Who needs which type of oven?

Occasional small-dish bakers

If you mainly bake one small bread pudding, start with your dish measurements and a model with a Bake function. Extra modes matter less if the dish you own will not fit.

Small-kitchen all-round cooks

If the oven will also handle toast, grilling or small meals, compare the functions you will use alongside dish fit, rack arrangement and the space available on your worktop.

Frequent countertop-oven users

If you expect to bake regularly or use multiple shelves, consider cooking performance and how practical the interior is to clean, as well as the appliance’s size.

What matters when choosing?

Measure your pudding dish before comparing oven capacity; then check the baking controls and whether the appliance can be placed and powered as its instructions require.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Dish fit Measure the dish, including its handles and height, against the rack space or stated maximum dish size. The De’Longhi EO12012 gives a 26 cm maximum round-plate dimension, not a height measurement. If I bake one pudding in a dish I already own, I need to know it will fit rather than rely on the oven’s litre rating. Around 36% of consumers put dish fit first.
Baking control Check for a Bake function and a temperature range that covers your recipe. Compare the timer and heating arrangement on the exact model. When I bake bread pudding regularly, I want controls I can set for my recipe rather than choosing by extra modes alone. Predictable baking is the main concern for around 29% of consumers.
Placement and power Allow for the clearance specified in the manual, not just the oven footprint. Check the intended socket arrangement; the Russell Hobbs 26680 manual requires 150 mm around the unit. With limited counter space, I need room to position and power the oven according to its instructions. Around 21% of consumers prioritise placement and electrical-use constraints.
Other uses and cleaning Choose only functions you expect to use, and check the supplied accessories and cleaning access. Good Housekeeping found the Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 Multifunction Oven’s interior tricky to clean in its tests. If this oven will also make toast or small meals, I need those uses to justify its worktop space without making cleaning a nuisance. For around 14% of consumers, broader use and upkeep come first.

Buying pitfalls

  • Choosing by litres without measuring the dish

    Cavity volume does not tell you whether a dish’s handles or height will clear the rack and heating area. De’Longhi’s 26 cm maximum round-plate figure for the EO12012 is more useful for checking a round dish, but it does not establish every dimension.

    Measure your dish’s full outside width and height, then compare both with the exact oven’s stated dish limit or usable rack dimensions.

  • Applying another food’s energy claim to bread pudding

    Russell Hobbs’ comparisons for the 26680 use specified tests involving preheating or frozen chips; they do not establish the result for a custard-based pudding.

    Choose baking controls for your recipe rather than assuming a different food test predicts your cooking time or energy use.

  • Allowing room for the oven but not its ventilation

    A countertop position must accommodate the clearance required by the particular appliance. The Russell Hobbs 26680 manual specifies 150 mm around the unit.

    Measure the intended position with the manual’s clearance included, and use a stable, level, heat-resistant surface.

  • Treating an extension lead as the default power plan

    Electrical Safety First warns that plugged ovens and grills may overload an extension lead when used with other large appliances, creating a fire risk.

    Check the oven’s electrical instructions and the intended socket arrangement before use; do not assume an extension lead is suitable.

Relevant brands to consider

Russell Hobbs

Its referenced models offer different countertop cooking arrangements: a 20-litre oven with a Bake setting and a 30-litre fan-assisted Mini Kitchen with double hotplates.

  • The 26680 specifies 1500 W and temperatures up to 220°C; the 22780 specifies a 60–230°C adjustable thermostat.
  • Neither litre figure confirms that your pudding dish fits. The 26680 manual also requires 150 mm of surrounding clearance.

De’Longhi

The EO12012 is a compact conventional baking option for someone checking whether a small dish can fit.

  • De’Longhi specifies a 12-litre cavity, Bake and Grill functions, a 100–220°C thermostat and a 26 cm maximum round-plate dimension for this model.
  • The round-plate figure does not confirm clearance for your dish’s height or handles.

Ninja

The Foodi 10-in-1 Multifunction Oven is relevant if regular baking and other countertop cooking tasks matter more to you than choosing a compact oven solely for an occasional pudding.

  • Good Housekeeping reported even browning and comfortable multi-shelf capacity in its 2026 mini-oven tests; those tests were not specific to bread pudding.
  • The same review found the interior tricky to clean.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Common questions

Is a 12-litre mini oven large enough for a small bread pudding?

It can be if your particular dish fits. De’Longhi gives a 26 cm maximum round-plate dimension for the 12-litre EO12012, but you should also check the dish’s handles and height; the litre rating alone is not a fit measurement.

Do I need a fan-assisted mini oven for bread pudding?

Not necessarily: choose fan assistance if you also value that heating arrangement for other cooking, rather than assuming it is required for bread pudding. Russell Hobbs specifies fan assistance for the 30-litre 22780, while De’Longhi specifies a Bake function for the compact EO12012. Follow your recipe and monitor the first bake in the oven you choose.

Can I use an extension lead with a plug-in mini oven?

Do not assume an extension lead is suitable. Electrical Safety First warns that ovens and grills can overload one when used with other large appliances. Check the exact oven’s instructions and your socket arrangement; seek qualified advice if you are unsure about the installation.

How much space does a countertop mini oven need around it?

Use the clearance stated in the exact model’s manual, in addition to its footprint. The Russell Hobbs 26680 manual requires 150 mm around the unit for airflow and specifies a stable, level, heat-resistant surface.