To prepare weekday meals without switching on the full-size oven, choose an air fryer for small portions you want to brown, a mini oven for dishes and baking tins, or a multi-cooker for meals cooked in a pot. A combi microwave is a good option if you also use it for reheating and want several cooking methods in one appliance. Whichever you choose, make sure its usable capacity, cleaning requirements and footprint suit the meals you usually cook.
You mainly cook small portions in a basket, and a golden finish and easy clean-up matter to you. UFC-Que Choisir assesses cooking performance, ease of use and cleaning separately in its air fryer testing process. The stated capacity alone doesn’t tell you everything you need to know.
You often cook pizzas, bakes, quiches or cakes in the dishes you already own. A mini oven or a combi appliance with an oven mode is worth considering, as long as the cavity can actually fit your dishes.
You prefer steaming, slow cooking or pressure cooking to spreading food out on a rack. A multi-cooker could suit you; check the available programmes and included accessories for the model you’re considering.
Choose this if: you mainly brown small portions in a basket.
Bear in mind: the basket shape limits the size of dishes and isn’t suited to liquid-based recipes.
Choose this if: your meals call for a rack, baking tin or oven dish.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to allow enough space for its dimensions and ventilation.
Choose this if: you mainly prepare slow-cooked, steamed or pressure-cooked meals.
Bear in mind: a deep pot doesn’t offer the same space as an oven for large dishes.
Choose this if: you often reheat meals and will also use the grill or oven-style cooking function.
Bear in mind: check the dimensions and which cookware is suitable for each mode.
| Priority | What to check before buying | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Browning small portions | Compare the basket’s surface area and recommended load, then check the washing instructions for removable parts. | If I’m making small portions to brown several evenings a week, I also want cleaning to be straightforward. Around 31% of consumers make this a priority. |
| Keeping the versatility of an oven | Measure your dishes and tins, then check the cavity’s usable dimensions and heating modes. | For my pizzas and bakes, I need space for my dishes rather than a deep basket. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Cooking a meal in a pot | Check the pot’s capacity, cooking modes and the accessories actually included. | When I’m steaming a meal or slow-cooking it in one pot, I prefer this way of cooking to having a roasting surface. Around 25% of consumers make it their priority. |
| Combining several functions | Check the available modes, turntable size and which cookware is suitable for each mode. | I regularly reheat meals, but I’d also like to use a grill or oven mode without adding another appliance. Around 19% of consumers say this combination is their main priority. |
Two cavities with the same capacity may fit dishes of different shapes. A basket, turntable and rack won’t all offer the same space for a rectangular tin.
Measure the dishes you use most often and compare them with the usable internal dimensions. Also check how much room you have on your worktop.
Pressure cooking, steaming and slow cooking are suited to different dishes from those cooked in a large oven dish or spread out in a single layer. For the Cookeo+ described by Moulinex, the Extra Crisp accessory for air frying is sold separately.
Start with the meals you make most often: choose an oven-style cavity for baking tins and bakes, or a pot if you mainly prepare slow-cooked meals.
If air frying is important to your choice of a compatible Cookeo+, remember to budget for the Extra Crisp accessory separately.
An appliance with several functions still takes up space: Panasonic lists the NN-C69K as 520 mm deep and weighing 22,2 kg. These dimensions apply to this model only.
Check that the door can open fully, that the surface is stable and that you can leave the clearances specified in the manual for your chosen appliance.
Electrical power is another factor to consider when choosing a countertop appliance. Civil Security recommends not plugging too many electrical appliances into the same socket.
Check the rating plate and manual for each appliance. If your wiring is old or you’re unsure about its condition, have it checked before connecting several cooking appliances.
The Easy Fry and Cookeo ranges suit two different needs: air frying in a basket or cooking in a pot.
Philips air fryers are worth considering if basket cooking and regular cleaning are important to you.
Severin mini ovens are suited to meals cooked on a rack or in a dish, rather than in a pot.
Depending on the model, Panasonic combi microwaves bring together reheating, grilling and other cooking modes.
These appliances offer three ways to prepare weekday meals: browning food in an air fryer, cooking in a multi-cooker pot or using a mini oven for dishes. Choose based on the meals you usually make, rather than the number of functions alone.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two dishes in separate zones. The product name mentions a modular basket, a viewing window and a 12-in-1 configuration. For soups or dishes with sauce, choose a pot-based appliance instead.
Before buying, check the dimensions, power rating and clearances specified in the manual.
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Worth considering if your meals call for two dishes with separate settings. The product is described as having two drawers and six functions; check that each drawer’s shape suits your portions.
Check the manual for ventilation clearances and your installation’s electrical requirements.
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Worth considering for meals cooked in a pot rather than an oven dish. The product name mentions pressure cooking, slow cooking and steaming. The pot doesn’t offer the surface area needed for large dishes you want to brown.
Before installing, check the available space, electrical specifications and steam-related instructions.
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Worth considering if you cook in dishes rather than a basket or pot. Check the internal dimensions against your tins: the power rating in the name doesn’t tell you how much room you’ll have inside the oven.
Also check its external dimensions and the ventilation clearances specified in the manual.
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Worth considering if you want to prepare several portions in one pot. The product name mentions pressure cooking, slow cooking and steaming, among other functions. This format won’t replace an oven for large dishes.
Before buying, check its dimensions, the connection and clearance instructions, and the cleaning instructions for its parts.
Start by looking at mini ovens and combi microwaves with an oven mode. Measure your dishes and tins, then compare them with the usable cavity dimensions: a capacity in litres doesn’t guarantee that a particular dish will fit.
No. The basket’s surface area and height, as well as its recommended load, also matter for your portions. UFC-Que Choisir’s air fryer testing process also assesses cooking quantities and ease of use.
Avoid overloading a single socket. Civil Security recommends not plugging too many electrical appliances into one socket. Check the power and connection details for each model, and have your installation checked if you’re unsure about its condition.
Yes. Follow the clearance and ventilation instructions in the manual for your chosen model. Check these alongside the space needed to open the door or access the pot, rather than relying on instructions for another appliance.