Choose an appliance based on the cooking methods your meals are missing: a mini oven or combi microwave for oven-style dishes, a portable hob for pans and saucepans, a multicooker for covered cooking, or an air fryer for portions that fit its basket. No single appliance automatically covers all these uses. Before buying, consider the space you have, your dishes and cookware, and the installation instructions for the model you choose.
If you need an appliance for everyday meals, start with the tasks you do most often: reheating, cooking in a dish, using a frying pan or preparing a slow-cooked meal. Portion size matters just as much as the list of features.
A portable appliance can give you more flexibility when arranging your space, as long as you have a suitable surface and enough room to use it. Also measure the space needed to open its door or drawer, and check the instructions before deciding where to keep it.
Rather than doubling up on reheating, identify what you’re missing: a hob for a saucepan or frying pan, a mini oven for oven-baked dishes, an air fryer for portions that fit in a basket, or a multicooker for covered cooking.
Sort your usual meals by cooking method, then check that the appliance you choose will work with your dishes and fit the space you have.
| Priority | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Oven-baked dishes | Check the convection and grill functions on a combi microwave, or the cooking modes on a mini oven. Compare the interior size with your dishes; the word ‘combi’ alone doesn’t tell you which accessories are suitable. | I want to cook a dish in a tin or brown the top, rather than just reheat it. A mini oven is suited to this; a combi microwave may also work if its functions and interior space suit my dishes. |
| Basket cooking | For an air fryer, measure the basket and allow space to open the drawer. Check that the amount you want to cook will fit the available capacity. | Most of my meals are portions that fit in an air fryer basket. If I regularly cook in large dishes, this capacity may not meet my needs. |
| Saucepans and slow-cooked dishes | A portable hob is for frying pans and saucepans; an induction model requires compatible cookware. Depending on the model, a multicooker may offer steaming, slow cooking or pressure cooking, but it won’t replace a hob for frying. | For boiling or searing in the pans I already own, I’d look at hobs. If I mainly make covered dishes, the cooking modes on a multicooker matter more. |
| Usable space | Measure the appliance’s width, depth and height, then allow for the space needed to open the door or drawer. Check the model’s instructions for the required clearance and supporting surface. | I need to be able to use the appliance without blocking the rest of the worktop, not just fit it there when it’s closed. |
| Electricity and use | Compare the appliance’s stated power with the specifications of your available power supply. To understand energy use, consider the modes you use, how long you use them for and how often. | I want to know whether my electrical installation is suitable and choose based on the meals I’ll actually cook. ADEME’s published annual averages for appliance categories don’t predict the energy use of a cooking session with the model I’ll buy. |
A mini oven, a hob and a multicooker each offer several uses, but they don’t all cook in the same way. An appliance with lots of programmes may still not handle the dish you make most often.
Write down your main needs — oven-baked dishes, frying pans and saucepans, steaming and slow cooking, or simply reheating — then rule out appliances that don’t cover them.
The stated capacity doesn’t tell you which size of dish will fit, how much interior height there is or how much room an open door or drawer will take up.
Measure your usual dishes and worktop, then compare those measurements with the appliance’s dimensions and installation instructions.
An appliance’s stated power doesn’t tell you about the condition of the socket or circuit, or what other appliances are connected to it.
Check the rating plate and instructions. If the electrical installation is old or you’re unsure about it, ask a qualified person to check the power supply before plugging in a cooking appliance.
ADEME’s published annual averages relate to appliance categories and typical use, not to a particular recipe or compact model.
When comparing options, consider what you’ll cook, how much you’ll prepare and how long the appliance will run. Don’t draw conclusions from the rated power alone.
These models illustrate different features; a brand name alone won’t tell you which type of cooking you need.
The range includes combi microwaves, worth considering if you want one appliance for reheating and some oven-style cooking.
Its mini ovens and multicookers offer two distinct ways to prepare everyday meals.
The brand offers basket-style air fryers for dishes that fit in their cooking space.
A portable Tefal induction hob may suit you if you want to cook with a frying pan or saucepan.
These options cover three ways to cook without a usable conventional oven: air-frying in a basket, cooking on an induction hob and baking in a mini oven. First, choose the cooking method that suits your meals.
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An option for portions that fit in a 2 L basket, rather than every type of cooking you’d do in an oven or on a hob. The product name lists a 60-minute timer and dishwasher-safe parts. Check the space needed around the appliance and the room available on your worktop.
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Worth considering if you mainly cook with a saucepan or frying pan rather than in an oven. The product name lists eight power levels, a temperature range of 60 to 270 °C and compatibility with cookware measuring 12 to 26 cm. Check your pans, the installation instructions and the power supply available.
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Another air-frying option if your portions fit in the model’s containers. Compare their size with your usual meals and allow for the space needed to use the appliance, as shown in the instructions. This type of appliance won’t replace a hob for frying.
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This hob is for cooking in a saucepan or frying pan that’s suitable for induction; it doesn’t offer the functions of an oven. The product name lists ten power settings, six functions and a lock. Before deciding where to put it, check its dimensions, the instructions and your electrical supply.
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Worth considering if you want to cook dishes in an oven cavity rather than in a basket or on a hob. Check that your dishes will fit inside and that your worktop has enough room for the door to open, as well as the clearance specified in the instructions.
It can handle meals where the portions and dishes fit in its basket, but it won’t necessarily fit large tins or dishes that need an oven cavity. Compare the interior dimensions with what you cook instead of relying on the stated capacity alone.
A portable hob lets you cook with them. If you choose induction, check that your cookware is compatible and the right size, then check the power supply and installation requirements for the model.
Check the model’s instructions for the type of surface it needs and the clearance required around it. Also check that the door or drawer can open, and inspect the cable and available power supply. The power rating on the appliance isn’t enough to confirm that your electrical installation is suitable.
For furnished rental properties covered by French Decree No. 2015-981 of 31 July 2015, Légifrance states that the minimum list of furnishings includes cooking hobs and an oven or microwave oven. This doesn’t mean that every compact cooking appliance can automatically count as one of these items.
Compare the modes you’ll use, the quantities you’ll prepare, cooking time and how often you’ll cook, rather than just the wattage shown on each appliance. ADEME’s published annual averages for an electric oven and a microwave relate to typical use in those categories; they don’t tell you how much energy a mini oven, combi microwave or air fryer will use to cook your meal.