Choose according to the meals you actually prepare: hobs are for cooking in saucepans or frying pans, ovens are for baking and dishes cooked in an oven cavity, and microwaves are mainly for reheating and defrosting. If you’re replacing or adding an appliance, compare its energy use with how often you’ll use it, then check the dimensions and power supply it requires. ADEME’s annual figures provide a guide to different uses, but they can’t predict how much your new appliance will consume.
If you regularly use saucepans and frying pans, consider the size of the cooking zones, your cookware and the space available. Induction requires magnetic-based pans, so check your cookware before replacing an electric hob.
For bakes, cakes or several portions, the oven capacity and cooking modes matter just as much as energy use per cycle. If you have a fitted kitchen, measure the housing as well.
A microwave is well suited to these tasks and can complement your hob or oven. Choose its capacity and functions to suit the portions you prepare, then check the space needed for a freestanding or built-in model.
First, decide which cooking tasks the appliance needs to handle. Then compare its energy use for those tasks and check that it will work with your kitchen. A microwave for reheating leftovers won’t meet the same needs as an oven you’re replacing for baking.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | Measure the housing or space available and check the connection instructions. Promotelec says that a hob must have a dedicated circuit. | If I’m replacing a built-in appliance, I want to know whether it will fit in my kitchen without discovering an incompatibility too late. Around 31% of consumers make this a priority. |
| Energy use for your needs | Compare how often you cook; when comparing two ovens, check the kWh per cycle and the mode used. ADEME’s annual figures may not reflect your routine. | When I cook almost every day, I want to keep the electricity used to prepare my meals under control, rather than judge an appliance on its stated power alone. Around 31% of consumers share this priority. |
| Cooking in the oven | Check the usable capacity and the cooking modes you need, as well as the built-in dimensions. | To cook family meals or several portions, I need a suitable oven cavity: around 23% of consumers prioritise this cooking capacity. |
| Reheating and defrosting | Choose the microwave’s capacity and functions to suit your portions, and check its dimensions or the space needed to position it. | If I often reheat leftovers or defrost small portions, I look for an appliance designed for these everyday tasks. Around 15% of consumers put this need first. |
ADEME provides figures based on standard usage, including 409 cycles a year for hobs in its table and 187 for a 63-litre electric oven. Your cooking habits and the dishes you prepare may be different.
Think about the meals you usually cook and estimate your hob cooking, baking and reheating separately. When comparing two ovens, also check their energy use per cycle in the same cooking mode.
An induction hob requires pans with magnetic bases. A saucepan that works on an electric hob won’t necessarily be compatible.
Test the base of your saucepans and frying pans with a magnet, or check their compatibility information before choosing a hob.
You may need to replace incompatible cookware.
An appliance’s visible width isn’t enough to determine whether it will fit an existing cut-out or cabinet. The electrical connection must also be suitable for the model you choose.
Measure the housing’s height, width and depth, then compare these measurements and the available circuit with the installation instructions for the exact model.
You may need to adapt the cabinet or have the electrical installation altered.
The Bosch PUJ611BB5E induction hob is a good example of the features to consider for cooking on a hob.
The Electrolux EDF4P46X2 and LMS4253TMW models let you consider a built-in oven and a built-in microwave separately.
The Whirlpool OMR551RR0X oven and the brand’s spare parts portal are two things to consider when buying an appliance intended to last.
These four induction hobs are designed for meals cooked in a saucepan or frying pan. Before replacing your hob, check each model against your cookware, the cut-out and the electrical circuit. This selection of hobs won’t replace the need to consider an oven or microwave if your meals require their functions.
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Worth considering if you mainly cook meals in a saucepan or frying pan.
Stated width: 60 cm. Before replacing a built-in hob, check the cut-out dimensions, electrical connection and compatibility of your cookware.
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Consider it as a replacement hob if your kitchen’s electrical configuration is compatible with this version.
The model name indicates a width of 59 cm and a semi-flush installation. Before buying, check the cut-out, two-phase Perilex connection and your cookware.
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Its four zones, including an advertised Bridge function, suit households that cook several dishes on the hob at once.
The title states 60 cm, while the listed dimensions give a width of 67,8 cm. Confirm the exact width and cut-out before ordering, along with the electrical connection and cookware compatibility.
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Worth considering for meals cooked on the hob if three zones suit the dishes you prepare at the same time.
The stated power of 7 200 W doesn’t tell you how much energy a meal will use. Check the dedicated circuit, cut-out dimensions and compatibility of your cookware.
It depends on the cut-out, the electrical circuit and your cookware. Measure the space and check the power supply before buying; Promotelec says that a hob or cooker needs a dedicated circuit. Cookware for induction must have a magnetic base.
Relate energy use to the cooking you actually do, rather than comparing stated power ratings alone. When comparing two ovens, check the kWh per cycle for similar cooking modes and the capacity of each cavity. ADEME’s annual figures for hobs and ovens are based on defined usage patterns.
No. The European Commission says that hobs aren’t required to carry an energy label. Compare their dimensions, cooking zones and compatibility with your cookware instead of assigning them an oven energy rating.
A microwave can handle reheating, defrosting and some small-scale cooking, but it won’t necessarily suit baking or the dishes you prepare in an oven. Choose according to how you’ll use it, and compare the capacity and functions of the models you’re considering separately.
No. According to the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to a private individual. Any commercial warranty is in addition to this; check what it covers before taking it out.