10 Best Microwaves of 2026, Solo, Grill and Combi Models Ranked

Weekday lunches in our house are mostly leftovers, and the Samsung MS23K3513AK is the model I'd want doing that job. Its 23-litre cavity takes a dinner plate on the 28.8cm turntable without eating the whole worktop, and Samsung pitches its triple distribution system as a way of spreading heat more evenly, so the middle of a lasagne isn't still cold. The ceramic enamel interior shrugs off splattered bolognese. It also had the strongest backing from independent UK reviewers of anything here. It isn't flawless, though. At 800W it's a solo model with no grill, it's 48.9cm wide, and at 12kg it's no featherweight to lift into place.

Most budget microwaves cut corners on controls. The Russell Hobbs RHM2076B doesn't, which is why it's my runner-up. You get 800W, five power levels, eight auto-cook menus, defrost and a 95-minute timer in a 20-litre box that's 44cm wide and 35.5cm deep, small enough for a flat or a student kitchen. It also topped one independent UK roundup of small freestanding models. For a cheap microwave, that's a lot of microwave. Two things give me pause. The glossy mirror door will show every fingerprint once small hands get at it, and the guarantee runs one year, against the Hisense's two.

If you batch cook on a Sunday and reheat all week, the extra space here matters. The Panasonic NN-ST46KBBPQ is a 32-litre, 1000W solo microwave with a 340mm turntable, big enough for a casserole dish, and it's listed as an inverter model, so lower power settings stay steady instead of pulsing on and off. That's useful for defrosting chicken without cooking the edges. It topped a UK roundup of large freestanding models, too. Size is the trade-off: it's 52.5cm wide and 40.1cm deep, so get the tape measure out first, and there's no grill. Next to the Samsung, it's bigger and quicker but less handy.

Buy this if you want cheese on toast and crispy-topped leftovers without switching on the big oven. The Toshiba MW3-EG23PFI pairs a 900W microwave with a 1000W grill and two combination modes that run both together, plus 11 power levels, 20 auto menus and a chef defrost that works by weight or time. The +30s button is the one I'd use most (ours needs three presses to rewarm a mug of tea). I couldn't find this exact model in any UK roundup, so its ranking rests on the spec sheet. The mirrored front will show smears, and touch controls are less forgiving with wet hands than a dial.

At 44cm wide and 32.5cm deep, the Sharp YC-MG02U-B is the small microwave I'd look at for a galley kitchen, a caravan or a first flat. It's 20 litres with 800W of microwave power and a 1000W grill, and you can run grill only, microwave only or both together. An ECO mode and LED cavity light are thoughtful extras. No editorial roundup I read featured this model; the spec sheet earned it the slot. The handle-less door looks tidy, but at 11.9kg it's heavier than it looks, and next to the Toshiba you give up a little space.

I'll be straight: the Swan Nordic made the list partly because it looks nice. It's a 20-litre, 800W solo microwave in slate grey with a wood-effect handle and a soft-touch matte housing, part of Swan's Nordic range alongside matching kettles and toasters. It covers the basics: six power levels, defrost, a 60-minute timer and a 270mm glass turntable. No independent reviewer I read covered it, so it ranks on the spec sheet. There are no auto programmes listed, which I'd miss for popcorn and potatoes, and the second year of the guarantee only applies if you register it.

Stainless steel inside is the reason to look at the Morphy Richards Cassini. A rust-resistant steel lining is easy to keep fresh, and of the ten main picks it's the clearest stainless steel microwave. Beyond that it's a 20-litre, 800W solo model with six power levels, a 95-minute timer and five programmes covering fish, milk or coffee, pizza, popcorn and potatoes. The glass front with its hexagonal pattern belongs to the Cassini collection. It's a new listing with no reviewer backing, so the spec sheet carries it, and the 24.5cm turntable is the smallest here.

Judge the Hisense on space for the outlay and it makes a lot of sense. You get 29 litres, 900W, a grill and a 28.8cm turntable for large dinner plates. The two-year warranty is longer than the Russell Hobbs offers. No UK roundup I read covered it, so treat the ranking as spec-based. Hisense doesn't list the grill's wattage, which makes it hard to compare with the Toshiba or Sharp. It's also big: 49.5cm wide and 13.6kg, so it wants a permanent home rather than being shuffled about.

If your main oven is overkill for a weeknight tray of sweet potato wedges, a combination microwave earns its space, and the Beko MCF25310B is the combi I'd look at first. It's 25 litres with 900W of microwave power, a 1950W convection oven and a 1950W grill, so it can roast, bake and brown as well as reheat. Six auto-cook functions and dial-and-button controls keep it approachable. It has no editorial backing; I'm going on the spec sheet. Weight is the drawback. At 15.2kg it's the heaviest here, and at 44.4cm deep it needs a deep worktop with room around it.

Cookology isn't a name most people know, but the numbers are hard to ignore. This 25-litre combi pairs 900W of microwave power with a 2200W oven and grill, a 31.5cm turntable and eight programmes, including auto reheat, vegetables, fish, meat, pasta and potato. Controls are push buttons plus a dial. Its place rests on the spec sheet alone. Against the Beko you only get five power levels, and at 51cm wide and 14.5kg it's no lightweight either.