Swan Retro Digital Microwave Orange, 20 L, 800 W, 6 Power Levels Including Defrost Setting, SM22030ON

Product Information

Maybe. If you want a small, budget microwave but you don’t want something that screams “cheap” then this is a good alternative to a supermarket special. It looks cute and the controls are simple and pleasant to use. It’s not terribly powerful, but what do you expect for the price? The Swan has an unapologetically retro look – which is somewhat amusing when you consider that microwave ovens didn’t exist in the 1950s. Nevertheless, the design looks good and would fit well in either a retro or contemporary kitchen. Swan's retro-style kitchen appliance range continues with the SM22030GN microwave in green, which features a distinctive 50s design with curved edges, a round display and dials, and a chunky, ribbed handle. For a coordinated worktop, you can match it with a kettle, a toaster, and a stand mixer, or go for the full whammy with the matching fridge and freezer. Compact but Highly Functional Make sure all items returned are complete; any incomplete items will not be credited and will be classed as unauthorised. The styling and indeed the controls are very much like those of the non-combi Swan Vintage SM22030 microwave. This means it features more knobs than buttons compared to rivals. The main controls are by way of a dial with which you can select the cooking mode, plus another to set the temperature, time and weight.

However, I found it hard to keep an eye on cooking. The interior of the oven does illuminate during cooking, but not very brightly. This and the dark mesh inside the glass only served to offer a vague impression of what was happening inside. I definitely couldn’t see whether the cheese was bubbling.

Compact but Highly Functional

Swan has combined function and fashion to support all kitchen styles through the retro range; with a spectrum of bold colours paired with chrome handles and buttons, it certainly won't get lost among the rest of your kitchen appliances! It would be the perfect gift for a loved one passionate about the flare of the 50s. The start and pause/cancel buttons felt like they should have been swapped around. Having the start button on the bottom-right and the cancel button slightly to the left is much more common. So we kept hitting the wrong one, cancelling a program instead of starting it. Annoying but you’d soon get used to the layout. There are no touch controls at all, just two small buttons: one to start and one to pause or cancel. As with the Swan’s predecessor, these feel like they’re the wrong way around. Conventional microwave design puts the “go” button at the bottom right and the “stop” button to the left. As a result, until you get used to the Swan, you’ll find yourself setting the cooking time and then cancelling it by mistake. Again and again and again.

The Swan’s design brings a smile to your face and the controls are simple and cute. The knobs – for choosing cooking mode and weight or time – are straightforward, if rather cheap and clunky feeling. The icons on the display though bring a futuristic look: lord knows what a fifties housewife would have made of it.It took four minutes to toast one side of the bread. The results were good and even thanks to the turntable, but the Swan was quite loud, with an annoying low hum emitted as the turntable rotated. A further three minutes was enough to melt the cheese on the other side. Again, noisily but evenly. But it has its faults: in particular, the menus can be hard to navigate. The Sharp R861SLM is a better combi for the same price. Or spend more and get the excellent Panasonic NN-DF386. If you’re on a budget consider the microwave-only Beko MOF 20110. Verdict

Explore Comet and discover a constellation of products from washing machines and fridge freezers to air fryers, 4K TVs, laptops, consoles and more - it’s easy to find everything you need for your home in the Comet universe. If you love the styling, then the Swan SM22080 Retro won’t disappoint. It does a good enough job and looks-wise there’s nothing quite like it, bar the non-combi Swan Vintage SM22030 microwave. If you fail to return the goods, we will collect them, and will charge you the direct cost of collection. If you fail to take reasonable care of the goods before they are returned to us, and this results in damage or deterioration, we will charge you for the reduction in value. Finally, the pizza was cooked – if you can call it that. It was everything you’d expect of a microwaved pizza… which is a real shame seeing as I’d cooked it using the convection oven rather than using a microwave or combi mode to save time. It was edible, but the thin base was horribly soggy.But it’s not all retro. For example, there’s a bright digital display. This comes into its own when selecting one of the 12 built-in auto cooking modes. This brings up a dozen cute little icons. So it’s retro in a thoroughly modern way, a Jetsons microwave if you will.