Bosch HMV9305 Microwave Oven Microhood Combination: Review

This stainless steel oven from Bosch is a wonderfully designed appliance. Made from stainless steel and weighing in at 60 some pounds, this oven is designed to last. This is a microhood combination meaning that it is designed to be mounted above the stove and can serve as a cooking hood. This hood is designed to bring in the air and recycle it back into the kitchen after filtration, so installation is easier then with hoods that require an outside vent. This hood utilizes a two speed (high and low) venting system that considerably reduced fumes and odor. The HMV9305 comes with its own charcoal filter and turned out to be as effective as any I've tried. Replacement filters are a little pricey for this model. Luckily, depending on level of usage, it should be several years before you need to replace it.

The oven has a cooking power of 1000 watts and a cooking space of 1.8 cubic feet. This size was perfect for my family of 4. In my tests the oven performed excellent despite the wattage being slightly lower than some of its competitors. The preset options are right on target. Using the presets the oven was able to cook popcorn quickly without burning, as well as effectively defrost 1 pound of meet. Other options include potatoes, pizza and vegetables. Microwavable dinners have been no problem either when following the box's directions. There are 10 different cooking power options available which is about standard, and gives a large enough range to fine tune your cooking. The cooking surface features the standard glass turntable and a 2 level cooking rack. It has been very easy to clean and the two integrated lights make it easy to see inside.

Coming in with a price around $500 this oven is slightly cheaper than some of its competitors but noticeably lacks the convection option. This oven would be perfect for an apartment condo or any one that is looking to save a little space in their kitchen and not sacrifice cooking area. However if convection cooking is appealing then this may not be the model for you, and you may ultimately end up loosing space thanks to this oven, it all comes down to your personal consumer needs. This model is relatively new however I would keep and eye on price reductions thanks to projected all time low consumer turnouts this holiday season. This should lead to considerable price cuts on everything from car, to electronics and even microwaves as retailers battle for consumers. I would pick this up once the Bosch HMV9305 drops a little below $500.

Cooking 5/5

Venting 3/5

Styling 4/5

Value 3/5

Overall 4/5