The Sharp YC-MG81U is our best grill pick: a roomy 28-litre cavity paired with a 1,000 W quartz grill that browns and crisps the way a solo never can, plus a combination mode for faster golden results. Here is what it does well, and where its limits lie.
A solo microwave reheats, but it cannot brown. If you have ever pulled a pale, soggy jacket potato or an unbrowned gratin out of a microwave and wished for a crust, a grill model is the answer. The Sharp YC-MG81U adds a proper quartz grill to a generous cavity, so it does the everyday reheating and the browning a solo cannot, which is why it is our pick for anyone who wants that extra ability without stepping all the way up to a full combination oven.
| Model | Price | Type | Capacity | Microwave power | Rating | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ★ Top pick Sharp YC-MG81U-S 28L Microwave with Grill | £119.00 | Microwave + grill | 28 litres | 900 W | ★ 4.1 | View → |
£119.00
Microwave + grill · 28 litres · 900 W
The verdict from Naomi Clarke, kitchen appliance tester
The pick if you want a grill. With a roomy 28-litre cavity and a 1,000 W quartz grill, the Sharp YC-MG81U does what a solo cannot: it browns cheese on a jacket potato, crisps the top of a gratin and grills bacon, then combines microwave and grill for faster golden results. The trade-off is a larger footprint and a touch more cleaning, so only size up to a grill model if you will genuinely use the browning — for plain reheating, a solo is enough.
Puts an actual golden crust on a gratin where a solo would leave it pale.
The YC-MG81 is the right buy if you genuinely want to brown and crisp food, not just reheat it. It suits the cook who wants melted, browned cheese on a jacket potato, a crisp top on a gratin or lasagne, or grilled bacon, jobs no solo can do. The roomy 28-litre cavity also makes it a strong choice for anyone who reheats large plates or dishes and wants space to spare. If browning matters and you have the worktop room, this is the machine.
It is not the buy if you only ever reheat and defrost. The grill adds cost, a larger footprint and a little more cleaning, none of which you benefit from if you never use the browning, and a plain solo such as the Samsung MS23K3513 is the smarter choice for that buyer. Nor does it bake like a full combination, so if you want to roast and bake, the Panasonic NN-DF386 is the better fit. For browning specifically, though, the Sharp is the right level.
This is the reason to buy it. The 1,000 W quartz grill browns and crisps in a way microwaves alone cannot, putting an actual golden crust on a gratin, melting and browning cheese on a baked potato, and grilling bacon or sausages. In everyday use it is the difference between food that is merely hot and food that looks and tastes cooked, and for the jobs it is built for it does them genuinely well.
The clever part is combination mode, which runs the microwave and grill together. The microwave cooks the food through quickly while the grill browns the top, so a dish that would take a while in a conventional oven is ready faster and still comes out golden. It is the feature that makes a grill microwave more than the sum of its parts, and the Sharp handles it well.
At 900 watts the microwave side is a touch more powerful than the basic 800 W solos, so straightforward reheating is brisk. The 28-litre cavity is the largest in this comparison, easily taking a dinner plate or a large dish, which suits both the grilling and anyone who simply wants room to spare. For a household that cooks as well as reheats, that combination of power and space is welcome.
Because the grill browns food, you get the kind of splatter and grease you would on a conventional grill, so the cavity needs wiping more often than a solo that only reheats. The controls are clear and the grill is easy to select, but it is fair to factor in the extra cleaning as part of owning a grill model. It is a minor chore set against the ability to crisp and brown.
The YC-MG81's trade-offs are exactly what you would expect of a 28-litre grill microwave. The generous cavity comes in a larger external body, so check it suits your worktop before buying, and the grill brings the grease and splatter that mean more frequent cleaning. Neither is a flaw, they are simply the cost of the extra ability, and they only matter if you would not use the grill. If you will, they are well worth it; if you would not, a smaller solo is the better buy.
Its 1,000 W quartz grill browns and crisps in a way a solo microwave cannot. It will melt and brown cheese on a jacket potato, crisp the top of a gratin or lasagne and grill bacon. In combination mode it runs the microwave and grill together, so food cooks through and goes golden faster.
It has a generous 28-litre cavity, the largest in this comparison, so it easily fits a dinner plate or a large dish. The trade-off is a bigger external footprint, so check it suits your worktop before buying. If space is tight, a 20-litre solo is a better fit.
A little. Because the grill browns food, you get the kind of splatter and grease you would on a conventional grill, so the cavity needs wiping more often than a solo that only reheats. It is a minor chore set against the ability to crisp and brown, but it is worth knowing before you choose a grill model.
The YC-MG81 is our best grill pick because it adds genuine browning and crisping to a roomy, powerful cavity, with a combination mode that delivers golden results faster. For the cook who wants more than a solo can do but does not need a full oven, it is the right level. If you only reheat and defrost, save the money and the worktop space with the Samsung MS23K3513 solo, and if you want baking and roasting too, step up to the Panasonic NN-DF386 combination. Our solo versus grill versus combination guide helps you pick the right type.