In a small kitchen, start by choosing the appliance that lets you prepare the meals you usually make: a portable hob for frying pans and saucepans, a mini oven or compact oven for oven-baked dishes, a combination microwave if reheating and defrosting matter too, or an air fryer for portions that fit in its basket. Then measure the space needed to position and open the appliance, as well as the ventilation clearance required. A stated capacity in litres alone won’t tell you whether it will fit. To compare electricity use, look at similar cooking methods and quantities rather than assuming one type of appliance will always be more energy-efficient.
If you alternate between saucepan meals and oven-baked dishes, start with the recipes you make most often. A hob, an oven cavity and a basket-style appliance do different jobs, even when they offer multiple programmes.
An appliance that’s easy to put away needs to fit in the space you have and be manageable every time you use it. Check its width, depth and height, as well as the room needed to open the door or remove the basket.
For small portions, the key question is which appliance suits the dish you’re making and how often you’ll use it. ADEME’s annual figures describe appliance categories in French households; they don’t compare two compact models used to cook the same recipe.
Start with the cooking method you need for your meals, then rule out any appliances that can’t be positioned, opened or ventilated properly in your kitchen.
Best for: making mostly gratins, bakes or other dishes that need to be cooked in an oven.
Bear in mind: an oven cavity takes up space and doesn’t replace a microwave’s reheating and defrosting functions.
Best for: frequently reheating and defrosting food, while also wanting oven-cooking functions in the same appliance.
Bear in mind: functions and performance vary depending on the dish and model, as highlighted in the ADEME and National Consumer Institute study on combination and convection ovens.
Best for: meals that mainly involve cooking in a frying pan or saucepan.
Bear in mind: it needs compatible cookware and doesn’t have an oven cavity for baking a cake or browning a dish.
Best for: cooking portions that fit in a basket using hot air.
Bear in mind: the basket’s shape and capacity limit what you can prepare; it can’t replace a hob for dishes cooked in a saucepan.
| Factor | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Space and ventilation | Measure the appliance’s external dimensions and the space needed to open it; check the clearance required in the manual. | I need to be able to use and then put the appliance away without blocking its vents or access to cupboards. Around 29% of consumers would prioritise this space constraint. |
| Everyday dishes | Check whether your recipes need a hob, an oven cavity with a grill or convection, or a basket that suits your portions. | I make a variety of meals, but above all I want the appliance I choose to cover the cooking I actually do. Around 29% of consumers would prioritise having an appliance that suits their dishes. |
| Reheating and defrosting | Check which microwave and cooking functions the model offers, and whether there’s enough usable space for your dishes. | I often reheat meals and would rather not keep a separate microwave just for defrosting. Around 24% of consumers would put this combination of uses first. |
| Electricity use and cleaning | Compare energy use for the same dish and a similar quantity; check which parts are easy to clean. | If I use the appliance regularly, energy use per cooking session and ease of cleaning matter to me. Around 18% of consumers would put them first. |
The internal volume doesn’t tell you how much space the appliance takes up. The dimensions published by Whirlpool for the MWF255B microwave and by SEVERIN for the TO 2058 mini oven show two very different external sizes.
Measure the space in all three dimensions, then check the room needed to open the door or remove the basket, and to put the appliance away after use.
Whirlpool warns that blocked ventilation openings can cause a freestanding microwave to overheat. The required clearance depends on the model.
Check the manual before placing the appliance under a shelf or in an alcove, and keep its ventilation openings clear.
The annual energy use figures published by ADEME for broad appliance categories are based on different usage patterns. The ADEME and National Consumer Institute study also notes that combination ovens’ performance varies depending on the dish, model and brand.
To compare two appliances, use the same recipe and a similar quantity, taking account of the cooking mode and any preheating required.
A commercial warranty is optional. In France, the DGCCRF distinguishes this offer from the legal guarantee of conformity, for which a claim must be made within two years of the goods being delivered, whether new or second-hand.
Before choosing an extended warranty, check its duration, exclusions and repair or replacement terms against your applicable legal rights.
The brand offers basket-style air fryers, including the Easy Fry Essential EZ130810.
The Everyday Slim IH210801 is an example of a portable induction hob designed for cooking in a frying pan or saucepan.
The brand offers combination microwaves that bring together reheating, defrosting and cooking functions, depending on the model.
The TO 2058 is an example of a freestanding mini oven for dishes that need an oven cavity.
These appliances suit four different needs: cooking on a portable hob, preparing portions in an air fryer, baking in a mini oven or bringing several functions together in a combination microwave. Choose the function that suits your meals before comparing how much space each appliance will take up in your kitchen.
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Worth considering if you mainly cook in a frying pan or saucepan and want to put the hob away after use.
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Its 2 L basket is worth considering for dishes that fit in it in terms of both quantity and shape.
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Worth considering if you need an oven cavity for baked dishes but don’t want a built-in appliance.
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Worth considering if you want to combine microwave functions with some oven-cooking options in a single cavity.
Don’t put it in a closed cupboard unless the manual for that model confirms it’s suitable. Whirlpool says not to block the ventilation openings on its freestanding microwaves, as this can cause them to overheat. Check the clearances for your model, especially if placing it under a shelf or close to a wall.
It can replace a hob for cooking in a frying pan or saucepan, but it can’t provide the oven cavity a mini oven offers for cakes or gratins. If you prepare both kinds of dish, think about which you cook most often before choosing a single appliance.
No. In France, a commercial warranty is optional and separate from the legal guarantee of conformity. The DGCCRF states that a claim under this guarantee must be made within two years of the goods being delivered, whether new or second-hand. Compare the terms of an extended warranty with the rights you already have.
Ask whether your old appliance can be taken back when you buy a similar one. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition distinguishes between “1 for 1” take-back, linked to the purchase of a new appliance, and “1 for 0” take-back, which applies in certain circumstances. Ask the seller which arrangements apply to your old appliance.