Cooking Without a Full Kitchen: Maxim Benchtop Appliance Guide

Not every kitchen has a stove. Granny flats, caravans, office kitchenettes, student rooms and homes mid-renovation all need a way to cook — and a few good benchtop appliances do most of what a full kitchen does. Here's which Maxim appliances suit each space, and how to run them from ordinary power points.

Start with your space

Ovens, hotplates and microwaves

The Maxim 30L oven with hot plates is the closest thing to a stove: a 30 litre oven (100–250 °C, 60 minute timer) with a large and a small hot plate on top. It's the one to choose for a granny flat or long-term set-up. For something smaller, there's the 9L mini oven.

If you have an oven but no cooktop, add hotplates: the single 1500 W for one pot, or the twin 2400 W for two at once. Both are sealed cast iron with thermostats. The 20L manual microwave uses simple dials, which makes it easy for anyone in a shared kitchen.

One-pan cooking

An electric frypan fries, simmers and stews. Pick the size for how many you feed: the 20cm mini for one or two, the 29cm family frypan for most households, or the 39cm banquet pan for crowds. For stir-fries there's an electric wok, and for hot pot nights the steamboat with grill.

Rice and slow cooking

A rice cooker frees up a hotplate and gets rice right every time: 5 cup for one or two, 10 cup for a family, 30 cup for gatherings. The 6L slow cooker cooks a whole dinner on low for up to 12 hours using just 320 W — handy when the kitchen is out of action.

Breakfast and drinks

A 1 litre kettle suits small spaces; the 1.7 litre a household. For toast, the glass window toaster lets you watch it brown, while the stainless 2 slice keeps it simple. Toasted sandwiches: the 4 slice press for open grilling or the deep dish sandwich maker for sealed jaffles.

Power: how much can one point run?

A standard Australian 10 amp power point supplies up to about 2,400 W. Cooking appliances draw a lot, so plan where each one plugs in: run one high-wattage appliance per power point, and don't put a hotplate, oven and kettle on the same power board. In a caravan or granny flat, check what your supply can handle before running several at once.

Warranty and delivery

Every Maxim appliance carries a 12 month warranty. We deliver Australia-wide from our Derrimut warehouse in Melbourne's west, or choose Pickup at checkout and collect free. Browse the full Maxim Kitchen Pro range.