Start by thinking about the meals you cook most often: choose a hob for frying or cooking in a saucepan, an oven for batch cooking, a microwave for reheating or defrosting, or a countertop appliance for a specific task you do repeatedly. Before buying, check the space available and the connection required. To compare energy use, look at similar meals and quantities rather than relying on the power rating alone.
If frying and cooking in a saucepan are part of your everyday meals, first check how many cooking zones you need, whether your cookware is suitable for induction and whether a fixed hob would need a particular connection.
For bakes, roasts, cakes or cooking several portions at once, the oven cavity size and the space available for your dishes matter more than how quickly it reheats.
If you reheat, defrost or make the same dishes regularly, compare the dimensions, capacity and features you’ll actually use. Check the instructions too, so you can allow enough clearance around a countertop appliance.
Start with the cooking method your meals rely on, then check the installation requirements, size and energy information that applies to the appliance you’re considering.
| Need | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Frying or cooking in a saucepan | Number of zones and whether your cookware is suitable for induction; connection requirements for a fixed hob. | If my meals call for direct control of the heat beneath a frying pan or saucepan, I need a suitable cooking surface. Around 29% of consumers put this hands-on style of cooking first. |
| Oven-cooked dishes | Cavity dimensions, space for the dishes you usually use and the electrical circuit; energy label where applicable. | If I regularly make bakes, roasts or cakes, I prioritise a cavity that fits my dishes and portions. Batch cooking is the main need for around 29% of consumers. |
| Reheating and small portions | External dimensions, capacity and useful features of a microwave; clearance specified in the instructions. | If I mainly want to reheat or defrost without taking up much space, I look for an appliance suited to these quick tasks. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this need. |
| Guided cooking for dishes you make regularly | Programs you’ll actually use, capacity for your usual portions and the space the countertop appliance takes up. | If I often make the same dish, a countertop appliance could save me from having to watch every step, as long as its features suit my recipes. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this more automated style of cooking. |
For a fixed electric hob or cooker, Promotelec specifies a dedicated circuit with a 32 A cable outlet for a single-phase supply. It shouldn’t be treated like a countertop appliance that plugs into a worktop socket.
Check the existing connection before choosing a model, and have a qualified professional inspect the installation if needed.
If the suitable circuit isn’t in place, work on the electrical installation may be required.
The figures published by ADEME describe different appliance categories and usage scenarios. They don’t prove that a small countertop appliance will use less energy than a hob or oven for every recipe you make.
When comparing two options, use a similar dish, quantity and cooking method. For the domestic ovens covered, check the energy label and product information too.
Cooking programs don’t automatically give a multicooker or air fryer the cooking surface of a hob or the space needed for larger batches.
Think about the dishes you make most often and choose a countertop appliance for the ones it can genuinely handle. Don’t forget to allow for the space it will take up.
Two countertop microwaves can have different cavity sizes and external dimensions. You’ll also need enough room to open the door and follow the instructions for your specific model.
Measure the space, check you can reach the socket and read the instructions for ventilation clearances before ordering.
Bosch gives you electric and induction hobs to consider, as well as countertop microwaves.
Whirlpool offers countertop microwaves, including models with several cooking modes.
Moulinex is worth considering for meals made with a multicooker or another countertop appliance.
These models cover occasional induction cooking, air-fried dishes and meals made in a countertop mini oven. Choose according to the recipes you want to make, then check the space available and the instructions.
Image unavailable
A countertop option for frying or cooking in a saucepan, instead of installing a fixed hob. The product title lists 2,000 W, eight settings, a temperature range of 60 to 270 °C and a 3 h timer. Check that your magnetic cookware is within the stated 12 to 26 cm range, then read the instructions for placement and connection requirements.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want to cook two foods in separate drawers. The title lists two drawers, a total capacity of 7.6 L and six functions. Check that the drawer split suits your portions, and allow enough space around the appliance as instructed. It won’t replace every type of hob or oven cooking.
Image unavailable
Another countertop option for cooking in a saucepan or frying pan without choosing a fixed hob. The title lists ten power settings and six functions. Use induction-compatible cookware and check the instructions for connection and ventilation requirements.
Image unavailable
For cooking in a basket when 4 L suits your usual portions. The title lists eight modes, a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer. Measure the space available and follow the ventilation clearances in the instructions. The power rating alone isn’t enough to work out how much energy a meal will use.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if your dishes need an oven cavity but you’re looking for a countertop oven. Check that your dishes fit the BXOV3000E and that its position meets the dimensions and clearance requirements in the instructions. The 1,500 W stated in the title isn’t enough on its own to calculate energy use per recipe.
Don’t assume that you can. For a fixed electric hob or cooker, Promotelec specifies a dedicated circuit with a 32 A cable outlet for a single-phase supply. Before buying, ask a suitably qualified professional to check your home’s connection. For a countertop appliance, check the requirements in its own instructions.
No. The DGCCRF states that domestic ovens are among the categories covered by energy labelling, but the label doesn’t automatically apply to every small cooking appliance. Compare models in the same category using the information that applies to them. When comparing different categories, also consider the dish, portions and intended use.
It can cook some recipes if its cooking modes and cavity suit your dishes. For example, Whirlpool lists a grill and fan-assisted cooking among the features of the MCP349WH, which has a 25 L cavity. Check the dimensions, accessories and space available for your baking tins before relying on it as your only oven.