To start cooking as soon as you move in, without making changes to your home, first choose the appliance that suits the cooking you do most often: a portable hob for pans, a mini oven for oven-baked dishes, a combination microwave for reheating and some oven-style cooking, or a multicooker for meals prepared in a pot. Fixed or built-in appliances require more checks around positioning and electricity. If fitting one involves changes to a rented property, check the relevant requirements with your landlord too.
A freestanding appliance can give you a way to cook without having to plan a built-in installation. If you later want to change the property or its equipment, ANIL states that written permission from the landlord is required for a furnished rental.
The space available matters just as much as the type of meals you make: a hob is for pans, a mini oven is for oven-baked dishes, and a multicooker is for meals prepared in a pot. For a combination microwave, check which modes are available on the specific model.
Choose an initial appliance for a use you’ll still have once your kitchen is fitted, rather than buying several appliances with similar functions. Leave built-in models until you can assess the cabinetry, electrical installation and fitting requirements.
Start with the meals you want to prepare, then check that the appliance you’re considering suits the space and facilities available.
| Priority | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Type of cooking | A portable hob lets you cook in a saucepan or frying pan. If it uses induction, check that your cookware is compatible. For oven-baked dishes, look at the functions on a mini oven or check that a combination microwave specifically offers fan-assisted cooking. A multicooker is better suited to meals prepared in a pot. | Do I mainly cook things in a frying pan or boil food, or do I prefer bakes and slow-cooked dishes? The cooking I do every day will help me decide which appliance to look at first. |
| Space and capacity | Measure your worktop and leave the clearance around the appliance specified in its instructions. Compare the capacity of the oven cavity or cooking pot with the dishes and portions you usually make. If you’re choosing a single-ring hob, consider whether you’ll need to cook things in sequence. | In a small space, I’d prefer an appliance with functions I’ll use regularly. I also need to be able to fit my dishes in it or prepare my usual portions. |
| Electrical supply | Check the model’s electrical and connection requirements against the specifications of your home’s installation. Promotelec states that a fixed hob or cooker needs a dedicated circuit, so don’t confuse this kind of installation with using a portable hob. | Before choosing a high-powered appliance or a fixed installation, I want to know whether my home’s electrical supply is suitable, rather than improvising a connection. |
| Freestanding or built-in | Follow the installation type specified by the manufacturer. Electro Dépôt describes mini ovens as generally freestanding, while Bosch describes its CMG7761B1 as a built-in model. For this type of appliance, check the cabinet dimensions and installation requirements too. | If I need a solution straight away, I’ll choose an appliance designed to be freestanding. If a project involves changes to a furnished rental, I’ll check the requirements with the landlord first: ANIL states that written permission is needed to make changes to the property or its equipment. |
Functions vary from model to model. Whirlpool describes its combination microwaves as bringing together microwave and convection cooking; this function isn’t included simply because an appliance is called a “microwave”.
If you want to brown food under a grill or cook with hot air, check separately whether your chosen model has “grill” and “fan-assisted” or “convection” functions.
An induction hob needs compatible cookware. Tefal’s Everyday Slim IH2108E1 portable hob features pan detection, but that doesn’t confirm that the pans you own are compatible.
Check the hob’s instructions for requirements relating to your saucepans and frying pans, then check how it needs to be connected.
If your cookware isn’t suitable, you’ll need to budget for other saucepans or frying pans to cook with induction.
A mini oven designed to stand on its own isn’t necessarily suitable for a built-in installation. The required dimensions and clearances depend on the appliance.
Follow the installation instructions for the exact model. If your plans involve changes to a furnished rental, ANIL states that written permission from the landlord is required.
Several appliances can take up your worktop while still leaving you without the appliance that suits the cooking you do most often. ADEME advises buying equipment you genuinely need.
First identify the essential cooking task you need to carry out, then consider a second appliance if it meets another regular need.
These models illustrate different uses; their specifications don’t apply to every model in each brand’s range.
The Everyday Slim IH2108E1 is an example of a portable, single-ring induction hob.
The MCP349WH is an example of a freestanding combination microwave that brings several cooking modes together in one cavity.
The Cookeo Mini CE880410 is designed for meals prepared in a cooking pot, rather than dishes cooked in an oven.
The CMG7761B1 is an example of a built-in option for a permanent kitchen, not an appliance to use temporarily on a worktop.
These options cover cooking on a portable hob, preparing meals in a cooking pot, and reheating or cooking certain dishes in a microwave. Each suits a different task, so start by choosing the one you’re missing at home.
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Worth considering if you want to cook in a saucepan or frying pan using a portable appliance, rather than installing a fixed hob. The product name lists eight power settings, a 3-hour timer and compatibility with cookware measuring 12 to 26 cm. Check that your cookware, socket and chosen location are suitable by referring to the instructions.
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This portable hob is suited to cooking in a saucepan or frying pan without a built-in hob. Its name lists eight settings, four programmes and a 1.5 m cable. Check the instructions for compatible cookware and the requirements for positioning and connecting it.
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Consider this if you want several cooking modes in one freestanding appliance, rather than cooking in a saucepan. The product name lists a 42 L capacity and a 3-in-1 configuration. Check the specific modes, the ventilation space required and the model’s connection requirements.
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This multicooker is worth considering if you mainly prepare meals in a cooking pot; compare its 3.8 L capacity with the portions you usually make. It won’t automatically replace a hob or oven. Before pressure cooking, follow the filling limits and depressurising instructions in the manual. Also check the exact model’s power requirements against your home’s electrical installation.
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This model is suited to reheating with a grill function; don’t assume it also has convection cooking. Its name lists a 20 L cavity and 700 W microwave power. Follow the model’s instructions when choosing where to place it: they require at least 10 cm of clearance at the sides and rear.
A portable hob is a straightforward choice for this kind of cooking, provided it’s compatible with your home’s electrical supply. If you choose induction, check that your cookware is compatible too. A multicooker or combination microwave won’t necessarily let you cook in the same way.
Not for every oven-baked dish: having a grill doesn’t mean the appliance has convection cooking. If this type of cooking is important to you, check for a “fan-assisted” or “convection” function, and make sure the dishes you use will fit in the model.
Choose a stable surface and follow the model’s instructions for positioning and ventilation. For a freestanding microwave, Joybuy France recommends leaving enough space around the appliance for ventilation. Check the required clearances before deciding where to put it.
Don’t treat an appliance designed to stand on its own as a built-in model. For a furnished rental, ANIL states that written permission from the landlord is required to change the property or its equipment. Before making any changes, also check the electrical installation requirements for the appliance you’re considering.
Search for its exact reference on RappelConso, the French public service that issues alerts about dangerous products, and follow the instructions if there’s been a recall. This is particularly useful for a second-hand appliance if you don’t know its history.