Small kitchens: these are the compact appliances that will make the most of your limited kitchen space

If your kitchen is more cramped than you may wish, you know every appliance you keep has to be worth its weight. Here are the smartest gadgets to serve you when space is limited
Appliances that will make the most of your limited kitchen space Appliances that will make the most of your limited kitchen space
Appliances that will make the most of your limited kitchen space

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Whether you've a small flat, or find yourself sharing a household with multiple others, there are many reasons why you may wish to chose appliances with small footprints in favour of their full-size counterparts.

The benefits are obvious: you can retain your bench space as a functional place to cook, move around, and avoid the mess that inevitably accompanies a cluttered kitchen.

With smaller appliances, unfortunately, there sometimes comes a lack of functionality or power. Here, we've found the clever kitchen gadgets that will keep your kitchen organised, without sacrificing capability.

There are plenty of air fryers out there for making healthy chips and other fried foods, but most are a beast of a size. 

Hats off to Lakeland for coming up with this compact air fryer. Anyone who is a chip lover but does not have space should be delighted with it.

The fryer is a 30cm tall and just18cm across, so the footprint is kept to a minimum. It cooks poultry, steak or meat, bakes, fresh and frozen veg, and 450g frozen or fresh fries with just one teaspoon of oil.

We love that there is barely any frying smell, that the machine is so quiet and those fries when cooked are delicious; the centre is soft with an excellent crunch outside thanks to hot air circulating in all directions.

 

Having a kettle is necessary, yet a space-grabber in the kitchen. Most stylish kettles are quite large and will take up room, but not the Sage Compact, which is also is a cool-looking appliance with its sleek, contemporary styling of brushed stainless steel and a thermal, shock-resistant glass body.

The kettle has a soft opening lid to avoid scalds and boils as little as one cup of water with no problem, a great energy saver. The 14cm power base is multi-directional and has useful, neat and tidy cord storage underneath. 

You can put the kettle anywhere in the kitchen there is a power socket which is super helpful where space is tight, making this a great looking and innovative compact kettle. 

If kitchen space is a consideration, then a coffee machine is likely not high up the must-haves list as most machines are large. 

Bring on the Tiny Modo Mio machine from Italian coffee company Lavazza. This little machine is more than just a capsule machine, it is an espresso machine, as can be heard from the roar as the 15-bar pressure builds up. 

The footprint is just 24.6 x W12 x D29cm; the water tank holds .75 litre, and there is only one simple, straightforward on-off button. 

The Tiny though, does not deliver a measured dose of coffee, and there's no milk frother included for your flat white, but there's always the stove or microwave for hot milk. 

What the Tiny does do well though is to make a cracking espresso in a small space.

n a compact kitchen, rolling several functions into one machine means not finding houseroom for all those gadgets. Instant Pot Duo is just that thing; a pressure, rice and slow cooker, yoghurt maker, a steamer, sous vide, sautés, food warmer, cake maker, and stockpot in one (phew).

The footprint at 33 X 32.5 cm round and a 5.7-litre capacity for cooking up to 6, is just fine sitting on the worktop taking up much the same space as a large saucepan would.

There are well-thought-out touches, with slots in the rim for the lid, so you don't have to put it on the worktop - both messy and cumbersome when space is tight, the inner pot doubles as a stockpot on the cooker. We love its versatility and great price. 

Finding a compact fridge is not easy. There are mini and tabletop fridges a-plenty, which is excellent to supplement a regular fridge. But what about a fully functioning fridge that is roomy, yet compact enough to slip under the kitchen counter?

The Russell Hobbs does just that and even has a separate freezing compartment that takes more than a bag of frozen peas. 

We love the faintly-retro-style of the fridge too. It comes in black,  white and a yummy vibrant enamel red, with shiny chrome accents and handles. 

At 50cm wide with a combined 90-litre capacity, the fridge is also A+ rated, and whisper-quiet so is also perfect for open plan living-kitchens. Plus, this super-stylish compact fridge has a two-year guarantee and a great price — an excellent buy. 

You will not realise what a useful and space-saving piece of equipment the FoodSaver is until you try it, and only then will you wonder how you lived without it. 

If space in the fridge or freezer is tight, vacuuming your food can make a huge difference. 

Simply, popping food into the zipper and bags and using the little vacuum to remove the air flattens the bag, protects the food and helps to keep it fresher and tastier for longer either in the fridge or the freezer; even a cut avocado can hold for over 24 hours without a change. 

You can even save money as there is less food waste and the plastic zipper bags are reusable. 

A little gadget, with many benefits. What is not to like?

Much thought is given to appliances in a compact kitchen. What about that all-important waste bin; often overlooked and underestimated in its importance and the space it uses up? 

Eko has solved that problem, and with supreme styling, quality, technology and is beautifully compact. 

The Phantom has a 40-litre capacity spilt into two bins with a very entertaining award-winning motion sensor giving a hygienic, hands-free, no-touch solution. 

With just the slightest movement in range, the twin lids open up, allowing you enough time to deposit your rubbish, then quietly and gracefully closes again. Be warned children love this.

The bin is H66 x W27 x D46cm and designed to stand flat against the wall and take the least space possible. The stainless steel is fingerprint resistant and easy clean. If it is possible to fall in love with a waste bin, we did. 

The KitchenAid hand blender's price tag may be high compared to other brands, but you will only need to use it once, and you will be smitten. The ergonomically designed hand blender is super-powerful with all the benefits of being cordless, so no dangerous cords are trailing around the space. Once charged, it will keep going for hours. 

There are seven speeds, and the four-pronged blade will just about tackle any food you want to quickly purée, liquefy or safely whip such as cream or egg whites. 

The blender breaks down into two pieces for easy washing up and storage. The charging unit is just a lead and plug, so takes no room at all. There's a small plastic pan guard to fit over the blades to protect pans and bowls from scratches —a handy piece of kit for any kitchen, especially a compact one. 

 

When did microwaves become so handsome? This compact, 700w microwave form Russell Hobbs may be small but is beautifully formed and will look great on any kitchen worktop, large or small. 

The microwave has a cool Scandinavian wood effect handles and mirrored door, a large digital screen, touch buttons and knob. It is a decent 17-litre capacity, which is large enough to hold a dinner plate comfortably. 

Though small there is no compromise on the programmes, with simple microwaving, defrosting, and 8 pre-set cooking menus and five microwave power levels to make your life easier.

Microwave has become a necessity for most homes now, and for more than merely warming up coffee. What is better than not only a stylish-looking one but also one that sits neatly on the worktop without grabbing too much of your precious space and works well too?

TVs in the kitchen are increasingly popular, as people seek to keep an eye on the news or their favourite programmes as they prepare dinner. This Hisense TV has terrific specs - bright colours, great resolution, HD - but won’t take up too much space. It’s dimensions are 21.5′′ x 15′′ x 5.9′′ when on its stand. It also has both USB and HDMI ports to connect to external devices.

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