Just because your home has a small kitchen, should you forego buying useful appliances? When you’re already elbowing your partner by the stove, or crashing into your kitchen cabinet on the way out, you likely don’t want to add more bulky items to the tight space.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. All you need to do is to flip your perspective. What if there existed kitchen gadgets that were specially made for small spaces? What if some of these appliances were experts at multi-tasking, so you could use just one to do the work of four? What if they were smart devices so you could switch them on remotely, when someone else is pottering around the space?
As IoT (internet of things) and artificial intelligence (AI) functions dial up the technical prowess of appliances in the modern age, products are getting smarter and more energy efficient. There are a range of options for smaller spaces, so you don’t have to feel let down, thinking you can’t find enough place for the air fryer or multi-cooker you’ve been eyeing.
We scoured Amazon to select the best appliances for small kitchens. Pick them up with Prime membership for free, fast delivery, and make the time spent in your cosy kitchen even more rewarding.
1. Best Air Fryer: Nutricook Air Fryer Mini
Pros
- Compact, square-shaped basket fits in more food
- Unique body and tempered glass panel
- Four cooking programmes and four pre-sets
- Shake reminder for even fry
- Quiet performance
Cons
- Limited pre-sets
Thanks to the popularity of air fryers, you can choose from several different sizes and find one that is bound to suit your requirements. Our pick is the Nutricook Air Fryer Mini, which was our top choice among air fryers for small spaces in 2024. With a 3.3-litre capacity, this appliance can air fry up to 1kg of fries or 800g of a whole chicken – ideal for couples. Select from eight cooking programmes: you can air fry, bake, roast and re-heat, and choose pre-sets for commonly cooked items, like chicken, burgers or steaks. Reviewers say the device is compact and looks great on their countertops; it even has a sleek tempered glass control panel that’s fun to operate. A shake reminder gets you even results every time, and it’s quiet and easy to clean.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh12, and two-year extended warranty for Dh17.
2. Best Cooktop: Tefal Everyday Slim Induction Hob
Pros
- Six automatic modes and manual control
- Includes 180-minute timer
- Suitable for wide range of pans
- Easy to use and clean
Cons
- Can be noisy, reviewers say
Ideal for dorm rooms and studio flats, Tefal’s induction hob measures just 12cm by 26cm, and can be stored away in a drawer when you’re done cooking. The black ceramic plate is durable, scratch- and heat-proof, and easy to clean. You can choose from six functions: slow cook, stew, boil, stir fry or fry. And when you need an intense blast of heat – for instance, when you’re searing meat – you can boost the power up to 2100W for five minutes. Reviewers note that the pause button on the touch-sensitive control panel is very useful, when they need to stop cooking temporarily and attend to a different task. But some complain that the hob makes a loud buzzing sound when operational.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh23, and two-year extended warranty for Dh33.
3. Best Oven: Ninja SP101 Digital Air Fry Countertop Oven
Pros
- Powerful oven
- Compact design and can be flipped to stand upright
- Eight programmes
- Spacious interiors
- Toast darkness selector
Cons
- Power button can be a hazard when oven is flipped up
If your kitchen doesn’t accommodate a cooking range, and you’re using an induction hob instead, consider adding this multifunctional oven to your countertop as well. Ninja’s eight-in-one oven can air fry, air roast and broil, bake, toast, dehydrate, keep warm, and even has a special option for warming up bagels. Its interior height is just three inches, so it’s not going to loom over you in the kitchen. Still, it can fit a 13-inch pizza and up to six chicken breasts at a time, in its spacious oven. Reviewers appreciate the device’s toast darkness selector, which enables them to get their bread looking and tasting exactly how they like it. But the best part about it may be that it allows you to reclaim up to 50 per cent more space on your counter, when you flip the oven up to store against your kitchen backsplash. Do be careful with the start/stop button though, since it juts out and can be a hazard if accidentally pressed when the oven is upright.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh87.54 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh63, and two-year extended warranty for Dh89.
4. Best Blender: NutriBullet Blender
Pros
- Two blades, one for dry grinding and other for blends
- Compact design
- Easy to clean
- Includes several accessories
Cons
- No pulse control or multiple speeds
When there’s no space for a full-sized blender, opt for NutriBullet’s multifunctional blender set. The cup’s lid is essentially the blade, which locks into the motor base and experiences powerful 900W blending. Its snap-and-go system is quite straightforward, so don’t expect any buttons for power, pulsing or blending speeds. While it may not be the best option for more nuanced tasks, it can seamlessly handle a variety of ingredients, from fruits and vegetables to nuts and lentils. This nine-piece set includes a 700ml cup, two short cups (one with a lip ring), an extractor blade for wet grinding, a milling blade for dry grinding, two lids and an extra lip ring. Reviewers love that they can make smoothies, pop on the lip ring with handle, and go about their day.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides a two-year warranty. Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh23, and two-year extended warranty for Dh33.
5. Best Food Processor: Cuisinart Mini Prep Pro 2 Mini Chopper and Food Processor
Pros
- Powerful motor
- Large, 1.9-litre bowl capacity
- Easy to pour
- Allows pulsing
Cons
- Interchanging attachments can be difficult
A no-fuss food processor that’s ideal for small batch quantities, Cuisinart’s Mini Prep Pro 2 food processor is compact and can easily be stored away after use. Whether you need to chop onions, or make breadcrumbs or hummus, its dual sided stainless-steel blades can handle it. In fact, one side of the blade is sharp, for chopping tasks, and the other side is blunt, for grinding, and its two-way motor uses the blades to chop, mince, puree, emulsify, grind, crush and more. Two buttons let you control the whole appliance, which comes with a small 700ml bowl fitted into a more roomy 1.9-litre bowl. When you’re tipping the bowl to pour out ingredients, its Blade Lock feature holds the blades in place, preventing injuries. The appliance also has pulse buttons, and drizzle holes in the lid for adding liquid mid-way through the process. However, some reviewers said they struggled with interchanging attachments, and found it unnecessarily complicated.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh66.58 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh46, and two-year extended warranty for Dh65.
6. Best Coffee Machine: Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine
Pros
- Nine-bar extraction
- Built-in grinder with 16 settings
- Includes milk frother for greater variety
- Heats water to 93 degrees Celsius every time
Cons
- Expensive
- Not ideal for beginners
You don’t have to settle for bad coffee when you’re short on space. Breville’s Barista Express offers a coffee shop experience right at home, but is still incredibly compact. Despite its small size, it manages to include a quality burr grinder, milk frother, pitcher, filter and built-in tamper. Coffee afficionados will also appreciate that it has all the features and controls they’d want from an espresso machine, like controls for filtering and grinding, and the ability to customise each cup to their specifications. However, do note that it takes a learning curve to understand and work this machine, so it may not be the best choice for beginners. Check out other single-serve coffee makers.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh181.67 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides one-year warranty. Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh125, and two-year extended warranty for Dh178.
7. Best Microwave Oven: Black+Decker Solo Microwave Oven (20L)
Pros
- Choose from five power levels
- Easy to use and clean
- 35-minute timer
Cons
- Reviewers say they miss time indicators
The microwave oven is likely the most used appliance in your kitchen. Black+Decker's Solo Microwave Oven features a small but sufficient 20-litre capacity, and has many of the features needed for daily cooking and reheating. The 700W appliance has five power levels you can choose from, along with a 35-minute timer and both time-based and weight-based defrosting capabilities. The microwave oven heats food rapidly, and emits an audible chime when it's done operating. Reviewers say it's compact and doesn't take up too much space on their countertop. However, they miss digital time indicators (for instance, the option to heat something for 30 seconds or one minute), since this appliance requires you to toggle a chrome knob to achieve the same result.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh18, and two-year extended warranty for Dh25.
8. Best Cooking Range: Midea Freestanding Gas Cooker
Pros
- Compact gas range
- Easy to clean
- Comes with four hobs and built-in oven
- Safety features are useful
Cons
- Flame strength is inconsistent
Smaller than even the 60cm-by-60cm standard, Midea’s gas cooking range measures 50cm by 55cm, but still manages to pack in four full burners and a 55-litre oven. It is compact and efficient, with cast iron pan support and several security features, including a flame failure safety device that blocks gas flow to the individual burner if the flame is accidentally extinguished. The oven door is removeable for easy cleaning, and its enamel interior is designed to be scratch-resistant and durable. Four hobs offer plenty of space to cook, and reviewers attest to it working well for small families. However, some complain about the consistency of the flame strength, when more than one hob is being used.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh56.09 for 12 months with select banks. Add professional installation for free.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh57, and two-year extended warranty for Dh81.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
