Microwave combination oven

[Pud2]

The house I’m buying had a microwave combination oven with a grill. I’m just wondering whether to replace like with like as the seller is taking it with her. Is it worth it as they’re quite expensive or should I replace with a half oven and grill rather than microwave combination?

do you mean "as well as" or "instead of?"

The combi mw in this house mostly gets used as plate warmer when the main ovens are in use.

It depends on whether you would use it.

My mum uses hers more than the oven as she only cooking for herself.

I mean instead of. I could just get a grill/small oven to fill the space and continue to use a separate, table top microwave, or I could get an integrated combination microwave oven/grill which is quite expensive. Not familiar with the latter. Just looks like an expensive microwave which will also brown things but it would be good to know if anyone finds them particularly useful.

I'd rather have a full-size oven plus a microwave.

If you have space and funds for a full size with grill, and a separate 3-function combi, that would be worth having.

If you have, or get, a tall kitchen unit that can have the shelves and doors moved around to take an appliance, you have the opportunity to put one in later if you wish. Ordinary wall units are not deep enough for a big microwave, but you can order one to size, or sometimes get a "boiler-depth" wall unit, which is deeper. I had one made for the combi, with a same-depth unit beside it so they match. I thought I would put an espresso machine in it, but you need top access for filling and cleaning, and it was too high.

Thanks Piglet. Can you elaborate on what a three function combi does? Sorry - am an oven novice! Have a full sized oven, and then space for a smaller one above as current owner is taking her microwave combi with her when she goes.

Depends if you have worktop space for the separate microwave.

We are going with a microwave in a wall unit, even though it means spending £££ on a smaller microwave, because we can't afford to lose 60cm of worktop to a freestanding one. Otherwise I'd go freestanding as they're a quarter of the price and easy to replace.

I think a 3 function combi as one that does oven, grill and microwave. We have one but also have 2 single ovens. Only reason we have the combi is because I couln’t get a microwave that would fill the same space above a warming drawer. Blinking expensive. The issue with combis is 1. They are not always as powerful as normal microwaves and 2. If you use eg. The grill function you have to wait on it cooling down before using the microwave. So if you want something that will function as a microwave and spare oven occasionally they’re fine but if all you have is the combi they’re not worth it.

Not sure if I've misunderstood but if there's another oven I'd get a standard microwave in the hole she's vacating. My previous microwave had a grill function and I didn't use it once.

We had a combi mw instead of an oven in previous house but didn't use the oven function that often to be fair

Now have a double oven and the combi mw - still don't use the main oven much. Combi mw gets used maybe once a fortnight as an oven or grill

Would I replace when mw breaks - yep

3 functions are oven/grill/mw or combination of any of them

I think it depends on what you cook a lot of

Thanks. That’s really useful. I don’t cook that much at all and one oven should be fine. Will have to fill the hole with something so might just get a grill/half size oven and continue with my separate microwave. What I need to establish is whether or not he main oven has a grill as definitely need a grill somewhere!