Built-In & Integrated Microwaves

Built In and Integrated Microwaves

A built in microwave oven goes into the kitchen units rather than onto them, which clears the worktop completely and puts the door at a height you are not stooping to. It is the choice made when a kitchen is being fitted or refitted rather than furnished, and the main practical benefit beyond looks is that nothing has to be moved to clean around it.

The specification that matters most is not capacity, it is the aperture. Built in and integrated microwaves are sold to standard housing sizes, typically a 60cm wide unit at either 38cm or 45cm high, and the appliance dimensions on the box are not the same as the cut-out it needs. Measure the opening in the unit, not the gap you can see, and check the trim kit or frame is included rather than sold separately, because that is the part that finishes the edge and it is frequently forgotten. Integrated models sit behind a matching cabinet door and disappear into the run; built in models show a stainless steel or black fascia and read as an appliance.

Cavity sizes here run from 20 litres for a second microwave or a small kitchen up to 44 litres on the combi models, which is a genuine second oven rather than a microwave with a browning element. Almost everything at this size carries a grill, which is what lets you finish a gratin or crisp cheese rather than just heat it, and the combi units add convection so they bake and roast as well. Power runs to 900W, which is the level packet instructions assume, so nothing needs mental arithmetic on timings. Look for a stainless steel cavity for easier cleaning, and check whether the door is drop-down like an oven or side-hinged, since a drop-down door needs clearance below and a side hinge needs room to swing.

Belling covers 23 litre integrated microwaves in stainless steel and black, and the 44 litre built in combi at 900W. Beko supplies 25 litre built in microwave grills at 900W in stainless steel and black, and Candy a 20 litre built in grill in stainless steel. For freestanding models see microwaves, and for a countertop machine that also grills and bakes see combi microwaves.

Built in units carry the highest prices in the microwave range and are cleared hardest when a manufacturer changes model numbers, which is what makes a reduced integrated microwave the best value in the category. Prices are live all year, so see what is reduced now on microwaves on sale.