There’s a specific moment in any kitchen renovation or upgrade when you stand back, survey the clean lines of your new cabinetry, and realise that your old, trusty freestanding microwave now sticks out like a sore thumb. That was my exact predicament. The challenge was finding a built-in model that didn’t just fill a hole in the wall but actively enhanced the kitchen’s aesthetic while delivering the powerful, versatile performance a busy home needs. It’s a search for seamless integration, a quest to eliminate countertop clutter without sacrificing the convenience of quick meals, perfectly defrosted ingredients, and the occasional grilled cheese toastie. Failing to find the right fit means compromising on design, wrestling with awkward installations, or ending up with an underpowered appliance that can’t keep up. The goal is to find that perfect blend of form and function, a task that led us directly to an in-depth test of the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill.
- 800W WITH 5 POWER LEVELS - Features 5 microwave power levels to tailor your cooking experience, including a convenient defrost setting so you can cook meals straight from the freezer
- 1000W GRILL – Whether you’re grilling meats and fish, or rustling up a toastie, this microwave will grill your foods to perfection
What to Consider Before Committing to a Built-In Microwave
A built-in microwave is more than just an appliance; it’s a key solution for creating a streamlined, modern, and efficient kitchen. Its primary benefit is reclaiming precious countertop space, leading to a cleaner, more organised cooking environment. By integrating directly into your cabinetry, it provides a custom, high-end look that freestanding models simply can’t replicate. This category of microwave is designed not just to heat food, but to be a cohesive part of your kitchen’s overall design language, offering both aesthetic appeal and practical functionality in one sleek package.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone designing a new kitchen, undertaking a significant renovation, or looking to replace an existing built-in unit. They value a minimalist aesthetic and are willing to dedicate specific cabinet space to an appliance. However, it might not be suitable for those in rental properties where modifying cabinetry isn’t an option, or for individuals who prefer the flexibility of moving appliances around. For them, a powerful countertop model or a combination steam oven might be a more fitting alternative.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: This is the most critical factor for a built-in appliance. You must meticulously measure the designated cabinet aperture (height, width, and depth) and compare it against the product’s required dimensions. The Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill requires a specific space, and as we discovered during testing and confirmed by user feedback, its shallow depth is a unique selling point for certain cabinet types. Always allow for adequate ventilation space, especially around the back, as components like the grill can generate significant heat.
- Capacity & Performance: A 20-litre capacity, like that of the RHBM2002B, is suitable for small to medium-sized households and accommodates standard dinner plates. Consider your typical usage: are you reheating single meals or cooking for a family? For performance, look at both microwave wattage (800W is standard for this size) and grill wattage (1000W is quite robust). Higher wattage generally means faster cooking times.
- Materials & Durability: The construction materials directly impact longevity and ease of cleaning. A stainless steel interior, as noted by users of this model, is often preferred over painted enamel as it’s more resistant to stains, odours, and rust. The exterior finish—in this case, black glass and steel—should be chosen to complement your other kitchen appliances for a cohesive look.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: An intuitive control panel is essential for daily use. We find that touch controls, like those on the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill, offer a clean look and are easy to wipe down. Consider the pre-set auto-cook menus and whether they align with the foods you frequently prepare. For maintenance, a smooth interior and a removable glass turntable make cleaning significantly less of a chore.
Choosing the right built-in microwave is a commitment, but getting it right elevates your entire kitchen experience.
While the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- MIRRORED FINISH - The Russell Hobbs RHM2076B features a sleek black body and contemporary mirror door finish
- Ceramic Enamel Interior - It's exceptionally smooth antibacterial surface makes it easy to clean. It is also highly rust and scratch resistant so it won't discolour over time.
- COMPACT EVERYDAY COOKING: A practical 20L capacity with a 24.5cm glass turntable fits standard dinner plates and bowls, delivering reliable, even heating for quick meals, snacks and reheats in busy...
First Impressions: Unboxing the RHBM2002B and Its Key Features
Pulling the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill from its packaging, the first thing we noticed was its substantial weight and solid build quality. At 17 kilograms, it feels robust and well-constructed, a reassuring sign for an appliance destined for daily use. This isn’t a flimsy, lightweight unit; as one user correctly noted, you need to ensure your cabinet shelf is up to the task of supporting it. The aesthetic is immediately striking—a deep, uniform black with a highly reflective mirror glass door. This design choice allows it to blend seamlessly into modern kitchens, especially those with other black or stainless steel appliances. When inactive, the door presents a sleek, opaque surface that hides the interior, contributing to a very clean and minimalist look. It comes ready to use with a standard UK plug, a huge plus that, as we and other users found, eliminates the need for an electrician for installation. The package includes the necessary mounting hardware and a comprehensive manual that clearly explains the multitude of settings. Seeing it for the first time, it presents as a significant upgrade from typical supermarket models, offering a premium, integrated look at a surprisingly accessible price point. You can see its full feature set and user reviews to get a better sense of its premium feel.
What We Like
- Sleek, modern design with a mirror door finish that integrates beautifully into cabinetry.
- Dual functionality with a powerful 1000W grill in addition to the 800W microwave.
- Shallow depth design makes it compatible with certain wall cabinets where others won’t fit.
- Simple plug-and-go installation, no hardwiring required.
- Excellent value for a built-in model with these features.
Limitations
- Installation can be tricky due to non-essential trim pieces and loose feet, as noted in user feedback.
- Some reports of interior light dimming or failing, suggesting potential quality control inconsistencies.
Performance Under Pressure: A Hands-On Test of the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B
A microwave’s true worth is proven not on the spec sheet, but in the heat of the kitchen. We put the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill through a comprehensive series of tests, from simple reheating to complex combination cooking, to see if its performance matched its polished exterior. We focused on the everyday usability, power, and versatility that matter most to a modern household.
Installation and Design Integration: A Sleek Fit with a Few Quirks
The primary appeal of a built-in appliance is how it integrates into your kitchen, and this is where the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill largely succeeds. Its external dimensions are designed for a standard 60cm wide housing unit, and its striking black mirror finish is undeniably modern. Once installed, it looks far more expensive than it is, presenting a flush, cohesive front that elevates the entire cabinet run.
However, the installation process itself revealed a few quirks, confirming observations from other users. The unit comes with a top and bottom trim piece used for securing it to the cabinet. We found, as did one user, that these pieces can make for an unnecessarily tight fit. In our test cabinet, we had to carefully adjust the placement to prevent the door from scraping, and could see why some users might opt to remove the trim for a better fit, though we’d advise caution as this is how it’s designed to be secured. Furthermore, the small plastic feet felt somewhat loose and insubstantial for a 17kg unit. We ensured it was sitting perfectly level on a solid shelf before proceeding. A major advantage we must highlight, and one echoed by a user, is its relatively shallow depth. This model is one of the few microwave-grill combinations that can successfully be installed in a shallower 33cm depth wall unit, a significant plus for those with non-standard kitchen designs. Crucially, as with any heat-producing appliance, ventilation is key. We noted the user warning about the back of the unit getting extremely hot during grill use and can confirm this is accurate. It is imperative to ensure no cables are touching the rear of the casing and that the cabinet provides adequate airflow as per the installation manual.
Core Cooking Performance: Is 800W Powerful Enough?
With many freestanding microwaves now boasting 900W or 1000W of power, a key question for us was whether the 800W of the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill would feel like a compromise. After extensive testing, we can confidently say that for the vast majority of tasks, it performs admirably. We were particularly impressed with the evenness of the cooking. A bowl of leftover chilli reheated beautifully without any cold spots, and a jacket potato cooked through evenly using the auto-cook setting, resulting in a fluffy interior. This consistent performance is thanks to the well-engineered turntable system and energy distribution within the 20L cavity.
This experience mirrors that of users who were initially sceptical of the 800W rating but came away impressed. One user noted that while their previous freestanding unit was more powerful on paper, this model “cooks everything quickly and generally matches what products say on the side.” We agree. Cooking times for ready meals and packaged foods were spot-on with their instructions. The five distinct power levels provide excellent control for more delicate tasks. We used a lower setting to gently soften butter without melting it and another to perfectly defrost a chicken breast using the weight-defrost function, which proved to be accurate and effective, leaving no cooked edges. For a 20L built-in unit, the 800W power is perfectly balanced, delivering consistent results without any noticeable performance lag. You can check the latest price and availability and see for yourself how it compares to more powerful, and often more expensive, models.
The 1000W Grill: Adding a Crispy Dimension
The inclusion of a 1000W grill is what elevates the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill from a simple reheating device to a versatile cooking tool. This is the feature that can brown the cheese on a lasagne, crisp up bacon, or create a perfectly golden-brown cheese toastie. We tested the grill using the included wire rack, which raises food closer to the heating element. Our cheese on toast came out evenly browned and bubbling, and sausages cooked through with a decent colour, albeit taking a little longer than a conventional oven grill.
Where it truly shines is in combination cooking. By using the grill and microwave functions together, we could cook a macaroni and cheese dish quickly and finish it with a beautifully crisp, golden top layer. This dual functionality is a fantastic space-saver, effectively giving you a second mini-oven for certain tasks. As mentioned before, the grill generates significant heat at the rear of the unit, a critical installation consideration. But the results are worth it. Having this feature integrated into the microwave frees up your main oven and adds a layer of culinary creativity that a standard solo microwave simply can’t offer. It’s a feature that really sets it apart in the built-in appliance market, especially at this price point.
Usability and Controls: Simplicity is Key
For all its features, an appliance is only as good as its user interface. The Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill employs a touch control panel that we found to be responsive and logically laid out. The digital display is bright and easy to read. Setting the time, power level, or selecting one of the eight auto-cook programs is straightforward. We tested the ‘Pizza’ and ‘Pasta’ settings, which delivered good results by automatically calculating the cooking time based on weight.
The simplicity of the controls was praised by several users, who found it “easy to use” right out of the box. The comprehensive manual is helpful for mastering the more advanced combination functions. The interior, which one user correctly identified as stainless steel, proved very easy to wipe clean after use, resisting the splatters from our tests. One point of concern, however, comes from a user who had to return their unit because the interior light became too dim to be functional. While our test model’s light was perfectly adequate, this is a potential quality control issue to be aware of. Despite this isolated report, our overall experience was one of effortless operation, making this a very user-friendly appliance for daily kitchen life. Its combination of straightforward controls and powerful features makes it an incredible value proposition.
What Other Users Are Saying
Our expert findings are strongly supported by the collective experience of everyday users. The general sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with most praising the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill for its fantastic value and stylish appearance. One owner celebrated it as a “good microwave+grill oven” that is “relatively fast,” and specifically highlighted the stainless steel interior as a key feature for easy cleaning and durability. They also provided an invaluable tip for others, noting it’s “one of the only ovens with grill function that can be installed on 33cm depth wall cabinet,” a niche but critical detail for some kitchen layouts.
However, the feedback isn’t without its critiques. The most common issue mentioned relates to the physical installation. One user described the fitting as “a bit of a pain,” pointing to an “unnecessary trim on the bottom” and “pointless and loose” feet that they had to remove for the appliance to fit well in their space. This aligns with our own findings that the fitting can be finicky. On a more concerning note, one user had to process a return because the “interior light has become dim and no longer lights up when in operation.” While seemingly a minor issue, a functioning light is crucial for monitoring food as it cooks. This feedback provides a balanced view, confirming the product’s excellent performance and value while flagging potential installation hurdles and a possible quality control weak spot for prospective buyers to consider when they explore their purchase options.
How Does the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B Compare to the Competition?
No product exists in a vacuum. To give you the full picture, we’ve compared the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill against three popular alternatives, each catering to slightly different needs and budgets.
1. Panasonic NN-ST48KSBPQ 32L Microwave Oven
- FAMILY-SIZE COOKING: The large 32L capacity and spacious 34cm glass turntable give you greater flexibility to use larger dishes and plates to cook for the whole family and any occasion
- GENIUS SENSOR: Experience excellent results with every meal thanks to the advanced sensor that measures internal steam levels to set the best cooking time. Simply select the preferred Sensor Auto...
The Panasonic NN-ST48KSBPQ is a countertop powerhouse designed for larger families or those who do a lot of microwave cooking. Its most significant advantages are the massive 32L capacity and the powerful 1000W inverter technology, which provides more precise and even cooking than traditional microwave systems. With 25 auto programmes, it offers far more presets than the Russell Hobbs model. However, it is a freestanding unit, so it’s not an option for those seeking a seamless, built-in look. Choose the Panasonic if you prioritize raw power, a cavernous interior, and advanced cooking technology over integrated kitchen design.
2. Samsung MS23K3513AK 23L Microwave
- Ceramic Enamel Interior - It's exceptionally smooth antibacterial surface makes it easy to clean. It is also highly rust and scratch resistant so it won't discolour over time.
- Eco mode - reduce the use of your standby power with eco mode to help save money on your energy bills.
Samsung’s MS23K3513AK is a stylish and highly-rated solo microwave. It splits the difference in capacity at 23L and features a durable ceramic enamel interior that’s exceptionally easy to clean and scratch-resistant. Its key selling point is its simplicity and reliability for core microwave tasks like reheating and defrosting. It lacks the grill function found on the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B, making it less versatile. This Samsung model is the ideal choice for someone who needs a dependable, stylish countertop microwave for everyday heating and defrosting tasks and doesn’t require the added functionality of a grill.
3. Russell Hobbs RHM2563 900W Microwave
- the russell hobbs rhm2563 microwave has a stylish and professional outlook, boasting an attractive mirror door finish. as well as an appealing look, this appliance also includes impressive...
- the rhm2563 from russell hobbs has a spacious 25 litre cavity capacity, comfortably fitting a large size dinner plate. it comes with a removable and dishwasher safe glass turn-table for easy cleaning.
For those loyal to the Russell Hobbs brand but not in need of a built-in model, the RHM2563 is a compelling alternative. It’s a freestanding combination microwave with a larger 25L capacity, a more powerful 900W microwave, and it also includes a grill function. Its stainless steel finish and mirrored door give it a similar premium aesthetic to its built-in cousin. This is the perfect option if you love the features and look of the RHBM2002B but need a larger, more powerful countertop version with the flexibility to be placed anywhere in the kitchen.
Our Final Verdict: Is the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B the Right Choice for Your Kitchen?
After rigorous testing and careful consideration of user feedback, we can confidently recommend the Russell Hobbs RHBM2002B 20L Digital Microwave with Grill as an exceptional value proposition in the built-in appliance market. It successfully bridges the gap between affordability and high-end aesthetics, delivering a product that looks and performs like a much more expensive unit. Its combination of a reliable 800W microwave, a versatile 1000W grill, and an incredibly sleek mirror-finish design makes it a standout choice for anyone looking to create a modern, integrated kitchen without breaking the bank.
While we acknowledge the minor installation quirks and the isolated report of a faulty light, these are outweighed by its strong performance, ease of use, and unique compatibility with shallower cabinets. It is the perfect microwave for small-to-medium households, renovators on a budget, and design-conscious individuals seeking that final piece to complete their dream kitchen. If you’re looking for a built-in microwave and grill that delivers on style, functionality, and, most importantly, value, your search should end here. We were thoroughly impressed. To make this impressive appliance a part of your kitchen, you can find the best price and order yours today.
Last update on 2025-11-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API