Do I need a double oven? Or a single with microwave combi?

[MunsteadWood]

Builders just started work ahead of installing new kitchen. We've finalised our design and all set to go ahead with a built in single oven plus oven/microwave/grill combi, until we looked at the prices!!

The microwave combis are really expensive, and dont always seem to be that well reviewed.

DH is now saying he just wants to get a regular double oven, and keep our old (perfectly functional but a bit battered looking) plug in microwave and sit it on the worktop.

But I'm a concerned that by the time we've shelled out £££ for a lovely new kitchen and quartz worktop, sitting our tatty old microwave on top is going to look a bit naff.... but then is it so naff it really justifies spending a load more money to get the combi one??

DH is getting fed up of me prevaricating, and I really have to make a decision anyway as we need to order pretty soon!

Any ideas or recommendations very welcome!

Many thanks, lots of great ideas. I think I'm going to phone our contact at Howdens and see what she suggests. The microwave in a cupboard is a good idea. I'd thought you couldn't do that because of ventilation but worth exploring. If we can hide existing microwave in a cupboard that'd solve the problem I think, and maybe I can upgrade to a smarter one in a year or two to stagger the cost.

Just doing my kitchen and I'm having a double oven and built in solo microwave.

Look at traditional and steam oven combinations. My steam oven produces some of the best meat I have ever tasted!

This

I have three ovens and a combi microwave. I use one oven and the combi microwave.

If I was going to have anything in a worktop it would be any air fryer. Then you could have a built in microwave

I'm getting the Neff N70 too. Looking forward to it

We have a Bosch Serie 8 oven with a combi oven above it and I love that setup. Having a double oven is very useful, and I use both ovens more than I use the microwave. I don’t use a microwave often, but it’s handy when I want to use it, so this setup is perfect for me. The oven and grill work just as well as the other oven, and the microwave is less powerful than our previous standalone one, but also works fine. The only annoying thing is that each appliance has its own clock, which run at slightly different time so every couple of months I have to sync them!

I feel your pain OP. I would go for your original option. So a single oven which is very efficient when normal cooking eg no need to always warm up a double oven. Then a microwave/oven/grill combi. They do work if you get a decent one. I have had a neff one and now have a Miele one. They both work. The Miele one is slightly more user friendly - but of course that just comes down to figuring out how to use the neff one which is of course cheaper.

Don’t mess up worktop space with a separate microwave.

I only use the oven function on the convo anyway for special occasions eg Christmas/Easter/family over etc.

I’ve got Panasonic flatbed combo and it’s ace. My parents have had one since they were first introduced and get five years out of them. They don’t use their oven at all, baking, roasts. They use it for everything.

I batch cook and can cook a portion of lasagne from frozen in ten mins. 180 convection and medium microwave together.

I’d prefer it built in if I was having a new kitchen.

We have one oven plus combi oven/microwave plus warming drawer. The combi is probably the one that gets used most and has multiple oven, roasting, defrost, grill. Etc functions. All Neff. I appreciate the combi will cost more but if you can afford it I honestly don't think you will regret it.

@TheDogsMother ah that’s the one I had. I could never figure out why the combi had so many more ‘oven’ functions than the single oven and also why it could be heated to a hotter termperature (250) than the single oven (200).

🤣 @Ndd135632 neither could I ! It's got so much going on and I think I've used a quarter of what's available.

OP just be careful here. Do you really want a microwave stored in a cupboard? Do you really want a full double oven AND a microwave. That’s a lot of electricity heating a double oven every time you want to stick something in an oven. Don’t be scared off the combi’s. They really can be good. In fact as you can see I sometimes think my combi oven is better than my single one! It gets hotter and has more function. Altho the single one does the job too! As for a steam oven combi - there is no way I personally would use a steam oven more than a microwave. But everyone is different.

That’s a lot of electricity heating a double oven every time you want to stick something in an oven

When I read double oven, I assumed two separate ovens in one unit, not one huge one.

Oh and the hob above I have now had a couple of induction hobs - old and new house - with one gas ring. That means I can put my casserole dishes on the hob when needed (not induction compatible) and my induction pans on the induction bit. But that will start a whole new debate 😁

@Polis ah ok. I read one large double oven. But if having 2 single ovens then surely make one a combi microwave/grill?

Yes sorry by double oven I mean a main oven and top oven in one unit. Not a double size oven.

Our Neff combi oven microwave is a great oven and crap microwave…it’s only a 600 and takes forever. Wish we’d gone for a separate microwave or done a lot more research. We never use it as a combi.

we’ve got an oven and the combi ….it’s great at Christmas or when lots of people round. But probably we’d have been better off with a built 8n microwave as that is what it is mostly used for….

@Ndd135632

Not necessarily. I was thinking of something like this Neff

Reading replies 8 think I need to start a how to use a combi oven thread… @OneHundredPercentCompostable

@Polis ah ok. But that doesn’t solve OP problem of where to put the microwave. OP really don’t be scared off the combi option if you can afford it. My Miele and Neff ones did/do work. It will just be a question of affordability.

I've got two ovens, a microwave combi and a coffee machine, in a 2x2 formation. All neff. We rarely use the coffee machine as we have a separate nespresso, but both ovens and the microwave (as a microwave only, mostly, it has up to 1000w) get regular use. Are 15 years old and still going strong and look just like the ones you can buy now so not dated.

@BarrelOfOtters that's a good point tho. Make sure your combi goes up to 1000W microwave mode.

Reading replies 8 think I need to start a how to use a combi oven thread…

That wouldn’t be a bad idea. I forced myself to read the whole manual so use my current one far more than it’s predecessor. Steaming, for example.