Small Kitchen Ideas With Space-Saving Appliances And Storage Tips

A small kitchen can still cook a proper meal, keep the washing-up under control and feel calm to work in. The trick is choosing appliances that earn their space and storing everything else so it stays out of your way. These small kitchen ideas cover compact and integrated appliances, multi-use cookers, hob choices and simple storage and layout changes.

Start By Clearing What You Don’t Use

The quickest way to gain space is to remove appliances you rarely use. Be honest about the bread maker, the juicer or the second toaster. If something has not come out of the cupboard for months, it is taking up room a more useful item could have.

Working appliances can be sold or given away. Anything broken should go to a proper electrical recycling point rather than the general bin. Our guide on how to dispose of a washing machine responsibly explains the options for larger items.

Once you have cut back, keep only the things you use every day on the worktop. Everything else can live in a cupboard and come out when needed.

Small Kitchen Ideas For Cooking Appliances

Compact Built-In Ovens

A compact built-in oven is the same width as a standard single oven, around 60cm, but only about 45cm tall. That makes it roughly the size of a large microwave, so it can sit in a tall housing unit and free up space elsewhere. Most compact ovens have a grill inside the main cavity.

The trade-off is capacity. There is not much room inside, so a compact oven suits everyday meals for one or two people better than a big family roast.

Combination Microwaves

A combination microwave brings together a microwave, a grill and a convection (fan) oven in one box. Because it can roast, brown and crisp food as well as reheat it, it can replace a separate oven and microwave in a very small kitchen. Some are built in, which gives a neater look than a microwave on the worktop.

A few things to check before you buy:

• Usable space, not just litres. The stated capacity does not tell you what dishes will fit. Measure the dishes you use most and compare them with the width of the turntable and cavity.
• Size on the worktop. Combination models are usually larger and bulkier than a basic microwave, so measure the space, including room above and behind.
• Running costs. They use more energy than a basic microwave, so if you already have a good oven and only reheat food, a simple microwave may be all you need.

The Which? guide to choosing a combination microwave goes into more detail on sizes and features.

Mini Ovens With Hotplates

If you have no room for a built-in oven at all, a mini oven (sometimes called a countertop or table-top oven) plugs into a standard 13A socket. Many have two hotplates on top, so one unit gives you an oven, a grill and a small hob. Usable capacity is usually somewhere between 6 and 20 litres, which suits studio flats, shared homes and caravans.

The outside of a mini oven gets very hot in use, and so do the hotplates. Give it plenty of clear space on the worktop and take extra care if children are around.

Choosing A Hob For A Small Kitchen

A standard hob is about 60cm wide with four zones. If that is more than you need, a domino hob is a good alternative. These are around 30cm wide with one or two zones, and you can fit one on its own or put two side by side.

Induction is worth a look in a small space. It heats the pan directly, is the fastest and most energy-efficient hob type, and the glass stays cooler than a ceramic hob because it is only warmed by the pan. You will need pans with enough iron in them to work; if a magnet sticks to the base, it should be fine. Our guide to types of hob and their features compares all the options.

Slimline And Integrated Appliances

Integrated appliances sit behind cupboard doors, which makes a small room look calmer and less cluttered. Slimline versions take up less floor space:

• Slimline dishwashers are about 45cm wide rather than the usual 60cm.
• Compact countertop dishwashers are roughly 45cm tall and 55cm wide and hold about six place settings. Some do not need plumbing in and drain into the sink with a hose.

Smaller dishwashers use less water per load, but more water and energy per item washed than a full-size machine. They make the most sense if a full-size one would usually run half empty.

The same choice comes up with laundry. An integrated washing machine hides behind a cupboard door, but there are fewer models and fitting costs more, as our guide to washing machine sizes and types explains.

Storage And Layout Tips

Good storage matters as much as appliance size. A few ideas that work well in tight spaces:

• Corner cupboards: pull-out carousels or swing-out shelves make awkward corners usable for bulky items such as mixing bowls or small appliances.
• Deep cupboards: pull-out drawers and tiered shelf risers mean you can see and reach what is at the back.
• Pans and lids: an organiser rack lets you store them on their sides instead of in teetering stacks.
• Walls: rails with hooks, a magnetic knife strip and a floating shelf or two keep everyday items off the worktop.
• Doors: hanging baskets and hooks on the inside of cupboard doors add space for foil, cloths and cleaning supplies.
• Extra prep space: a wheeled kitchen trolley can act as a movable island and roll away when you are done.

Cleaning kit needs a home too. If there is no spare cupboard, a cordless stick vacuum on a wall-mounted dock takes up very little room, and our vacuum cleaner comparison looks at which types suit small homes.

When you put small appliances away, let them cool fully before wrapping the cable around them. Wrapping a cable round a hot appliance can damage the insulation.

Keep A Compact Kitchen Safe And Efficient

Small kitchens often mean more appliances sharing fewer sockets. Avoid plugging too many into one socket or extension lead, and keep kettles, toasters and other electricals away from the sink. Electrical Safety First’s kitchen safety advice suggests sockets and switches should ideally be at least 30cm horizontally from the sink.

Always unplug an appliance before you clean it, and keep ovens and grills clean, because built-up fat and grease is a major cause of kitchen fires. Never leave cooking unattended.

Compact appliances can also help with bills. The Energy Saving Trust found that a microwave is the cheapest way to heat a ready meal, and an air fryer is cheaper to run than a full oven for small portions. Putting lids on pans keeps heat in and cuts wasted energy on any hob.

When To Call An Engineer

If a compact oven stops heating evenly, a hob zone will not come on or a combination microwave trips the electrics, switch it off at the wall and unplug it where you can. Do not open up the casing or try an electrical repair yourself. Local firms such as Appliance Repair Men can diagnose the fault safely, and they offer cooker repairs in Crosby and across Merseyside and West Lancashire. Any work on a gas cooker or hob must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Quick Checklist

• Clear out appliances you have not used for months.
• Keep only daily-use items on the worktop.
• Consider a compact 45cm oven or a combination microwave instead of a full-size oven.
• Look at domino or induction hobs if worktop space is tight.
• Choose slimline or integrated appliances for a calmer, less cluttered room.
• Use corner units, pull-outs, wall rails and door storage.
• Don’t overload sockets, keep electricals away from the sink and unplug before cleaning.

You will find more practical home guides at Beyond The Garden Gates.

Kaan Rassad

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