Combination microwave?

[Justajot]

Our microwave has given up the ghost and we need a new one. Our old one was a basic one, probably about 18 years old. We use it for defrosting things, reheating meals and cooking jacket potatoes.

Looking at new microwaves, I seem to have the choice of a basic one for £45-£70 or a combination one for £200-£250. We have a regular oven, so I have no idea if we'd use a combination one for any of the extra things it does. If you have a combination microwave, what do you use it for, other than the things you could do in a basic microwave? Do you find you use it more or less than you expected? Would you buy one again? Thanks

[Mumteedum]

I used one in a holiday cottage. Was fantastic for baked potatoes. Felt like oven baked in a fraction of the time. That is my sole contribution!

[NotMeNoNo]

We have a Panasonic combi, the baked potato combi programme is the only feature we use. It might have been pressed into service at Christmas. It's an excellent microwave though.

[Maryann1975]

We had a combination microwave. We never used it to it’s full potential. When it packed up we got a cheaper standard one and it does everything we need it to.

[Justajot]

Better baked potatoes does sound good, but not sure £200 good.

[MagnoliatheMagnificent]

Our microwave and oven both broke. We have just bought a Panasonic combi, was £219 we've used it a lot and it's great, very powerful. We will get a new proper oven soon too but it's very convenient to use the new combi.

[Sgtmajormummy]

I bought a Samsung smart oven about 6 years ago. Unfortunately they’re only as smart as the person using them!

Mine has lots of pre-programmed recipes, like a 1.2 kg roast chicken in 35 minutes using a combination of microwave and grill. It even tells you when to turn it over. Key in the weight and it automatically does oven chips, part baked bread etc. It has yogurt and dough programmes, too. The microwave is 900watts and the oven temp goes up to 200C.
But it’s not very user friendly. I had to study the manual before I understood how to manipulate it properly, something I hardly ever do!

I bought it as a second oven to use on the balcony when the air conditioning is on in the house, and to make small batches of baking. I had to buy smaller baking trays as it does a 20cm cake or 6 muffins. A 26 cm pizza doesn’t fit, which is a bit annoying...
Another annoying thing is that the wire “pedestals” for the microwave rusted at the spiral beginnings and ends which caused sparks (!) and had to be thrown away as they were a fire risk!

I needed the model with a swing door rather than a fold-down one. It’s a very large machine and I have just a simple microwave/grill in my (small) kitchen.

Maybe recent models are more pleasant to use, and to answer your question, no I wouldn’t buy another if this one broke.

[Mumdiva99]

I had a Panasonic combi....was the shortest life of any microwave I've had (only had one before and one after). I had dreams of grilling fish etc, cooking my stews in the combi oven. Reality was....baked potatoes are often a side in this house....so cooked in the oven with the main dish. My stew pot full was too heavy for the turn table and the grill was never used as quite small and fiddly.

If you are cooking for 1 or 2 people maybe consider it. For any more then just get a decent microwave. (We use our microwave all the time for reheating left overs, warming chapattis/wraps, defrosting bread, cooking vegetables..... So this time I went for a more expensive microwave and am happy so far.