If you already have an oven and hob, only add another appliance if there’s a regular task they don’t handle well in your kitchen. An air fryer is best for small batches of roasted or crispy food; a multicooker suits one-pot meals that need less attention; and a microwave is ideal for reheating and defrosting. A combination microwave is worth considering if you’ll also use its other cooking modes. For large dishes or cooking in several containers at once, your oven and hob are usually the best place to start.
Start with the meals you make often, rather than the number of functions listed on the box.
If you regularly cook a small portion of roasted or crispy food, an air fryer can complement your oven. However, UFC-Que Choisir points out that its cooking space limits the quantity you can make, so check the basket against the dishes you usually cook.
For rice, steaming or saucy dishes, a multicooker can bring together the cooking modes you actually use. Check the maximum fill level and see which steps still need your attention.
If you defrost and reheat far more often than you roast, a microwave is a more direct fit for your needs. UFC-Que Choisir notes that a combination model adds oven functions; make sure you need them before giving up kitchen space.
If you already have an oven and hob, start with your main need, then check how much food the appliance can cook and how much space it will take up.
| Priority | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Small, crispy batches | Compare the quantity recommended in the instructions with your portions, and check the usable shape of the basket. | I often cook a small roasted portion and don’t want to use the oven just for that; around 33% of consumers would make this their priority. |
| One-pot cooking | Check the maximum fill level and make sure it has the modes your recipes need, such as steaming, slow cooking or pressure cooking. | When I make rice or a saucy dish, I mainly want to spend less time keeping an eye on it. This would be the priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Reheating and available space | Choose between a standard and combination microwave, then measure the space available and the cavity needed for your containers. | I mainly need to reheat or defrost meals, and I want to keep the number of appliances in my kitchen down; around 25% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Larger meals | Check the usable cooking area, the size of your dishes and, if needed, the settings for both zones. | When serving several parts of a meal together, I need to avoid cooking multiple batches. Around 17% of consumers would make this their priority. |
A large stated capacity doesn’t tell you on its own whether your dish will fit in the basket or how full you can fill the pot. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo pot with a maximum cooking capacity of 4 L.
An extra appliance takes up space even when you’re not using it. UFC-Que Choisir highlights both the space it occupies and the quantities limited by the basket.
Make a note of a few meals you prepare regularly. If the basket isn’t suitable for their size or quantity, sticking with your oven may make more sense.
The stated capacity isn’t necessarily the amount you can cook, especially when a recipe needs room below the maximum fill level.
Check the instructions for your usual recipes and compare the permitted quantity with the amount you actually cook.
In their comparison published in 2026, ADEME and INC found that efficiency varies depending on the dishes, models and brands, with no clear advantage for the combination ovens over the convection ovens they studied.
Choose a combination model if you plan to use its extra modes and bringing several functions together in one appliance would help with your space constraints.
Batch size, recipe and model all affect cooking conditions. A figure quoted for one use may not reflect how you cook.
First compare the meals each appliance would let you prepare, then look for measurements taken under conditions similar to your portions and recipes.
The Easy Fry and Cookeo ranges cater to two different needs: hot-air cooking and meals prepared in a pot.
The air fryer range includes formats worth considering if you switch between cooking separate items and making a single dish.
The Easy Fry range includes basket-style models, dual-zone models and models with adjustable space to suit different kinds of meals.
These appliances offer two ways to complement your oven and hob: hot-air cooking in a basket and one-pot meals. Choose based on the dishes you regularly prepare, rather than comparing their stated capacities as if they measured the same usable space.
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Worth considering if you cook two parts of a meal in separate baskets.
The title lists a total capacity of 9 L. Check the space available in each basket for your portions, as well as the appliance’s overall size.
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The two drawers are useful for households cooking different parts of a meal that need separate settings.
The title lists a total capacity of 9,5 L and six functions. If you need everything to finish cooking at the same time, check the model’s synchronisation options and measure the space where you’ll keep it.
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Consider this if you switch between small and larger portions and want to see the food while it cooks.
Check that the containers suit the quantities you prepare, and make room to store them with the appliance.
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Worth considering for meals you regularly cook in a pot, especially if you use several cooking modes.
The title lists an 8 L capacity, 1 200 W and 12 preset programmes. Check the instructions for the maximum fill level for your recipes, and measure the space before setting aside a place for it.
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For one-pot meals, compare its cooking modes with the recipes you make most often.
The title lists a capacity of 5,7 L and four customisable programmes. When pressure cooking, follow the fill-level limits and pressure-release instructions in the manual. Also check the external dimensions.
Not for every meal: it’s best suited to small batches of roasted or crispy food. UFC-Que Choisir notes that its cooking space limits the quantity you can make, so keep your oven for dishes and batches that won’t fit in the basket.
Choose a combination model if you’ll genuinely use its extra modes and want to bring them together with reheating in one appliance. ADEME and INC report that, in their 2026 comparison with convection ovens, the efficiency of combination models varied by dish and model, with no clear advantage demonstrated.
Go by the maximum quantity allowed for your recipes, not just the capacity in the model name. UFC-Que Choisir cites a 6 L Cookeo pot with a cooking limit of 4 L; check the instructions for the multicooker you’re considering to find its own maximum fill levels.
In France, if you buy from a professional seller, the legal guarantee of conformity covers, among other things, goods that don’t match their description. The Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control notes that it applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods. Contact the seller and explain the discrepancy.
You can take it to an appropriate collection point rather than putting it out with your general waste. The Ministry for Ecological Transition lists collection points, recycling centres and social and solidarity economy organisations among the options. A retailer may also take it back when you buy an appliance of the same kind.