Start by checking what your rental property actually provides, then choose an appliance to suit the meals you make: a hob for saucepans and frying pans, a microwave for reheating, a mini oven for baking or a multicooker for one-pot recipes. Before you buy, check the space you’ll need, the clearances specified in the instruction manual and the appliance’s electrical power requirements against your available installation. As ANIL points out, you should also take account of any equipment listed in your tenancy agreement.
If your kitchen area doesn’t have a usable hob, a portable hob could meet your needs for cooking with a saucepan or frying pan. If you’re considering an induction hob, check that your cookware is compatible, as Tefal recommends for its IH210801 model.
A microwave can be useful for reheating and defrosting. If you’d also like to grill or bake, check separately whether it has a grill and convection function: UFC-Que Choisir treats these as distinct features.
For gratins, quiches or bakes, look at the settings on a mini oven or combination microwave. For steamed, slow-cooked or pressure-cooked recipes, compare the functions of the multicooker you’re considering, such as those described by Moulinex for the Cookeo+ CE85B510.
Worth considering: if you don’t have a usable hob and regularly cook with a saucepan or frying pan.
Bear in mind: it won’t replace an oven or microwave; an induction hob requires compatible cookware.
Worth considering: if you often reheat or defrost food and might also want to grill or bake.
Bear in mind: a grill isn’t the same as convection, and neither function provides a hob for a saucepan.
Worth considering: if you already have a way to cook with saucepans and regularly make oven-baked dishes.
Bear in mind: it won’t replace a hob or microwave reheating; check its dimensions and the specified clearances.
Worth considering: if you mainly make one-pot dishes, such as steamed, slow-cooked or pressure-cooked meals.
Bear in mind: one-pot cooking settings don’t guarantee oven-style cooking; also check whether the necessary accessories are included.
| What you need | What to check | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking with a saucepan or frying pan | Whether a hob is provided and its condition; the number of usable rings and whether your cookware is compatible. | If you often cook meals in a pan or saucepan and don’t have a suitable hob, around 28% of consumers prioritise adding a cooking hob. |
| Reheating and defrosting | The functions actually listed; the usable dimensions for your dishes and the clearances specified in the manual. | If your main need is reheating or defrosting rather than oven cooking, around 22% of consumers prioritise reheating. |
| Cooking gratins and bakes | The oven cooking mode you need; the internal capacity and the dimensions of the dishes you use. | If you mainly make gratins, quiches or bakes, around 22% of consumers put oven cooking first. |
| Making one-pot dishes | The included settings; the accessories supplied and the space the appliance needs. | If your usual recipes are steamed, slow-cooked or pressure-cooked, around 17% of consumers prioritise one-pot cooking settings. |
| Fitting an appliance into a tight space | External dimensions, door clearance and the clearances specified in the manual; electrical power consumption and the available socket. | If your worktop space is limited or the location has installation constraints, around 11% of consumers prioritise the appliance’s footprint and installation requirements. |
Your tenancy agreement and check-in report may affect what you still need to buy. ANIL points out that equipment listed in the tenancy agreement must be in good working order and good repair.
Make a list of the appliances provided and compare it with your tenancy agreement, check-in report and, where applicable, the inventory before choosing your equipment.
A grill is for browning food, while convection is an oven cooking mode when specified. A multicooker’s one-pot settings aren’t interchangeable with these functions.
Make a note of the dishes you cook most often, then check the exact settings on each model you’re considering.
Two appliances might duplicate a function and still leave you without a hob for cooking with a saucepan.
Internal capacity doesn’t tell you the appliance’s external dimensions or how much ventilation space it needs. For a microwave, the output power isn’t necessarily the same as its electrical power consumption.
Compare the footprint, door clearance, clearances specified in the manual and power consumption against your available space and electrical installation.
Moulinex states that the Extra Crisp accessory for crisping food in the Cookeo+ CE85B510 is sold separately.
Check what’s included with the exact model before choosing an appliance to suit a particular recipe or accessory.
You may need to buy the accessory required for the cooking method you want separately.
Compare its mini ovens and multicookers, depending on the recipes you want to make.
Consider it for a freestanding microwave that combines reheating with cooking functions.
Consider it if you’re looking for a portable induction hob for cooking with a saucepan or frying pan.
Compare the EFP284 and EFP391 mini oven models.
Consider the DT200EU multifunction mini oven if you’re looking for worktop oven cooking.
These products cover several needs in a rental kitchen: cooking on a hob, combined reheating and cooking, oven cooking and one-pot meals. Check the functions and requirements of each model before choosing.
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Worth considering if you need a cooking zone for using a saucepan or frying pan; check that your cookware is compatible.
The title lists 8 power and temperature settings, adjustable from 80 to 270 °C, as well as a safety timer and IPX4 protection. One cooking zone.
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Worth considering if you want to reheat meals and would also like extra cooking functions; check that the available modes suit your recipes.
The title lists a 29 L capacity and a grill. It identifies the model as a combination microwave.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for an appliance that combines oven cooking with hotplates. The product description states that the oven and hotplates can’t be used at the same time.
The title lists two trays, a rotisserie, convection, 2 850 W power and an adjustable temperature of 90 to 230 °C. 60-minute timer.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a combination appliance for reheating and other types of cooking; check the exact settings listed for this model.
The title lists a 42 L capacity and a 3-in-1 combination design. The associated description mentions 30 automatic programmes; check the model’s product listing for the corresponding functions.
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Worth considering if your meals mainly involve one-pot cooking, such as slow-cooked, steamed or pressure-cooked dishes.
The title lists an 8 L capacity, 1 200 W power and 12 preset menus. Follow the filling limits and don’t force the lid open while the appliance is under pressure.
No. The standards for decent housing set out by ANIL don’t, by themselves, require a fitted kitchen. They do require a kitchen area equipped to accommodate a cooking appliance and with a connected sink. However, check your tenancy agreement and check-in report, as any equipment listed in the contract must be provided in good working order and good repair.
For a property covered by French furnished rental rules, Decree No. 2015-981 lists, among other items, cooking hobs and an oven or microwave. Check your tenancy agreement and inventory before buying a replacement appliance; this rule for furnished rentals doesn’t apply uniformly to unfurnished properties.
Measure the space and follow the manual for the model you choose. Samsung France gives average clearances of 10 cm behind and to the sides, and 20 cm above its microwaves, while noting that requirements vary by model. These distances aren’t universal guidelines for other appliances.
Compare the appliance’s electrical power consumption with the available socket and electrical installation, making sure not to confuse it with microwave output power. Also check the dimensions and clearances specified in the manual. If you’re unsure whether the installation is suitable, ask a qualified professional for advice.
Check that the necessary accessories are included and that your cookware is suitable for the hob you choose. In France, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to a consumer. Check the seller for the terms that apply to your purchase, as advised by the Ministry of the Economy.