To cook a main and a side dish with different settings, look for two independent cooking zones and check whether you can synchronise their finishing times. A single large basket is better suited to cooking one uniform dish; if your food or cookware will not fit in the baskets, a conventional oven is still an option. In every case, compare the size of each basket, the space available and the model’s installation instructions.
If your main and side dish need different cooking times or temperatures, it’s worth considering two independently adjustable zones. UFC-Que Choisir includes synchronised cooking in its tests of dual-zone air fryers.
The size of the basket for your main dish may matter more than the advertised total capacity. Models from Moulinex and Philips show that the two baskets can have different capacities, so check where each dish will fit.
Width alone doesn’t tell you how much space an appliance needs: you also need room to open the drawers and enough clearance above it. Philips, for example, offers stacked baskets; measure the space and check the instructions for the model you’re considering.
Consider this: if you mainly cook one uniform dish and don’t need two independent settings.
Bear in mind: for two recipes with different requirements, you’ll need to adjust the cooking, cook them one after the other or use another appliance.
Consider this: if your main and side dishes need different settings and should be served together.
Bear in mind: the capacity is split between two baskets, which may or may not be the same size; each must be large enough for the food you plan to cook.
Keep this option: if your meal centres on a large dish or cookware that won’t fit in the baskets you’re considering.
Bear in mind: it doesn’t replace two baskets with independent settings for cooking separate dishes.
| Feature | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Separate cooking settings | Check that the settings are independent and, if you want to serve everything together, that the cooking times can be synchronised. | I’m cooking a main and a side dish that need different settings, but I want to serve them hot at the same time. Around 39% of consumers would make this a priority. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the capacity of each basket and the space your portions or dishes need, rather than looking only at the total capacity in litres. | For a family meal, I need the main dish to fit without sacrificing space for the side. This would be a priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Space required | Measure the width, depth and height, as well as the space needed to open the drawers; check the instructions for required clearances. | If my worktop is narrow, I need to be able to reach the appliance with the drawers open. Around 15% of consumers would make this their top consideration. |
| Cleaning | Find out which parts are dishwasher-safe and check their cleaning instructions. | When I cook in two baskets, I want to be able to clean the parts I use regularly without any fuss. For around 15% of consumers, ease of cleaning would come before other features. |
A 9 L model split into 6 L and 3 L baskets, such as the Philips NA352/04 featured by Philips, won’t divide portions in the same way as the Ninja AF300EU, which Darty lists as having two 3.8 L baskets.
Picture your main and side dishes in their respective baskets before comparing total capacities.
A synchronisation function coordinates the finishing times; it doesn’t tell you whether your portions will fit in the baskets or what the cooking results will be.
Check the size of each zone and the available settings separately. If this is a deciding factor, look for tests of the specific model.
The drawers need room to open, while a stacked-basket design also requires enough height below your cupboards.
Measure the space in front of and above the planned spot, then check the clearance requirements in the instructions for the model you’ve chosen.
This depends on the parts and the model. Moulinex states that the drawers and racks of the Easy Fry Dual EZ901N20 are dishwasher-safe, but this doesn’t apply to every air fryer.
Check the instructions to see which parts can go in the dishwasher and which need to be cleaned by hand.
The Easy Fry Dual range shows how two differently sized baskets can suit a main dish and a side.
The models featured include asymmetrical baskets, a single large basket and two stacked baskets. Each layout suits different needs.
The AF300EU featured by Darty has two equal-sized baskets, making it worth considering for two similarly sized dishes.
These models include double-drawer air fryers and one with a basket that converts into two cooking zones. To compare them, start with the size of your dishes, then check the features you need and the space required for your chosen model.
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Worth considering if you want to split a main and a side dish between two baskets. The advertised total capacity is 9 L; check the capacity of each basket, whether it offers the synchronisation you need and the installation instructions for this model.
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Worth a look if you want to cook two recipes at once in separate drawers. The model name indicates a total capacity of 9.5 L and six functions; check how the capacity is divided and whether cooking times can be synchronised if you want both dishes ready together.
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This two-drawer design is worth comparing with the portions you usually cook. It has an advertised total capacity of 7.6 L and six functions; check the capacity of each drawer and whether you can synchronise the finishing times.
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Worth considering for cooking two dishes in separate baskets. The model name indicates a 9 L capacity, 2,400 W, eight programmes and independent temperature control; check synchronisation, dimensions and cleaning instructions before choosing.
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Worth a look if you alternate between cooking one large dish and two separate recipes: the basket is designed to convert into two zones. The stated total capacity is 10 L; check the layout of the zones, whether they can be synchronised and the installation instructions.
No. It coordinates the finishing times, but each dish also needs to fit in its basket. Philips, for example, describes the NA352/04 as having 6 L and 3 L baskets, while Darty lists the Ninja AF300EU as having two 3.8 L baskets. Choose the layout that suits your portions.
Only if the manufacturer says that the parts in your model are dishwasher-safe. Moulinex states that the drawers and racks of the Easy Fry Dual EZ901N20 are dishwasher-safe; check the instructions for your model and its accessories before washing them.
Take this electrical appliance to an appropriate collection point rather than putting it in your household rubbish. The ministry responsible for the ecological transition lists collection points and recycling centres among the options.