Your Cart
£0.00
The Best Compact Appliances for Your Kitchen…
Compact appliances are the perfect design choice for a neat and streamlined kitchen design. However, they’re often an afterthought when it comes to appliances. People search and search for their ideal appliances, but don’t know that they have the option of compact appliance combinations.
If you don’t love the style of big, clunky appliances, these compact appliances will be the final piece of your kitchen puzzle. Read on to find the pros and cons of compact appliances, as well as our favourite models of 2022.
Jump to our favourite models here >
What is a compact appliance?
A compact appliance maximises your kitchen space by fitting a range of kitchen functions into a smaller area. For example, a compact oven will fit your roasting needs within a 60cm by 60cm space. These compact appliances are ideal for a smaller kitchen, as they leave plenty of room storage space and other essential appliances.
Compact appliances include: built-in ovens, microwaves, steam ovens, warming drawers and built-in coffee machines. The term compact also applies to appliances that save you space, or fit on (or under) your countertop. These are appliances such as under-counter fridges, slimline dishwashers (and dishdrawers) and canopy hoods. And generally, any appliances that maximises your space.
They’re designed to fit into a wall unit, or tall housing unit. And they can be fitted in combinations within your cabinetry to give your kitchen an immaculate, lined up design. This is otherwise known as ‘gallery design.’
What’s ‘gallery design’?
Gallery design gives your kitchen a seamless aesthetic. It’s called gallery design because it’s like having a selection of canvases on your wall, either next to each other, or all across your kitchen design. This of course, doesn’t suit every kitchen style. But for the right kitchen, a gallery design draws the eye whilst maintaining a neat over all look.
The pros of compact appliances:
Compact appliances come with many benefits. They’re perfect for if you’re moving from a larger kitchen with plenty of counter space, to a smaller kitchen with less room for preparation. But that’s just one of the benefits of them.
- Perfect for smaller kitchens.
- Manufacturers provide innovative solutions for combination features & functions* (such as pyrolytic cleaning).
- Often with a higher energy rating.
- Pleasing aesthetic when combined together.
- Seamless integration across brands.
*One of our favourite things about compact appliances is the ability to combine appliances. A lot of our built in cooking appliances come with the option to combine functions. For example, you can get a combination oven and microwave. Or you can get a steam combi, which unites the power of baking, grilling and steaming in one appliance. Amazing!
The cons of compact appliances:
In all honesty, there aren’t many drawbacks of compact appliances! Obviously they won’t have as much capacity as the appliances you’re used to. But when it comes down to it, they will have the same fantastic features and functions.
- Stock issues mean you may struggle to get a suite of same brand compacts.
- They just may not be the right capacity for your household.
- It’s more effort to move or change built-in compact appliances.
- May be more costly to install.
- Can be more of a pain to repair if needed.
Our favourite compact appliances by category…
Compact Steam Ovens
If you’re on the search for something to jumpstart your health kick, stop right there. Steam ovens are a great choice for any kitchen. They’ve shot up in popularity thanks to their ability to maintain flavour and nutrients of food, whilst being exceptionally quick. For example, it’s perfect for creating succulent fish and vegetables in less than half an hour.
We have lots of models which are just solely steam, and they fit well with an oven beneath it. However you can combine the steam function with roasting, for a multi-skilled appliance that will last you years to come!
> Bosch CSG656BS7B Serie 8 Built In Steam Combination Oven
> Samsung NQ50T8939BK Built In Infinite Range Steam Combination Oven
Compact Microwaves
When you think of the word microwave, you think of something that sits on your countertop. However, this takes up valuable space on your counter. And if you don’t have much of it, a microwave will destroy your chance of preparing vegetables. A compact microwave solves this.
A microwave is a great way to cook food. It’s fast and saves you energy. So when you add the benefit of it fitting in your cabinetry & being extra stylish on the outside–choosing a microwave is a brilliant choice.
And similar to a steam oven, you can combine your functions with a grill or regular fan cooking.
> Neff C17GR01N0B N70 Built In Microwave & Grill For Wall Unit – STAINLESS STEEL
> Bosch CMA583MS0B Serie 4 Built In Combination Microwave – STAINLESS STEEL
Compact Built In Ovens
Compact ovens are similar to the above microwaves and steam ovens, in that manufacturers like to combine functionalities and give you more versatility when cooking! So it’s normal to see a compact oven with the many benefits of a microwave, or steam oven. Your cooking will be so much easier, and your food a lot tastier too!
One of the great things about these ovens is their appearance and fittings. They fit perfectly into a tall housing unit that’s 60cm by 45cm, so they take up a minimal amount of room whilst still giving you bold cooking power. And despite distinct changes between manufacturer branding, they all feature a sleek black glass front which looks great with matching products.
> Siemens CM585AGS0B IQ500 Oven With Microwave For Tall Housing – STAINLESS STEEL
> Neff C27CS22H0B N90 Pyrolytic Multifunction Single Oven – STAINLESS STEEL
Compact Warming Drawers
A warming drawer is a handy little thing, and they’re rather understated on the appliance market. It’ll ensure that food is piping hot when you’re busy entertaining friends, as it suggests in the name, that its good for warming plates and keeping food warm.
But the warming drawer does so much more than that! Although its perfect for warming crockery, it’s also good for melting chocolate, defrosting delicate foods and even proving dough. They come in a range of styles, many with black glass or stainless steel fronts to fit snugly beneath your oven or combi.
> AEG KDE911424M 14cm Handleless Warming Drawer – STAINLESS STEEL
> Bosch BIC510NB0 Serie 6 14cm Push Pull Warming Drawer – BLACK
Compact Dishwashers & dishdrawers
A dishwasher is always a fantastic addition to any kitchen. A slimline version comes with a reduced amount of place settings. I.E. They’ll have 9 place settings rather than the standard 13 or 14. This is a brilliant alternative for a smaller household or family, as it’ll give you just the right amount of space to clean your dishes.
> Bosch SRV2HKX39G Serie 2 45cm Fully Integrated Dishwasher
> Fisher Paykel DD60SDFHX9 Designer Series Flat Single Dishdrawer – STAINLESS STEEL
Compact Built In Coffee Machines
If coffee is an integral part of your daily routine, investing in a built-in coffee machine could be the best step forward. They fit seamlessly in with the rest of your built in appliances and don’t take up room on the counter like a kettle does. And of course, they can make you lots of cups of coffee automatically.
From cups of cappuccino to espresso from just the touch of a button, these machines will keep your caffeine game going strong for years! And it’s direct from bean to cup too, so you know it’ll be a high quality hot drink that’ll make you feel like you’re in Starbucks.
> Miele CVA7440 Fully Automatic Built In Coffee Machine – STAINLESS STEEL
> Caple CM465SS Fully Automatic Built In Coffee Machine – STAINLESS STEEL
We hope that this blog helped you in learning about compact appliances and how they could help you in your kitchen life! If you’ve got any further questions about the appliances listed in this blog, please call our sales expert for friendly advice. Simply phone us on 0115 965 1937 or drop us an email at [email protected].
