Cooking and baking buying guide

Whip up a roast dinner or get your bake on with electric, gas and dual fuel ovens in sizes and styles for every kitchen. And there’s no need to make a meal out of cleaning – look for pyrolytic cleaning to cut down on the scrubbing and chemicals.

Microwaves are for way more than warming up leftovers. Featuring grills, auto-cook programmes and auto-defrost options, there’s a button for everything! Then there are combination microwaves that can bake and roast quicker and with less energy than a traditional oven. Perfect for a Sunday lunch or just a quick jacket potato.

Whether it’s a pasta dish or soup, head to the hob. What kind of hob you choose depends on what matters to you. Gas hobs give you great control over your cooking and are loved by chefs. Then there are ceramic hobs, which look stylish and are super easy to keep clean with a quick wipe. Hobs were once only something that came on a cooker top. But now, you can install them separately - helping you set up your kitchen just the way you like it.

If you’re a regular chef, a good hood is essential to helping keep your kitchen air fresh. Cooker hoods come in all shapes and sizes, so you’ll find one that can slot right in and look great. You can also check the noise level (measured in decibels). If you’re all about keeping a quiet kitchen, go for a whisper-quiet hood less than 45 db.

Everybody’s had one useless toaster that burns bread every time! But with auto sensors, bagel and toasted sandwich functions, you can trade up to a top-end toaster that can make breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you’re part of a busy household, go for a 4 or 6-slice model so that no one has to wait. And if style is your thing, you’ll find showstopping retro toasters from the likes of Smeg too.

If you love to cook and you haven't already invested in a food processor, you're missing out. They can handle anything from the neatest, finest slicing to rough chopping, kneading, grating and so much more. From sauces to salads, it's like having your own assistant chef! Food processors come in all shapes and sizes, so it's really more about checking out what their attachments can do. If you love cold drinks (or cocktails), pick one with an ice crushing function too.

Mixers take the guesswork out of whipping, kneading, whisking and blending. And if you're looking for as much help as possible, look for features like in-built scales so you know you're adding just the right ratio of ingredients. If you're a maker of big batches, look for a stand mixer with at least a 4-litre bowl. Otherwise, a hand mixer should do the trick.

Juicers and blenders are a great way to get some fresh fruit and veg into your diet with a healthy smoothie. But they’re also great at soups, sauces and generally taking the chopping and slicing work out of meal prep. Look for a wide chute so you don't have to take the time to cut veg down to size before blending. And to save on the clean up, look for a juicer or blender that has a bowl and blades that you can pop straight into the dishwasher once you’re done.

There are great reasons why air fryers have become so popular - not only do they let you cook with little or no oil, but they can also use far less energy than other ways of cooking. Air fryers are great for quick midweek meals, but are also a huge help for less experienced cooks - with preset settings that help you get your fave food just right every time. And they can take on more recipes than you might think - from a whole roast chicken to chocolate brownies.