With urban spaces getting smaller and smaller, condos are getting tighter and tighter—and that means even less elbow room in the kitchen. Luckily, everyone from appliance manufacturers to home-accessories designers are taking note, scaling down their products and helping condo dwellers cut back on clutter. Here are just some of the latest kitchen space-savers we’ve found on the local market.

Extra-Small Sips
Condo-dwellers who are coffee-lovers need not clutter their kitchen countertops with multiple accessories—nor kick their caffeine habit. The XSmall Plus Espresso Machine ($599 at Cookworks, various locations) by Italian brand Saeco is small enough to fit into narrow spaces while packing a barista-approved punch. Weighing in at 6.9 kilograms, the compact beverage-maker measures just 29.5 centimetres wide, 42 centimetres deep, and 32.5 centimetres high. Yet it can prepare two espressos at the same time, and features a pannarello (frothing device) for creating cappuccinos and lattes. A ceramic grinder on top means fresh-tasting coffee every time, while a removable drip tray below makes cleaning up easy. The machine is available in a shiny dark silver with black details.
> Michelle da Silva

Tight Spice
When the designer is a Manhattanite who loves to cook, you know the product is going to be space smart—and look good. New Yorker Laura Martin has created the Soho Spices collection of magnetic spice racks, which find stainless-steel, glass-topped containers attaching to metal strips that you can attach directly to the wall. The Soho 12 ($109) comes with a dozen holders, but we’re thinking the average galley kitchen might better squeeze in a Soho 5 ($55). Now can you narrow down your favourite spices to less than a dozen? They’re at Cookworks (377 Howe Street and 1548 West Broadway).
> Janet Smith

Cool Stools
Tight kitchen space means limited seating room. That’s why we like INspiration Furniture’s whimsically sculptural Luna stool: thanks to a hydraulic lift, you can shift it up or down, allowing you to roll it away under a counter or table when it’s not in use. The steel body, which comes in a variety of hues, circles around to become a chrome footrest. The padded seat comes in a range of colours in durable, cleanable microfibre; go sleek and black or go big with a bright pop of teal or red ($469 at 1275 West 6th Avenue).
> Janet Smith

Rack Attack
Where is there room for a dish rack in a tight condo kitchen? Think like a space-squeezed urban European and hang it on the wall. IKEA’s Grundtal stainless-steel dish drainer is a good, sleek basic ($29.99), small enough for a tight spot but big enough for a few dishes and cups. If storage is more the problem, consider the simple, white Stenstorp plate shelf ($55), with hooks for hanging cups—also a nice option if you have dishes you want to show off rather than pack away.

For condo denizens and the space-compromised, sleek is beautiful with CB2’s blood-orange collapsing table, LG’s slender fridge with bottom-mount freezer, and Soho Spice Collection’s magnetic spice racks.

Fridges Go Skinny
When it comes to condo-sized kitchens, sleek and compact appliances are key, including refrigerators. Apartment dwellers on the hunt for a new fridge will want to keep their eyes on its width—a fridge that is 60 centimeters (or 24 inches) will fit perfectly into a kitchen short on space. Brands like GE and LG make refrigerators that are slender in size, but won’t blow the budget (starting at $1,000 at Midland Appliances [various locations]). The GE version features a top freezer and 12.1 cubic feet of space, and is available in stainless steel, black, and white; LG’s fridge has a bottom-mount freezer and 11.4 cubic feet of space, and comes in dark or light stainless steel. For an even sleeker, minimalist look, consider fully integrated refrigerators—meaning they’re customized to suit the space and well hidden—made by several European brands, such as Blomberg and Liebherr (upwards of $2,000 at Midland Appliances).
> Michelle da Silva

An Island Unto Itself
Many condo kitchens are short on counter space, but don’t let that stop you from creating your own. A kitchen island is a quick and easy way to add some additional countertop without having to renovate, and the Groland Kitchen Island ($269 at IKEA [various locations]) not only gives cooks extra work space, but storage room as well. The solid-birch island measures 53 centimetres in length, 120 centimetres in width, and 90 centimetres in height, with a cutting-board tabletop. An additional wooden shelf below leaves room for storage, and the metal rails along two sides of the island are convenient for hanging utensils and dishtowels. For just a little extra counter space, the Bekvän Kitchen Cart on wheels ($69 at IKEA) squeezes into narrower spaces and can be easily moved around. Measuring in at 60 centimetres in length, 50 centimeters in width, and 85 centimetres in height, it also has two handy bottom shelves for added storage.
> Michelle da Silva

Tricky Table
With the recent opening of Western Canada’s first CB2 store (1277 Robson Street), Vancouverites can finally indulge in the fun and funky offerings from U.S. chain Crate & Barrel’s younger, hipper sister. The home décor company’s Flip N Dine Table ($599) is an easy way to throw a dinner party without having to pull out the card table. Designed by Jonas Wahlstrom, this glossy blood-orange number unfolds to fit six diners. A steel-tube frame gives it a sturdy base, while a lacquered, engineered wood tabletop makes cleanup easy. Once the party’s over, the table’s width collapses to just 33 centimetres, making for easy storage in a closet or under a bed or couch.
> Michelle da Silva

Bitty Baker
Leave it to the Europeans to come up with compact ovens and cooktops that perform as well as they look in condo-sized kitchens. Spanish label Fagor’s 24-inch convection oven ($1,500 at Midland Appliances [various locations]) is anything but clunky, with its flush-to-cabinet, fully integrated look. The oven, which can be customized with either a bottom-hinging or side-hinging door, features triple-glass insulation and a third heating element at the back for even heat distribution. A stainless-steel finish, digital display, and retractable dials keep the oven looking sleek and hidden, even when in use.
> Michelle da Silva