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These Are the Best Countertop Appliances for Small Kitchens

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53 min read

These Are the Best Countertop Appliances for Small Kitchens

Executive DigestOriginal Reporting by Lifehacker

This is a curated overview of the story reported by Lifehacker. Full text remains copyright of the publisher.

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Even if you don’t cook all that much, you probably find yourself spending a lot of time in the kitchen. It’s where families gather, where coffee is made in the mornings, where meals are prepped. If you do cook a lot, you’re likely highly aware of how big or small your kitchen is. The average kitchen these days is about 160-170 square feet, but even that can feel tiny sometimes.

If your kitchen is smaller than that—or just feels too small—one way to open it up is to clear up counter space. If you’re looking to make your small kitchen feel even larger, check out these small and combo appliances that will make the most of your limited square footage.

Our Place Wonder Oven | 6-in-1 Air Fryer & Toaster Oven with Steam Infusion | Compact, Countertop Friendly, Fast Preheat, Multifunctional | Air Fry, Toast, Roast, Bake, Reheat & Broil | Char

TOSHIBA Air Fryer Combo 8-in-1 Countertop Microwave Oven, with Convection, Broil, Odor Removal Mode, 12.4" Position Memory Turntable, Child-Lock, 1.0 Cu.ft, Black Stainless Steel, ML2-EC10SA(BS)

Commercial Chef 0.7 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave Oven, CHM770B, Black

$89.95 at Amazon

Ninja BN801 Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ

Keurig K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker

Hamilton Beach 47621 The Scoop Single Serve Coffee Maker & Fast Grounds Brewer for 8-14oz. Cups, Brews in Minutes, Next Gen, White

at Amazon

Travel Foldable Electric Kettle, Collapsible Electric Kettle Food Grade Silicone Small Pot Boiling water,Dual Voltage（600ml,110-220V US Plug） (Blue)

$29.98 at Amazon

bella 2 Slice Slim Toaster, Fits-anywhere™ Kitchenware, 6 Setting Shade Control with Reheat & Cancel Buttons, Fits sourdough, 10” Long Slot, Anti Jam & Auto Shutoff, 900 Watt, Oatmilk

$24.98 at Amazon

Instant Vortex 2-Quart Mini Air Fryer 4-in-1, From the Makers of Instant Pot, Red

$59.99 at Amazon

Dash SmartStore™ Compact Hand Mixer Electric for Whipping + Mixing Cookies, Brownies, Cakes, Dough, Batters, Meringues & More, 3 Speed - Grey

$19.99 at Amazon

The Our Place Wonder Oven

Tiny kitchens are a logistical nightmare, whether you’re an accomplished cook who routinely produces restaurant-quality meals or someone who can—sometimes—cook a cromulent omelet. If someone on your list has to use math to calculate how to get the most out of their small kitchen, the Our Place Wonder Oven is your gift answer. This stylish, compact appliance has six functions in one, and replaces—at minimum—the toaster, air fryer, and convection oven. It can air fry, bake, roast, toast, broil, and reheat anything, and offers a steam infusion feature that makes everything come out perfectly moist. Everything else you might need—wire rack, air fry basket, bake pan, and crumb tray—are all included.

The Toshiba Air Fryer Combo Microwave

Your next stop is this nifty appliance that combines eight functions in one relatively compact unit. It’s a microwave, air fryer, convection oven, and broiler all in one. It’s large enough on the inside to cook a wide range of dishes, but it’s small enough to be stuffed into a cabinet if needed. If you need to leave it on the counter, it’s about 21 inches long, so it won’t eat up every available inch when you’re not actively using it.

If you don’t need the other functions, you can find smaller microwaves (like this one) that take up even less space. But even if you only use an air fryer once in a while, having that functionality combined with a microwave is a great deal.

The Ninja Professional Plus Blender

Combining the functions of a blender, a food processor, and a mixer in one small unit, the Ninja Professional Plus Blender is ideal for folks who love to bake, make smoothies, and chop a lot of stuff. It’s less than eight inches deep and less than 10 inches wide, so it will unobtrusively tuck into just about any available space in your kitchen.

The Keurig Single Serve Mini

If you’re the only one drinking coffee in your house, you don’t need a bulky machine. This one-cup mini brewer from Keurig is ideal—it’s small, the pods make it super easy to use, and if you drink multiple cups, it brews quickly so you can just grab a refill as needed. Plus it’s less than five inches wide, so it will slide in anywhere.

If you’re not a fan of the pod coffee experience, this Hamilton Beach single-serve brewer is almost as narrow and lets you use your favorite grounds.

This foldable kettle

If you use a kettle, chances are it’s sitting on the stovetop right now. That’s fine as long as you’re not using your stovetop for other things—the moment you need to cook a meal, that kettle is just in the way. But this kettle will fold right into a drawer when you’re not using it.

The Bella Fits Anywhere 2-Slice Slim Toaster

Less than four inches wide, this little unit will toast two slices of anything without insisting upon itself. It’s got every feature you’ll find in a larger toaster, but its slim design means it can fit into spots that a normal toaster can’t. It could even be unplugged and slid into a drawer when not in use, if toast is an occasional thing in your home.

The Instant Pot Mini Air Fryer

While a combination oven and air fryer makes the most sense from a space-saving point of view, if you air fry a lot, you might prefer to have a distinct unit. In that case, check out this model. Less than 10 inches wide and 12 inches deep, it’s a personal air fryer perfectly sized for one person and small jobs.

The Dash SmartStore Hand Mixer

If you bake in a tiny kitchen, you know that stand mixers take over. The answer is kind of obvious: This compact hand mixer lets you tuck the beaters onto the side. That plus any large bowl will let you mix whatever you need without having to dedicate half your kitchen to a single appliance.