Quick answer
- You want to replace an ageing microwave — BALMUDA The Range K09G (£559.90), Sharp AX-1250R-B (£449.90) or Toshiba ER-SD95HKW (£659.90). All three include a microwave.
- You already own a microwave and want steam cooking and better baking — Panasonic NU-SC180W (£469.90) for most kitchens, NU-SC280W (£689.90) for four or more.
- You only want better toast and quick grilling — BALMUDA The Toaster K05E (£439.90) or Aladdin Graphite (£289.90).
- You specifically want steam without a microwave in the machine — the Panasonic NU-SC range has no microwave function at all.
Search for a Japanese oven in the UK and you will be shown four genuinely different machines under the same heading. A steam oven, a steam-and-microwave combi, a microwave oven with a convection mode, and a tabletop toaster are not variations on a theme — they cook differently, cost differently and take up different amounts of counter.
This guide sorts the eight models we stock into those four groups, sets out what each one can and cannot do, and answers the question we are asked most often: which of them can steam without using microwaves at all.
The short answer: four machines, one confusing category
| Type | Models we stock | What it does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam oven (no microwave) | Panasonic NU-SC series | ✓ steam · ✓ convection | ✗ microwave |
| Steam + microwave combi | Sharp AX-1250R-B · Toshiba ER-SD95HKW | ✓ steam · ✓ microwave · ✓ grill | — |
| Microwave oven (no steam) | BALMUDA The Range K09G | ✓ microwave · ✓ convection | ✗ steam |
| Toaster / tabletop grill | BALMUDA The Toaster K05E · Aladdin Graphite | ✓ toasting · ✓ grilling | ✗ microwave · ✗ steam cooking |
The distinction that matters most is the middle two rows. A steam oven and a microwave oven can look almost identical on a counter and cost within £100 of each other, while doing completely different things to your food.
Which of these can steam without the microwave
This comes up constantly, so here is the plain functional answer, taken from each manufacturer's own specification. We are describing what the machines do, not making any claim about microwave cooking itself.
In short: if you want a machine that physically cannot use microwaves, the Panasonic NU-SC range is the straightforward answer. If you want both capabilities but want steam to run on its own when you choose it, the Sharp and the Toshiba both list steam as a separate programme from their microwave functions.
A word about the BALMUDA Toaster's steam
The BALMUDA Toaster steams bread. It does not steam food.
You pour 5 ml of water into the top, and during toasting that becomes a thin layer of steam around the slice — the surface crisps while the inside stays moist. Its four steam modes are all bread modes: Toast, Cheese Toast, Baguette and Croissant. The fifth mode, Classic, is a plain oven mode with no steam at all. There is no setting for steaming fish, vegetables or dim sum. If that is what you need, you want a steam oven, not a steam toaster.
Do you need a microwave inside it?
This is usually the decision that settles everything else, because it determines how much counter space the appliance has to justify.
If you already have a microwave you are happy with, a dedicated steam oven is the better buy. You get real steam cooking and proper convection baking without paying for a second magnetron, and the Panasonic NU-SC models are noticeably lighter and shallower than the combis.
If your microwave is on its way out, a combi lets one appliance do both jobs. The Sharp is the slimmest at 39 cm deep; the Toshiba is the most capable, with eight functions and app control; the BALMUDA K09G is the design choice, but note again that it has no steam.
How much capacity do you actually need?
Usable capacity, not footprint. A 31L oven needs roughly 50 cm of counter width plus ventilation clearance on every side.
Capacity figures describe the cavity, not the footprint. The 31L NU-SC280W is 494 mm wide and 484 mm deep before you add the ventilation gaps Panasonic asks for — 20 cm above, 5 cm each side and 10 cm behind. Measure the space including that clearance before committing to the largest model.
All eight compared
| Panasonic NU-SC102W |
Panasonic NU-SC180W |
Panasonic NU-SC280W |
Sharp AX-1250R-B |
Toshiba ER-SD95HKW |
BALMUDA The Range K09G |
BALMUDA The Toaster K05E |
Aladdin Graphite |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 20L | 20L | 31L | 25L | 26L | 21L | 4 slices | 10L |
| Microwave | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ 1000W max | ✓ 800W | ✗ | ✗ |
| Steam | 100°C | 80 / 100°C | 80 / 100 / 120°C | Pure Steam | Superheated, to 250°C | ✗ none | Bread modes only | ✗ none |
| Steam without microwave | ✓ n/a — no microwave | ✓ n/a — no microwave | ✓ n/a — no microwave | ✓ separate programme | ✓ separate function | — | — | — |
| Convection / oven | 100–230°C | 100–230°C | 50–250°C | — | ✓ 1350W | 40°C, 100–230°C | Classic mode | 100–280°C |
| Grill / air fry | ✗ | Healthy Fry | Healthy Fry | ✓ grill | ✓ grill + air fry | — | — | ✓ graphite grill |
| Fermentation | 30 / 40°C | 30 / 40°C | 30 / 40°C | ✓ | 30 / 35 / 40 / 45°C | 40°C | — | — |
| Size W×D×H (mm) | 404×443×376 | 404×438×376 | 494×484×375 | 468×390×337 | 480×390×350 | 456×440×331 | 357×321×209 | 350×334×235 |
| Weight | 12.1 kg | 12.3 kg | 18.1 kg | 19 kg | — | 15.5 kg | 4.4 kg | 11 kg |
| Price | £419.90 | £469.90 | £689.90 | £449.90 | £659.90 | £559.90 | £439.90 | £289.90 |
Dimensions are the manufacturer's figures for the main unit, normalised to width × depth × height. Where a model is offered in more than one colour, the specification is identical and only the finish differs.
Which one for which kitchen
All UK-ready
Every model here is supplied for 220–240V with a fitted UK three-pin plug. There is no transformer, no travel adaptor and no rewiring — they run on a normal British socket exactly as sold.
Still deciding between steam and combi?
Browse the full range, compare specifications side by side and check current stock.
Shop Ovens & ToastersFrequently asked questions
Q: Can a steam oven replace my microwave?
A: Only if it has one. The Panasonic NU-SC models are steam ovens with no microwave function, so they reheat with steam or hot air — gentler on texture, but slower than a microwave. If the appliance has to do both jobs, look at the Sharp AX-1250R-B, the Toshiba ER-SD95HKW or the BALMUDA The Range K09G, all of which include a microwave.
Q: What is superheated steam, and how is it different from ordinary steam?
A: Ordinary steam sits at around 100°C. Superheated steam is steam that has been heated further — the Toshiba ER-SD95HKW takes it to 250°C. Because it is far hotter than boiling point it browns and crisps rather than simply moistening, and it is used to render fat out of food while keeping the inside moist.
Q: Which of these can cook with steam only, without using the microwave?
A: All three Panasonic NU-SC models, because they have no microwave at all. On the Sharp AX-1250R-B, Pure Steam is listed as its own cooking programme separately from Microwave and Grill. On the Toshiba ER-SD95HKW, Superheated Steam Baking and Steam Microwave are two different functions among its eight, and the superheated steam mode shares the oven's 100–250°C temperature control.
Q: Can the BALMUDA Toaster steam vegetables or fish?
A: No. Its steam is used only while toasting bread. Water in the tank becomes a thin layer of steam around the slice so the surface crisps while the inside stays moist. Its four steam modes are all bread modes — Toast, Cheese Toast, Baguette and Croissant — and the fifth, Classic, is a plain oven mode with no steam. There is no steam-cooking function.
Q: Is 20L big enough for a family of four?
A: For everyday reheating, fish, vegetables and a small tray of bakes, yes. For a whole chicken, two trays at once or batch baking, the 31L NU-SC280W or a 25–26L combi is the more comfortable choice. Remember that a 31L oven also needs roughly 50 cm of counter width plus ventilation clearance.
Q: Do these work on UK plugs and voltage?
A: Yes. Every model on this page is supplied for 220–240V with a fitted UK three-pin plug, so no transformer or travel adaptor is needed.
If you want the full detail on steam toasting specifically, our BALMUDA The Toaster guide covers how the steam system works, all five modes and whether it earns its price. For tabletop cooking rather than baking, see our BRUNO hot plate comparison.