If you mostly cook in a frying pan or saucepan, make a hob your priority. If you regularly cook meals in the oven, first check whether you have space for a suitable model. A microwave on its own is mainly useful for reheating, defrosting and simple dishes. Before choosing a built-in model, check its dimensions and connection requirements against your kitchen. Useful features won’t make up for an incompatible installation.
If you often start meals in a frying pan or saucepan, a hob will meet your main cooking needs. For a built-in model, check that you have enough worktop space and that the electrical connection is suitable before choosing the number of cooking zones.
If you often make gratins, bake or roast, an oven may be the right choice. If you already have a cabinet for it, its internal dimensions and the clearances specified in the instructions matter just as much as its cooking functions.
If you mainly need to reheat, defrost or prepare simple meals, a freestanding microwave may suit you without requiring a built-in space. You’ll still need to set aside a surface for it and allow the ventilation clearances specified for that model.
Start with the meals you actually prepare: cooking on the hob, oven-baked dishes and reheating all call for different appliances. Then check the available space and power supply, especially if you’re considering several appliances or a built-in model.
| Need | Points to check | Consumers concerned |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking on the hob | Number and layout of cooking zones; cut-out and connection requirements for the model. For induction, also check that your pans are compatible. | When I often cook meals in a saucepan or frying pan, I want to be able to do so as soon as the appliance is installed. Around 36% of consumers put this need first. |
| Cooking in the oven | Cabinet dimensions and required clearances; capacity and cooking modes that suit the dishes you make. | If I regularly make gratins, bake or roast, oven capacity is more important than reheating functions. This is a priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Reheating and defrosting | Type of microwave — solo, grill or combination — and the space needed for the appliance and its ventilation. | For reheating portions and preparing simple dishes, I first look for an appliance suited to those tasks, rather than mistaking it for a hob. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this use. |
| Kitchen compatibility | Measurements of the worktop or cabinet space; power supply and installation requirements for the exact model. | When limited space or the electrical installation restricts my options, I need to work out what can be freestanding or built in before choosing features. Compatibility comes first for around 14% of consumers. |
Having a socket nearby doesn’t mean it’s suitable for a hob. In the electrical framework it describes, Promotelec specifies a dedicated circuit for a hob, with an appropriate protective device and connection.
Identify the relevant electrical supply and circuit breaker, then check them against the hob’s instructions. If you’re unsure about the connection, ask a qualified professional to inspect the installation rather than altering the wiring yourself.
The installation may need to be checked or adapted before the hob can be used.
An appliance’s external dimensions are not the same as the dimensions of the cut-out it needs. For example, Electrolux gives the KIB60420CK hob’s overall dimensions as 590 × 520 mm, but specifies a cut-out of 560 × 490 mm.
Measure the existing space and check the cut-out, depth and clearances against the instructions for the exact model, whether you’re choosing a hob or an oven.
An unsuitable cabinet or worktop may need to be modified before installation.
A solo model is mainly suited to reheating, defrosting and some simple dishes. Samsung distinguishes these uses from those of grill and combination models; none of these options automatically replaces cooking in a frying pan.
Make a note of the meals you usually prepare. If you often cook on the hob or in the oven, choose the right appliance for those needs and consider a microwave as an additional option.
The annual figures published by ADEME are based on usage assumptions specific to each appliance category. On their own, they can’t predict how much energy you’ll use after moving in.
Compare appliances in light of how often you cook, and check the power ratings of any appliances you plan to use at the same time.
If your available power supply isn’t suitable for simultaneous use, you may need to stagger some cooking or look into changing your contracted power capacity.
These examples show what information to look for on a product page and in the instructions. The dimensions and features listed apply to each specific model, not to every appliance made by that brand.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for a built-in induction hob and need to check its cut-out dimensions.
A brand to consider for a built-in oven when you need to compare its dimensions carefully with an existing cabinet.
A brand to consider for multifunction built-in ovens if you cook in the oven often and want to compare cleaning options.
A brand to consider when comparing solo, grill and combination microwaves before deciding where to put yours.
These options cover three uses discussed in this article: cooking on a hob, cooking in the oven, and reheating or preparing specific dishes in a microwave. Choose based on the meals you make, then check that the model you’ve picked suits your kitchen’s space and power supply.
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Worth considering if you regularly cook meals in a frying pan or saucepan. This model is listed with 4 zones and 9 power levels. Check that your pans are suitable for induction cooking.
Before buying, check the cut-out, ventilation and connection instructions in the manual against your installation.
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For reheating, defrosting or specific types of cooking if you have room for an appliance on your worktop. The model name indicates a capacity of 21 L and a microwave power rating of 800 W.
Allow the ventilation space specified for this appliance: at least 10 cm on each side and 20 cm above. Check its supply voltage on the rating plate.
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Worth considering if you regularly cook meals in the oven. This model is described as a 71 L multifunction oven with catalytic cleaning and an A+ energy rating.
Measure the cabinet space and check the instructions for the required clearances and electrical specifications before choosing this oven for an existing unit.
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An option for reheating and defrosting if you’d like to place a microwave on your worktop. The capacity given in its name is 25 L.
Check that there’s enough space around it for the ventilation clearances specified in the instructions. A microwave won’t replace a hob for cooking in a frying pan or saucepan.
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Worth considering if your main need is to reheat or defrost portions in a kitchen where space is limited. This model is listed with a capacity of 20 L and a microwave power rating of 700 W.
Measure the available surface and check the instructions for ventilation clearances. If you want to brown dishes, check the functions of the model you choose rather than assuming it can do so based on its capacity.
Don’t assume that you can. For the hob installation it describes, Promotelec specifies a dedicated circuit with its own protective device and a 32 A connection with 6 mm² conductors. Ask a qualified professional to compare your existing installation with the requirements in the instructions. A socket nearby doesn’t confirm that it’s suitable.
Measure both the available space and the dimensions required in the instructions for the model. The advertised width isn’t enough: for example, Electrolux gives the KIB60420CK hob’s overall dimensions as 590 × 520 mm, but specifies a cut-out of 560 × 490 mm. For an oven, also check the cabinet depth and required clearances.
Yes, if you mainly plan to reheat, defrost and prepare simple dishes. Samsung distinguishes solo models from grill and combination models according to the types of cooking you need. If you often need a frying pan, saucepan or oven, choose an appliance that’s suited to those uses too.
First compare how often you’ll use each appliance and which functions you need, rather than comparing annual figures for different categories alone. ADEME’s energy-use figures are based on usage assumptions and don’t predict your household’s consumption. Also check the power ratings of appliances you might use at the same time: the Médiateur national de l’énergie notes that your contracted power capacity limits what you can run simultaneously.