In the era of a seemingly endless choice of kitchen appliances, microwaves have remained essential in most of our homes. The same applies in our vans too, where choosing the best caravan microwave will give you a highly convenient accessory, offering speed, convenience and a compact design.
Whether it’s to replace an existing model in your tourer or you’re looking to add one in, a microwave can be an invaluable addition to any caravan kitchen. After all, while we may rely on the best caravan barbecue for an alfresco feast, a microwave offers efficient cooking when we’re after a quicker meal.
The most important thing to consider when buying any appliance for your van, be it one of the best caravan kettles or a toaster, will be the wattage – and it will be no different when you’re picking a microwave for your tourer, with the ideal model being 800W or below. You can choose between microwaves with a manual option or a digital display. The manual option has the advantage of generally being cheaper and often easier to use, as well as tending to be more convenient since you might end up resetting a digital display every time power is cut off.
While you can find 12v microwaves for caravans, they are hard to come by and very expensive. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite options which are all mains powered and run at 800W or less. This includes products from well-known brands such as Russell Hobbs, Sharp, Panasonic and more.
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What is the best microwave for a caravan?
Hisense Solo Microwave Oven
Russell Hobbs Black Solo Manual Microwave
Panasonic Compact Solo Microwave Oven
Toshiba Microwave Oven
Russell Hobbs Scandi Compact Microwave
Sharp Silver Solo Digital Microwave
The best caravan microwave:
Hisense Solo Microwave Oven
- Dimensions: 32.6D x 45.5W x 26.1H centimetres
- Wattage: 700W
- Capacity: 20L
- Weight: 10.2kg
Reason to buy:
- Large capacity
Reason to avoid:
- Not as compact
This Hisense caravan microwave packs a punch with its capacity but remains a low wattage option. With 20 litres of cooking space powered by 700W, this compact microwave offers more room for cooking than other models but remains a good low wattage choice for caravan use.
This model also features 2 manual dials for controlling temperature and cook time. There are 5 cooking options to choose from, including a defrost preset, and the time can be set for up to 35 minutes.
Russell Hobbs Black Solo Manual Microwave
- Dimensions: 32.6D x 45.1W x 25.6H centimetres
- Wattage: 700W
- Capacity: 17L
- Weight: 10.4kg
Reason to buy:
- Light and compact
Reason to avoid:
- Offers less capacity than other models
Offering in 4 attractive colours, this Russell Hobbs caravan microwave is space-saving and stylish. It’s one of the lightest models on our list, at 10.4kg, so it won’t be a strain on your payload. The chic design features 2 manual dials controlling 5 power levels, including a defrost option, and a timer with a top end of 30 minutes.
Made from stainless steel, glass and plastic gives this small caravan microwave a chic finish so it will fit in nicely with any caravan kitchen.
Panasonic Compact Solo Microwave Oven
- Dimensions: 33D x 44.3W x 25.8H centimetres
- Wattage: 800W
- Capacity: 20L
- Weight: 11kg
Reason to buy:
- Preset cooking options
Reason to avoid:
- Basic design
Another 800W option is this small caravan microwave from Panasonic which offers 20 litres of cooking capacity, making it a great option for families. The unit is designed to be used with the touch of a button so you can make the most of a 9 option touch-control panel. The selection features 3 pre-set timings along with 3 auto-defrost and 3 auto-reheat options. The panel also includes 3 auto-cook pre-sets, including vegetables and jacket potatoes.
Featuring a handy digital display and a large button for opening, this microwave is incredibly user friendly while the metal and acrylic unit itself is hardwearing and sturdy.
Toshiba Microwave Oven
- Dimensions: 32.5D x 44W x 25.8H centimetres
- Wattage: 800W
- Capacity: 20L
- Weight: 21.49kg
Reason to buy:
- Large capacity
Reason to avoid:
- A lot heavier than other models
One of the higher wattage options is this Toshiba microwave, which features 5 power settings and a timer for up to 35 minutes. The manual dial system is very easy to use and offers an integrated guide for defrosting. Since it’s equipped with 800W of power, this is the best caravan microwave for cooking larger amounts of food. It also offers 20 litres of capacity so it’s great for preparing or defrosting meals.
The model also comes in basic digital and high end digital designs as well as a knob and digital combi option.
Russell Hobbs Scandi Compact Microwave
- Dimensions: 25.8H x 45.1W x 35.3D centimetres
- Wattage: 700W
- Capacity: 17L
- Weight: 10.7kg
Reason to buy:
- Unique, attractive design
Reason to avoid:
- Time only reaches 35 minutes
This swish Russel Hobbs caravan microwave adds style and functionality to your caravan kitchen. The modern Scandinavian-inspired design features 2 simple dials for controlling temperature and time. The timer offers up to 35 minutes of cooking time and 5 heating settings, including a defrost option. With a capacity of 17 litres, the compact unit still offers plenty of room for cooking.
This caravan microwave is designed with an easily wipeable exterior and a removable glass turntable, along with attractive wooden details.
Sharp Silver Solo Digital Microwave
- Dimensions: 32.3D x 44.6W x 24.5H centimetres
- Wattage: 700W
- Capacity: 17L
- Weight: 9.4kg
Reason to buy:
- Lightest option on the list
Reason to avoid:
- You may not need all the presets
With 10 power levels and 6 pre-set cooking options, this small caravan microwave from Sharp is great for everyday cooking. The sleek design features a 24.5cm turntable, 17 litre capacity and a 99 minute timer, so it’s well-equipped for a caravan microwave. There is also a handy defrost setting and an easily-readable digital display for keeping an eye on timings.
As well as being compact and user-friendly, the microwave features a child-lock for extra peace of mind, and comes with a 1-year guarantee.
How to choose the best caravan microwave
When you’re thinking about buying an appliance for your tourer’s kitchen, one of the most important factors to think about will be the wattage. With this in mind, we’ve chosen options which are all 800W or less.
Make sure you take the dimensions of the microwave into account too. This will be a particular issue in a more compact van, where you’re likely to want the best very small microwave for a caravan, one which isn’t going to take up too much space. Look at the dimensions of the model you have in mind and measure out whether you’ll have the room for it in your tourer before buying it.
Don’t forget the weight either. Smaller vans are going to have a lower payload, so it will be important to check you’ll have the weight allowance to take everything you want on tour with you too, as well as the microwave you’re considering.
Lastly, think about the features you’re after in your microwave. A digital display can look sleeker but remember it will need resetting each time the power is disconnected, for instance. Do you have a preference towards manual dial or buttons?
Put all of this together and you’ll be well on your way to choosing the right microwave for your tourer.
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