Yes, this is a normal sound. The fan cools the microwave after use. The duration depends on how long the microwave has operated. The Russell Hobbs’ door design is clever. When it’s open you have an easy-to-read list of its eight programs. When closed, this is covered up and you can just see a small number of discreet touch-sensitive buttons: to select cooking mode, power and time. The Russell Hobbs RHFM2363B is fairly affordable microwave that borrows looks and some features from high-end models. So it has a flatbed design rather than a turntable, which means it can be used to cook and reheat large dishes. Its mirror-finish door looks great but is a fingerprint magnet. We started out by defrosting a pitta bread. The smart defrost program only works with particular types of food, so instead we did a timer defrost. It took just over a minute and was visibly ready as it was starting to inflate. The pitta bread came out warm but not cooked and it was impressively not soggy, compared with other microwaves. It tasted surprisingly fresh.

We are continually making improvements to our tests. We last changed our test program in February 2018 which means that, if you’re looking at results for microwaves tested before and after this date, they will not be directly comparable. This is not intended to be a full statement of your rights under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. Full details of your rights are available from your Local Authority’s Trading Standards Office. How To Return A ProductAll costs are included. This includes parts, labour, call out and delivery charges, so you can rest assured that there are no hidden costs Anything of a nature that for hygiene or associated health and safety - this includes the Outdoor Spas, Mattresses and Divan Sets If you do want a combi microwave oven then look at the Panasonic NN-CF853W or Panasonic NN-CS894S. And if you’re on a tight budget then the Swan Vintage SM22030 is a good, and good-looking, standalone microwave. We found the controls weren’t very responsive: you have to give them a good, firm push and sometimes find yourself pressing them repeatedly, unsure whether it’s being registered.

Reheating programs are pleasantly real world and designed for real-world quantities. For example the beverage mode lets you reheat one or two cuppas, leftovers reheats one or two plates. The display offers helpful advice depending on the foodstuff, like “don’t cover” or “cover but don’t seal”. Alongside the usual cook or defrost by time and weight it offers intelligent sensor cooking programs similar to those seen on high-end microwaves such as the Panasonic NN-CS894S and Panasonic NN-CF853W. You press the relevant smart button, depending on whether you want to cook or reheat, and then select from the on-screen menu of popular foods. The power level is set automatically and then it measures humidity released from the food and uses this to judge how long to cook it for. Another useful feature is that diamond “cavity structure.” Russell Hobbs claims that this increases the efficiency of the microwave, leading to faster cooking times and a reduced chance of “cold spots.” At that stage the Sage’s “a bit more” button was perfect. This zapped it for another 36 seconds. We did this a couple of times and the potato was cooked to perfection. It’s a clever way to ensure you don’t overcook food as it’s tempting when something’s not quite cooked to repeat the same program – which is usually overkill.Scottish Highlands & Islands postcodes: AB, FK, HS, IV, KA, KW, PA, PH, ZE, LL58-LL78, IM, TR, PO30-41