Choose according to the dishes you want to make without switching on your main oven or hob. A mini oven, or a combi microwave if you also reheat food regularly, is suitable for dishes that need oven-style cooking. An air fryer is better suited to small roasted or crispy portions, while a cooking pot appliance is more useful for rice, steaming and slow-cooked dishes. Then check how much space you have, whether your usual cookware will fit and which parts need cleaning. Before buying, check the instructions for the exact model for installation and connection requirements.
If you mostly make quiches, pizzas, gratins or cakes in tins, check the cooking modes and internal dimensions before counting the number of programmes. Moulinex’s Optimo mini oven is a good example of this category, with several cooking modes. Just be sure to check that your own dishes will fit.
For one or two roasted or crispy portions, the shape of the basket and how easy it is to clean can matter just as much as its stated capacity. Tefal’s Easy Fry Compact, for example, has a 1.6 L capacity and is intended for up to two people. This applies to this model, not all air fryers.
If your usual meals include rice, grains, soups, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food, compare the functions you’ll actually use and how easy the cooking pot is to clean. Moulinex’s models show why it’s worth distinguishing between a multicooker and an appliance focused more specifically on rice.
Start with what you cook most often: an oven-baked dish, a small crispy portion, a meal cooked in a pot or reheating alongside other types of cooking. Then compare the usable capacity and installation requirements of each model, rather than looking only at its stated volume or number of programmes.
| Feature | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Oven dishes | Internal dimensions to suit your usual tins and dishes; the cooking modes you need. | For quiches, gratins or pizzas, I want to keep using my usual dishes without switching on the main oven; around 31% of consumers would make this type of cooking a priority. |
| Small crispy portions | The basket’s surface area and shape for the quantity you’re cooking; removable parts that need cleaning. | When I’m cooking a small roasted portion, I want a suitable basket without giving up too much space for the appliance; around 31% of consumers are said to share this priority. |
| Meals cooked in a pot | Cooking pot capacity; cooking functions and steam accessories that suit the recipes you have in mind. | If rice, soups or slow-cooked dishes are regulars on the menu, I’d choose pot-based cooking over a baked dish; around 23% of consumers would make this their main need. |
| Reheating and additional cooking | Whether microwave and convection functions are actually included; suitable containers and installation requirements. | If I regularly reheat and defrost food but also want another cooking option, I’d look for an appliance that combines these functions; around 15% of consumers would prioritise this use. |
A mini oven offers a similar style of cooking to a full-size oven for dishes and baking tins, provided they actually fit inside. According to Whirlpool, a combi microwave combines microwave and convection functions, so it’s also worth considering if you often reheat and defrost food. For meals cooked in a pot, compare a multicooker designed for a range of dishes with a more specialised electric cooker, depending on your recipes.
A multicooker with lots of programmes won’t necessarily be suitable for pizzas or gratins; a mini oven won’t make cooking rice or soup any easier.
Write down three dishes you make often, then check the cooking modes, cookware and quantities they require.
The volume of a basket, cooking pot or oven cavity doesn’t tell you whether a pizza, baking tin or food that needs to be spread out will fit.
Measure your cookware and compare it with the usable dimensions and internal shape of the model you’re considering.
Energy consumption depends on factors including what you’re cooking, the quantity and the appliance you use. ADEME presents a study by the National Institute of Consumption comparing combi ovens and convection ovens under defined test conditions. Those tests don’t establish savings that apply to every recipe.
When choosing between two appliances, consider the quantities you usually cook and the equipment you already own. Don’t turn a one-off comparison into a promise about energy consumption.
Ventilation, connection and installation requirements vary by model. A space that looks big enough based on the external dimensions alone may not be suitable for installation.
Before ordering, check the instructions for the exact model and confirm the required clearances, installation type, available socket and safety warnings.
If the space you’ve chosen isn’t suitable, you may need to move the appliance or rethink how it’s installed.
Two Moulinex models offer a useful comparison of different cooking needs: the Optimo mini oven for oven dishes and the Multicook Pro for meals cooked in a pot.
The Tefal models featured here include both a small air fryer and a rice cooker with a steam basket.
Whirlpool describes a combi microwave as combining the functions of a conventional microwave and a convection oven.
These appliances suit several of the needs covered here: meals cooked in a pot, small portions made in an air fryer and reheating alongside another cooking option. Compare each one with your usual dishes and the space you have available.
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Worth considering if you mainly cook meals in a pot and would also like a steam basket.
The product name lists a 5 L pot, two power settings and a non-stick coating. Before buying, check the instructions for electrical compatibility and installation requirements.
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Compare this model for small roasted or crispy portions, rather than larger dishes cooked in a tin.
The product name lists a non-stick basket, a 60-minute timer and parts described as dishwasher-safe. Check the basket’s usable surface area for the quantities you cook, along with the clearances specified in the instructions.
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Worth a look if you want an oven-style air fryer for a wider range of dishes.
The stated 11 L capacity doesn’t tell you which dishes and accessories will fit inside. Confirm the exact model and check the corresponding instructions for details of the accessories and the space needed for installation.
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Worth considering if you cook rice, grains and other pot-based dishes more often than baked dishes.
The product name mentions a 5 L capacity, steaming and slow cooking. Check the instructions for the model being sold to confirm electrical compatibility and installation requirements.
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Compare this model if you often reheat meals and would also like to explore an additional cooking option.
The stated 39 L capacity doesn’t guarantee that your tins or dishes will fit. Check the model’s instructions for the exact functions, internal dimensions, ventilation and connection requirements.
Not for every type of cooking. A compact air fryer is best suited to small roasted or crispy portions, while a mini oven is worth comparing if you cook in tins or make quiches and gratins. Check the shape and usable dimensions of the appliance you choose, not just its capacity.
According to Whirlpool, a combi microwave adds a convection function to its microwave functions. If you plan to use it for cooking as well as reheating, check the functions and suitable containers for the model you’re considering.
A rice cooker suits needs centred on rice and may also offer steaming and a keep-warm function, depending on the model. If you regularly make soups or slow-cooked dishes, compare the functions of a multicooker instead. In either case, check the pot capacity and don’t assume the appliance will automatically replace an oven for gratins.