MORE Brits are using microwaves as it costs too much to turn on the oven.
A recent poll by BBC Good Food found that a fifth of us are using the microwave more. In fact, 18 per cent had abandoned their ovens entirely due to spiralling energy costs.
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Old ones though can burn more energy than you need.
If it’s time for a new one, which should you choose?
Lynsey Hope tried out some best-sellers to see how they fared – even pitching luxury brands against a supermarket own.
Here she shares her verdict.
Tower 20L 800W Rose Gold Digital Microwave
£119.99, towerhousewares.co.uk
Cost to run for 10 minutes: 5p
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Lynsey says: “A super stylish microwave, the rose gold design is a lovely feature. This has eight autocook settings for everything from milk and spaghetti to popcorn and pizza – all at the touch of a button.
“It has a 60-minute timer, looks great in the kitchen and heats things up quickly. It has simple controls and is easy to operate. I can’t fault it.”
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RATING: 8/10
Cookology Microwave 800W Freestanding Microwave
£64.99, amazon.co.uk
Cost to run for 10 minutes: 5p
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Lynsey says: “A nice looking microwave that is straight-forward and easy to use. Cookology are one of the UK’s fastest growing appliance brands and I was happy with this.
“It has a timer, a turntable and it’s a sleek design. For the price, I thought it was good quality though there are cheaper options out there that do much the same thing.”
RATING: 7/10
Lakeland Sage The Combi Wave 3-in-1 Microwave
£349.95, lakeland.co.uk
Cost to run for 10 minutes: 6p
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Lynsey says: “This is a very fancy bit of kit that is not only a microwave, it also has an air fryer, grill and convection oven. If you don’t have a great deal of space and want to combine gadgets, this is ideal. First thing is it is incredibly heavy, so you’ll need a decent space on your counter to house it. That said, it is sleek and stylish and would look fab in any modern kitchen.
“The instructions were a little confusing and expect a bit of trial and error when you first start cooking in it as it’s hard to know which is the best setting for some foods. I like the extra function buttons on the door frame and have now used this to make everything from roasties, to cakes, chips and vegetable bakes!
“It does cost more to run than most bog standard microwaves so that might be something to consider when purchasing. It has ‘A Bit More’ button if you want to cook anything a tiny bit longer and a keep warm function. Overall, I was very impressed. If you can afford the high price tag and want to combine gadgets, this is a great purchase. The only reason it’s not a ten out of ten is the price.”
RATING: 9/10
Asda George Black Scandi Manual Microwave
£59, asda.com
Cost to run for 10 minutes: 4p
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Lynsey says: “For the price, I thought this was excellent. The wooden handle makes it look smart and at first glance, you wouldn’t think it was from Asda. It looks like it’s from a more luxury brand. It’s straightforward and easy to use. It doesn’t have the bells and whistles featured on some pricier models, but it really is excellent value.
“It was easy to clean too and while not the most powerful – the highest setting is 700W – it cooked most foods quite well and is cheap to use. You could do far worse than buy this budget model from George at Asda.”
RATING: 10/10
Toshiba 800W 20L Microwave Oven
£66.99, amazon.co.uk
Cost to run for 10 minutes: 5p
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Lynsey says: “This microwave has five power settings and a manual timer which goes up to 25 minutes allowing you to reheat, cook and defrost foods. It’s a no-frills option but was fine for basic use.
“It’s exceptionally quiet when in use compared to most others, which I liked. It has a child lock, a turntable and a good capacity, comfortably fitting a standard sized dinner plate.
“The design is basic and looks a bit cheap – you can probably buy cheaper models that look better – but it did an alright job. No complaints at all.”
RATING: 5/10
Dunelm 20L Manual Microwave
£60, dunelm.co.uk
Cost to run for 10 minutes: 4p
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Lynsey says: “Simple, no frills microwave. Does what it says on the tin. The black design is simple and unoffensive, this would look ok in most kitchens.
“The door would stick a bit and I’d have to tug it open to use and the timer would clunk rather than ring when food was ready. Nothing special but for a basic model, it’s a good price and it seems reasonably sturdy too.”
RATING: 6/10
Russell Hobbs Worcester 700W Standard Microwave
£90, argos.co.uk
Cost to run for 10 minutes: 4p
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Lynsey says: “A great microwave for £70 and I found this SO much better than slightly cheaper models – it’s worth paying a bit more for. It’s cheap to run and has eight different programme settings including a defrost option. It looks very stylish – you’d think it was worth more than it is. It has a 17litre capacity which sounds big but it is smaller than I’d imagined.”
RATING: 9/10
