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Convection microwave ovens pair the features offered by a standard microwave oven with those provided by a convection oven. Like a standard microwave, convection microwave ovens allow users to reheat items, defrost frozen food, and boil liquids. When set to convection mode, these appliances also let users roast, bake, and crisp food items.
With so many types of microwaves on the market, choosing one can feel overwhelming. Bree Lemmen, the brand manager for Whirlpool Kitchen, suggests that shoppers “ensure that the appliance fits your space or cutout, and also that it delivers on your needs, since convection microwaves can do more, like bake, roast and crisp food like an oven would.” She adds, “Consumers can also expect faster cook times on certain items as the convection element and microwave cook simultaneously.”
With this in mind, we selected the LG Smart 1.7 cu. ft. Smart Over-the-Range Microwave as our best overall pick. It has an impressive 1.7 cubic-foot capacity, up to 1,700 watts of convection cooking power, and intuitive Scan-to-Cook technology that allows for remote cooking. However, all our selected appliances have been thoroughly vetted for reliability.
This guide also notes the most important features to consider when shopping for this appliance and lists the best convection microwave ovens on the market.
- BEST OVERALL: LG Smart 1.7 cu. ft. Over-the-Range Microwave
↓ Jump to Review - BEST UPGRADE: GE Profile 1.7 cu. ft. Over-the-Range Microwave
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Breville Combi Wave 3-in-1 Convection Microwave
↓ Jump to Review - MOST STYLISH: Panasonic HomeChef 2-in-1 Microwave Convection Oven
↓ Jump to Review
| Capacity | Wattage | Type | |
| LG Smart 1.7 cu. ft. Over-the-Range Microwave | 1.7 cubic feet | 950 watts (microwave); 1,700 watts (convection) | Over-the-range |
| GE Profile 1.7 cu. ft. Over-the-Range Microwave | 1.7 cubic feet | 925 watts | Over-the-range |
| Breville Combi Wave 3-in-1 Convection Microwave | 1.1 cubic feet | 1,100 watts | Countertop |
| Panasonic HomeChef 2-in-1 Microwave Convection Oven | 1.7 cubic feet | 925 watts | Over-the-range |
Our Top Picks
Our top picks include several countertop microwave ovens and over-the-range microwave options that meet a wide range of individual needs. Here are some of the best selections on the market, each of which brings its own unique features and has been organized by category.
Best Overall
LG Smart 1.7 cu. ft. Smart Over-the-Range Microwave
What We Like
- Convection setting features a high power capacity of 1,700 watts for efficient cooking
- Features Scan-to-Cook technology that pairs with the ThinQ app, allowing for remote cooking
- Synchronizes with LG Smart range for added convenience when the 2 appliances are paired together
- SmoothTouch glass controls provide a sleek and modern aesthetic
What We Don’t Like
- While the convection feature has a high power capacity, the microwave has a lower capacity of 950 watts
Product Specs
- Capacity: 1.7 cubic feet
- Wattage: 950 watts (microwave); 1,700 watts (convection)
- Type: Over-the-range
This LG smart microwave is a cutting-edge smart appliance that features Scan-to-Cook technology. This allows users to send cooking instructions directly to the oven with a simple scan of a barcode via the ThinQ app. It offers a versatile range of cooking methods, with settings that allow home cooks to brown, bake, roast, and air-fry.
The design features an integrated pocket handle and a wide view window, as well as intuitive SmoothTouch glass controls, making for a sleek and modern look. When synced with an LG Smart range, the microwave automatically activates the light and vent when the cooktop is in use for better safety and convenience.
Get the LG microwave convection oven at Lowe’s, The Home Depot, or Best Buy.
Best Upgrade
GE Profile 1.7 cu. ft. Over-the-Range Microwave
What We Like
- High capacity of 1.7 cubic feet accommodates larger dishes including meats, vegetables, and pizza
- Features a range of preprogrammed functions including convection bake and microwave
- Speed Cook setting heats food faster than a standard convection oven
What We Don’t Like
- This high-end microwave is sold at a premium price, despite having a low power capacity of 925 watts
Product Specs
- Capacity: 1.7 cubic feet
- Wattage: 925 watts
- Type: Over-the-range
With a spacious 1.7-cubic-foot capacity, the GE Profile over-the-range microwave convection oven is an optimal choice for individuals looking for a large model. It allows for versatility to meet nearly any cooking need—choose from microwave, convection, and speed-cook settings.
With Speed Cook technology, foods cook between two and eight times faster than in a convection oven without sacrificing taste. Additionally, 175 preprogrammed meal settings provide even heating and delicious results. Individuals can even use the Recipe Saver to store custom instructions for up to 30 meals.
This microwave convection oven offers 925 watts of power and various cooking levels suitable for reheating and defrosting. It also boasts three fan-speed settings. The interior features a nonstick finish for easy cleaning, while the exterior provides an attractive stainless steel finish with an LCD display and backlit controls.
Get the GE Profile over-the-range microwave convection oven at The Home Depot or Best Buy.
Best Bang for the Buck
Breville Combi Wave 3-in-1 Convection Microwave
What We Like
- Works as an air fryer, convection oven, and microwave for peak versatility and includes a grill setting
- Comes with useful cooking features and presets including sensor and smart cooking
- Stainless steel construction keeps any sizzling, crackling, or popping noises to a minimum
- Comes with a shortcut bar behind the quiet-close door and a control panel to cover a variety of cooking and warming needs
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey relative to other options on the market
- Some users have reported that the instruction manual can be difficult to understand
- No temperature range is listed for this product
Product Specs
- Capacity: 1.1 cubic feet
- Wattage: 1,100 watts
- Type: Countertop
Although 3-in-1 functionality isn’t a rarity for countertop models, this Breville option works as an air fryer, convection oven, and microwave while also providing a grill function, making it a 4-in-1 microwave combo.
This model has an Element iQ system that intuitively cooks food. It also comes with a Fast Combi and Cook from Frozen preset, a Power Smoothing inverter for even heat distribution, and a controllable turntable. There are also functions such as Smart Cook, Smart Reheat, Smart Defrost, a Bit More, and +30 Instant Start buttons, all of which are displayed on a control panel and large digital display.
The brushed stainless steel microwave has a soft-close door with a child lock and a mute button that keeps popping, crackling, and sizzling sounds inside the microwave to a minimum. The shortcut bar inside the door panel is perfect for simple tasks such as melting butter, grilling, and melting chocolate, and there’s a one-touch keep warm function.
Get the Breville microwave convection oven at Amazon or Best Buy.
Best Stylish
Panasonic HomeChef 2-in-1 Microwave Convection Oven
What We Like
- High capacity of 1.7 cubic feet accommodates larger dishes
- Features a range of preprogrammed meal functions
- Speedcook setting heats food faster than a standard convection oven
What We Don’t Like
- This high-end microwave is sold at a premium price, despite having a low power capacity of 925 watts
Product Specs
- Capacity: 1.7 cubic feet
- Wattage: 925 watts
- Type: Over-the-range
With a spacious 1.7-cubic-foot capacity, the GE Profile over-the-range microwave convection oven is an optimal choice for individuals looking for a large model. It allows for versatility to meet nearly any cooking need—choose from microwave, convection, and speed-cook settings. With Speedcook technology, foods cook between two and eight times faster than in a convection oven without sacrificing taste. Additionally, 175 preprogrammed meal settings provide even heating and delicious results. Individuals can even use the Recipe Saver to store custom instructions for up to 30 meals.
This microwave convection oven offers 925 watts of power and various cooking levels suitable for reheating and defrosting. It also boasts three fan-speed settings. The interior features a nonstick finish for easy cleaning, while the exterior provides an attractive stainless steel finish with an LCD display and backlit controls.
Get the Panasonic microwave convection oven at Amazon or Best Buy.
Jump to Our Top Picks
How We Chose the Best Microwave Convection Ovens
Years of experience covering home products and appliances plus extensive product research went into creating this guide. We also reached out to another industry expert, Ron Shimek, president of Mr. Appliance, a Neighborly company that operates nationwide providing appliance repair and maintenance services. In his experience, the common issues he has seen with these convection microwaves are “uneven cooking and complex controls, and problems with durability, such as a malfunctioning touchpad or interior coating peeling.” He says, “Most of these issues can be avoided with proper cleaning, care, and maintenance.”
We took this expert advice into consideration when picking our lineup. We explored more than 30 convection microwaves and weighed a number of practical considerations before making our recommendations.
- Type: To provide options for a wide range of shoppers, we included countertop microwave ovens and over-the-range models in our recommendations.
- Reviews: We value what real-life users have to say about the products they rely on, so we included only well-reviewed convection microwaves in our lineup.
- Value: Convection microwaves vary widely in price based on their size, type, and product specs. We aimed to include only products that offered excellent value, regardless of style.
What to Consider When Choosing a Microwave Convection Oven
The best convection microwave ovens are available in various sizes and capacities; offer different levels of power; and may include feature settings, smart technology, and other options that standard microwaves and conventional ovens don’t offer. Here are some of the most important factors to keep in mind while shopping for a convection microwave oven.
Size and Capacity
Choosing a microwave convection oven that’s the right size is essential. Shoppers will want to measure available kitchen counter space and look for countertop microwave ovens with exterior dimensions that fit.
Those shopping for an over-the-range microwave will want to measure the available space above their kitchen ovens, keeping in mind that this appliance needs to be at least 30 inches above the cooktop surface.
A microwave’s capacity—or the overall interior dimensions—may vary among models, even those with nearly identical exterior dimensions. Typically measured in cubic feet, the interior dimensions of most convection microwaves have a capacity between 0.7 cubic feet and 2 cubic feet, though some may fall just outside this range.
A microwave’s capacity is especially important when considering a model that doubles as a convection oven. This particular appliance will cook or reheat larger food items than a basic microwave.
Power
A microwave convection oven’s power is measured in watts. Most microwaves have between 600 and 1,200 watts. A microwave with a higher wattage will heat foods more evenly and much faster than one with a lower wattage.
Typically, larger and more expensive microwaves boast a higher wattage, while smaller and less expensive microwaves often have a lower wattage. A shopper looking to replace a lower-wattage microwave with a higher-wattage model will want to consider hiring an electrician to assess their home’s wiring and circuitry, ensuring the house can handle the additional power required for the appliance to work properly.
Interior Features
Depending on the model, a microwave convection oven may include:
- A nonstick interior coating that makes it easier to clean the microwave.
- A stainless steel interior that doesn’t absorb odors and is also easy to clean.
- A turntable (the rotating glass plate) that spins when the appliance is in use, ensuring that foods heat evenly.
- Trays and removable racks allow the microwave to be used as an oven, offering a level cooking surface and allowing users to cook two different dishes simultaneously.
- Automatic sensors that measure the amount of interior steam to determine when food has finished cooking. A microwave convection oven with this feature automatically stops cooking once it detects the right amount of steam has been reached.
- An interlock safety feature, found on all microwaves, prevents the unit from operating if the door is open. Most microwave convection ovens have at least two interlocks.
Controls and Settings
A wide variety of controls and settings for cooking different foods is essential for a microwave convection oven. In addition to being able to adjust the temperature, shoppers will also want to look for preset options for roasting, grilling, and browning.
The next thing shoppers will want to consider are options to reheat foods, including shortcut keys to adjust the cooking time automatically and power level of popcorn, baked potatoes, or pizza. Defrost settings, power reduction, and quick-start/add-a-minute buttons are also good. Many microwave convection ovens offer a speed-cook setting, too. This setting integrates some of the best aspects of convection cooking with the speed of microwaving to deliver evenly heated foods quickly.
Aesthetic
The aesthetic of a microwave convection oven will impact how it looks in a kitchen or other space. Like other appliances, microwave convection ovens are available in many finish options, including stainless steel, black stainless, black, and white.
In addition to the finish, shoppers looking to buy a convection microwave oven might also consider the overall design of the model they’re interested in. Before buying, a few things need to be taken into account: the layout of the buttons, the position and integration of the handle, and whether the style of the microwave will make it a good fit for the kitchen space where it’ll be placed.
Energy Efficiency
As with choosing any appliance, shoppers will want to think about the energy efficiency of a microwave convection oven. Energy-efficient microwaves can offer various benefits, such as lowering monthly electric bills and minimizing a household’s environmental footprint.
While many kitchen appliances boast Energy Star certifications, there are currently no Energy Star-certified microwave convection ovens. However, shoppers can still find models that will reduce the total energy consumed. Those who are energy-conscious will want to choose a microwave that offers variable power settings, as it will prevent the use of more power than is required for each task.
Smart Technology
Finally, shoppers will want to determine whether they want their microwave convection oven to have smart-technology capabilities. Smart microwave convection ovens are Wi-Fi–enabled and allow users to control them using an app or voice commands. Many smart microwaves or apps even offer the option to scan a barcode on a prepackaged item and will then automatically adjust the time and power settings to cook that food item.
Another benefit of some smart microwave convection ovens is the ability to monitor cooking progress from another room. The app paired with many models provides an option to check in on food to know if it’s ready to serve. Smart technology also allows users to place food in the microwave and set the cooking time with a smart-home assistant or the app, programming the appliance to start within minutes or hours later.
FAQs
Many shoppers have specific questions about microwave convection ovens before purchasing. Some want to know what kinds of food they can cook in these ovens, while others often ask about cleaning and maintenance. Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about selecting the best microwave convection ovens.
This appliance cooks and reheats food like a traditional microwave, but it has a convection mode that can roast, bake, and cook meals, like a traditional oven. However, most of these models have a smaller capacity than traditional ovens.
Yes, with the convection settings, it’s safe to use metal in the oven. Don’t use metal with the standard microwave features, though.
Remove spills or stuck-on foods immediately. If the food has hardened or cooked onto the surface, place a bowl of hot water inside so the steam from the water molecules loosens it. Then wipe and clean.
Most microwave convection ovens last between 7 and 10 years. How often they’re used and how well they’re cared for typically affect their lifespan.
