Russell Hobbs Digital Built In Microwave 20 Litre 800W Stainless Steel Integrated with 8 Auto Cook Settings, Defrost Function, Clock & Timer RHBM2001

Delivered as promised in perfect condition. Fitted in the space like a glove ... was replacing a noisey old one which was well over 10 years old. Very happy with price and service. Easy to fit in my existing set up.

Premptive TL;DR: if you're using this microwave to replace an existing one that had a fully adjustable installation kit, you may have to do a bit of DIY to get this one to fit. Otherwise it's an attractive and functional oven at a very respectable price. But the display might be red.Pros: Good looking appliance and good build quality for the price, simple to operate.Cons: Installation may be a problem, possible red display may not be to everyone's taste.A little context for the installation problems. We bought this microwave to replace a Smeg that went in with our fitted kitchen and which finally kicked the bucket after 14 years of use. The installation kit for the Smeg consisted of adjustable feet for the oven body with adjustable spacer arms for centralisation, and a separate trim with screw-in plastic mouldings for attaching it to the wood frame around the microwave itself. In short, the position of the oven was fully adjustable in three dimensions within the cabinet, and the trim was then attached around it.The installation kit for the Russell Hobbs consists of a single screw, which sounds like the zenith of simplicity but isn't. More of that later. The trim is fixed to the oven body, and while it could be removed with suitable tools there'd be little point because there'd be no way of fitting it back around the oven once the oven was installed. The whole thing is designed to be fitted as one.The main problem for us was the height. Our cabinet recess is slightly taller than that specified in the installation guide, which meant that the oven sat too low and left a 1cm gap between the top of the trim and the shelf above. The oven itself has no feet of any kind; although some are visible in a couple of the handbook diagrams, and there are rectangular gaps in the corners that look as though they might take rubber feet, none are fitted or provided. The oven just sits on the lower shelf. Fortunately I had some spare shelves from a long defunct bookcase and was able to cut these to size and put them between the oven and the existing shelf. A near perfect fit.Which brings us to the mounting screw. This is a self-tapping wood screw that fits through a hole in the trim, below the door, and is supposed to bite into the shelf on which the cooker sits. The problem is that if your cabinet is constructed such that the edge of the trim sits outside it, flush with the wood, there will be no wood beneath the screw. If your cabinet is of the design that allows the trim to sit inside it, as in all of the photos on Russell Hobbs' website, this won't be a problem. Most installations I've seen are of the former type, so this screw fitting is practically useless. I'm confident that the oven is weighty enough not to move during operation or if someone yanks firmly on the door, so I'm happy to leave ours unscrewed. But if you have children or vulnerable adults in the house you may need to come up with an alternative solution just to be safe.And that's basically it. Not the most well thought out design in terms of ease of installation, but if you're happy re-purposing old hardware with a bit of ad-hoc DIY (or you're having it installed by a professional) then you shouldn't have too much trouble. Of course if you're building a new kitchen around this oven, rather than adding this oven to an existing kitchen, you can design the cabinet accordingly and all of these problems go away.As for the display, like that of another reviewer ours turned out to be red. It's frustrating that none of the promotional images or videos mentions this possibility, but it is what it is: just like a regular oven display, but red. If you can stand walking into a darkened kitchen and seeing an appliance that looks as though it's been demonically possessed you'll be golden, but if you have an aversion to red glows or want something that matches a bunch of other more traditional displays in your kitchen you might want to look elsewhere. Judging by the reviews here and on other sites it seems to be pot luck whether you get a green or red display. Having seen similar models from other brands, it looks as though these may be produced by a third party and re-badged.Display aside, the overall look of the appliance is wonderful. As other reviewers have pointed out, with its brushed metal finish and semi-mirrored door it really does look more premium than its price would suggest.But enough of this installation and aesthetic guff, how well does it oven? The good news is that as an actual microwave oven for microwaving things, it microwaves things just fine. Controls are straightforward and easy to use, and power levels seem to be on a par with our previous oven. Obviously it's difficult doing a performance evaluation after only 24 hours, and I reserve the right to return here and dock it more stars if it starts doing unspeakable things to my baked beans or soup. But for now it does exactly what it needs to do.One final note, not really a criticism but an observation: although the capacity is 20l the physical dimensions of the cavity were slightly different to our old oven, being marginally deeper but also narrower by about 7mm. If you have some favourite large plates which will only just fit into your current 20l oven, you might want to check the dimensions against this before you order it as a replacement. Ours do fit, but you need the alignment skills of a Panama Canal pilot to get them central without nudging the sides during operation.

This was bought to replace the one I bought 11 years ago. Easy to use and clean and I opted not to have a grill as my last one was impossible to clean. Highly recommend.

This replaced our old SMEG built in microwave... and to be honest compared to something that was costing several hundred pounds, this for fit and look was a good but. It fitted into the old space really easily and looks really good.As a microwave it has some neat features for pre-set cooking, which are easily accessed on the front panel - very pleased

Working nicely

The media could not be loaded. The Russell Hobbs microwave is a great option for those on a budget, but it comes with a few limitations. Unlike other inbuilt microwaves, this one doesn't have a versatile fitting. It doesn't have the ability to raise or lower the stand, and the besel isn't detachable for seamless installation. I had to create a small plinth for it to sit on. While the installation was easy, it doesn't feel very sturdy in the housing unit, with only one screw and the adjustment screw holding it in place. The inside area is relatively small, even though it has a 20L capacity. On a positive note, the one-touch start feature is great, and the user interface is easy to use. Overall, it's a good purchase for the price, but it falls short of a 5-star rating.

Like for like replacement, great delivery time and product works perfectly.

This microwave was easy to install as a replacement for an old microwave that had failed after years of good service. Of course, the first essential is to carefully check the measurements of your cabinet, and if all is well, the Russell Hobbs will slide into place. It's heavy, and this is much easier with two people. To keep it in place in the cabinet, there is just one screw to drive into the shelf on which the microwave stands, and you get a screw head cover so it is not visible. This absolutely has to be secure.The device looks just as good as big brand models which cost three times as much, with a nice brushed steel finish and a semi-mirrored door. The interior is smooth and polished, and the glass turntable is easy to clean.The power is a nominal 800W, but I think it is a bit weaker than that, and I find I am adding about 15% (10 sec per minute) to the times for heating at 800W that you get on food packaging. Controls could be better. There is a convenient minute button. Just one click and you have a minute, two clicks for two and so on. For any timings that aren't whole minutes, it's messier. First you have to press the power button, then press it again even if you are happy with 100% power, then twiddle the dial to set the time you want, then click the start button. A default 100% power would be much more sensible, as usually you just want to select time and start. The instruction book is a bit muddled and needs some expert technical editing to make it clearer. As with many microwaves, there are some programmed settings and defrost pre-sets that I suspect will get little use. Good grief, we don't cook in the things, we just heat stuff up.In summary, I think the Russell Hobbs microwave is good value for money, a bit weaker than I expected, and controls are a bit fussier than they should be.