Hotpoint SUPREMECHEF MWH338SX Microwave Oven Review

We were in need of a new microwave for a while! The one we had wasn’t performing very well anymore. It was overcooking the food, the light wasn’t working, so in general it was definitely time to say goodbye and find something new. So when AO.com got in touch and asked me to review the Hotpoint SUPREMECHEF MWH338SX 33 Litre Combination Microwave Oven – Stainless Steel, I was over the moon. We were so ready to change our old microwave for something much more modern with so much functionality as well as the combination of oven and grill functions. We didn’t have a grill so I was really looking forward to testing this function.

This is a very large freestanding counter-top family microwave with a 33 litre capacity, and as such needs ventilation space of 30cm above it, so be awrare of this if you are thinking of purchasing it.

The Hotpoint SUPREMECHEF MWH338SX has a stylish modern look, combining stainless steel and gloss black. It has both a 750 watt and a 900 watt output (I’ve never been able to choose before, but it makes it much easier to follow microwave specific recipes!).

It cooks quickly thanks to its 900 Watt power output, but also lets you alter this to 750. It includes a grill too, so you can whip up tasty snacks in no time. The microwave comes with a ‘crisp plate’ to use for this types of dishes, for example grilling cheese on toast. In addition, Dual Crisp technology uses forced air with the grill for faster, more even and softer inside cooking results, which significantly reduces the amount of oil used making it perfect for cooking chips or roasting potatoes!

Your meals will always be thoroughly cooked, as Multiwave Technology evenly distributes heat from 2 directions. I’ve often found with previous microwaves that we have owned that this can often be a problem, with parts of the food cooked less than others. However, so far with using this microwave I have never found this.

KEY FEATURES

• Freestanding countertop, combination, multifunction microwave oven with a large 33 litre capacity and a 360 mm turntable to take generous sized dishes
• 900 W microwave power with seven power levels
• Large 1200 W grill function to brown food perfect for quick snacks
• Heats from 2 directions for perfect, even cooking
• Microwave and grill work together for perfect results

OTHER IMPORTANT FEATURES

• Eight traditional functions: microwave, grill, forced air, Dual Crisp, Dual Crisp Fry, combi, Jet Defrost and keep warm
• Forced air function means the microwave cooks like a traditional oven and bakes, roasts, reheats and defrosts with precision temperature control
• Two Dual Crisp programmes (Manual and Fry), which uses Dual Crisp technology and combines microwave cooking with the grill and crisp plate accessory, to perfectly crisp both the top and bottom of food
• Dual Crisp Bread defrosts and heats frozen bread, rolls, baguettes and croissants.
• Jet Defrost feature ensures quick and automatic defrosting of dishes such as meat, poultry, fish and vegetables
• Four functions: Chef Menu, Auto Clean, Special Menu and the very useful stop turntable, which is ideal when using large dishes that cannot freely turn when using the turntable
• Chef Menu feature is a simple and intuitive guide, which offers automatic recipes that guarantee perfect cooking results every time. Parameters such as cooking time and power level are automatically adjusted to ensure the best results of dishes including scrambled eggs, pizza and lasagne

• Auto Clean: cleans the inside of the microwave oven and removes odours
• Special Menu includes additional functions and programmes for dedicated processes such as dough proving, melting butter and chocolate, and softening ice cream
• Jet Start: Starts microwave at max power for 30 seconds
• Includes two dishwasher-safe racks, which vary in height for great grilling results
• Crisp plate for crisping and dishwasher-safe handle ensure the safe removal of the hot plate from the microwave oven
• LED touch controls for intuitive control and to cook with precision at the touch of a fingertip
• Interior light for improved visibility within the microwave oven
• Premium black glass finish with brushed stainless steel handle, trim and interior
• Dimensions: H x W x D 373 x 490 x 540 mm

PUTTING IT TO THE TEST

To put this microwave and some of its special features to the test we tried cooking some chips, as well as baking some chocolate muffins.

To prepare the chips, I weighed approximately 350g of peeled potatoes and then chopped them in to thin french fry style chip shapes. I placed them on the crisp plate and put it in the microwave on the high rack. I then pressed the ‘Dual Crisp’ fry button, and select category P1, which is the programme for French Fries. I then selected the weight and click Jet Start to begin cooking.

The chips took about 15 minutes to cook, but about half way into cooking, it prompted me to turn the food, to ensure the chips were crispy on both sides. We were impressed with how good the chips tasted and how quick they were ready.

The next recipe we tried was to prepare chocolate muffins, which we found on the Hotpoint website.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon dried yeast
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

1. Step 1: Put the flour, yeast and cocoa powder through the sieve to remove any lumps. Add all ingredients to a bowl, excluding the chocolate chips. Whisk all ingredients until you get a doughy consistency, finally fold in the chocolate chips.
2. Step 2: Add the mixture to a microwavable safe muffin mould. Don’t over fill.
3. Step 3: Place the Crisp plate into the microwave. Select the Crisp function with Auto power level and cook for 6 minutes.

You can powder the muffins with icing sugar once they are done which will give them a great look. We were really amazed by how well this microwave baked the muffins. We have made microwave mug cakes in the past but found that they tended to be a bit dry but these were perfect and had a great taste. We’ll definitely be baking with this microwave again.

OUR THOUGHTS

We have been really happy with the performance of this microwave as it does everything you would want from a microwave, but with the additional benefit of the grill and dual crisp technology. It is large and needs clear ventilation surrounding it, so you need to be aware of that. We also took a bit of getting used to the door which opens downwards. Initially I found I would press the buttons accidentally as I opened it until I got more used to it. Overall we were very impressed and can see it having a long and busy life in our kitchen!

The Hotpoint SUPREMECHEF MWH338SX 33 Litre Combination Microwave Oven – Stainless Steel has an RPP of £329 from AO.com but you can now get it for £229. So you can save £100 if you buy it now.  Fantastic right!

Are you looking to get a new microwave? What do you think of the Hotpoint SUPREMECHEF MWH338SX Microwave Oven?

*Disclosure: AO sent us this microwave for the purpose of this review. However all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Love you all ❤️

Franca  💋

Linking up with: