Solo, Grill or Convection? Microwave cooking modes explained before you buy one

The Indian home appliance market has changed drastically in the past couple of years. Technological changes have paved way for innovation, which in turn has flooded the market with too many option. Case and point: Microwave oven. Until a couple of years back, microwave ovens were available in different capacities with somewhat similar set of features. But over the years, this category has evolved a lot, which in turn has lead to the development of various cooking modes and specialized microwave oven models that cater to those needs.

At the moment, there are three types of microwave oven models available in the market based on different cooking modes -- solo, grill and convection. These three types of microwave ovens cater to different types of cooking needs. They also have some basic features that run across the line and let users do more just the primary function that they are designed for.

Types of cooking modes in microwave ovens

1. Solo mode or microwave mode: This is the standard cooking function found in almost every microwave oven. It uses high-frequency electromagnetic waves to heat water molecules inside food to cook it quickly from inside out. This cooking mode is ideal for everyday cooking as it cooks food much faster than traditional methods. It's best for reheating leftovers, boiling water, steaming vegetables, cooking rice, and making instant meals.

2. Convection mode: This mode uses a heating mode along with a fan to circulate hot air evenly throughout the oven. This leads to the food being cooked evenly from all sides, which in turn gives food a crisp and even brown finish. It works somewhat like an OTG but it gives users more flexibility in terms of what users can do with it. This mode is best for baking cakes, cookies, bread, muffins, roasted vegetables and baked pasta to name a few.

3. Grill mode: Grill mode users an internal heating coil placed on the top of the appliance to brown, crisp, and sear the surface of food. It's also deal for giving food a crispy texture. It's ideal for making paneer tikka, kebabs, and grilled sandwiches.

4. Combination mode: This cooking mode usually combines solo or microwave mode with either convection or grill heating. This leads to the food getting cooked faster while developing a crispy texture outside. It is best for making dishes like chicken, fish, pasta, frozen snacks, stuffed vegetables and baked pasta to name a few.

5. Defrost mode: This is one of the basic cooking modes and it uses low-level microwave energy for thawing frozen items. It works well for thawing frozen meat, ready-to-cook meals and frozen vegetables.

6. Auto cook mode: This mode comes with pre-programmed settings for common recipes. The number of recipes and the type of recipes varies from model to model. It automatically adjusts power and temperature levels.

Types of microwave ovens

While there are ample cooking modes available on any microwave model, there are three basic types of microwave ovens that buyers can pick from:

Solo microwave oven: These microwave ovens work on a simple principle wherein the electromagnetic waves excites the water molecules in the food, which in turn generates heat from inside. These microwave ovens are ideal for reheating, defrosting, warming food or liquids and basic cooking.

Grill microwave oven: These microwave ovens use a combination of solo microwave oven technology and a heating coil mounted on top for cooking dishes, browning, toasting and grilling them. It is ideal for grilling meats, making toasted sandwiches, and crisping the outside of dishes.

Convection microwave oven: These microwave ovens use a combination of standard microwave radiation along with a heating element and a built-in fan to circulate the hot air evenly throughout the cavity of the device and cook food evenly. These models are ideal for baking cakes and cookies, roasting meats and full meals.

Difference between Solo, Grill and Convection microwave ovens

Similar articles for you

High TDS, bad taste or borewell water? Don't buy a purifier until you know this

I compared 750W and 1000W mixer grinders: Here’s what changes in your kitchen

I compared soundbars with and without a subwoofer to find out how much difference it makes

The Research

I’ve used and tested hundreds of microwave ovens. I’ve also been writing about consumer electronic devices and home appliances for over a decade.

To compile this guide, I’ve used at least a dozen microwave ovens including solo, grill and convection models and combed through Reddit pages that talk about their cooking technology, use of microwave ovens, and cooking modes and factors that impact their overall performance. Like all HT journalists, I review products with complete editorial independence and recommend products based on my learnings.

Disclaimer: Mint has an affiliate marketing partnership, which means we may get some commission on purchases you make through the retailer's site links provided. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, which is free from any bias or marketing pitch. We strive to provide accurate and unbiased information to help you make informed decisions. We recommend verifying details with the retailer before making a purchase.