Best Small Kitchen Appliances for Cooking for One (9 Compact Picks)

Full-size appliances are built for families. A 6-quart air fryer, a 12-cup coffee maker and a big slow cooker are too much for one person and one small counter.

Here are nine compact appliances sized for single portions, and our advice on which two or three are worth your counter space.

The short version: Most solo cooks should start with one cooking appliance. Choose the Cosori Lite 2.1-Quart Air Fryer for crispy food, or the Breville Mini Smart Oven if you also want toast and small bakes. Add the Instant Pot Duo Mini 3-Quart if you cook beans, grains and stews. In a studio with one or two burners, the Duxtop 9600LS induction burner gives you an extra cooking zone you can put away.

Start With What You Actually Cook

Before buying anything, think back over the last two weeks of meals. The right appliance follows from them.

• Mostly roasted vegetables, chicken and frozen foods? An air fryer or toaster oven.
• Grains, beans, soups and stews? A multicooker or rice cooker.
• Coffee or tea every morning? A single-serve brewer or kettle.
• Short of burners? A portable induction burner.

Most solo cooks need two or three of these, not all nine.

Our Picks at a Glance

• Best small air fryer: Cosori Lite 2.1-Quart Air FryerJump to review ↓
• Best compact toaster oven: Breville Mini Smart Oven BOV450XLJump to review ↓
• Best multicooker for one: Instant Pot Duo Mini 3-QuartJump to review ↓
• Best small rice cooker: Zojirushi Micom 3-Cup NS-LGC05Jump to review ↓
• Best extra burner: Duxtop 9600LS Portable Induction CooktopJump to review ↓
• Best compact microwave: Toshiba 0.7 Cu Ft Microwave MM-EM07PAJump to review ↓
• Best single-serve coffee maker: Keurig K-MiniJump to review ↓
• Best electric kettle: Cosori Gooseneck Electric KettleJump to review ↓
• Best tiny treat maker: Dash Mini Waffle MakerJump to review ↓

Appliance	Capacity	Footprint (W x D x H)	Power	Typical Price
Cosori Lite air fryer	2.1 qt	10.1 x 8.3 x 10.5 in	900 W	About $60
Breville Mini Smart Oven	4 slices or 11-in pizza	16 x 13.6 x 8.8 in	1800 W	About $160
Instant Pot Duo Mini	3 qt	10 x 11.4 x 11.2 in	700 W	About $90
Zojirushi NS-LGC05	3 cups uncooked	9.1 x 11.9 x 7.5 in	450 W	About $190
Duxtop 9600LS	One burner	Compact	1800 W	Check listing
Toshiba MM-EM07PA	0.7 cu ft	17.1 x 12.2 x 9.5 in	700 W	Check listing
Keurig K-Mini	One cup	About 4.5 in wide	Small	Check listing
Cosori gooseneck kettle	0.8 L	Small	1200 W	About $70
Dash Mini Waffle	4-in waffle	2.8 x 6.4 x 5 in	350 W	About $13

1. Cosori Lite 2.1-Quart Air Fryer: Best Small Air Fryer

If we had to pick one appliance for a solo cook, this would be it. A small air fryer does the jobs you would otherwise heat a full oven for. Think a portion of fries, roasted vegetables, a chicken breast, or leftover pizza that comes out crisp instead of soggy.

The size is the reason we chose it over the popular 5 and 6-quart models. A big basket holding one portion of fries is mostly empty air, and the machine takes up a third of a small counter. This one is about 10 inches wide, roughly the footprint of a large bag of flour.

At 900 watts, it draws half the power of many larger fryers, and it is hot in a couple of minutes. Shake the basket halfway through and food crisps evenly.

The trade-off is obvious: it cooks for one. If you regularly feed two, go up to a 4-quart model. For more options, see the best air fryers under $100.

Who should buy it: Solo cooks who want crispy food without heating the oven.

2. Breville Mini Smart Oven BOV450XL: Best Compact Toaster Oven

A good toaster oven can replace a full oven for one person. That is a bigger deal than it sounds: no 15-minute preheat for a single tray, and no heating the whole apartment on a hot evening.

The Mini Smart Oven is the compact member of Breville’s line. It fits four slices of toast, an 11-inch pizza or a quarter sheet pan, which is exactly the size of a roasted dinner for one.

What sets it apart from cheaper toaster ovens is how it heats. Breville’s Element IQ adjusts power to each of its four elements depending on the setting. Toast browns evenly edge to edge, and a chicken thigh cooks through instead of burning on top. That evenness is the most common complaint about budget toaster ovens.

It costs more than basic models and has no air fry setting. If crispy food is your priority, the Cosori is the better buy. If you want one box that bakes, roasts and toasts, this is it. See compact baking sheet and pan sizes for pans that fit.

Who should buy it: Solo cooks who bake and roast and want to skip the big oven.

3. Instant Pot Duo Mini 3-Quart: Best Multicooker for One

The 6-quart Instant Pot is the famous one, but for a single person it is too big. You end up with five portions of chili and a pot that dominates the counter. The 3-quart Mini is the right size: one meal plus a day or two of leftovers.

It earns its space with foods that take ages on the stove. Dried beans cook in under an hour without soaking. A tough cut of beef turns tender in a fraction of the braising time. Steel-cut oats cook while you get ready for work, and switch to warm when they are done.

It also replaces a rice cooker and a slow cooker, which is why we rate it highly for small kitchens. One appliance doing three jobs beats three appliances doing one each.

Halve recipes written for 6-quart pots, and keep at least half a cup of liquid in the pot for pressure cooking. See what is an Instant Pot and how many watts an Instant Pot uses.

Who should buy it: Solo cooks who like soups, beans, grains and stews.

4. Zojirushi Micom 3-Cup NS-LGC05: Best Small Rice Cooker

If rice is on your plate several times a week, a dedicated rice cooker is worth it, and Zojirushi is the brand we would choose. The Micom uses fuzzy logic, adjusting the heat as it cooks based on what is in the pot. Brown rice, sushi rice and jasmine each come out right on their own settings.

The 3-cup size is the solo cook’s size. It cooks as little as half a cup of uncooked rice well, which most big rice cookers cannot. It also holds rice warm for hours without drying it out.

The timer is the feature we would use most. Load it in the morning, set it to finish at 7 p.m., and dinner’s rice is ready when you walk in.

It is expensive for a rice cooker. If you eat rice once a week, the Instant Pot or a good saucepan does the job. See how to cook rice in a rice cooker.

Who should buy it: Solo cooks who eat rice several times a week.

5. Duxtop 9600LS Portable Induction Cooktop: Best Extra Burner

Plenty of studios and small apartments have two burners, or none. A portable induction burner adds a fast, safe cooking zone that goes back in the cupboard when you are done.

Induction heats the pan directly through a magnetic field, so it boils water noticeably faster than a coil and the glass top stays much cooler. It switches off when you lift the pan, which makes it a safer choice in a cramped space.

The Duxtop 9600LS is the model we see recommended most, and it earns that. It has 20 power levels, enough to hold a gentle simmer without scorching, which cheaper burners often struggle with.

It needs magnetic cookware. If a magnet sticks to the bottom of your pan, it will work. See how to use non-induction cookware on an induction cooktop, and our NuWave induction cooktop review for another option.

Who should buy it: Anyone with one or two burners, or no stove at all.

6. Toshiba 0.7 Cu Ft Microwave MM-EM07PA: Best Compact Microwave

A full-size microwave swallows a big piece of a small counter. A 0.7 cubic foot model handles everything one person needs: reheating, steaming a bowl of vegetables, softening butter and defrosting.

This Toshiba is about 17 inches wide, which fits in spots a standard microwave will not. The mute button is a small thing we appreciate in a studio, where the beep carries. Eco mode cuts the power it draws on standby.

At 700 watts, it heats more slowly than a full-size model. Add about 30 seconds to package times written for 1,000-watt microwaves.

If you have space above the stove, an over-the-range microwave frees the counter entirely.

Who should buy it: Solo cooks who mostly reheat and defrost.

7. Keurig K-Mini: Best Single-Serve Coffee Maker

A 12-cup coffee maker makes no sense when you drink one or two cups. You either brew a full pot and pour most of it away, or fiddle with measurements for a half pot.

The K-Mini brews one cup at a time and is one of the slimmest coffee makers made, at about 4.5 inches wide. It slips into the gap between a toaster and the wall. There is no water tank: you pour in fresh water for each cup, which keeps the machine tiny.

Be realistic about what it is. It is about convenience and space, not great coffee. It brews more slowly than larger Keurigs, and the coffee comes out less hot than some people like.

If you care more about the coffee than the convenience, a pour-over dripper and the kettle below make better coffee in the same space. For more Keurig options, see our best Keurig coffee makers.

Who should buy it: Solo coffee drinkers with very little counter space.

8. Cosori Gooseneck Electric Kettle: Best Electric Kettle

An electric kettle boils water faster than the stove and frees a burner. A 0.8-liter kettle is right for one person: enough for a pour-over, a pot of tea or a bowl of instant oats, without boiling water you will pour away.

The gooseneck spout gives a slow, controlled pour, which is what makes pour-over coffee taste good. The presets matter too. Green tea scalds at a full boil; 170 or 180°F brings out its flavor instead of bitterness.

The keep-warm setting holds the water at temperature for up to an hour, so a second cup does not mean another boil.

For care, see how to clean an electric kettle, and for the basics, how electric kettles work.

Who should buy it: Tea and pour-over coffee drinkers.

9. Dash Mini Waffle Maker: Best Tiny Treat Maker

A full waffle iron makes four waffles at a time and takes a cupboard shelf. The Dash Mini makes one 4-inch waffle and fits in a drawer.

This is not an essential, and we would not buy it before anything above. But it costs about the same as a takeout coffee, and it does more than waffles. It makes crisp hash browns from grated potato, a pressed sandwich on small bread and low-carb “chaffles” from egg and cheese.

For a single person, the small size is the appeal. One waffle, no leftover batter, nothing to freeze.

Who should buy it: Solo cooks who want weekend waffles without a bulky iron.

How to Choose When Counter Space Is Tight

Most small kitchens have room for two or three appliances on the counter. Choose by role, not by trend.

Two-appliance kitchen: An air fryer or toaster oven, plus a kettle or coffee maker. That covers cooking and drinks.

Three-appliance kitchen: Add the Instant Pot or rice cooker for grains and soups.

No-stove studio: An induction burner, a toaster oven and a microwave cover almost everything.

Store occasional appliances in a cupboard. The waffle maker and rice cooker can live on a shelf until you need them. See countertop organization ideas for a small kitchen.

Air Fryer vs Toaster Oven for One

Both cook single portions well. The choice depends on what you eat.

Feature	Small Air Fryer	Compact Toaster Oven
Crispy food	Better	Good
Toast	No	Yes
Baking	Limited	Good
Footprint	Smaller	Wider
Cleanup	Basket	Tray and crumb tray

If you eat a lot of frozen foods and roasted vegetables, choose the air fryer. If you want toast and small bakes, choose the toaster oven. For more detail, see NuWave oven vs air fryers and the best small ovens and toaster ovens.

What to Skip When You Cook for One

• Full-size stand mixers. Heavy and huge. A hand mixer or stick blender handles small batches.
• 12-cup coffee makers. You will pour most of it away.
• Large slow cookers. Too big for one portion. The 3-quart Instant Pot slow cooks too.
• Full-size food processors. A 3-cup mini chopper suits single portions.
• Bread machines. Bulky and single-use.
• Large countertop grills. A skillet or air fryer does the same job.

Energy Use and Small Appliances

Small appliances often use far less energy than a full oven for one portion. A toaster oven or air fryer heats a small space, so it preheats fast and runs for less time.

An induction burner puts more of its energy into the pan than a coil does. An electric kettle boils water faster than a pot on the stove.

For more, see most energy-efficient small kitchen appliances and how to reduce kitchen energy use in a small apartment.

Check Your Outlets First

Small kitchens often have few outlets, and some share one circuit. An 1800-watt toaster oven and an 1800-watt induction burner running together can trip a breaker.

Plug high-wattage appliances into separate outlets where you can, and avoid cheap power strips. See most energy-efficient small kitchen appliances for an energy-monitoring plug that shows what each appliance draws, and our guide to the best induction cooktop for the money for higher-power burners. Count your outlets before you buy three plug-in appliances.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Buying the family size. A 6-quart air fryer or 10-cup rice cooker wastes space and energy.
• Buying for one recipe. If it does one dish, skip it.
• Ignoring the footprint. Measure your counter before you order.
• Owning two appliances that do the same job. You rarely need an air fryer and an air fryer toaster oven.
• Leaving everything on the counter. Put rarely used appliances away.

Pair Appliances With the Right Cookware

Compact appliances work best alongside right-sized pans. An 8-inch skillet and a 2-quart saucepan cover what your appliances do not.

See best cookware sizes for cooking for one and small kitchen gadgets worth buying when you cook for one.

Related Guides

• How to Stock a Small Kitchen for Solo Cooking
• Easy Meal Prep Ideas for One Person in a Small Kitchen
• How to Cook a Full Meal With Only Two Burners
• Best Compact Energy Star Appliances for Small Kitchens
• Coolest Kitchen Appliances to Buy
• How to Clean an Air Fryer Basket

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most useful small appliance for one person?

A small air fryer or a compact toaster oven. Both cook single portions faster than a full oven and without heating the kitchen. Choose an air fryer for crispy food, or a toaster oven if you also want toast and small bakes.

What size air fryer is best for one person?

About 2 to 4 quarts. A 2-quart basket fits one portion of fries, wings or vegetables. Go up to 4 quarts if you often cook for two or batch cook.

Is a 3-quart Instant Pot big enough for one?

Yes. A 3-quart Instant Pot makes up to three servings, which is one meal plus a day or two of leftovers. It cooks rice, beans, soups and small batches of stew.

Which appliances should someone cooking for one skip?

Full-size stand mixers, 12-cup coffee makers, slow cookers of 6 quarts or more and large food processors. They are sized for batch cooking you will rarely do and take space you cannot spare.

Can one appliance replace several in a small kitchen?

Often, yes. A toaster oven can bake, roast and toast, and a multicooker can pressure cook, slow cook, steam and make rice. Two well-chosen appliances can replace four single-purpose ones.