Our Pick Of The Best Space Saving Appliances & Accessories For Small Kitchens.

City center apartments and many new build homes often have small kitchens but with our smart appliance and accessory suggestions you’ll be amazed to see what is available to make the most of the space you have. Here we bring you a few of our favourite space saving appliances and accessories for small kitchens.

Install A Boiling Water Tap.

Save time and energy by ditching the traditional kettle!  Free up some valuable worktop space and opt for a boiling water tap in your kitchen. 

Boiling water taps provide hot, cold and boiling water all from one stylish spout. The Quooker Flex and Quooker Fusion Boiling Water Taps can also be turned into an exclusive 4-in-1 tap with the addition of a water filter. The Quooker Flex is unique and one of a kind as it features an extendable flexible hose making it even easier to clean veggies and get to those hard to reach areas of the sink.

Cook On Induction!

A great choice for kitchens with little worktop space is an induction hob. The minimalist glass surface blends into the work top to give the illusion of a larger kitchen. Thanks to the flat, wipe clean surface of an induction hob they also make a great extra surface to use when the hob is not in use. 

For those with very limited worktop space then a single Domino Hob such as the Caple C9941 Domino Induction Hob would be a perfect solution as they are much smaller than the standard 600mm wide hob. A Domino Hob is simply a two zone hob available in gas, induction or electric. Domino hobs provide cooking flexibility as a number of 'mini' hobs are often placed side by side allowing users to switch between gas or induction with ease.

Opt For A Telescopic Cooker Hood.

There are some amazing extractor hoods available to create a feature in your kitchen but if space is at a premium then you’d be wise to opt for a smaller, telescopic model which will effectively extract grease and odours from the air in an unobtrusive manner.

To keep your soft furnishings and kitchen smelling fresh and grease free the  iivela IVTH60 Telescopic Cooker Hood is an ideal choice for any small kitchen as it successfully cleans the air whilst providing additional storage at the same time. 

Partially fitted within a wall unit, telescopic cooker hoods blend effortlessly into the kitchen furniture. The hood is simply pulled out during cooking and pushed back when not in use. Although the wall unit is not fully functional it will provide a shelf where you can store herbs and spices. The IVTH60 telescopic hood can be ducted out or used in recirculation mode with the addition of a charcoal filter making it a great choice for apartments where the option of ducting out is not available.

Buy A Wall Mounted Microwave.

Many households use a microwave and for most, it is an essential kitchen appliance. Freestanding microwaves take up a large amount of valuable worktop space, by choosing a model that can be housed in a wall unit you can have the best of both worlds; the convenience of microwave cooking and extra worktop space! The Caple CM120 Built In Microwave can be housed in a wall unit making it a great compact microwave option.

Go Slimline With Your Dishwasher!

No one really enjoys washing up! Slimline integrated dishwashers are a super option for those of you who cannot live without a dishwasher but are tight on space. At only 450mm wide they’re much slimmer than the standard models (600mm) yet still offer all the same features. The iivela, IVDW450, Slimline Integrated Dishwasher is both small and spacious enough to clean up to 11 space settings making it a super choice for families or couples alike.

Squeeze In A Stylish Wine Cooler.

If you love your wine, a wine cooler is still a feesable option even in the smallest of kitchens. At only 145mm wide, slimline built under wine coolers can store up to 8 bottles of wine at an optimal temperature which helps to retain the wine’s flavour and balance. The stylish Caple Built Under WI159 Wine Cooler finished in black glass with a stainless steel door is a wonderful choice for those looking for an elegant, sleek wine storage solution.

Choose A Compact Sink With Accessories.

Every kitchen, whether big or small, needs a kitchen sink. With some unique sink designs out there you’ll find a selection of models that offer clever accessories to turn your standard kitchen sink into a multi functional work surface.

We love the Caple Axle 50 Stainless Steel Sink featuring a single bowl which is stylish and suitable for both inset or undermount installation within a 600mm base unit. The compact Axle sink comes with extra accessories including a colander and bamboo chopping board. Both the colander and chopping board fit neatly over the sink bowl turning the sink area into a really useful work and storage surface, perfect for petite kitchens where work top space is minimal.

Create More Space, Opt For A Plinth Heater.

Imagine not having to compromise on space and being able to plan for slightly larger kitchen than you originally thought. By removing an old radiator from a kitchen wall and installing a plinth heater, you have the potential to do just that. Plinth heaters are housed neatly beneath the fitted kitchen furniture freeing up valuable space and effectively heating the room from low level in less than half the time of a panel radiator.

Plinth heaters are available in a selection of fascia colours with the choice of electric, hydronic and dual fuel models. Hydronic models such as The Smiths, SS80, Hydronic Plinth Heater can be connected to your central heating system. The SS80 plinth heater will efficiently heat a room size 27m³.

Wash And Dry With One Appliance.

Tired of your home looking like a launderette after each wash cycle yet don’t have space for a freestanding tumble dryer, why not consider a washer dryer?  A washer dryer allows you to wash and dry your laundry in one machine, perfect for those who live in apartments with no secure outdoor space to hang out their washing.

The  Zanussi ZWD76NB4PW Washer Dryer has a 7kg wash load & 4kg drying capacity to ensure you can continue to wash and dry the laundry even on a rainy day.

Look For Fridges With A Freezer Box.

One thing we all need in the kitchen is a fridge and preferably a freezer. You’ll need to allow at least a 600mm space for a fridge. If you simply do not have sufficient space for a tall fridge freezer or a separate side by side fridge and freezer then you should look for a built under model that features a small freezer compartment to give you greater storage flexibility.

The iivela IVUFLIB60 Built Under Fridge With Ice Box provides ample fridge storage space plus an additional 17 litre freezer compartment.

Create Space With Glass Mirrored Backsplashes.

Interior designers often advise decorating small rooms in lighter tones to enhance the space, the same goes for small kitchens. As a general rule it is best to opt for light door shades in compact kitchens, if you go too dark with your door colour you risk making your kitchen look even smaller.

We have found the perfect solution for those who still love to inject some colour into their homes; The Caple TSB600 coloured, glass back splashes. They're a great way of adding a splash of colour to your kitchen and with a wide variety of colours and sizes to choose between they're suitable for all styles of kitchen. Better still glass panels are easy to wipe clean, minimalist, look super stylish and the mirrored reflection creates the illusion of a bigger space.

Wall Units Vs Open Shelves.

Do away with the odd wall unit and replace them with open shelves. Don’t be afraid to have your pots and pans on show. Open shelves create a light, airy space and provide easy access to many essential items, an ideal choice for smaller spaces.

Shelves such as a Major LED Frosted Glass Shelf are a great option as they provide storage whilst also creating a subtle light in the kitchen too. These stylish aluminum framed shelves look great in the evening as they produce a lovely warm glow in the room.

Light It Up!

Lighting in a kitchen can really enhance the space and is especially important in small or dark kitchens where natural light may be minimal. Cabinet and plinth lights produce a halo of subtle lighting around the kitchen and can be used to highlight surfaces ready for food preparation, brightening internal units or simply to create a lovely ambience during the evening. LED lights are a great choice as they provide a good quality light, last for ages and are extremely cheap to run.

If you love to host parties then the Flexible LED strip lights are a great option, they come in an array of colour options including White, Blue and RGB plus they can be operated via remote control too. No party is complete without a little music! If you like to have a sing song whilst cooking why not consider installing a soundbar that discreetly fits within the plinth such as the iivela, Contralto Bluetooth Soundbar Speaker System.

Less Chaos, More Organisation!

Make use of every bit of your kitchen including the hard to reach corners.

If room allows, tall pull out larder units are a great storage option and for corner units seriously consider a corner carousel. Modern internal storage systems are fantastic, allowing you to store and more importantly, gain easy access to each and every item. Those days of discovering food in the back of the cupboard that have long ago reached their expiry date will be a thing of the past!

If you're really struggling for worktop space why not look to introduce a dinky pull out work surface or table in your kitchen design. They're functional and neatly store away again after use. Opt for knife racks and kitchen roll holders that can be wall mounted and look for internal organizers to really make the most of the space inside your cupboards.

With a little thought, research and precise planning you can make sure every inch of use-able space is utilized to ensure even the smallest kitchen has everything you could possibly need and more.

Updated March 2024 due to removal of discontinued products.