How to properly place equipment in a small kitchen?

Ekaterina Maslova

editor-in-chief of the site “M.Vkus”
If you have a built-in oven or an oven combined with a stove, then this issue obviously does not concern you - you can safely go read our other article. For those who are thinking about what to choose, we offer our review today. In it you will find 5 questions to ask yourself before purchasing when choosing between an oven and a mini-oven.

Question 1: How important is oven mobility to you?

If you rent an apartment or, for example, live with your husband’s parents, dreaming of your own home, then there is no point in investing in a built-in oven, which will be very problematic to take with you. It is much more convenient to purchase a mobile mini-oven. Such a gadget is often not inferior to built-in ovens either in the number of possibilities or in volume, and you can take it with you to a new apartment. This option is also suitable for those who cannot imagine their life without baking, but do not have an oven in the country. Thus, the Moulinex Convection OX464E32 mini-oven, with a chamber volume of 33 liters and 6 cooking modes, including not only “Oven”, but also “Grill”, weighs only 8 kg. You can easily load it into your car in the spring, take it to the dacha - and all summer long you can enjoy delicious homemade pies with fresh berries from your plot.

Question 2: Do you want to save money?

There is no clear answer to the question of which is more profitable: an oven or a mini-oven, so what exactly to choose depends on your conditions. Most built-in ovens are at least 2-3 times more expensive than a mini-oven, but if you have gas in your home and you often make cookies or bake meat, then in the long run, buying a built-in gas oven will be more justified in terms of saving the family budget. Another question is if you have an electric stove. Typically, built-in ovens consume more energy than mini ovens. So if you bake often, the second option will be more profitable - both in terms of the initial investment in the purchase and in terms of further operation.

Question 3: Do you want to save space in your kitchen?

The issue of saving space in the kitchen is one of the most pressing. That is why modern industry produces gadgets that combine the functions of others. It’s easier to buy, for example, one kitchen machine instead of many different devices. This will save both money and space in the kitchen. In this case, you should think carefully and choose an oven or mini-oven. Especially if you do not have a free-standing stove, but a built-in panel. If you do not take into account the width and depth of the appliance, which correspond to the standard dimensions of the kitchen, then on average a regular built-in oven will occupy a niche of about 60 mm, and an expensive compact one - 45.5 cm. A mini-oven is a completely different question. You can find a model that fits perfectly even on a small shelf. For example, the height of the Moulinex Convection OX464E32 is only 34 cm and the depth is 38 cm. This device is convenient to both store in a closet and constantly keep on the kitchen table.

Question 4: How important is innovation to you?

When buying a built-in oven, you must be aware that you will be using it for at least the next 10 years, and most likely longer. Until you decide to renovate your apartment or house and completely replace the kitchen and its included appliances. So think carefully before choosing a specific model. We agree that ovens with a microwave function or steam cooking capabilities are expensive, but it may make sense to invest in the purchase taking into account the long-term use of the device in the future. If you are not willing to spend so much money in the hope that technology will improve and become more accessible and cheaper in a couple of years, then it makes sense to opt for a mini-oven. Its purchase will cost an order of magnitude cheaper, and it is also easier to replace. This advice is also suitable for those housewives who closely monitor new technologies and try to ensure that all the equipment in the house has the most innovative functions. You can always sell an “outdated” mini-oven or give it to a friend, for whom it is not so important what else the gadget can do, besides baking, and you can buy yourself a current new product.

Idea No. 1. Raise the tabletop

When choosing a kitchen set, even when purchasing to order, designers always make the tabletop a standard height - 80 cm. If you make the tabletop higher than 90-95 centimeters, then from scratch you will be able to increase the space for shelves and drawers below. It will be possible to make an additional drawer, and one of the shelves in the cabinet will become so high that bottles can be placed on it. In practice, countertops are raised to 95 cm, and this does not interfere with normal work in the kitchen.

Important! It is very convenient to choose a direct position of the set for arranging a small kitchen. Designers also advise taking a closer look at the arrangement of the headset and equipment in the letter “G”. It is best to avoid other options, because they will not help maximize the functionality of a small space.

Rating of the best manufacturers of tabletop portable electric ovens

In addition to all the selection principles mentioned above, buyers always focus on the manufacturer of the equipment. Which manufacturers have especially proven themselves in the production of mini ovens?

1. The Bork company produces high-quality mini ovens with a variety of additional functions.
2. Maxwell has a wide range of such equipment.
3. Mini ovens from the Severin brand are considered one of the best.
4. The Scarlett company has several good mini ovens, toasters, multicookers and other appliances in its lineup.
5. Another leader among manufacturers of this equipment is Rolsen.
6. Ovens from Daewoo have good reviews.

When buying a mini oven, you should pay attention to the maximum weight of the dishes being prepared, as well as the presence of an auto-shut-off function.

Now on the market there are both budget models and really expensive mini ovens. Budget products include equipment from Panasonic, Rolsen and Scarlett. But few people can afford high-tech models from the manufacturer Smeg.

Idea No. 2. Change the number of burners

Many people install traditional stationary stoves in the kitchen without first thinking about whether it is really necessary. A stove with 4 burners takes up a lot of space, but all four burners are rarely used. To equip a small kitchen, you can think about installing a hob with two burners. You shouldn’t be afraid of taking a drastic step, you just need to remember how often does a housewife use more than two burners when cooking? A small hob will significantly save work space, which is so important in a small kitchen.

How to choose the right mini-oven

The choice of a mini oven depends on its functionality, as well as on the power and on the purposes for which the device is purchased. If you want to purchase in order to use all kinds of functions, you should first carefully familiarize yourself with the characteristics of such devices.

Volume

There are mini-ovens that differ in their volumes, which can range from 8 to 40 liters. In a model with a capacity of up to 12 liters, you can prepare one pizza; it fits one small baking sheet. This model is designed for preparing pizza for 1-2 people and takes up very little space.

The next row of electric furnaces already has large volumes - 20 - 30 liters, and therefore sizes. These models have two baking trays and may have grill and convection functions. Such ovens can be a good replacement for the oven, since their volume allows you to cook a whole chicken.

There are also devices with a volume of approximately 40 liters. They are close in size to the size of a compact oven and you can even bake a turkey in them!

Coating quality

An important point when choosing is the quality of the coating on the inside. You can often find models that are resistant to high temperatures and scratches that can occur when using aggressive surface cleaning products. The long service life of the device and the ease of care for it depend entirely on the quality parameters of the oven’s internal coating.

There are models with a crumb tray, which is installed on top of the lower shade and prevents it from getting dirty.

Door design

The door can be made of single or double glass, its edge can be equipped with a heat-insulating gasket. We recommend choosing those models that are equipped with a door with double tempered glass and a heat-insulating gasket.

Convection

When purchasing mini-ovens, you need to pay attention to the convection function, which helps heated air to be evenly distributed throughout the entire volume of the oven. This leads to the fact that dishes cooked in the oven are better baked and can be cooked throughout their entire depth, and not just on the surface. The convection function is carried out thanks to the fan built into the oven. This function allows you to cook two dishes at the same time. This becomes possible due to the separation of one air stream into two streams. Mini ovens equipped with convection can save time spent on cooking one dish by about 40%.

If you choose a model with a volume of up to 20 liters, then the presence of this function is not necessary, since thanks to the small volume, everything is prepared quickly. And besides, you cannot cook on two baking sheets at the same time. In mini ovens with a volume of 30-40 liters, the convection function will be very useful.

If a person does not want to give up using a classic oven, then one can give preference to models that do not have a convection function, but have two heating elements in their design, which are placed in the lower and upper parts of the device. These mini-ovens are capable of operating in three modes, providing only bottom or only top heating or simultaneous heating of two elements.

Grill

The presence of this mode will allow you to cook delicious shashalik or grilled chicken.

Temperature range

Most ovens have a temperature range of 100-220 degrees. But if you are into baking, then choose models with a temperature of 30 degrees or more - in such mini-ovens you can proof dough and even make yoghurts! It is also better if the oven can reach a temperature above 220 degrees - for example 240-280. After all, at a temperature of 240 degrees you will get a crispy crust for chicken or delicious pizza in 10 minutes.

Before buying a mini oven, you need to think about the need to equip it with the functions of ordinary and deep defrosting, which are built into some devices. If there is no microwave in the house, the defrosting function becomes necessary to use it in a mini-oven to create individual dishes.

Timer

When comparing various models of mini ovens in stores, you need to take into account the presence of a timer, which is an indispensable device in any oven, because it helps to set the cooking time in advance. And after entering the required details, the oven will automatically turn off after the allotted time has elapsed. Such processes are controlled automatically and will notify the hostess of readiness with a special sound signal. A timer is currently available in all tabletop electric ovens, but sometimes its maximum possible time is limited, which does not allow some types of dishes to be cooked automatically.

Backlight

Oddly enough, not all models are equipped with lighting inside the oven, which allows you to monitor the cooking process. As a rule, small volume models do not have backlighting. To choose the right mini-oven, pay attention to the presence of internal lighting.

Idea No. 3. Instead of an oven - a mini-oven

Here a lot depends on the specific housewife; if the main part of the meal is cooked in the oven every day, then perhaps you shouldn’t give it up. But for sweet pastries, cheesecakes and cutlets, a mini-oven is perfect. It has all the same functions as an oven, but is similar in size to a microwave oven. The mini-oven can even fit a medium-sized baking sheet.

Important! If you give up the oven in favor of a mini-oven, then in return you can get two large drawers under the hob. As a result, the age-old question of where to put pots, pans and other large utensils in a small kitchen will disappear.

Characteristics of an electric stove with burners for the kitchen

Before talking about the characteristics of an ideal mini oven, it is necessary to talk about the types of such equipment. The most popular variety is a mini oven with several electric burners. This model is ideal for small kitchens or for a country house. Using this stove, the housewife will have the opportunity to cook both in the oven and on the burners themselves.

Nowadays, models with convection, that is, forced air circulation, are also popular. This technology is used by many chefs and manufacturers of household appliances, since the convection effect helps to prepare truly tasty and aromatic dishes.

Lovers of homemade bread can purchase equipment that combines both an oven and a bread machine. Such models are in the arsenal, for example, of the Saturn company.

What other characteristics should you pay attention to when choosing equipment?

• It is better to opt for a model with a metal or aluminum body.
• It is very important to choose a mini oven with sufficient power (the average is 1500-2000 W).
• The quartz heating element is considered the most modern

and safe.

• The more operating modes a mini oven has, the better.
• The variety of additional functions is also an indicator that benefits the technology.
• It is better to choose a mini oven that comes with several accessories (for example, a wire rack, a loaf pan or a measuring cup)

Modern mini ovens can be equipped with both electrical and mechanical control modes. The electric option is much more convenient, but such models are also more expensive.

This mini oven is an excellent solution for a summer house or country house where you come for the weekend.

Typically, mini ovens have several required functions. Among them there should be a heating, grilling and defrosting mode, an air fryer is an optional function. Depending on the type of model, there may be a mode for maintaining temperature, toasting and baking.

Of course, a mini oven cannot do without a timer and the ability to independently set the heating temperature of the appliance. You can learn about the built-in electric oven in this article.

Among the additional functions, the presence of an intelligent power distribution mode is considered especially important. This system helps to achieve optimally fast cooking.

Here is a short review of the mini oven from Internet users:

Idea No. 4. Where to put the microwave oven

Most often, the microwave oven is simply placed on the table, which in a small kitchen is small on its own. To prevent this household appliance from taking up space for cooking or eating, you can raise it higher. In the kitchen, you can provide a special open shelf for the microwave oven. If this is not possible, then the device will look great on the wall where it is attached using a bracket.

Methods for connecting an electric furnace

There are three connection options.

You can run the wire to the electrical panel directly, through a terminal box or through a socket.

Directly

You can connect the stove directly to the panel if you do not plan to turn it off. The advantage of this option is that there are fewer connecting points and there is no risk of overheating. The place where the wires are connected can be located inside the wall or outside. The junction box must be placed at a distance of 2 m from the device and at a height of at least 60 centimeters.

Via terminal box

The box can be rectangular, square or round. There is a terminal block inside it. Typically it holds from 7 to 12 connections. It can be made of metal or polysorbent, ABC plastic, PVC.

Through a socket

The easiest way to connect an electric oven is through an outlet. The main thing is that it is grounded; often in apartments there is at least one of these in the kitchen. There are three types of grounded outlets. The first is Russian, the grounding in them is located at an angle of 90 degrees from the phase. The second is Belarusian, in which all contacts are located at an angle of 120 degrees relative to each other. The third is European, in which the grounding is located below.

How to determine the phase in an outlet

To do this you will need an indicator screwdriver. Externally, such a control screwdriver is very similar to a regular one, but differs in the presence of a light bulb in the handle. It is dangerous to touch the bottom of the tool with your hand. Before use, you need to make sure that the screwdriver is clean to avoid shorting.

1. Touch the contact with the tip of the screwdriver.
2. Press the button at the top of the screwdriver handle.
3. If the LED inside lights up, this is a phase. If not, zero.

You can determine the phase with a tester or multimeter:

1. Switch the device to the “V” or “ACV” alternating current measurement mode.
2. Hold one probe with your fingers or rest it against the wall, and bring the second one to the outlet.

Readings up to 10 volts indicate zero. 100 Volts and above – phase.

Idea No. 5. Release the window sill

Not many people consider the window sill as additional usable space. Therefore, you should not order long fabric curtains for a small kitchen, as is traditionally done. The beauty of such products simply will not be visible in a small room, but they will hide the window sill, which is not very beneficial. Roller blinds will be a great stylish solution for a small kitchen.

Small size - big benefit

Modern compact ovens boast a very impressive range of additional functions. They are not only designed to make the housewife’s housework easier, but also cope well with the tasks of other household appliances. Most often, in the list of useful “skills” of any good oven you can find the following:

• self-cleaning system (in three versions);
• defrost and instant cooking mode;
• double boiler;
• grill and spit;
• automatic blocking of oven functions and gas control;
• Microwave;
• internal temperature probe to control the temperature of the dish itself.

Today, buyers of smart devices have access to up to 17 different functions and modes.

Probably, this was not enough for the manufacturers of mini-ovens, because they additionally equip their products with other pleasant little things. There are various options for opening the door, lighting and timers, convenient and intuitive touch control panels, as well as accessories (dishes, baking sheets, etc.).

Idea No. 6. Hide the hood in a cabinet

The hood can be not only an exhaust hood, but also a built-in one. This option is convenient because when not working, the hood can simply be pushed into a cabinet located above the stove. This option is also convenient because you won’t accidentally hit the product with your head. If you need to turn on the device, it simply slides out of the cabinet. An important advantage is that the air duct can be hidden in the cabinet and there will be some space left for storing small kitchen utensils. This results in the most efficient use of space in a small kitchen.

Looking into the refrigerator

Do you live alone or don't have the habit of stocking up on food for the week? It is worth replacing the usual bulky refrigerator with a built-in or even a single-chamber model. Such products fit into a cabinet and are masked by facades - for a compact kitchen this is an excellent option that frees up a lot of space.

If necessary, the freezer can be placed outside the kitchen, as it is needed much less frequently than a refrigerator.

Idea No. 8. Transformable chairs

Let the room have one classic chair with a back so that the hostess or someone in the household can always sit on it. But folding chairs can be put away and taken out (for example, from behind the refrigerator) as needed. You can find very comfortable folding chairs with soft seats on sale, and the absence of permanent chairs significantly saves space.

Important! By the way, not only chairs can be folding. Modern furniture stores have interesting folding solutions even for the dining table.

These are simple and real ideas that will help you arrange a small kitchen as compactly and conveniently as possible. Don’t forget about such important aspects of visual play with space as color and light, mirrors, more sunlight and artificial light. When decorating a small kitchen, additional decor should be used to a minimum.

How to properly ground an electric furnace

First you need to find out whether the electrical panel is grounded. If yes, then the ground wire (yellow-green) is connected to the panel body by screwing a large bolt.

The second option: create your own grounding loop, this is convenient to do in a private house.

1. Dig three iron rods into the ground.
2. Make the connection with steel strips.
3. Remove the grounding wire from the shield.
4. Using a wire, attach the wire to the ground loop.
5. In the electrical panel, connect the grounding wire to a free neutral bus.
6. Before use, you need to measure the voltage of the device; it should not exceed 8 ohms.

If it is not possible to ground the wire, you can plug the grounding bus. In this case, you need to use the electric oven with extreme caution.

Is the apartment board grounded?

Before connecting the electric furnace, it is necessary to determine whether there is grounding in the electrical panel. It's easy to check.

1. Lower all switches in the control cabinet.
2. Open the front panel of the shield.
3. Use an indicator screwdriver to check the voltage in the ground bus. This is the bus to which the yellow-green wire is connected. There shouldn't be any tension.
4. Connect the flexible conductor to the zero bus (it has a blue or light blue wire).
5. Touch the grounding bus with the other end of the conductor. If there is grounding, the internal RCD will immediately trip - a residual current device.

In a similar way, you can check for grounding in sockets.

Grounding difficulties

Grounding the wiring is necessary for safety. This protects people from electric shock, and electrical appliances from damage, and prevents fires due to short circuits.

Errors with grounding can lead to serious consequences, so safety precautions and instructions should not be neglected.

1. If there are only circuit breakers in the network, you should not ground the outlets. With such grounding, it will be impossible to connect any electrical appliance.
2. No pipes, whether heating or water supply, can be a grounding loop. Sockets must not be connected to the device body. With this connection, the circuit breaker will not operate and will not be able to respond correctly to a short circuit. As a result, the voltage will spread across all metal objects, including neighbors.
3. It is impossible to ground wiring from two cables. Any wires should be connected strictly according to the instructions. If a phase hits the neutral wire, the electrical appliance will burn out when connected to the network.
4. If the grounding is not ready, there is no need to connect the wires either to the contacts in the panel or to its body. This may cause stress on the panel box.

You cannot re-ground the wires or ground the equipment yourself. This kind of work should be done by specialists.