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Types of microwave
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Things to consider
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Extra features
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Best brands
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Advice from our blog
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Types of microwave
Solo microwaves are great for simple tasks such as reheating a forgotten cup of tea or warming up leftovers. But they can also take on bigger jobs, from cooking jacket potatoes, steaming vegetables or even baking cakes.
These microwaves offer more cooking flexibility than solo and grill models. This is because combination microwave ovens use microwave energy, a grill and convection heating (fanned hot air) so they can heat, roast, crisp and brown in the same way as a conventional oven, all in a fraction of the time.
Microwaves with grills combine normal microwave cooking with a heating element, making it easy to grill fish or meat. Microwave grills also work great for browning pizzas, casseroles and cheesy gratins.
Extra features to look out for when buying a microwave
Steam function
A steam function injects high-density steam into the upper area of the microwave, giving you a fast way to cook all kinds of food. And because it cooks with steam, it helps to reduce fat content while retaining moisture. Great for healthy eating!
Moisture sensor
A humidity sensor checks moisture levels in your microwave oven to cook food without drying it out – all at the touch of a button.
Intelligent sensor
Intelligent sensor technology allows you to select the type of food you want to cook, rather than inputting a time, power or weight. The microwave sensor analyses the humidity inside the oven, letting you know the exact moment your food is ready to eat.
Auto cook/auto defrost
Some microwaves also include functions that let you enter the weight and type of food before calculating the optimum settings, so you can safely defrost and cook without the guesswork.
Inverter technology
Inverter microwave tech allows the microwave to cook at different powers to suit the food you’re cooking. That means you get better results with an even temperature and texture.
Which brand is best for microwaves?
Each brand will have models that are more affordable, ranging to more expensive models. So, it’s really more about what features you really need when choosing a brand.
