A new kitchen device is set to replace the microwave for good

The beep was the first thing you heard.
Then came the lukewarm lasagne.

It was a Tuesday evening of the most familiar sort: you drag yourself through the door shattered, craving something warm, quick and vaguely comforting. The microwave buzzed and turned and did its little performance… only to hand back a plate that was scalding round the edges and still icy in the centre. The sort of meal you eat on your feet while doom-scrolling, pretending you’re not bothered.

Only this time there was a twist. On the worktop, beside the weary old microwave, a new gadget sat humming softly. No clattering turntable, no wheezing fan. Just a gentle glow and a simple promise: crisp, juicy, evenly hot food in minutes-without blasting the flavour into submission.

A tiny revolution, running from an ordinary plug socket.

The quiet arrival of the “microwave killer”: the countertop combi-oven

Step into any fashionable kitchen shop at the moment and one thing jumps out. The big microwave display that used to dominate the place is getting smaller. In its stead, you’ll see neat ranks of compact, squared-off boxes with glass doors and tidy dials. They resemble miniature ovens, yet they cook with a slightly futuristic confidence.

The headline act is the countertop combi-oven, driven by high-speed convection, grill elements, and-on some models-steam. No microwave radiation, no limp leftovers, no baffling hot-and-cold zones. Instead, you get controlled heat that treats food as though it matters.

It doesn’t make a song and dance about it. It simply delivers what the microwave always hinted at, but rarely managed.

Imagine the scene. It’s 7:43 p.m. You’re ravenous, yesterday’s roast chicken is sitting in the fridge, and you’re about 30 seconds from chucking it in the microwave and settling for rubbery disappointment. But instead, you slide it into a compact combi-oven.

Eight minutes later the skin is golden and genuinely crisp, the meat still juicy. The chips you added alongside actually crunch. The vegetables haven’t collapsed into sad, grey mush. You sit down properly, slightly stunned that “leftovers night” suddenly tastes like a second Sunday roast.

For plenty of people trying these machines, that’s the exact moment they unplug the microwave-and never bother plugging it in again.

On paper, the technology is straightforward. A fan drives hot air around at speed, heating food more evenly (and usually more quickly) than a traditional oven. A top heater browns, sears and grills. Some machines add steam to stop foods drying out. The end result is that frozen pizza, roasted veg, grilled salmon, reheated pasta and even cake can all come out of the same compact box.

The real change isn’t only about speed-it’s about texture. A microwave excites water molecules from the inside, which is why bread goes chewy and chips turn limp. High-speed ovens work from the outside in, building crust, colour and flavour.

Once your mouth gets used to that, returning to a microwave can feel like switching from 4K back to VHS.

How the countertop combi-oven quietly becomes part of your routine

This shift rarely starts with a grand declaration that you’re changing your lifestyle. Most of the time it begins with a single, practical habit: you start reheating everything in the combi-oven rather than the microwave. You put the plate in, tap reheat, and the machine gets on with it using circulating heat and clever temperature control.

At first you hover nearby, sceptical-like someone watching a self-driving car for the first time. Then you notice the pasta is genuinely hot right through, the cheese has properly browned, and the sauce hasn’t erupted across the plate.

Give it a week and the microwave door hardly gets opened. It’s still there, but now it feels like a large, beeping museum piece.

There is, of course, a learning-curve moment. The first batch of toast catches. Chicken wings go from “perfectly golden” to “that’s on me” in a blink. You forget that fat can drip, and suddenly you’re wiping up more than you expected. We’ve all had that brief wobble where you think, “Maybe the old microwave wasn’t so terrible after all.”

What usually tips things in your favour is the preset programmes: reheat, air-fry, roast, bake. They’re designed to remove the guesswork. A cold slice of pizza? Four to six minutes. Frozen vegetables? Straight from bag to tray-no defrosting-still with a bit of bite.

All at once you’re not really “cooking”; you’re pressing a button and getting food that tastes as though you made an effort.

And let’s be realistic: almost nobody gives their microwave a proper clean every single day. The familiar splatter on the ceiling, the dried sauce on the sides, the lingering popcorn smell that never fully leaves-it all quietly becomes part of the kitchen scenery.

With modern combi-ovens, manufacturers clocked something important: if cleaning is a nuisance, people will revert to the old habits. So they’ve built in crumb trays, non-stick linings, removable racks, and even short cleaning cycles. Wipe it while it’s still warm and it can look nearly showroom-fresh again.

“People used microwaves for everything because it was easy, not because they loved the outcome,” says a product designer at a major kitchen brand. “We wanted the ‘better’ option to be as mindless as pressing 30 seconds on a microwave.”

• A dedicated reheat mode designed to keep food moist
  
• Air-fry settings for chips, nuggets and vegetables
  
• A compact footprint that can replace a microwave and a toaster oven
  
• Lower energy use than switching on a full-size oven for small meals
  
• Cleaning features built for real life, not showroom kitchens
  

Two practical points are worth considering before you buy in. First, think about capacity in terms of what you actually heat: will a standard dinner plate fit, and can you lay out chips in a single layer for air-fry? Second, check where the heat and steam vent-some models need a little breathing space at the back or sides, which matters in tight kitchens.

It’s also sensible to plan what you’ll cook in. Most countertop combi-ovens are happiest with metal trays and oven-safe dishes; plastic tubs that survive a microwave are often not safe under grill elements or high-speed convection. A couple of small baking trays and an ovenproof dish usually cover most weeknight jobs.

Are we really ready to say goodbye to the microwave?

In a lot of households, the microwave has emotional weight that outweighs its usefulness. It tastes like student flats, instant noodles, reheated mugs of tea, and the first place you lived on your own. Swapping it out can feel oddly disloyal.

But people rarely bin it on day one. More often they unplug it “just to free up space”, slide the new machine into the same spot, and tell themselves they’re only testing it.

Over the next few weeks, the “test” becomes normal life. The kids work out that frozen fish fingers can come out crunchy. Reheated takeaway tastes suspiciously like fresh takeaway. Leftover roast potatoes no longer collapse into a steamy puddle.

Then one morning it hits you: the microwave has become a dust shelf. Nobody reaches for it anymore. That’s how these revolutions tend to happen-not with a dramatic finale, but with a quiet disappearance from your habits.

Key point	Detail	Value for the reader
Better texture than microwaves	Crisp outside, moist inside, using high-speed hot air and grill elements	Food that tastes and feels freshly cooked, rather than rubbery or limp
Everyday ease	Straightforward presets for reheating, roasting and air-frying common foods	Less guesswork, fewer mishaps, and quicker weeknight meals
Space and energy saver	One device can replace a microwave + toaster oven, and typically uses less energy than a full oven	Clearer worktops, lower running costs, and a simpler kitchen setup

FAQ

• Question 1: Is a combi-oven really faster than a microwave?
  Answer 1: For pure “heat a liquid” jobs like tea, coffee or soup, the microwave usually still wins by a minute or two. For complete meals-especially anything solid or meant to be crisp-a modern combi-oven is often just as quick overall because you don’t need to stir, rotate, or run a second cycle to fix cold spots.

• Question 2: Can it replace my regular oven as well?
  Answer 2: For couples, small families and solo cooks, yes for most everyday dishes: roast chicken, vegetables, small cakes, pizza and fish. For big holiday joints or large batches, a full-size oven is still the better tool, though many people find they barely touch the main oven Monday to Friday.

• Question 3: What about energy consumption?
  Answer 3: These machines heat a smaller space and preheat quickly, so they generally use less energy than turning on a full oven for a single dish. Per minute they can draw a bit more power than a microwave, but you often get more even, better results in a single run.

• Question 4: Is it safe for kids and teens to use?
  Answer 4: Many models keep the exterior fairly cool, include auto shut-off, and rely on very simple presets. Teach basic “hot tray” safety and older children can usually use them as easily as a microwave-with fewer exploding-food surprises.

• Question 5: Do I really have to clean it all the time?
  Answer 5: A quick wipe after messier foods is typically enough, plus a deeper clean occasionally. Non-stick interiors and trays make a big difference. Treat it like a favourite pan: give it two minutes of care after use and it tends to behave better over time.