We recommend convection microwaves with a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 80%.

The CHOICE Expert Rating is made up of cooking performance (70%) and ease of use (30%).

Cooking performance is made up of scores for defrosting, cooking, reheating, grilling, baking, roasting and using combination mode (convection, microwave and grill).

We check that controls are intuitive, easy to operate and the instructions easy to follow. We also check the effectiveness of the light and whether the viewing window is large enough and easy to see through. The interior and exterior are assessed for cleaning: do the surfaces wipe clean easily and are there small holes and seams that can accumulate dirt?

We rate how easy it is to view through the door during use.

We cook broccoli, looking for fully but not overly cooked pieces with a good bright green colour.

We defrost mince to assess the microwave's auto-defrost ability. Parts of the food can start cooking if the auto-defrost time is too long, the power program is poorly designed or the oven's microwave distribution is not even.

We defrost chicken to assess the microwave's auto-defrost ability. Parts of the food can start cooking if the auto-defrost time is too long, the power program is poorly designed or the oven's microwave distribution is not even.

We reheat a quiche to assess the microwaves ability to heat a solid, high-fat food evenly throughout and to a high-enough temperature.

We grill toast, looking for an even toasting result across the whole rack.

We bake scones to test the oven in convection mode, looking for even results and scones that are properly risen with good texture.

We roast a whole chicken on a combination of convection and microwave function to assess roasting performance of a non-uniform food at a moderate to high temperature therefore reducing the cooking time using microwave cooking, while retaining moisture and crisping the skin.

We cook a freshly prepared pizza at a very high temperature for a short period on a combination of convection and microwave. This assesses the ability to crisp and brown the base and evenly cook the toppings.

Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our total score. The rating ranks from A (highest) to F (lowest); N/A means there is no rating for that company.

Manufacturer's stated warranty.

Based on our 2021 survey of microwave oven owners. These scores refer to the brand only, not the particular model. We may not have enough data for all brands.

We ask microwave owners how satisfied they are with their appliance on a scale of excellent to very poor. These scores refer to the brand only, not the particular model. We may not have enough data for all brands.

Stated country of manufacture.

'Tested model' refers to convection microwaves that are currently available in shops and online. 'Discontinued model' refers to convection microwaves that are no longer available in shops, but may be available in second-hand stores.

This is the manufacturer's recommended retail price.

This is the annual running cost for reheating a plated meal, once a day. This also includes the standby cost.

Some convection microwaves are built-in rather than freestanding to streamline your kitchen space.

Higher wattage helps to cook food faster. All models use more power in convection mode, with typical convection mode output 1400–1500W. Some models use up to 2300W.

Based on our own measurements, which take the turntable and the back of the door when closed into account, to give a better representation of cavity size.

Sensor programs take automatic functions one step further by measuring vapours emitted during cooking or reheating to adjust the cooking time and power.

Sensor programs take automatic functions one step further by measuring vapours emitted during cooking or reheating to adjust the cooking time and power.

Automatic functions prompt you to enter the weight and type of food for the microwave to calculate the cooking time.

Automatic functions prompt you to enter the weight and type of food for the microwave to calculate the reheating time.

This feature allows you to adjust the time (more or less) during cooking.

This starts the oven, usually with the press of a single button. With most microwaves, the cooking time increases in one or half-minute increments if you press the button again.

An inverter microwave works by heating, reheating or defrosting food at a constant power level for the duration of the cooking time. So if you select 50% power, the microwave will deliver 50% power throughout.

This lets you program the oven to start cooking at a pre-set time. But don't leave food in the oven too long as it might spoil.

This can be used to time other things such as boiling an egg.

Microwaves with this feature can be programmed to perform a sequence of functions, such as defrost, cook and then leave to stand.

You can push a sequence of buttons to deactivate the microwave.