The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 is a high-end countertop microwave with an advertised 1.1 cu ft capacity and 1,100W of output power. In addition to regular microwaving, it works as a convection oven, an air fryer, and a broiler. It also offers automatic programs for common foods, a mode for cooking meat and fish straight from frozen, and comes with a crisping pan and a trivet for air frying and baking, as well as a combination mode that switches between microwave power, convection, and top heat in a single cycle. It has dial controls and a soft-closing door.
Our Verdict
The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 is a very good choice for everyday use. Its dials make it easy to set a cook time or adjust the power level in just a few steps, and it runs quietly. However, its cooking chamber feels a bit small considering how much counter space it takes up. It also heats food more slowly than its advertised output power suggests, so you may wait a little longer when warming up bigger portions.
Easy-to-use dial controls.
Quiet during operation.
Heats food slowly for its power rating.
Small cooking chamber for its size.
The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 has okay heating power, but it heats food more slowly than you'd expect from its 1,100-watt rating.
Heats food slowly for its power rating.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 comes in Black Stainless Steel and Brushed Stainless Steel. We bought and tested the Brushed Stainless Steel version. Here's a photo of our label.
If you encounter another variant, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Microwave Comparisons
The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 is a high-end, 1,100W countertop microwave that also works as a convection oven, an air fryer, and a broiler. Its dial controls are among the easiest to use of the microwaves we've tested, and it runs quietly. The downside is that it heats food slowly for its power rating, and its cooking chamber is small for a unit this large. If you don't need the extra cooking modes, the Breville the Smooth Wave heats food faster and has a bigger chamber in a more compact body. The Ninja Crispi MW101 also heats food faster and can switch from microwaving to air frying on its own, though it's louder and has less intuitive controls. If you want more interior space for bigger dishes, the Toshiba ML-EC42P(SS) is a more affordable combo model with a larger chamber, but it takes more steps to change settings.
If you're looking for alternatives, see our recommendations for the best microwaves, the best countertop microwaves, and the best small microwaves.
The Breville the Smooth Wave is a much better microwave than the Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 if you mostly reheat and defrost. The Smooth Wave heats food faster and has a bigger cooking chamber, even though it takes up less counter depth. Otherwise, both use the same easy dial controls and run just as quietly. The Combi Wave's advantage is that it's multifunctional: it doubles as a convection oven, an air fryer, and a broiler, so it's the better choice if you want one appliance to replace several on your counter.
The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 is a slightly better microwave than the Ninja Crispi MW101, largely due to its versatility. Along with microwaving and air frying, the Breville works as a convection oven and a broiler. Its dial controls are easier to use, it runs more quietly, and its cooking chamber is a bit bigger. That said, the Ninja heats food faster, and its flat-bottomed, turntable-free chamber fits square or rectangular dishes that don't have room to spin. It can also switch from microwaving to air frying automatically partway through a cook, so you don't have to change modes yourself.
The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 is a better microwave than the Toshiba ML-EC42P(SS) for most people, mainly because it's easier to use. The Breville's dials and physical buttons let you adjust the time and power level in just a few steps, while the Toshiba's membrane touch panel gives you less feedback and takes several presses to change the power level. Both double as a convection oven and an air fryer, and both run quietly. That said, the Toshiba heats food faster and has a bigger cooking chamber, so it may suit you better if you often reheat large portions or use big dishes.
The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 is a much better microwave for most people than the Panasonic NN-SF57RM. The Breville's dials and physical buttons make it easier to set a cook time or change the power level, while the Panasonic's minimal controls take more presses and some getting used to. The Breville also runs more quietly, and it doubles as a convection oven, an air fryer, and a broiler. Their cooking chambers are about the same size. That said, the Panasonic heats food faster and takes up noticeably less counter space. Its flat-bottomed chamber also skips the turntable, which makes it easier to clean.
Test Results
The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 has a medium-sized cooking chamber, though it's on the small side for a countertop unit with this large a footprint. The turntable fits a standard dinner plate, and if you use a bigger square or rectangular dish that doesn't have room to rotate, you can turn off the turntable from the shortcuts panel.
The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 is a versatile microwave that does more than reheat leftovers. In addition to regular microwaving, it works as a convection oven, air fryer, and broiler, and its combination mode alternates between microwave, convection, and top heat to cook dishes like roasts and gratins. It also has a mode for cooking chicken, meat, or fish straight from frozen, which defrosts the food first and then cooks it. The oven and air fryer modes preheat before you put your food in.
The Food Menu button gives you automatic Cook, Reheat, and Defrost programs for common foods like vegetables, rice, bacon, pizza, fries, and leftovers. You pick the food and the quantity, and the microwave sets the time and power for you. It also has a cooking sensor, plus a few one-touch presets like Melt Chocolate and Soften Butter on the panel inside the door. You can save one program as a Favorite, keep food warm for up to two hours, and turn off the turntable if a large square dish doesn't have room to rotate.
The door lock doesn't lock the controls. Even with the lock on, anyone can use the control panel and start the microwave, but they can't open the door without pressing the door unlock button first. To turn the lock on or off, hold the door unlock, volume, and mute buttons together for about three seconds until you hear a chime.
The Breville the Combi Wave 3 in 1 is extremely easy to use. Instead of a number pad, you get two dials: one sets the cooking time and starts the microwave, and the other adjusts the power level, temperature, or food quantity and stops the cycle. Setting a basic cook time only takes a turn and a press, and changing the power level adds just one more step. Each press of the start dial adds 30 seconds at full power, and a separate button adds a little extra time after a program ends if your food isn't quite ready. The main drawback is that several settings, like Mute, Beep Volume, Keep Warm, and Turntable Off, sit on a panel inside the door, so you have to open the door to reach them.
Watch our full video walkthrough to see it in action.
- User guides and stickers
- Glass turntable
- Roller turntable
- Trivet
- Crisping pan with foldable legs
This microwave's heating speed is okay, though it's slow for a microwave with this advertised output power, heating food more slowly than its 1,100W rating would suggest. If speed matters to you, consider the Breville the Smooth Wave, which heats food more quickly.
This microwave runs quietly, so it shouldn't interrupt a conversation or wake people up if you're making a late-night snack. Once a cycle ends, a cooling fan keeps running for about 30 seconds at roughly the same volume as the microwave itself. It's not loud, but you'll definitely notice it, so don't be surprised if the microwave keeps whirring after the timer goes off.
When it comes to heating food in shallow dishes, most microwaves deliver similar results. How evenly your food heats up depends on a few factors: the type of food (liquids usually heat more evenly than solids), where you place the dish in the chamber, and how much steam collects inside while it runs. You can learn more in our research on microwave performance.
Like with shallow dishes, most microwaves heat food about as evenly as one another. The results depend on the food, the container you use, and where you place it in the chamber. For more detail, check out our research on how microwaves heat food.
