New Microwave needed.....'normal', convection, grill........

[HRHQueenOfQuotes]

what should I get. Our old one packed up last week and as DH needs to warm his dinner up when he gets back from work (as well as it's many other uses) we're going to HAVE to buy a new one.

The one that's just died on us (rather suddenly too - no warning ) was just a 'basic' one we bought 5yrs ago that, well, it just micrwaved food, nothing fancy on it at all. It cost us just over £100!!

Now it appears prices have gone done (a lot) and we could be able to afford a slightly fancier one - but the question is which sort. We're willing to spend up to £70-80 on it.

I'm tempted to get on of those combi microwave oven whatsits of which the cheaper ones are within our price range - but I need suggestions - what 'fancy' microwaves do you own that we could afford.

Bear in mind we don't have a 'grill' as such as the moment, its a hopeless electric oven with grill as part of it - so making toast, grilling sausages etc etc involves switching on the very slow (and expensive to run) oven.

I bought a combi microwave - and apart from once have only ever used it a sa microwave. Bear in mind - if you use it as agrill or oven you need to wait on it cooling down before you can use it again as a microwave. So, on one occaion I heated apple pie up in it (on normal oven mode) - then had to wait about 20 mions until I could heat the custard up using the microwave function!
I woudl get a basic microwave - and later maybe get one of these little grill / oven things?

we have a combination microwave and I love it. We use it a lot as an oven or microwave. Personally would recommend one. Ours is about 3 yrs old and wasnt that expensive.

I've only got a small kitchen, and with the breadmaker permanently on the worktop, the slowcooker (used regularly) in the cupbaord, the food processers (also used regularly) in the cupboard, the sandwich toaster on the worktop, oh and the food slicer (also on the worktop) really don't have space for any extra things.

I make my custard on the hob so that wouldn't be an issues - and I kind of like the thought of being able to have something cooking the the 'microwave' and something else in the oven - it's not a very big oven and it's a PITA when I want to do anything that involves more than 1/2 dishes int he oven.

We have a combi one, cost nearly £200. We rarely use the grill part of it, it isn't worth paying a lot extra for. I buy a cheaper micro, and then get a toaster or grill if you don't have one.

depends what you want to cook tho, ours is a good one, but I still wouldn't cook meat in it - it doesn't cook as well as an oven.

HRH we only have atiny kitchen aswell and my breadmaker actually sits on top of my microwave.

i also use the microwave to cook while doing something else in our small oven. It just depends on what you intend to use it for. I have never cooked chicken etc in microwave as I would use the oven even though there isnt actually any difference.

nemo - our breadmaker wouldn't fit on top of the microwave - it's under one of the (few( cupboards - we're hoping (sometime int he distant future hahahahaha) to get a new kitchen as this on is cr*p (well apart from my quarry stone tile floor).

I would stick with a basic microwave as they clean easily whereas the ones with grill/oven get much messier and are more difficult to clean.

We have a deLonghi one from Argos and it is great.

The oven is good to heat things up. How can you afford a microwave qoq? [confused emoticon]

Flossam - we're not getting it until we get paid - but I want an idea of what to buy,

And the oven is cr*p at warming things up - sorry but DH has been using it for nearly 2 weeks now and he's getting somewhat fed up of dried up, not quite warm food - short of actually 'cooking' the stuff again it takes at least 1/2hr to warm his dinner up - and when he's not eaten since lunchtime 11pn or later isn't ideal for eating his dinner

. Our's is also a very old oven and it's VERY expensive to run (I know I've sat there and watched the meter whizzing round while it's switched on goes much quicker than the one we had in the old house).

I would get a 25.00 microwave and a toaster and a george foreman grill..should be able to get all three for 60.00

the best way to heat food imho is a pan of simmering water plate on top with inverted palet over much better than heating in the oven and cheaper too

Already have a (cr*p) toaster, and really don't have space for any more 'gadgets' - I've already got rid of my deep fat fryer (which was only used 2 times since I bought it over 2 years ago lol) to make a little more space for the stuff I use.