Steam, grill, microwave: does this miracle oven by Samsung really do it all?
11.5.2023
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Samsung has combined three devices in one beautifully compact case. I put the Bespoke Grill Microwave Oven to the test to find out if it really can manage steaming salmon and asparagus or baking brownies.
Roll out your dough, put tomato sauce, toppings and mozzarella on top and pop it in the oven. For once, I’m not baking my pizza in a regular oven but in a microwave oven. Samsung has made this possible by launching a combination device that not only heats food, but also steams vegetables, grills meat or bakes cakes.
A Swiss Army knife of gadgets? Imagine how convenient it would be to have just one instead of three appliances taking up space in your kitchen. Unfortunately, these types of multifunctional devices are often lazy compromises, as they usually fail to impress in all disciplines. That makes me all the more curious to see whether the microwave pizza crisps up or not.
The user manual from Hell’s Kitchen
Fortunately, I start the first test on a full stomach. Little did I know that several unnecessary obstacles would have to be overcome until I can enjoy my pizza. If you want to use more than just the classic reheat function with wattage and time input, the Samsung microwave oven is anything but self-explanatory.
For steaming, grilling or baking, there’s no way around the user manual. For example, to find out how the «Grill», «Microwave+Grill», «Healthy Steam» and «Auto Cook» buttons work.
Which one is best suited to prepare your dish? All that is explained in the user manual – which isn’t a problem in itself, of course. However, instead of including an attractive recipe booklet with pretty pictures, Samsung’s gone for a quadrilingual, word-heavy user manual printed on cheap paper. Ten pages of safety instructions and troubleshooting for each language. Hidden between all this, you’ll come across one page of detailed information about the cooking features.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Unfortunately, the struggle doesn’t end there. For example, there’s the menu item «walnut pound cake» both in the manual and on the inside of the appliance’s door. Yeah, not very helpful. The only way to find the actual recipe for said cake is to open a second manual via a QR code.
There, I have to work my way through a 176-page (!) PDF file to find it. Honestly, I don’t really feel like cooking any more. This is also because Samsung didn’t put any love into its selection. There are only ten instructions for desserts, for example. A totally random selection might I add. In addition to the walnut pound cake, there are recipes for sponge cake, egg pudding, mug cake, banana bread, brownies and chocolate mug cake. The dessert list also includes «Green tea with milk», «Café latte» and «Tea with milk» – seriously?
Source: Lorenz Keller
Quick-and-dirty pizza for just one person
Let’s get back to the pizza. Pop it on a sheet of baking paper and place it on the round grill grate. As the grate is just 26 centimetres in diameter, it only fits a small pizza.
The paper and digital manual only explain how you prepare frozen pizza. This is done in the combination mode «Microwave + Grill» at 450 watts. I play around with it for a bit. Instead of just 13 to 14 minutes, I leave my pizza in the oven for almost 20 minutes – the last 5 minutes with just the grill on.
The result is decent. The edges are crispy, the mozzarella has melted and the dough is cooked through. Only the base is less crisp than when it’s baked in the oven on a tray. But this is unsurprising, as Samsung’s microwave oven doesn’t have any bottom heat. Instead, it bakes using microwaves and top heat.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Salmon and asparagus: full steam ahead
Despite the mediocre pizza, I’m not giving up. A good choice, as it turns out. For the next main course, the combination microwave oven can really show off its strengths. I pour a decilitre of water into the glass steamer that’s included, insert the green silicone grate and put a generous portion of white asparagus on top.
As there’s no mention of asparagus in either of the manuals, I set the auto programme to carrots. A good choice, as it turns out. Just four and a half minutes later and the asparagus is done. Just the way I like them – well done, but still slightly crispy. This pot would also fit a large portion of vegetables. That’s already more family-friendly than the pizza option.
For lunch, I also bought myself a salmon fillet. And I finally find a step-by-step recipe to prepare it. Place the fish in a microwave-safe baking dish, add a spoonful of water, season and drizzle with lemon juice. Next, I cover the dish with microwave foil and perforate it. This type of foil is thicker than cling film and readily available.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Press «Auto Cook» and type in the number «1-18». Five and a half minutes later, the salmon is ready. Gently steamed and very tasty – without the addition of oil or grease. As it was done so quickly, the asparagus are still warm, and I can enjoy them both together.
For the first time, I’m truly excited. Used as a steamer, the «Bespoke» is top-notch. There’s no way the food would’ve been done so quickly and easily in a regular oven.
No sweet ending
I would have loved some tasty brownies for dessert. As you now know, there’s even a recipe for them in that 176-page PDF. And a fully automated baking programme to go with it. The dough is quickly made. Pour it into a greased glass bowl and pop it into the microwave. Five and a half minutes later, I take out bubbling brown gloop.
Something’s gone wrong, even though I followed the recipe to the T. My brownies are way too runny. They’re a bit firmer after they’ve cooled down, but still way too rubbery. I’m not impressed with the result, that’s for sure. The lousy outcome is probably due to the overly simple recipe coupled with the fact that top heat and microwaves just don’t have what it takes to bake properly.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Verdict: gourmet meets fast food
One thing quickly becomes clear during the test. This combination grill and microwave oven is by no means a substitute for baking in a regular oven. Buying it mainly makes sense if you’re in need of a microwave and a steamer. Gently cooking veg and fish works like a charm.
This makes the device a great addition to kitchens equipped with a standard oven. If you're looking for an all-in-one solution for a small kitchen or one-room apartment, however, you’ll have to make significant sacrifices when it comes to baking and grilling.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Samsung’s Bespoke combination grill and microwave oven is almost three times more expensive than more basic microwaves. Combination appliances with grills are also significantly cheaper. At this price, I would’ve expected much more help as a user. A laminated overview of all menu items, more recipes and instructions on how to prepare them. Especially the really good steam feature would’ve deserved that.
Header image: Lorenz Keller
Lorenz Keller
Senior Editor
Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.chGadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.
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