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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 eaten. 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.
This combination oven
Your first 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 you need to. 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.
This blender-food processor
Combining the functions of a blender, a food processor, and a mixer in one small unit, this Ninja appliance 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.
This mini coffee maker
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 model 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.
This two-slice 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.
This tiny 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.
This compact 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 that 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.