If your oven already handles the meals you regularly cook, keeping it and not adding another appliance is a straightforward way to free up space. If there’s a frequent task it doesn’t handle well, choose a format that suits your portions and the functions you’ll genuinely use. Before buying, check where it will go and read the instructions for the exact model.
If you already have an oven, check which tasks it handles before adding an appliance with similar functions. The features of models showcased by Tefal France and Moulinex France illustrate why cooking modes alone don’t necessarily make an appliance a useful addition.
Choose a cooking compartment to suit the meals you usually prepare, rather than opting for a large capacity by default. Portion guidance from a manufacturer applies to a specific model and doesn’t replace checking the usable dimensions for your own dishes.
If you’re considering a multi-function appliance, identify the modes you’ll genuinely use and what it could replace. A dual-basket model, for example, may suit your need to cook two separate dishes; that doesn’t mean its total capacity is one large compartment.
Consider this if: its modes and dimensions already suit the meals you usually cook.
Bear in mind: this option won’t help with a frequent task your oven can’t handle.
Consider this if: you often use a basket and can find a capacity that suits your portions.
Bear in mind: its cooking functions may overlap with those of an oven. Also check there’s enough room to open the basket.
Consider this if: you don’t have an oven, or your current one isn’t suitable, and you’d like a model with a rack and a flat cooking surface.
Bear in mind: the stated capacity doesn’t guarantee that your dish will fit or that the appliance will suit the space you have in mind.
Consider this if: you’ll also regularly use modes such as pressure cooking, steaming or slow cooking.
Bear in mind: the number of functions alone doesn’t determine whether it’s worth buying. Follow the instructions for the exact model, especially for pressure cooking and steaming.
Start with the task your current appliances don’t handle, then check that the new appliance can be used and stored without getting in the way of the rest of your kitchen.
| Priority | What to check | Who cares most about this |
|---|---|---|
| Avoid duplicating functions | The modes already available on your oven; the specific task you’d give the new appliance and how often you’d use it. | If my oven already handles the meals I cook, I’d rather not have another appliance taking up space without meeting a distinct need. Around 29% of consumers prioritise avoiding duplication. |
| Keep the appliance in a usable spot | The space it takes up and the room needed to open the basket, door or lid; the clearances, ventilation and connection requirements in the instructions for the exact model. | When I’m cooking in a small space, I want to be able to use the appliance without blocking the worktop or hindering its opening. Around 29% of consumers put having a suitable space to use their appliance first. |
| Choose a suitable capacity | The compartment used for each dish; the dimensions of your dishes and, for an appliance with several compartments, the capacity of each one. | I want the basket or cavity to fit my usual portions and dishes, without choosing a capacity that doesn’t match my needs. Around 24% of consumers prioritise choosing suitable compartments. |
| Combine useful functions | The modes you’ll actually use; the accessories required and care instructions specific to the model. | I want to replace several cooking tasks, not accumulate programmes I’ll never use. Around 18% of consumers who want to combine functions share this priority. |
Several modes on a countertop appliance may duplicate cooking options already available on an oven with the same modes.
First, note the frequent task you want the new appliance to handle, then check whether your oven can already do it.
The Philips NA352/00’s 9 L is split between two drawers of 6 L and 3 L. The stated 19 L capacity of a mini oven doesn’t guarantee that a particular dish will fit in its cavity either.
Check the compartment you’ll actually use for each dish, and compare its dimensions with those of your cookware.
Having enough room to store an appliance doesn’t guarantee you’ll be able to use it there while following its instructions.
Measure the space needed while the appliance is in use, and check the instructions for the exact model before deciding where to put it.
The Easy Fry Compact EY101815 is a useful example of a small-capacity air fryer.
The Optimo OX444810 mini oven is a useful example of a 19 L model with a rack.
The Series 3000 NA352/00 is a useful example of a dual-drawer air fryer.
The appliances featured include basket-style and multi-compartment air fryers, as well as a multicooker with an air-frying function. Compare their format with the tasks you genuinely want to add or combine.
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Worth considering for smaller portions: the product description lists a 4.7 L basket for 1 to 2 people.
The title mentions a power rating of 2,000 W and a non-stick basket. Check the appliance dimensions and the connection and installation requirements in its instructions.
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Worth considering if two containers of different sizes suit the dishes you make: the product description lists glass containers of 1.4 L and 3.8 L.
Check the instructions for guidance on using and caring for the containers and appliance.
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Worth considering if you regularly cook two dishes with different settings: the product description lists two independent drawers.
The stated 9.5 L capacity is split between two 4.75 L drawers. Check that there’s enough room for them to open and that the appliance’s overall size suits your space.
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Worth considering for cooking two dishes at the same time: the product description lists two independent zones with separate settings.
The stated 7.6 L capacity is split between two 3.8 L drawers. Check their dimensions and the space needed to open them.
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Worth considering if you’ll use several functions combined in one appliance: the product description lists pressure cooking, steaming, slow cooking and air frying, with two dedicated lids.
The title lists a capacity of 7.6 L. When pressure cooking, follow the maximum fill limit and don’t open the lid while the appliance is under pressure. Always follow the instructions for the exact model.
Look at the compartment used for each dish. The Philips NA352/00’s 9 L is split between two drawers of 6 L and 3 L; with a mini oven, also check that your dish fits in the cavity. Portion guidance for one model doesn’t automatically apply to every appliance in that category.
Follow the clearance guidance in the instructions for the exact model, taking into account the way it opens and where air or steam escapes. Guidance for a different model can’t tell you where to place your appliance.
Check the voltage and connection requirements in the instructions for the appliance you’ve bought. The Philips instructions consulted state that the appliance’s voltage must match the local mains supply. Make sure you check the exact model you’re considering.
No. The DGCCRF states that the CE mark is not a certification mark. For an appliance made available on the French market, check the applicable regulatory requirements and the required marking. The mark alone doesn’t prove that the appliance is suitable for your installation.
Not necessarily. Tefal says that some parts of the EY101815 are dishwasher-safe. Check which ones in the instructions for this model, and keep them separate from the electrical unit.