s also an air fryer, then we can again recommend our number 1 pick, the Panasonic NN-CD87KS Home Chef 4 in 1 Microwave Oven.
Smart Technology
Smart technology is by no means an essential feature for your microwave convection oven combo. However, as technology advances it will become a more prevalent feature in household appliances.
The main advantage of smart technology in a cooking appliance is that you don’t have to be right by the appliance to make any changes to the cooking of your food.
You may perhaps instead make these changes on an app in an entirely different room, or completely hands free via a voice command.
If the latter is of interest to you, then we can recommend our number 2 pick, the Amazon Smart Oven.
Size
If you’re in the market for a microwave convection oven combo, this could be because you have limited space in your kitchen. In which case, the smaller the appliance is the better.
A microwave oven is already a lot smaller than a conventional oven. We think a good all round size would be about 45 liters, as this is big enough to accommodate an entire chicken.
We recommend checking the sizes of the microwaves as you go along.
Wattage
Wattage is the main spec when it comes to microwaves. The higher the wattage, the quicker your food will be cooked, and the more money you save on your electricity bill.
You can either look for a microwave convection oven combo with as high a wattage as possible, or you could instead just opt for an 800 watt microwave convection oven combo, since this standard wattage will make it easier to calculate microwave cooking times according to instructions on your food’s packaging.
However, the convection oven function will generally require a slightly higher power output than a traditional microwave.
Cost
The cost of a microwave convection oven combo can really vary quite considerably. You can get some that cost under $200, and others that cost nearly $500.
This difference in price comes down largely to any additional technology that goes into the making and running of the microwave.
We absolutely recommend making a note of the prices as you go along, so you know what features you can get for your money, and this can help you to decide on your budget.
For the particularly budget-conscious, we can recommend our number 3 pick, the Toshiba EC042A5C-BS. Such a great price - and from a top recommended brand too!
Brand
There are some great brands in the kitchen appliance market. We like Toshiba, Panasonic, Sharp, and GE Profile.
But to be honest there’s also some great newcomers to the industry, and even the AmazonBasics line really has a lot to offer.
Alternatives To Microwave Convection Oven Combos
If you’re in the market for a multifunctional cooking appliance that takes up limited space, you may want to consider getting yourself a toaster oven with convection cooking.
These often take up about just as much space as a countertop microwave oven, and are just as good at reheating foods as microwaves. Why not have a browse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are microwave convection ovens any good?
Well, the answer to this is a resounding YES.
As a microwave convection oven combo, these appliances typically have a higher wattage than traditional microwaves, so they will heat your food much faster.
But more to the point, microwave convection oven combos are just as good at traditional ovens for roasting and baking. You could use one to replace your original oven.
In fact, in some ways a microwave convection oven combo is better than a traditional oven because less hot air is being wasted, and is instead directed more at the food.
What is the best combination microwave convection oven?
In our view, the best microwave convection oven combo has to be our number 1 pick, the Panasonic NN-CD87KS Home Chef 4 in 1 Microwave Oven.
Because not only is it a great microwave convection oven combo, but it’s also a FlashXpress Broiler AND an air fryer too.
All that versatility in just one small space. And it’s available at a very fair and reasonable price too. More affordable than some of the others that made our top 5 shortlist.