Solo, Grill or Convection: Which Microwave?
These three types aren't a quality ladder — they're different capabilities.
If you mainly reheat and defrost, solo is enough. If you want to occasionally brown or crisp food, get grill. If you want to genuinely bake and roast, only convection can do that — the other two can't, regardless of wattage.
It's easy to assume solo, grill, and convection are simply basic, better, and best. They're not — they're different capabilities, and buying convection because it sounds like 'the best' when you'll only ever reheat food means paying for a feature you'll never use.
Our category page covers what we stock. This guide covers how to actually match the type to how you cook.
Solo vs grill vs convection — what each can actually do
Solo
- Reheating and basic cooking or defrosting only
- The simplest controls and usually the lowest price
- Cannot brown, crisp, or bake
Grill
- Everything solo does, plus a heating element for browning and crisping
- Good for things like toasting or lightly browning the top of a dish
- Still cannot bake or roast the way an oven does
Convection
- Adds true oven-style hot-air circulation, enabling actual baking and roasting
- The only type that can realistically replace a small oven
- Usually the highest price and most complex controls of the three
Matching the type to how you actually cook
If reheating leftovers and defrosting makes up most of your usage, solo covers it completely — grill and convection features would likely go unused.
If you bake cakes or roast regularly and don't want a separate oven, convection is the only type that genuinely delivers that. Buying grill instead, expecting it to bake, is a common source of disappointment.
Key decision factors
What you'll actually cook
Be honest about whether you'll really bake and roast, or mostly reheat — it determines which type is worth the extra cost.
Wattage
Higher wattage cooks and reheats faster, independent of which of the three types you choose.
Counter space
Convection microwaves are typically larger — confirm it'll actually fit where you plan to put it.
Ease of cleaning
Grill and convection models can get messier inside with baking and browning — removable, easy-to-clean interiors help.
Common mistakes to avoid
Buying convection ‘to be safe’ and never using it
Convection's main value is baking and roasting — if you won't do that, solo or grill covers everything you'll actually use for less.
Assuming grill can bake
Grill only browns the surface — it can't replicate the all-around hot-air cooking convection uses to actually bake evenly.
Ignoring counter space before buying convection
Convection models are usually noticeably bigger — measure your space first.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to choose?
See the microwaves, mixers, chimneys and hobs we carry.
Still not sure?
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