Bench space is the real constraint in most kitchens, and these are the appliances that compete for it. Two machines that look alike will usually differ by a hundred dollars, a warranty nobody mentions on the shelf, and a capacity figure that does not mean what it appears to mean.
These pages use the published capacities, the wattages, the warranty terms and what owners report at the retailer each product links to.
Air fryers
- Ninja vs Philips air fryers: Ninja fits more food in the same litres; Philips is cheaper and has a viewing window.
- Philips Airfryer 2000 vs 3000 vs 4000 vs 5000: the series numbers do not track price, and the 3000 undercuts the 2000.
- Ninja air fryer range explained: five models, and the one that holds the most food is not the biggest.
- Kmart vs Philips: what the cheap one gives up.
- Air fryer vs benchtop oven: an air fryer crisps better and heats faster; a benchtop oven toasts, bakes and takes a 12-inch pizza.
- The best air fryers: Philips, Tefal and the rest at each size.
Benchtop ovens
- Breville Smart Oven vs Smart Oven XL vs All In 1: three ovens running 22 to 28 litres, and the XL is narrower than the standard model.
Multicookers, slow cookers and pressure cookers
- Multicooker vs slow cooker vs pressure cooker: a multicooker does both jobs in one pot. What a dedicated slow cooker still does better.
- Breville Fast Slow Pro vs Philips All-In-One: the Philips costs half as much and has a two-year warranty against one.
- Breville Fast Slow Pro vs Fast Slow GO: fourteen programs against the pressure dial and gauge.
- The best multicookers: Philips, Breville and CrockPot compared.
- The best electric pressure cookers: the models owners keep rating well.
- The best stovetop pressure cookers: for a cooktop rather than a power point.
- The best slow cookers: sizes, and which ones brown before they braise.
Kettles, toasters and presses
- The best electric kettles: Cuisinart, Sunbeam and what a variable temperature dial is for.
- The quietest kettles: the two genuinely quiet ones sold here, plus how to keep any kettle quieter.
- The best toasters: Breville, Cuisinart, De'Longhi and Dualit.
- The best sandwich presses: toastie and jaffle makers included.
Everything else on the bench
- The best rice cookers: Breville, Zojirushi and Tefal.
- The best bread makers: Panasonic and Breville compared.
- The best deep fryers: including the Tefal that filters and stores its own oil.
- The best sous vide machines: Anova, Wancle and ChefSteps.
- The best ice cream makers: the bowl and compressor styles explained.
- The best waffle makers: including the Breville that does not overflow.
- The best pie makers: plus the pastry rules owners swear by.
- The best popcorn makers: Sunbeam, Wabash and Lekue.
- The best egg poachers: from an Avanti pan to a microwave cup.
- The best food dehydrators: stackable or shelved, and whether the thermostat is adjustable.
- The best electric frypans and woks: the Sunbeams owners keep buying.
- The best portable induction cooktops: a spare burner that plugs into a power point.
Three things worth knowing before you shop
Litres are not capacity. A 6.2-litre single-basket air fryer holds 800 grams of chips. A 7.6-litre machine with two drawers holds 1.8kg, because air fryers cook in a shallow layer and floor area is the real limit.
Check the warranty per model, not per brand. Ninja backs its machines for two years where Philips backs some of its for one, and on an appliance that is mostly a motor and a heating element, that is often the biggest line in the table.
A rating needs a sample behind it. A 4.9 from twelve owners says less than a 4.4 from two hundred and fifty.
