Start by choosing an appliance that can prepare the meals you make most often: a mini oven or combination microwave for oven-style cooking, a portable hob for saucepans and frying pans, a multicooker for soups and slow-cooked dishes, or an air fryer for small batches of roast food. Before buying, measure the space the appliance needs, including room to open it, then check the model’s instructions for ventilation and connection requirements. The stated power rating alone isn’t enough to compare how much electricity your recipes will use.
If you often have gratins, pizzas, roast vegetables or baked treats on the menu, consider a mini oven or combination microwave. The latter is especially worth considering if you also regularly reheat and defrost food.
If you mainly make pasta, sauces, soups or stir-fries, a portable induction hob lets you keep cooking with a saucepan or frying pan, provided you have compatible cookware and somewhere to store the hob.
A multicooker is ideal for rice, steaming and slow-cooked dishes, while an air fryer is better suited to roasted or crispy food that fits in its drawer. They offer two different ways to cook, even though both appliances can sit on a worktop.
In a kitchenette without a built-in oven, start with the dishes you usually make before comparing features, space requirements and conditions of use. The needs below group consumers by their main priority, although you may have several uses in mind.
| Priority | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Oven-style cooking and reheating | Check which cooking modes you need and the usable dimensions for your dishes. If reheating matters as much as oven cooking, compare a combination microwave with a mini oven. | I want to cook a gratin or pizza without giving up the convenience of reheating meals in a limited space. Around 27% of consumers make this their top priority. |
| Saucepans and storage | Check that your cookware is compatible and the right size, then make sure you have somewhere to use and store the hob. | I mainly need a cooking zone for pasta, sauces and stir-fries that I can put away afterwards. Around 27% of consumers put this need first. |
| Electricity use | Compare the power draw, the time your recipes take and each model’s connection requirements. The wattage alone won’t tell you its annual energy consumption. | Before adding an appliance, I want to know how my usual cooking will affect my electricity use and whether my installation is suitable. Around 20% of consumers make this their main priority. |
| One-pot meals | Look at the bowl’s capacity, the programmes you’ll use and the space needed to open and clean the appliance. | I often make rice, soups and slow-cooked dishes, so I prefer cooking them in a bowl rather than in an oven. Around 13% of consumers prioritise this need. |
| Small, crispy batches | Check the drawer’s usable dimensions for your dishes and the space needed to pull it out. | I mainly make roast vegetables or crispy snacks and want them to fit in the appliance. Around 13% of consumers prioritise this use. |
When comparing energy use, ADEME highlights the importance of how often and how much you use an appliance: its rated power alone doesn’t show how much electricity it will use over the course of your meals. When positioning an appliance, always follow the instructions for the model you choose rather than applying the clearances for a different appliance.
A long list of functions doesn’t guarantee that an appliance will fit your saucepans, baking tins or dishes. A hob, a multicooker and an air fryer don’t all support the same cooking methods.
Make a note of the meals you prepare often, then match each one to cooking in a frying pan, a bowl, an oven or hot air. Prioritise the functions you’ll actually use.
Depth, room for the door or drawer to open, and ventilation all matter too. Whirlpool France specifically advises that the air vents on a microwave must not be obstructed.
Measure the entire space and check the model’s instructions for clearance and installation requirements before ordering.
Cooking time and frequency affect how much electricity an appliance uses. ADEME’s annual figures for appliance categories don’t predict the energy consumption of your compact model.
For two appliances you’re considering, compare the settings needed for your recipes, how long they take and, where figures are provided for comparable conditions, their consumption in kWh.
The DGCCRF explains that the CE marking is not a certification mark. It can’t be used to compare the cooking performance of two models.
Instead, compare the features that matter for your dishes and keep the product description, instructions and proof of purchase.
The brand offers combination microwaves that bring several cooking modes together in one cavity.
The models featured here include a mini oven and a microwave with grill and fan-assisted cooking.
The Everyday Slim IH2108E1 is an example of a portable induction hob designed for cooking with a saucepan or frying pan.
The models featured cover two distinct uses: one-pot meals and air-fried dishes.
These appliances offer five ways to cook in a kitchenette: with a saucepan, in a mini oven, in a combination microwave, with hot air or in a cooking bowl. First, choose the method that suits the meals you make, then check the space requirements and instructions for the model you’re interested in.
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Worth considering if you mainly cook with a saucepan or frying pan and want to put the hob away after use.
Stated power rating of 2 000 W; compatible cookware listed as 12 to 26 cm. Check that your cookware is suitable for induction and consult the instructions for connection details.
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Consider this for dishes that need oven-style cooking rather than a hob for saucepan cooking.
Stated capacity of 23 L. Measure the space needed to open the door and follow the clearances set out in the instructions.
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Worth considering if you want one appliance for reheating and oven-style cooking, provided your dishes fit inside the cavity.
Stated capacity of 42 L and a three-function configuration. Measure the space carefully and keep the vents clear as instructed.
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Consider this if your priority is cooking small batches of roast or crispy food that will fit in the basket, rather than dishes that need to be cooked in a saucepan.
Stated capacity of 7,6 L. Check the external dimensions and the space needed to pull out the basket before deciding where to put it.
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Worth considering for soups, slow-cooked dishes and steaming in a cooking bowl; it isn’t a substitute for oven-style cooking.
Stated capacity of 5 L, power rating of 1 200 W and two power settings. Check the space needed for the bowl and to open the appliance.
Not for every meal: it’s suitable for food that fits in its drawer, but it doesn’t provide a cooking zone for a saucepan or frying pan. If you often cook sauces or pasta, consider a hob or a multicooker. For larger dishes that need to be browned, compare the usable dimensions of a mini oven or combination microwave.
Only place it somewhere that meets the requirements in its instructions and keeps the vents clear. Whirlpool France says that the air vents must not be obstructed. Also measure the space needed to open the door, and don’t rely on the clearance requirements for another model.
No: the CE marking isn’t a quality or performance rating. The DGCCRF explains that it isn’t a certification mark. To choose between two models, compare the functions, dimensions and conditions of use that matter for your dishes.
Yes. When a professional sells a refurbished appliance to an individual in France, the legal guarantee of conformity applies, just as it does to new and second-hand goods, according to the French Ministry of the Economy. This includes appliances that don’t match their description. Any commercial warranty is separate from this right.