Buy a solo microwave if you only reheat, defrost and boil milk. Choose a grill model if you also want to brown tikka, toast and kebabs. Get a convection microwave if you want to bake cakes, roast chicken or replace a small oven. An air fryer crisps snacks better than any of them, but cannot reheat a plate of rice.
Key takeaways
- Solo heats with microwaves only. Grill adds a heating element on top. Convection adds a fan and element so it works as a real oven.
- For baking cakes or biscuits at home, only convection does the job properly.
- Reheating for three minutes on a 900 W microwave uses an estimated 0.045 unit. A 40-minute convection bake can use up to about 1.4 units.
- A convection microwave with an air fry mode covers most needs in one box, if counter space is tight.
What is the difference between solo, grill and convection microwaves?
All three use microwaves to heat food quickly from the inside. What changes is what else is built in (Toshiba Lifestyle, Bajaj Finserv).
Solo microwave
Microwaves only. It reheats leftovers, defrosts meat, boils water and milk, and cooks simple things like steamed vegetables or instant noodles. It cannot brown or crisp anything. Solo models are the cheapest and simplest. The Dawlance DW-220 S Solo, for example, is listed at 700 W.
Grill microwave
A grill microwave adds a heating element at the top of the cavity. You can use it alone to brown and toast, or combine it with microwave power to cook through and crisp the top at the same time. It suits chicken tikka, seekh kebabs, fish, garlic bread and cheese toast. It still cannot bake, because heat comes only from the top.
Convection microwave
A convection microwave adds a fan and heating element that circulate hot air around the food, just like an electric oven. That lets it bake cakes, biscuits and pizza, roast a whole chicken, and make naan or puff pastry evenly. Most convection models also have a grill, so they do everything the other two do. Some newer models add an air fry mode.
Simple solo microwave for reheating, defrosting and milk
| Task | Solo | Grill | Convection | Air fryer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reheat rice, salan, roti | Best | Yes | Yes | Poor for wet food |
| Defrost meat | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Brown tikka, kebabs, toast | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bake cake, biscuits, pizza | No | No | Yes | Small batches only |
| Roast whole chicken | No | Partly | Yes | Small chicken, large basket |
| Crisp fries, samosas, nuggets | No | Fair | Fair to good | Best |
What is an inverter microwave?
The inverter label is about how power is delivered, not about electricity bills in the way an inverter AC is. A normal microwave runs at low settings by switching full power on and off in bursts. An inverter microwave delivers a steady lower power instead. That gives gentler, more even defrosting, so the edges of a chicken do not start cooking while the middle is still frozen, and it is kinder to delicate food like fish and eggs.
If you defrost meat often, it is worth the small extra cost. The Dawlance DW-MD-20 (20 Ltr) Inverter is one example.
Grill or convection microwave: which is better?
If anyone in the house bakes, or wants to, buy convection. Grill models are very good at browning, but heat from the top only means cakes rise unevenly and stay pale underneath. Convection costs more and is usually bigger (the convection models mentioned below are listed at 25 to 30 litres), so check your counter space.
If nobody bakes and you mostly want crispy tikka and toast, a grill microwave gives you that for less. The Orient Burger 23D Grill is listed at 23 litres, a compact size for small kitchens.
For convection, models such as the Dawlance DW-115 CHZ Plus (listed as a 25 litre combination oven with convection) and the Haier HGL-30100 (listed as a 30 litre convection rotisserie model) suit families who bake.
Grill microwave for tikka, kebabs and toast
Microwave or air fryer: which should you buy?
They are not rivals so much as partners. A microwave is fastest for anything with moisture: rice, salan, daal, milk and leftovers. An air fryer is a small, powerful fan oven, so it is best at crisping: fries, wings, nuggets, reheated samosas and pakoras.
A convection microwave can crisp too, because it also moves hot air. But its cavity is bigger and the fan is gentler than an air fryer's, so crisping usually takes longer. If your family eats a lot of fried snacks, a separate air fryer is still worth it. If you want one appliance, a convection model with an air fry mode is the compromise.
Convection microwave with air fryer
Combination models now put microwave, grill, convection and air fry in one box. The Dawlance DW-530-AF is listed at 30 litres with 900 W microwave power, 1,000 W grill and 2,100 W convection (product listing). That covers reheating, baking and crisping, with one plug and one space on the counter.
Convection microwave with air fry mode, one box for most jobs
How many units does a microwave use?
Power ratings differ by mode. Using the Dawlance DW-530-AF listing as an example (900 W microwave, 1,000 W grill, 2,100 W convection), here is what common jobs cost. One unit is 1 kW used for one hour, so units = kW x hours. Rs 33.10 is the 201 to 300 unit slab for non-protected homes under NEPRA's 2026 tariff, which MEPCO applies in Multan, as of October 2026.
| Job | Mode and power | Units (estimate) | Cost at Rs 33.10 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reheat a plate, 3 minutes | Microwave, 900 W | 0.9 x 3/60 = 0.045 | About Rs 1.5 |
| Grill tikka, 15 minutes | Grill, 1,000 W | 1.0 x 15/60 = 0.25 | About Rs 8 |
| Bake a cake, 40 minutes | Convection, 2,100 W | 2.1 x 40/60 = 1.4 | Up to about Rs 46 |
The convection figure is an upper estimate. The element cycles on and off once the oven reaches temperature, so real use is usually lower. Taxes and adjustments add more to your bill.
Microwave reheating is cheap. Convection baking is the expensive mode, so it makes sense for baking and roasting, not for warming bread you could do on the tawa.
Tip
Never run a microwave empty, and keep metal out of microwave mode. In grill and convection modes the cavity gets very hot, so use oven gloves and the metal rack supplied with the oven.
Which microwave lasts longest? What owners say
Owners commonly describe Dawlance as durable, with one reporting a unit that lasted 11 years. Dawlance and Haier were also rated the best for after-sales service across cities. Treat these as general impressions.
Whatever brand you pick, a simpler solo or grill model has fewer parts to go wrong than a convection combination. Clean the inside after spills, because baked-on food can spark and damage the cavity over time.
Frequently asked questions
Which microwave is best for baking cake?
Only a convection microwave bakes properly. It has a fan and heating element that circulate hot air around the tin, like an electric oven, so the cake rises evenly and browns on all sides. Solo and grill models cannot do this. Look for 25 litres or more if you want to fit a standard round cake tin.
Grill microwave vs convection microwave, which is better?
Convection is better if you bake or roast, because it works as a full oven and usually includes a grill too. A grill microwave is better value if you only want to brown tikka, kebabs and toast. Convection models cost more and are usually larger, so check your counter space before choosing.
Microwave grill vs air fryer, which is better?
For crisp fries, nuggets and reheated samosas, an air fryer is better because its strong fan crisps faster and more evenly. A grill microwave is better for reheating wet food like rice and salan, and it browns kebabs and tikka well. Many families keep both, or buy a convection microwave with an air fry mode.
Which microwave is best for home use in Pakistan?
For a family that mostly reheats, a solo microwave of 20 to 25 litres is enough. If you want to make tikka and toast, choose a grill model. If you bake, go for convection. Owners rate Dawlance for durability and Dawlance and Haier for service, but check service coverage in your city.
How much electricity does a microwave use?
Very little for reheating. A 900 W microwave running for 3 minutes uses about 0.045 unit, roughly Rs 1.5 at the October 2026 rate of Rs 33.10 a unit. Convection baking at 2,100 W for 40 minutes can use up to about 1.4 units, or around Rs 46, before taxes.
What to do next
Decide what you will actually cook (reheating only, grilling, or baking), check your counter space, then compare models in our microwave oven collection. We deliver across Pakistan from our shop in Cantt, Multan, and every product is inspected before dispatch. For help picking between models, message us on WhatsApp at +92 313 1607080.
