Russell Hobbs RHM2361GCG Digital Microwave With Grill and Convection review

Few white goods manufacturers are as well known as the long-lived Russell Hobbs. Most British households will likely have had at least one Russell Hobbs appliance, even if it’s now tucked away in a cupboard somewhere.

The RHM2361GCG combi microwave may not have the catchiest name, but it’s surprisingly stylish and easy to use considering that it costs as little as £88. The LCD screen is almost invisible to the naked eye behind the dark frosted glass of the door until you start tapping away at the controls.

The buttons are clearly labelled while a ‘cheat sheet’ of all the auto cook programs is inlaid around the edge of the interior cavity behind the door. All this makes the controls easy to figure out, so you shouldn’t need to dig out the manual too often. The timer has a maximum setting of 95 minutes which should be plenty for preparing practically any meal.

Although the RHM2361GCG only managed an average power output of 413W (with erratic individual power output results of 440, 380 and 420W), it fared far better in our defrosting test than some of the much more expensive microwaves we’ve seen. The weight-based defrosting program took just three minutes and 40 seconds to thoroughly defrost a chicken breast – one of the shortest times we’ve seen.

It was also quick at thoroughly cooking through a fresh chicken breast, taking five minutes using the recommended auto cooking program. Although it wasn’t browned in any way, there wasn’t a hint dryness or undercooked pinkness. It also took just five minutes to brown a slice of white bread, medium thickness, with an attractive level of browning and just a touch of darkness in the middle.

The RHM2361GCG’s flaws are relatively minor. It’s slightly noisier than average, but not dramatically so at 58dB with a maximum observed level of 60dB. A jacket potato was heated a little unevenly, with the centre measured at 93 degrees celsius – 10 degrees hotter than the edges. This still compares well to other combi microwaves I’ve seen though.

If you’re keen on preparing big meals, then the RHM2361GCG might not be for you. It’s one of the more compact combi microwaves we’ve seen with an internal cavity of just 202x301x305mm – which is officially rated for just 23l. The turntable itself has a slightly smaller than usual diameter of 269mm.

Unsurprisingly for such a cheap combination microwave, the RHM2361GCG doesn’t come with many extras. There’s a grill rack, a one year warranty and that’s your lot. The only other quibble is the colour – it’s only available in black which might not suit all kitchens if you’re keen on colour coordination.

Overall then, there’s remarkably little wrong with the Russell Hobbs RHM2361GCG. It’s cheap, looks great and excelled in almost all of our tasks. It’s a great value combi microwave. Buy Now from Amazon