Choose the appliance that suits the cooking you do most often: a hob for frying pans and saucepans, an oven for roasting or baking dishes, or a microwave if you mainly reheat and defrost. A combination or specialist appliance is worth considering if you’ll use its extra functions regularly. Check its dimensions, the dishes it can accommodate and the installation requirements too.
If you cook this way almost every day, start by considering how many pans you use at once and their dimensions when choosing a hob. In its 2023 study of households in mainland France, ADEME and EDF R&D found that hobs were among the most widely owned appliances. However, this doesn’t tell you which type of hob will suit your kitchen.
For roasting, baking or cooking several dishes at once, look at the oven capacity, available settings and the size of your dishes. If you’re choosing a built-in oven, measure the housing space before selecting a model too.
A solo microwave is suitable for reheating and defrosting. A combination microwave or small specialist appliance is only worth considering if its other settings suit dishes you make regularly and you have room for it.
Start by listing the types of cooking you do regularly, then check that the features you’re considering suit the space available and the model’s instructions. For energy figures, ADEME provides guidance based on typical usage, while an oven’s energy label lets you compare its consumption per cycle for the specified setting. Neither figure on its own can predict your household’s energy use.
| Your needs | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking with frying pans and saucepans | Number and size of cooking zones; pan compatibility and the connection required for induction. | If you regularly use several saucepans or frying pans for the same meal, having suitably sized zones is a priority. Around 33% of consumers say hob cooking is their main need. |
| Oven-cooked dishes and portions | Oven capacity, energy use per cycle for each setting, and the dimensions of the oven and housing space. | For roasting, baking or cooking several portions, the main priority is an oven that fits the dishes you use regularly. This versatility is a priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Reheating and defrosting | External dimensions, usable space for dishes and the settings you’ll actually use. | If you mainly need to reheat or defrost food without taking up too much space, a solo microwave may be enough. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this need. |
| Frequent specialist cooking | Capacity per batch, storage space and how easy the appliance is to clean. | If you often make a particular type of dish, a dedicated appliance may be worthwhile, as long as you’re happy to store and clean it. This is the main need for around 20% of consumers. |
It may duplicate a task your hob or oven already handles, without being used often enough to justify the space it takes up.
Make a note of what you cook over a week or two and identify the dishes your current appliances don’t handle well.
Even an appliance you rarely use takes up space and needs to be stored and cleaned.
The stated power rating doesn’t tell you how much energy an appliance uses per meal. For an oven, the cooking setting and capacity affect how you interpret the figures per cycle; ADEME’s annual guidance is based on average usage.
Compare appliances with the same function and similar capacities, then consider their figures in relation to the way you usually cook.
The housing space, clearance, ventilation and power supply must all meet the requirements in the model’s instructions. Bosch says its induction hobs should be installed by professionals.
Measure the space and ask a qualified professional to confirm that the installation is suitable before you buy.
A grill and convection setting don’t necessarily mean the cavity will fit your dishes or the quantities you cook.
Check the usable dimensions, settings, temperatures and accessories against the dishes you usually prepare.
Worth considering if you’re comparing induction hobs and their cooking zones, model by model.
Worth considering for a built-in oven if capacity and cavity dimensions are important to you.
An option to compare when considering a combination microwave and you’ll genuinely use several settings.
A model to consider if you’re looking for a solo microwave rather than a combination model.
Worth considering if you regularly make a particular type of dish.
This selection includes induction hobs, solo and combination microwaves, and a specialist cooking appliance. Decide which type of appliance suits your needs before comparing the models’ features.
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A portable or extra cooking zone for times when you don’t need to cook on several zones at once.
Stated power rating of 2 000 W, eight power levels, seven preset functions and a 3 h timer. Use pans with a magnetic base measuring 12 to 26 cm and check the instructions for usage requirements. The power rating alone doesn’t tell you how much energy it will use to cook a meal.
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For households that plan to use the microwave, grill and convection functions regularly, provided the cavity is big enough for their dishes.
Stated capacity of 42 L and a temperature range of 140 to 230 °C for the relevant setting. Its external dimensions are 553 × 326 × 505 mm. Check the space available and the ventilation clearances specified in the instructions. Combination settings don’t automatically make it a replacement for every use of a family oven.
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For regular cooking with several frying pans or saucepans, if your kitchen can accommodate a built-in hob.
Four zones, nine power levels and a stated total power rating of 6 000 W. The specified cut-out measures 560 × 490 mm. Before installation, confirm the dimensions, power supply, ventilation and pan compatibility against the instructions and with a professional.
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For regular reheating and defrosting, without the need for grill or convection settings.
Stated capacity of 20 L, power rating of 700 W and six power levels. The stated external dimensions are 44.6 × 36.3 × 24.3 cm. Check that your dishes fit inside the cavity and that you can leave the clearances required in the instructions.
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For regularly making specific dishes that benefit from two independently adjustable compartments.
Stated total capacity of 7.6 L, split between two 3.8 L drawers. Check how much food fits in each drawer, how much worktop space you have and the clearance needed around the air inlets and outlets. This specialist appliance can’t replace all the cooking you can do with a hob or oven.
Start by considering how many pans you use at once and their size, then check whether they’re suitable for induction and what installation is required. Based on its typical reference usage, ADEME gives annual figures of 200 kWh for a ceramic hob and 115 kWh for an induction hob, among the most efficient new appliances. These figures can’t predict your household’s energy use or the consumption of a specific model.
Compare the efficiency rating, cavity capacity and energy use per cycle for the settings listed, taking into account the size of the dishes you cook. The European Commission says that mandatory energy labelling applies to household ovens and cooker hoods, but not to appliances using a microwave heating function.
It may handle some of your cooking if the cavity, temperatures, settings and accessories suit the dishes you usually make. For example, Panasonic lists a 34 L capacity and microwave, grill and convection functions for the NN-CD88. These features alone don’t guarantee that it can accommodate the quantities you’d cook in a family oven.
Check the instructions for the cut-out dimensions, clearances, ventilation and power supply requirements, then ask a qualified professional to confirm they’re suitable for your kitchen. Bosch says its induction hobs should be installed by professionals. Your home’s electrical setup can’t be assessed from the product details alone.
Add one if you make the type of dish it’s designed for often enough to justify the extra space and cleaning. Compare its capacity per batch and features with the tasks your oven and hob already handle, rather than assuming it’ll replace them.