The Samsung MS23K3513AK is our best value pick: a generous 23-litre solo microwave with a wipe-clean ceramic enamel interior and the everyday programmes you actually use, all for under a hundred pounds. Here is what it does well, and where its limits lie.
Not everyone needs a microwave that grills and bakes. For the majority of kitchens, a good solo that reheats, defrosts and steams reliably is exactly the right tool, and the question becomes which solo gives you the most for your money. The Samsung MS23K3513 is our answer: a roomy, easy-to-clean, sensibly priced machine that does the everyday jobs well and skips the functions most people never use.
| Model | Price | Type | Capacity | Microwave power | Rating | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ★ Top pick Samsung MS23K3513AK 23L Solo Microwave | £89.00 | Solo (microwave only) | 23 litres | 800 W | ★ 4.4 | View → |
£89.00
Solo (microwave only) · 23 litres · 800 W
The verdict from Naomi Clarke, kitchen appliance tester
Our best value choice. The Samsung MS23K3513AK does the everyday jobs — reheating, defrosting, melting and steaming — with a generous 23-litre cavity and a wipe-clean ceramic enamel interior, all for under a hundred pounds. It is a solo microwave, so it will not brown or crisp, but if you simply want a reliable, roomy, easy-to-clean machine for daily use, this is the rational buy.
The smooth enamel interior wipes clean in seconds where painted cavities stain.
The MS23K3513 suits the largest group of microwave buyers: people who want a dependable everyday machine for reheating leftovers, defrosting, melting and steaming, without paying for a grill or oven they will not use. The 23-litre cavity is the comfortable everyday size, with room for a dinner plate and most bowls and containers, so it works equally well for a couple, a small family or a busy household. If you want sensible capacity and easy cleaning at a fair price, this is the rational buy.
It is not the right choice if you specifically want to brown or crisp food. As a solo it cannot grill cheese on a jacket potato or crisp a gratin, so if those jobs matter, look at the Sharp YC-MG81 grill or the Panasonic NN-DF386 combination instead. For plain, everyday reheating, though, the solo is all you need, and this is one of the best.
At 800 watts the MS23K3513 sits right in the everyday sweet spot, reheating a plate of food or defrosting meat at a sensible pace and following packet timings reliably. Six power levels give you proper control for gentler jobs, and the quick-defrost and one-touch auto programmes set time and power for common foods so you do not have to think about it. It is exactly the kind of unfussy, reliable performance you want from a machine you use several times a day.
This is the feature that justifies choosing it over the cheapest solos. The cavity is lined with a hard ceramic enamel rather than paint, and the difference shows over time: it wipes clean in seconds, resists staining from splatter, and does not scratch and chip the way painted interiors do. On a microwave you clean constantly, that is a genuine everyday upgrade, and it helps the cavity still look fresh after years of use.
The 23-litre cavity takes a standard dinner plate comfortably and copes with larger bowls and containers, so it rarely feels cramped. The glossy black finish looks smart, though it does show fingerprints and needs the occasional wipe to stay sharp. The display is clear and the controls are logical, with a sensible mix of dial and buttons that anyone can pick up quickly.
It runs quietly for its class, which matters in an open-plan kitchen or a small flat where the microwave is never far away. There is nothing flashy about how it goes about its business, and that is the point: it gets on with the job without drama.
The MS23K3513's only real limitation is that it is a solo, so it cannot brown, crisp or bake. That is not a fault, it is the category, and for most people it is exactly what they need. But if you bought it hoping to crisp a topping or grill bacon, you would be disappointed, so be honest with yourself about whether you want those jobs. The glossy finish also asks for the odd wipe to keep the fingerprints at bay. Neither point changes the fact that, as an everyday solo, it is excellent value.
It pairs a generous 23-litre cavity with a wipe-clean ceramic enamel interior and useful auto programmes for under a hundred pounds. You get the everyday performance and the easy cleaning of pricier microwaves without paying for a grill or oven you may not use. For most kitchens that is the sweet spot.
No. It is a solo microwave, so it reheats, defrosts, melts and steams but does not brown or crisp food. If you want to grill cheese on a jacket potato or crisp a gratin topping, look at a grill model such as the Sharp YC-MG81 instead. For plain reheating, the solo is all you need.
Yes, it is a genuine practical upgrade. The smooth, hard enamel surface wipes clean in seconds and resists the staining and scratching that painted cavities suffer over time. On a microwave you use every day, that makes cleaning quicker and helps the cavity look fresh for longer.
The MS23K3513 is our best value pick because it delivers the everyday performance, the roomy cavity and the wipe-clean interior of pricier microwaves without charging for functions most people never use. For the largest group of buyers, those who simply want a reliable, easy-to-clean solo, it is the smart choice. If you want the lowest price of all, the Russell Hobbs RHM2076 is the budget option, and if you want browning, the Sharp YC-MG81 grill is the better fit. Before you buy, our wattage guide and buying guide help you confirm a solo is right for you.