Fill a microwave-safe bowl with water, white vinegar and sliced citrus fruits (lemon, lime or orange) This makes them very easy to use, but you won’t usually get much in the way of auto cook or defrost programs (see features to look out for, below). Auto reheat Enter the weight of the food and the microwave automatically calculates how long it should take to reheat. Better microwaves let you select what it is you're cooking, rather than giving one cooking time for every type of food. A microwave's power is measured in watts - and generally, the higher the wattage, the faster your food cooks. Cooking certain foods at full power will dry them out or burn the outside before the middle is done. And you’ll use more energy doing so, too.

Look for a microwave with a selection of auto programs (to automatically set the weight and time for specific foods), digital displays and easy-to-use push-button or touch panel controls. or Low The best choice for defrosting large items such as whole poultry and fish, and dense meat. Also good for softening butter or melting chocolate.These combine normal microwave cooking with a grilling element. They can perform all the tasks you'd expect from a standard model, such as defrosting ready meals and reheating leftovers. The grill function can also brown food. Clear labelling Controls should be clearly labelled with a large font size. Digital displays should be brightly lit and easy to read. If you're visually impaired, consider one that beeps when you make a selection. Some models at this price will come with other extras such as delayed start and multi-stage cooking (to automatically switch between heating modes such as defrosting and heating). Sometimes called 'solo' microwaves, these are the most basic. They're great for simple tasks such as warming soup, heating ready meals or defrosting food. Because of these strict criteria, less than 10% of the microwaves we've tested get an Eco Buy recommendation.

Auto cook programs Enter the type and weight of food, and the microwave will automatically set the time and power needed to cook it. Premium models can offer up to 30 programs, including specialised ones for popcorn or roasts. You may need to cook your food for longer than recommended to make sure it’s piping hot all the way through. Are microwaves energy efficient? Large door Wide-opening or dropdown doors make it much easier to get heavy or hot dishes in and out of the microwave, especially if you have reduced strength or dexterity. Head to our guide to microwave brands to discover those that Which? members recommend. Are high-powered microwaves better than low-powered? Half of those we’ve tested need at least 30cm above them, but we’ve found plenty that only need between 10cm and 20cm.Pizza function This tends to work better with grill or combi microwaves, as the grill helps to crisp the pizza base and brown the top. Some models come with ‘crisper plates’ which can also be used for quiches. You'll get better results if you use a frozen pizza and pre-heat the oven and plate for four or five minutes first. Arguably more important than external size is internal capacity – we've found microwaves of the same size can vary massively in terms of usable space. or Medium Low Simmer foods such as chilli, sauces, rice and cereal on this setting. You can also use it to defrost smaller items - many microwaves use Medium Low as the ‘auto defrost’ setting. If not, they should have standout features, such as one-touch sensor cooking, which works out what's needed for you – all you need to do is put your food in and press the start button – or a built-in steamer. If this seems like too much effort, look for a microwave with auto programs that'll set the time and power level for you. Switch it off at the wall