Microwave Oven or Steam Oven: Which Is Right for You?

A microwave oven reheats in minutes; a steam oven takes longer but returns food closer to how it was first cooked. Which one suits you depends on what matters more in your kitchen: speed, or the quality of what reaches the table.

Many of the clients who visit our Jdeideh showroom ask us the same question. Here is how the two compare, and who each one is for.

How each one reheats

A microwave oven heats the water molecules inside the food directly. It is quick and simple, but heat can spread unevenly, leaving some parts hot and others lukewarm. Food can also dry out or turn rubbery, especially bread, rice and meat.

A steam oven surrounds the food with steam, often combined with hot air. The moisture stops food drying out, and the heat reaches it evenly from all sides. Combined with hot air, it can also bring back a crisp finish to pastry, roast potatoes or a gratin.

Speed: one plate or several

For a single plate, the microwave oven wins clearly: two to three minutes against ten to fifteen in a steam oven.

The picture changes when you reheat for the whole family. A microwave oven heats one plate at a time, so four plates take four times as long. In a steam oven, the reheating time stays almost the same whether you put in one plate or several.

So for a family dinner reheated in one go, the steam oven is often just as practical, and every plate comes out at the same time.

Texture and taste

This is where the steam oven makes the biggest difference. Reheated food keeps its moisture, rice stays fluffy, meat stays tender and vegetables keep their colour. Yesterday’s dinner tastes close to freshly cooked.

Because steam reheats gently and evenly, there is no need to add oil or butter to revive a dish. That is why health-conscious households tend to favour it.

In microwave mode, a microwave oven is perfectly good for soups, sauces, drinks and quick single portions. For anything that should be crisp or flaky, its oven function is the better choice.

More than reheating

Used as ovens, the two are closer than most people expect: both bake, roast and crisp. The difference is the extra heat source each one adds, steam or microwaves.

A steam oven is also a full oven for everyday cooking. Use steam on its own to cook vegetables, fish and rice gently, or hot air on its own to bake and roast as in any oven. Combine hot air with steam and you can bake bread with a crisp crust and a soft crumb, or roast potatoes that are crisp outside and tender inside.

Our microwave ovens also work as full ovens, so you can bake and roast in them like a conventional oven. Combining microwave and oven heat cuts cooking times significantly, which makes them a practical choice for busy weeknights.

Which one is for you?

Choose a steam oven if:

• Healthy eating is a priority in your household

• You often reheat several plates at once for the family

• You care about texture and taste, and want leftovers to taste freshly cooked

• You also want an appliance that steams, bakes and roasts, not only reheats

Choose a microwave oven if:

• Convenience comes first and you want food ready in two to three minutes

• You mostly reheat single portions, drinks or soups

• You prefer a simple appliance that is straightforward to use

For health-conscious families, the steam oven is the clear choice. If convenience matters more, a microwave oven is the simpler option. You can also install both, side by side in a column of built-in appliances.

Our recommendations

For steam: the V-ZUG CombairSteamer. It combines a full oven with steam, so one appliance reheats gently, steams, bakes and roasts.

For convenience: the ASKO OCM26BGH combi microwave oven. A 60 cm, 68-litre oven that reheats in minutes in microwave mode and works as a full-size oven, with hot air, grill and air fry. For a more compact installation, the 45 cm ASKO OCM64BSH offers the same combination in 50 litres.

Both are on display and switched on at our Jdeideh showroom, so you can see them working before you decide. We deliver and install free of charge throughout Lebanon, with a 2-year warranty.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to reheat food in a steam oven?

Around 10 to 13 minutes for moist dishes such as stews, rice or pasta, and 13 to 15 minutes for dishes that should be crisp, such as pastry or roast potatoes.

Is a steam oven faster than a microwave oven?

For a single plate, no: a microwave oven takes two to three minutes. For several plates at once, a steam oven can be just as quick, because the reheating time stays almost the same regardless of quantity.

Can a steam oven replace a microwave oven?

For reheating, yes, and it gives better results. A microwave oven remains quicker for single portions, drinks and soups, which is why some households keep both.

Where can I see a steam oven in Lebanon?

Our showroom in Jdeideh has V-ZUG steam ovens and ASKO microwave ovens on display and switched on, so you can see how each one works.