Start by choosing according to the meals you prepare most often: a combination microwave for reheating and defrosting, with convection cooking on some models; an air fryer for basket-style portions; a multicooker for meals cooked in a bowl; or a mini oven for oven dishes and baking tins. In a small kitchen, check the appliance’s dimensions, the clearances specified in its manual, and the space needed for cookware and cleaning. That way, you won’t add an appliance that duplicates something you already own.
If these are your priorities over oven cooking, start by looking at microwave functions. A combination model may also include convection cooking, but check that this feature is available on the specific model you’re considering, as Whirlpool France advises.
If this format suits most of your meals, compare the basket’s usable capacity with your usual portion sizes. The basket sizes shown by Philips France vary by model.
Rice, soup and slow-cooked dishes point towards an appliance with a cooking bowl, such as those described by Tefal France. For oven dishes, start by checking the dimensions of your tins: Moulinex France lists different compatible sizes for its mini ovens.
Identify your top cooking priority, then rule out appliances whose format doesn’t suit your meals or the space available. A grill function on a microwave doesn’t mean it also has convection cooking.
| Priority | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Reheating and cooking | Check the microwave, grill and convection functions separately, as well as the space needed to open the door. | I often reheat and defrost food, but want to avoid a second appliance if a suitable cooking function is available in the same space; around 29% of consumers would prioritise this need. |
| Basket-style portions | Compare the basket with the quantities you prepare in one batch, and measure the appliance’s external dimensions. | My meals usually fit in a basket, and I prefer this format to large dishes; around 21% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Meals cooked in a bowl | Choose a capacity suited to your portions and check for useful programmes and the parts that need cleaning. | I mainly prepare rice, soups or slow-cooked dishes and want a bowl suited to these meals; around 29% of consumers would put this use first. |
| Dishes and baking tins | Measure your cookware and compare it with the dimensions the cavity can accommodate, rather than relying on the stated capacity alone. | I want to keep using my baking tins and oven dishes instead of switching to basket- or bowl-style cooking; around 21% of consumers would prioritise this option. |
A microwave, air fryer, multicooker and mini oven don’t all take the same types of food or cookware. Having several programmes doesn’t make their uses interchangeable.
Write down the five meals you prepare most often and check which ones the appliance you’re considering can actually accommodate.
An appliance that doesn’t replace any of your regular cooking tasks will still take up space and need to be stored and maintained.
Two cavities with different capacities can’t be judged by their stated volume alone. For example, Moulinex France lists the compatible dish dimensions for each model it mentions.
Measure the tins and dishes you want to keep using, then compare their dimensions with those accepted by the mini oven you’re considering.
If your cookware doesn’t fit in the cavity, you may need to buy different dishes.
Ventilation clearances and removable parts that need washing vary by model. The space taken up by the appliance itself isn’t enough to determine where to put it.
Check the manual before buying: confirm the required clearances, how the door or basket opens, and the cleaning instructions for the parts.
In France, electrical appliances must go through a dedicated collection scheme, as described by the Ministry for Ecological Transition.
Find out whether you can return your old appliance when buying a similar one, or take it to an appropriate collection point.
Standard and combination microwaves to consider if reheating and defrosting are your main priorities.
Air fryers to compare according to the basket size your meals require.
Multicookers to consider for meals prepared in a cooking bowl, including rice, soup and steamed dishes.
Mini ovens to consider when using oven dishes and baking tins remains a priority.
These appliances offer several ways to cook in a small kitchen: hot-air basket cooking, a cooking bowl, a microwave with a grill, and a mini oven cavity. Compare their format with the meals you usually prepare. The microwave with a grill featured here shouldn’t be confused with a convection model.
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Worth considering if you mainly cook small portions in a basket. The product name lists a power rating of 1 150 W, a 60-minute timer and a non-stick basket. Compare the basket’s usable capacity with your portions and check the installation requirements in the manual.
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An option for simple meals cooked in a bowl rather than a baking tin or basket. The product name lists a stainless steel inner bowl and two power settings, 300 W and 600 W. Check where you’ll store it, and don’t assume it has automatic programmes or a keep-warm function.
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Worth comparing if you mainly cook using a basket. The stated capacity is 3.2 L; check how much room is actually available for your portions, as well as the clearances required where you plan to place it.
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Worth considering if reheating and defrosting are your priorities, with a grill as an added feature. The product name lists a power rating of 700 W; a grill doesn’t confirm that it has convection cooking. Check the manual for installation clearances and the dimensions of compatible cookware.
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Worth considering if you want to keep cooking with oven dishes or baking tins. Its stated capacity is 23 L; measure your cookware and check the cavity dimensions and ventilation clearances in the manual before deciding where to put it.
Measure the available space and the room needed to open the door or remove the basket, then check the clearances specified in the manual. For a mini oven, also compare your baking tins with the accepted dish dimensions; for a microwave, check which containers are compatible and which functions it actually has.
Check the manual to see which parts are removable and how they should be washed. Tefal France says that some removable parts of the SpheriCook RK745800 are dishwasher-safe, but you shouldn’t assume this applies to other models.
Not necessarily. First check whether the extra functions suit meals you prepare regularly, and whether your existing appliance already meets those needs. ADEME recommends buying only the appliances you really need and keeping the ones you own for as long as possible.
Take it to a collection point for electrical equipment rather than putting it in the household rubbish. The Ministry for Ecological Transition describes the ‘one-for-one’ take-back scheme when you buy an appliance of the same type. Check the retailer’s take-back arrangements or find a suitable collection point.